Dreadlock Care: Try These Product Suggestions

If you have dreadlocks, or are considering starting dreadlocks, you might be looking for products that will help keep your locks tight and shiny without causing serious buildup. Here are some products I used when I had dreadlocks with good results:

Healthy Hair Butter by Carol's Daughter

Basically, this stuff is magical. I've used it for virtually every hairstyle I've had -- curly natural, two-strand twists, and locks. It provides shine, moisture, definition, and in the case of locks, great holding power without the waxy feel of beeswax. It also has a distinctive, exotic scent that people have told me has a woodsy element to it. The only drawback is that this product does not dissolve well in water, and can cause some buildup in locks.

My recommendation would be to use this product sparingly when re-twisting locks in between visits to the loctitian, or for quick touch-ups on unruly locks. It imparts shine, good holding power and a nice scent without major build-up. I buy Carol's Daughter products online at www.carolsdaughter.com.

Lisa's Hair Elixer by Carol's Daughter

This is a liquid balm I applied to my scalp and occasionally to my locks when I wanted some extra shine. It is made of olive, corn and sweet almonds oils with a rosemary, sage and peppermint fragrance and it is great for soothing itchy, dry scalps. It smells great and has a slight tingling effect. This is another product to use sparingly, however, as even oils can cause build-up in locks.

Hydrating Citrus Braid & Sheen Spray by Dark and Lovely

This is something I would spray on my locks (and twists, when I wore them) for some added shine, and would also spray directly on my scalp for moisture and to soothe dryness or itchiness. As the name implies it has a citrusy smell and is a really nice, light product to refresh dull hair. I bought this at my local Sally's Beauty Supply.

BRX Braid & Extensions Sheen Spray by African Royale

This is another spray-on product ideal for conditioning and soothing the scalp and moisturizing locks. It has tea tree oil which has some anti-itch power and has 14 other natural herbs. The fragrance isn't bad, but it's a little medicinal. I also bought this at Sally's.

LOCK'D DOWN Dreadlocks Butter by Naani.com

I started using this to re-twist my locks in place of the Healthy Hair Butter, which I found didn't dissolve as easily in water and was causing more buildup. This product is much more water soluble, though it doesn't hold quite as well. It also adds a lot of shine and I loved the Fallen fragrance. I got this from www.naanishoppe.com.

Bewitching Natural Witch Hazel Astringent by Naani.com

This is an astringent you can put into a spray bottle and spray onto your scalp or hair for major refreshment. It also loosens some of the product you've already applied, so you don't have to keep applying more. I find this is great when you just need a pick-me-up for your hair because it's feeling kind of dull and lifeless. It has a tingling effect and cools the scalp.

Dr. Bronner's 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castille Soap

Technically this is a soap, but I, along with many other people I know, use this as a shampoo. Actually, I've used it for the past five or so years, no matter what hairstyle I've had. The peppermint has an intense tingling effect and the shampoo overall has a strong dissolving effect on buildup without being harsh. It was ideal for my locks because it really got them clean and left them looking and smelling fresh without being dried out. I get this from a local health food store, but it should be available at www.drbronner.com.

There are many, many products available for dreadlock wearers, but after much trial and error, these are the ones that worked best for me. If you want to keep you hair looking clean, neat and shiny without causing too much buildup, I'd recommend you try them. The texture of my hair is coarse and curly - I am half black and half white - but I believe these products would work well on a variety of hair textures. Good luck!