build up

[habana]

Hi there,

I've had locs for 9 months, I wash them every week, and twist them with Locs and Twist gel, Organic root stimulator. I sometimes use coconut oil to moisturize, or a spray of water + oils. But I have build up on some of my locs. How do you deal with this? I've tried apple cider vinegar+ soda bicarbonate once a month, it helps but it doesn't remove everything. And it dries my hair. Can anyone help me please? Thanks

[KoilyLocGirl]

Whenever I think I'm having a problem with "build up" on or in my locs, I do a prolonged session of ACV, baking soda and dish washing detergent (yes, in the same session). I wash my hair on average 2 - 4 times a week and I rinse daily. I haven't "spritzed" anything since year one.

So basically I'll ACV my hair then rinse; baking soda my hair, then rinse; dishwashing detergent my hair, then rinse. I'll do this as many times as I feel like (most I've done was 3 times). Lastly I do a shampoo and then rinse with ACV. After all this I'll do a DC. Moisturize and oil my hair and I'm good to go.

Sounds like overkill don't it? Yep! But it works for me.

[KnottyAuthor]

I can tell you what NOT to do:
Don't put powder ANYTHING on your locks.

Don't do a clay mask (it will dissolve into your locks and leave a sandbox inside for years)
Dont 'clarify' with baking soda(dissolving issue again)
henna(poor quality or improperly rinsed henna can lodge in the locks,sit and deposits break away cuticle of hair over time, causing weak spots along the lock)

I'll be back to leave more later. I know that YT is FULL of these 'helpful' tips but after 6 yrs locked and attempts to use these products and build up I'm still cleaning out of my locks from their residue, I implore you-leave the powders alone! I have found the stuff sitting inside my locks years later and I'm p'd off. I don't think people are giving back info on purpose, I just think they don't know yet the impact. When you see white stripes through your locks that 'look' like link but upon inspection are white stripes, it's build up inside and you gotta up your game.

For greasy product build up-you have to cut that grease.
80z aloe vera juice
cap of ETOH(gasp, yeh, I said it)
tablespoon of african black soap, mix and dissolve

For dirt build up
Apple Cider Vinegar (1/4 cp)
3/4 cup warm water
dash of lemon juice

For extra cut the grease impact
Spray scalp and locks with BEP Cleanser
Let it sit with a shower cap for at least 30 minutes
Soak locks for atleast 30 minutes in warm basin of water with Dawn dish detergent(enough to make bubbles0
Around 20 min, begin spraying locks and washing with the cut the grease formula, brush with a gentle boar head bristle brush(>2years)-still in the water..it helps to loosen up the grit and grime in the locks
Empty basin and begin washing hair like regular

Conduct the ACV rinse to get all remaining residue off the locks, again use the brush!(if locks are mature>2years)
Rinse with cold water, condition with a clear nourishing rinse like a herbal tea

Squeeze out water with a sham wow towel-be careful to pick and prune every lock free of link and debris.

Deep cleansing should be around every 4th wash. I try to do it 1x/month now. With each month, more and more gets dislodged and comes out the lock-however, I have loose, curry ends, I noticed my locks that were sealed had the most crap in them, there was no way for it to exit, so I have sense opened up all on my locks on the ends since I made the mishap of doing the clay mask this passed summer(never, ever, ever AGAIN!)

The same clarifying technique will NOT work for different products. ACV (acidic, can close the cuticles and make the hair brittle if not balanced with water) works by getting rid of soapy residue and product build up. It can detangle the hair folicles, seals the cuticle, and balances the hair’s pH balance. Baking soda is very alkaline(basic, can increase the hair porosity making it more easily tangled with open cuticles). It’s gentle, it’s the weakest alkaline, and it very gently clarifies hair from chemical buildup. Many in the natural community use the combination to cleanse-however it is BEST used by those with loose hair! Anything that is powdery in consistency can reconstitute(separate into liquid and solid which is why i don't like the use of coconut oil on locks at various temps it will solidify. it's only oily above room temp) in the hair if the slightest thing is off, or the hair is not rinsed thoroughly. And, those of us with locks KNOW that knowing if your hair is cleansed thoroughly is a guessing game. We HOPE it is, always...but KNOW it is? hmph. So, it's important to think about WHAT kind of build up and use solvents that will cut that particular build up down.

