1. Tell us about yourself.
I am a 24-year-old Philly native, trying to figure out this whole adulting thing while also living my best life possible with those I love.
2. How long have you had locs and how many do you have?
I have had my locs since August 2020, so yes I finally hit 3 whole years with them! And I have 118 locs.
3. How do you take care/wash your locs?
One thing about me, I am adamant about booking an appointment with my loctician every 2-3 months to get my locs done right. I tried retwisting them once by myself and did some of them the opposite way which could have caused breakage, so never again! While I’m in between washes I make sure to mist my hair every day with water. This is to ensure that they are staying hydrated, especially since I have a light hair color now. Lastly, I oil my hair 2-3 times a week.
**Vibrant Loc Color Ideas To Consider When Dyeing Locs**
4. Do your locs have any meaning to you?
I genuinely take pride in my locs. It’s been 3 years since I’ve had them and I’ve been admiring them more and more these days, because they are just so beautiful. I feel like they were honestly meant for me because my hair has been thriving since getting them.
It was interesting to see some of the opinions I got from family members who were hoping this wasn’t going to be a permanent thing. For context, I am Black and Puerto Rican. Something like having locs further exudes my blackness and it may be uncomfortable for some. But best believe it makes me that much happier. I am Black and my hair can do some really cool things because of that.
5. Do you have any issues with your locs & how do you deal with them?
The only issue I ever really have with my locs is lint due to some of the clothing I wear. It’s not something I feel as though I can 100% avoid. However, it has definitely gotten a lot better compared to when I first got my locs. This is because in the beginning I wasn’t consistent in keeping a bonnet/scarf on. Nowadays not only do I sleep with one on but I keep it on as I’m getting ready . That way when I’m putting on shirts, the material isn’t rubbing on my hair.
6. How did you start your locs?
I actually started mine the controversial way if you will. I started my locs with loc extensions. Prior to making the commitment with locs, I was about a year and a half in from my big chop. Don’t get me wrong, getting my big chop was the best decision I could have made for my hair at the time. But once it started growing and hitting that awkward length, I genuinely didn’t know what more I could do with it. It just so happened that around that time I had friends who were on their loc journey. I absolutely loved how it looked on them, so it sparked the interest.
I would scroll through Pinterest just getting inspiration on how I would love my locs to be, and that’s when I stumbled on loc extensions. I was genuinely shocked it was even a thing because I only heard about starting them the traditional way. But when I saw that option I knew it was meant for me. Not only did I miss being able to do more hairstyles with my hair due to the length, but I was honest with myself and knew I wouldn’t have been as confident with my locs if I started them the traditional way with the length I was working with.
I know some people in the loc community may feel some type of way about how I started my loc journey but it’s MY journey, and I don’t regret it whatsoever.
7. Tell us about your locs (texture, length, size). Do you think any of these attributes have impacted how you care for your locs?
My hair texture was honestly all over the place probably due to the amount of heat I constantly put on it when I was younger. Overall though, I would say it’s a mix of 3b-4a.
As for length, I started off with 10-inch loc extensions so it was definitely long in the beginning. However, in these 3 years I have actually cut most of my loc extensions out. Because of that, my hair now sits right above my chest so I would say it’s at a medium length now. Moreover, I have small locs with square parting.
My hair has been thick since I was a little girl. So with thickness on top of the fast growth rate, it takes a lot longer for my hair to take in water during wash days. Also, it also feels really heavy when wet or putting it in certain styles.
8. What do you like/dislike most about having locs?
First, I genuinely just love how they look. I catch myself in the mirror just admiring them at times because the fact that our hair can loc and take on this form is quite fascinating to me.
Also, I like that for the most part, it is a low-maintenance hair type. My hair is thick, and when I had loose hair it was so stressful trying to manipulate my hair into certain styles. It took so much time and STRENGTH! I had one too many days when I would cry because of my loose hair. But since having my locs it has been a breeze when it comes to styling them.
My only dislike about my locs is that because I have so many and it is getting longer, hair appointments can be dreadful for me. From the weight of them when they are wet, to it taking about 2-3 hours to get them retwisted. And then they have to be under that dryer for another hour! I be over it lol, but other than that I really have no complaints.
9. How do you like to style your locs?
So it’s funny because every time I go see my loctician, her and the whole shop be grinding me up because I STAY getting two strand twists! It really is my favorite style, because it keeps them looking fresh a lot longer than when you just do a retwist. And I love having curly locs! So when I’m ready to take my twists out I then have some curly locs to work with! Sometimes I’ll even get the two strand twist in a bob for a little razzle dazzle.
Once I do take the rope twist out though my go-to style is a half up half down moment, a ponytail with a swooped bang. Or, I like simply just leaving it out. On occasion, I will put my hair into a bun. But again I have a lot of locs and they are heavy, so I don’t do it super often or else my neck will suffer!
10. Anything else you want to share (tips, locs, life)? Is there a way we can follow you and your endeavors on social media that you would like to share?
- Be better than me and wear your scarf and/or bonnet EVERY NIGHT. And if you’re not going anywhere – keep it on throughout the day, because lint is going to be your enemy.
- I would advise keeping your locs hydrated especially if you plan on dyeing them. The last thing you want is for your locs to start breaking off due to them being brittle. To help prevent that, get a good spray bottle. I would recommend getting one of those continuous spray bottles. Since it comes out like a mist, you’re getting them wet without drenching your hair.
- Don’t retwist too often. The recommended time to get retwist is every 4-6 weeks. A lot of times I go longer, because I would much rather deal with frizz than a receding hairline. Wouldn’t you?
- And lastly, don’t let outside opinions stop you from doing what you want to do with your hair. It is on your head and as long as you feel confident with it that is all that matters. Every journey looks different and it doesn’t mean you are doing it a “right” or “wrong” way. And that goes beyond hair.
You can follow me on instagram @itsalexisbriana
