Faux Locs. Are they for you??

Lady T
Aug 26, 2020
6 min read

As promised ,I'm back y'all with another informative article. Today we are going to be going over the Pros and Cons of wearing Faux Locs and ultimately I want to help a few of you make the decision of having them installed them or not. Okay so before we get started I want to send a shout out to the article I linked to for some of this information. Here is the link to the article : https://loccessories.com/everything-you-needed-to-know-about-faux-locs/. Okay let's get started......

Thinking about getting Faux Locs? Need a little info first?

Look no further. By the end of this passage you will have the information you need to make that decision with confidence that this is the style for you.

First thing is first.........What are Faux Locs?

Faux locs have become one of the most trending Protective Styles out with celebs like Tara Banks and Megan Good rocking them. Faux locs might just be the style to consider if you have ever dreamed of having locs but commitment issues have you like ...eeeeeeh, IDK right?

Okay let's go over this...

Protective Style: A hairstyle meant to keep your natural hair covered with the intention of avoiding over manipulation, excess tension,exposure to weather elements like snow,rain,and decreasing shedding and breaking. The main thing to keep in mind is the primary job for this type of style is to hide your natural ends from exposure so that you can maximize your length retention while growing your hair at the same time. Okay we go that understood... moving on.

When making the decision on weather or not you want to get Faux Locs you need to be certain they are for you. Below you will find a list of Pros and Cons of wearing Faux Locs and I hope this information helps you with your decision making a little easier.

Pros:

Low maintenance: Faux locs are really great for protective styling because they are low maintenance, low manipulation– you literally do not have access to your hair for as long as you have the locs in.

Growth: Low manipulation contributes to length retention of your hair because your hair will be left alone.

Fake it till you make it: As mentioned earlier, it is also a way to have beautiful locs without making the long term commitment. A way to preview the look if you are considering making the full-time commitment to natural locs.

Longevity: They are long lasting compared to some other protective style options. Plus the older they get, the more natural they look.

Cons:

Faux locs have some cons which you should take into account before making the faux commitment.

Pain: Gripping your hair tightly can cause tension resulting in hair loss, and severe pains. This is why having a good loctician or stylist install your locs is recommended for the best experience.

Heaviness: Faux locs can be heavy and also lead to breakage if moisture is not sealed in before the installation and maintained throughout their wear.

Time Consuming: The process itself takes long hours to complete. But this largely depends on length, style, method and other factors.

Discrimination: Another con of having faux locs is discrimination under the pretense of ‘unprofessionalism.’ Locs –whether real or fake are still considered unprofessional in majority of corporate America.

If you have decided you still want faux locs, let’s examine some things to consider when picking a style.

So, there are a few ways to have these done. I am going to go over just a few and for more information you can visit the link listed in the first paragraph.

Extensions:

The most common extension methods used for this style are Yarn, Synthetic Hair, and Human Hair. Each textured element, creates a different look and feel.

Yarn Extensions: On the more affordable side of this style, yarn is lightweight and pretty cost effective when it comes to supplying the yarn.

Synthetic Hair: The more popular extension method due to its ability to mimic natural hair.

Human Hair: The more expensive side of this style is getting it done with human Hair extensions. While it is the best for the goddess look due to its shiny and silky texture it is in no way cheap!

You can however still achieve this look (although not 100% ) by opting to have it done via synthetic method. And guess what? You will still be just as beautiful!!!

Another thing you will want to think about is........

Length and Size: Depending on these two factors, is what dictates how long you will be in your stylist seat. These factors also dictate how you can style your locs, how many packs of hair to buy to achieve the style, and how comfortable it will be to you because I mean after all , you are the one paying and sitting right? I know I don't like to waste money. So I try my very to know what I'm getting myself into with each new style I choose to have done.

So with that being said, smaller locs will typically take more time than bigger locs and shorter locs will also take less time than say waist length locs.

When picking a size keep in mind your natural hairs density and width. For instance, if you have fine hair, you want to go bigger and if yo have thick hair and you are looking to install small locs, Keep in mind the many packs of hair it will take to achieve this look and the increase of stress to your back and neck.

If you like updos, Medium back length locs are great for this choice as they can be more versatile than say a bob loc look.

Last but not least , lets talk about how to maintain those beautiful locs.

Maintenance:

Maintenance of faux locs starts before the install. Clarify, deep condition, moisturize and seal in the moisture before installing.

Caring for faux locs follows a similar routine of cleansing, moisturizing and protecting just like you’d do with other protective styles. To cleanse, avoid drenching your head in water. Rather, mix your favorite shampoo and water in a spray bottle and spritz on your scalp. Lightly rub your fingers on your scalp to wash (using a dreadlock shampoo to wash your “dreads” without messing them up is a good idea), and rinse off with water.

Make sure the locs are held up or have someone hold it up for you to avoid getting it soaked. Not only does soaked hair make your locs heavy and hard to dry, but it can cause them to loosen.

Follow the cleanse with a light moisturizer and oil your scalp with a light oil to prevent easy buildup (we currently recommend Jojoba, as it is an oil that most closely resembles your hair’s natural sebum). For night time maintenance, you will want a big satin bonnet or braid cap to cover every single faux loc on your head.

Other than that, you might encounter some of the following issues if your faux locs were installed by wrapping:

Frizz and sticking: If you find your locs are frizzy and sticking together, apply a light moisturizer and trim the body. Although frizz makes it look more natural, it will likely gain momentum and become unmanageable if left unchecked.

Lint: You might also pick up lint but it’s nothing the lint lifter tool can’t solve.

Stiffness: On the day of your installation, your faux locs will be stiff and stick out depending on how tight the wraps were wound. To solve this, have the stylist dip your faux locs in hot water to loosen them. Or better yet, have the stylist do a sample loc at your consultation so you can judge how tight they operate. Again, you don’t want too much tension and risk damaging your hair follicles, which would defeat the purpose of the protective style.

Unravelling: This might occur when the locs are not wrapped tightly or the wrong method was used for you. For example, natural kinky hair might be able to hold wraps without the natural hair or base extension being braided while finer and straighter hair might slip off easily if not braided first.

Pain: When locs are wrapped to close to the scalp or gripped too tight, they cause a lot of pain. To solve this, have the section redone loosely or consider an individual crochet method.

Soooo, I hope you are armed with enough information to make an informed decision about your next Faux Loc style. I know I would feel like an expert after reading this article.LOL.

I have put a few pics below as style inspiration ..... you know...... to make your life a little easier....

Thanks for reading love!!! Don't y'all forget to SMASH dem Like, Share, Comment buttons!!!!