Lint build up is combated best by leaving products alone. I now only spritz my scalp with aloevera juice and an EO maybe once/ week for my mature locks. Anything branded product with a smell, will leave build up 99% of the time. So, I just stay away now-the castors and other oils? They served their purpose when my locks were younger; but, now, I leave it alone. With my locks on my clothes, it's so much easier to control and get lint out with oil-free locks. And dryness? I just don't have that problem with taking in 60 oz of water a day, eating almonds and green-leafy veggies and aloevera juice.

Let the loose heads stick with the baking soda. Clear is always best for locks....soon I anticipate a lot more will be doing videos on the impact of these practices as their locks mature and show signs of build up.

Signs:
grey appearance
white streaks that won't wash out
hair balls full of 'stuff'


hth!phew that was a lot! off to hibernate again...

[habana]

Thank you so much ladies for your replies! Very much appreciated. Cheers, and be blessed.

[caprimom]

Will take that advice and file away for future use. What is ETOH?

[Vavoon]

yet another lint episode.
after 3 bentonite clay masks about two weeks ago the lint in my locs came to the surface and refuse to get out. i was distraught, at wits ends.
i wouldn't suggest b.clay masks for extreme lint cases just because of how lint is brought up to the surface and you may, depending on your own hair, have to ram it out, which may lead to ruining the structure of the locs.
i then colored it and used the best conditioner ever: pantene intersive conditioner. the lint in my locs were still visible (if you looked really closely) but i decided to give up my ocd tendencies and just live with it. today i looked at this one lint ridden loc and the lint seemed to have completely gone.
to be honest my hair was always dry and it seemed as if when it was dry, that was when the lint was attracted to my locs.

do dry locs attract lint more? what is it about moisture that keeps the lint from coming in?

also, have you had any episodes where the locs/build up just magically disappeared?

i have been covering up my hair way more and have kept my hair far from fluffy clothing material.

i really would like to know what my locs are thinking, too many trials and errors and its pissing me off.

[KnottyAuthor]

do dry locs attract lint more? what is it about moisture that keeps the lint from coming in? Yes, equally so-however, much easier to shake out when locks are NOT slick with oil

also, have you had any episodes where the locs/build up just magically disappeared?
Nope, it's work. Been working on mine for about 7 mod now. It's working, but it's slow and tedious and has me borderline loving/hating my locks.

i have been covering up my hair way more and have kept my hair far from fluffy clothing material. Good for you, I don't have the time, energy or money for a new clothing budget to accommodate this.

i really would like to know what my locs are thinking, too many trials and errors and its pissing me off.

I agree. But I swore I warned this board about bentonite clay last summer when this drama all started for me. I really wish I could have spared you from the heart ache.

Since so many suggested that betonite clay and baking soda mixtures are the bomb.com for lock clarifying the outstanding question remains: "What is the best way to get RID of it when it comes to the surface?" Everyone in the history of this discussion disappears and has made it seem like things magically are clean with this stuff. I'm quite pissed about it. I know for a fact it has been deposited inside my locks AND brought stuff out. Now, part 2. Where do we go from here? Because i know that people are not being truthful about this stuff on YT. Ive seen videos where the story ends with the lint on the locks and never a word afterwards about what they've done to get rid of the surfaced build-up. No emails returned, conspiracy? I want answers!

[KnottyAuthor]

alcohol..sorry my geek came out.

[NeverGiveup]

^^^ Looking forward to the videos!!!

I put next to nothing on my locks but I have been concerned about the medicated shampoo I use. (Jason's and Head and Shoulders). I use it because it works perfectly for my scalp but the stuff SMELLS strong and I keep smelling it long after I wash and it's AIN'T clear at all. I wish I could find something better. I only use it on my hairline where I still have issues. My hair line is basically loose (short) and refuses to lock up.

[SilverLotusGirl]

I might have to give up my henna habit. I didn't think about it until reading this but I see the validity in it and don't want to risk it. Thanks KnottyAuthor