How to Twist and Re-twisting Your Dreadlocks: Do It Yourself
- modernmaasai
- Jun 23, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 25, 2018
Have you wished to have dreadlocks and you don’t know how to do them? Do you already have dreadlocks but you don’t know how to deal with the growth? This is a step by step how to make or maintain your dreadlocks!
In this blog post i’ll tell you how you can manage your dreadlocks both from starting dreadlocks to re-twisting your dreadlocks on your own, without help and which material is necessary for quality dreadlocks from black hair perspective. White people need a different technic!
How to Re-twist and Repair Your Dreadlocks
First Step
Before you start making your dreadlocks, first of all wash your hair. I do so in two steps. First of all, I wash my hair with normal hair shampoo until I make sure that my hair is clean. Thereafter, I apply dreadlocks shampoo, massage it on my hair roots and leave it for some time. The reason why I do so is because:
Normal shampoo has some important elements and hair food needed by my hair but isn’t available in dreadlocks shampoo.
Dreadlocks shampoo might be more expensive and scarce than normal hair shampoo, and sometime less foamy, than normal one.
In the end I use dreadlocks shampoo where I apply it highly on the roots and scalp, especial to provide my roots with the main components needed for growth, while to clean the general and the rest of the locks, normal shampoo can do.
After I finish washing my dreadlocks, I dry them with a towel, but leave them moist, not too dry. Blowdryer is unnecessary for this step because you just need to reduce water from your hair so that it doesn’t drip on you while working on it. Thus, you don’t completely dry your hair.
You need it moist!
Second Step
Once your hair is half-dried, move it into one direction. I usually start with my left-front side moving backwards. So I move all my hair on to my right side and leave one lock, the first one, on the left side. I don’t need hairpins or hair bands since my hair is long enough, however, if your hair isn’t long enough you may need hairpins, clips or bands, if necessary. Whatever works for you!
Then I work on the first dreadlock, step by step, as I will explain. Once it is done I leave it falling onto my left side and take the second one.
At this point you need locking gel and waxing cream. WHY?
Locking Gel for locking or braiding: I use locking gel to add moisture on my hair because it dries with time. The gel also helps easing the locking process, although it is redundant.
Dreadlocks Firming Wax: This is beeswax used to fix your locks and is one of the most important ingredient for making good and sustainable dreadlocks for black people.
Concentrate on the roots, but don’t forget to work on the whole dreadlock, to make it look neat.
How to do:
Take a pinch of locking gel, apply on the roots and then to the whole lock.
Take another pinch of dreadlock beeswax and do the same (PS-Some beeswaxes are very hard and need melting before application otherwise they are too difficult to use).
Start rolling your locks ANTI-CLOCKWISE, however depending on the side you are used to, but always roll to the same direction. I usually do anti-clockwise, but you can do clockwise, if you want to, or maybe if you are left-handed.
Each time you finish rolling your dreadlock, palmroll it for some seconds, also anti-clockwise, or the direction you are using to neaten the whole dreadlock. You may have to use a crochet to fix the baby hairs all-over the dreadlock.
Repeat the process lock by lock until you finish the whole head.
It might be difficult on the backside. However, with time you will get used to it and it won’t be a problem anymore.
It take me like 30-40 minutes to finish rolling and re-twisting all my locks. But I am experienced!
...make sure to check and control the fixability of each individual roots if possible.
Third Step
Using a blowdryer, blow your hair to melt all the white beeswax.
While blowdrying make sure to re-do the locks which aren’t fixed enough.
Here, it is important to be on the mirror and control the result.
Second Step
Care Your for Dreadlocks
Once you are done, style your hair as you wish and spray the gro moisturiser whenever possible, it is good for growth. Repeat the same procedure after washing your dreadlocks, which I do weakly.
Here is a video on how I make mine! Enjoy!
Starting New Dreadlocks
To start new dreadlocks you use the same procedure, however you have to consider hair division and size, how big or small you want them to be and of course you may need to combine with backward combing first before waxing and more palm-rolling before and during the waxing time to make a lock, which needs a lot of time. Also, you need to repeat the same procedure more often, maybe twice a week to make the locks firm faster!
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