Daily dread maintenance routine

These are the steps one of our customers take to take care of the locs. 

1. Drink a large glass of water upon waking up

Water plays a huge role in keeping your scalp hydrated (and the rest of your body). Your skin will be the first to tell you if you’re dehydrated and an itchy scalp is no exception. I notice the effects on my head within hours if I am or I’m not drinking enough water. If you find it difficult to drink 16 oz of plain water, add a little bit of lemon juice and drink it with a straw (for some reason it makes it easier to chug). Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day too!

2. Unwrap and give your locs a shake

The second thing I do in the morning is to remove the wrap (we’ll get to the wrapping part later) and shake my head upside down. Run your fingers through your locs as if you were brushing them with your hands. This will help to keep them separated at the root, especially the ones around the back of the head that tend to mingle and want to buddy up.

3. Moisturize your locs

The third thing I’ll do is spritz my hair with a moisturizing spray. You can make your own or buy one online. 

Spray it all over your dreads — dampen your hair lightly but don’t overdo it! After spraying, run your fingers through your hair again in a brush-like motion. Squeeze them if you’ve sprayed too much. Hydrate your hair a few times a day if you feel it’s necessary.

4. Let them be free

Ideally, you want to let your dreads hang loose. If you style your dreads too often (or too tight) it can cause thinning at the roots. If you’re able to let them be free, you’re better off that way. If you have to pull them away from your face, you can wear a large elastic headband around your face or alternatively, use the headband as a loose tie and lightly tie your hair in a ponytail or bun. The less you mess with them, the better.

5. Protect your dreads throughout the day

Be conscious of your daily activities and be mindful of all the particles flying around in the air. If you’re going to be cooking, cleaning the house, or in a dusty environment, use a head wrap to prevent nasty things from getting stuck in your hair.

6. Palm roll

This is one of my least favorite things to do but it might help the appearance of messy dreads. Whenever you have free time (whether you’re sitting in traffic or watching TV), palm roll the loops in your hair. I don’t make it a religious habit or priority but it does help to keep them neater over time and shapes the hairs at the root to continue dreading properly.

7. Nourish your scalp

About an hour before I go to sleep, I apply an oil-based blend to my scalp and massage it in gently with my fingers. I like to use a few drops of grapeseed oil mixed with essential oils (usually tea tree) because it leaves my head smelling fresh and feeling a lot less greasy than coconut oil. Allow the oils to absorb well. Your scalp might enjoy a different blend of oils than others. 

8. Cover your hair at night

Once the oils have had a chance to infuse my scalp, I put my nightcap on. This cap is important for keeping your hair from attracting lint from your bedsheets, as well as preventing breakage that may occur from friction with the pillow. This is the cap I use. People say I look like a grandma wearing it but beauty comes at a price, so I’ll accept the compliment. 😉 If the thought of a granny cap alone embarrasses you, your next best option is a satin pillowcase. I highly recommend either of those choices!