r/Microlocs

Started in June 2024! Installed them at home

I haven’t been on this sub in so long! Time has flown and I’m now approaching 2 years loced at the end of the month. 🥳

I’ve colored my hair once (professionally) to go darker 4 months ago, and just went back to my loctician since August? September? for a retie.

I’m loving the feeling of having a super clean grid again but can’t help but notice that my hair isn’t 100% “flowing”. I know that comes with maturity but there has definitely been a “drop” of some kind; I just can’t help but notice a stiffness that feels like it comes from dryness.

I think I’m ready to add rinse out conditioner because I really loved how my hair felt and “flowed” after it was used at my color appointment. I also feel like my hair is mature enough to handle additional moisture and I’m pretty militant about clarifying regularly to avoid buildup and to keep my scalp and color fresh. How do you use rinse out deep/conditioners on wash day?

TIA 💓

TLDR: my hair feels dry and I’d like to know how you use rinse out conditioners while avoiding product buildup!

I decided to loc my hair up today, I’m new to all this so I was wondering if overtime the twists look fuller? Or is that only with bigger sizes/ when interlocked? 🥲

What are y’all opinions on using gel for reties? This is my first time using (minimal) gel for a retie and it helps prevent me from accidentally retying one loc into another. Gonna get some clips too!

Any tips of getting rid of buildup from locs?

My locs are 1.5 years old, buildup is less visible when dry and only if my hair is up.

Did a detox today, baking soda soak, followed by acv soak but even after detox, buildup still present.

Have attached photo of how my locs normally look, and a closeup of buildup, and post baking soda soak water.

Have Obamaed myself for anonymity.

As locs mature and become more condensed, rotation choice matters.

In this case, switching to 2-point rotation could lead to holes or slippage. Based on the structure of the loc, 3-point rotation is recommended to better support continued growth.

This isn’t about one method being better.

It’s about choosing what fits the loc.

I don't like the braid pattern, the loc varies in size i have combined the weak ones, I maintain them myself, they never look neat. I am just so frustrated with it.

this pic is from yesterday but i found someone who will do a consultation
i’ll show you guys my progress(: thank you sm

3 days, a tripod, and a huge ring light and Im done! I only really used water, occasionally mousse, and the london loc tool. (which if I didn't have that I honestly don't think I could've done it. Those threading tools like to rip out my hair) I used a 3 point rotation.

clap it up yall. I feel like I could start booking folks fr

i have so much unraveling and my hair is SOOOO soft. it feels unreal sometimes. my goal is to keep doing them myself but man… the first pic is my hair 7-8 weeks after my last retie was just chillin and didnt care for styling that day. i’m trying not to go that long in between but i have been working this semester and trying to save up

2nd pic is my hair after i attempted to retie but i have a few rows left & i feel like it wont ever look like locs. maybe im inpatient or doing something wrong.

this time around i want to maintain my hair better but theres so many and so much unraveling. i’ve always been working so much (90+ hours for the past 2 months) and just put in my two weeks notice so i can focus on school in august

as a student i don’t really wanna pay too much for microlocs but i want them so bad. i’ve wanted them for so long. pls help me. i used to be so sensitive when it came to my hair and i didn’t like people telling me too much😩 but i think i genuinely need to get over that and get real!

update: thank u i will try to crochet

Hi yall! I’m growing my hair out from bald to install microlocs in the next 6 months (prob Dec/Jan). I’m trying to narrow down a list of locticians I want to look into so I can figure out how much I need to save as well as keep an eye out for the work they post / reviews over time.

One of the locticians I’m looking into has a pricing calculator and I wanted to know if this is a high estimate for my projected length of hair? I started growing it out in Feb/Mar, I’m at a comfortable 1” (~1.25” for the longest hairs) so I should be around 2”-3” by the end of the year.

I feel like this is really high but would love to get others’ take on it! Or if you’d recommend your loctician, how much did you pay for install, how many locs (if you know), and on what length? I’m in DC proper and don’t have a car, but willing to uber or figure something out for the right person.

I self retie, but i always make sure to do proper rotations. I guess i missed this loc in particular by alotttt. im aware that i could pass the loc through itself in the other direction, and hopefully, it will fill up, but with the size of the loc, i am not sure. any advice helps, thank you 🩷