Hi all! I've been dying to dread my hair for a while now, and finally managed to get my hands on some dread wax. I was ready to dread, until I found this forum and read of many people saying wax is a straight up no-go. The thing is, here in South Africa, products to aid in the locking of dreads are extremely scarce, and ordering good quality stuff from overseas is out of the question (a bit too pricey for me at the moment). I've tried dreading my hair before without using any products but my hair never stayed put. Are there any natural substances I could use to help my hair lock, without any future consequences? Thanks!
I say don't worry about it. I used wax when I started about 5 years ago and my full set is a combination of about 4 methods (Backcomb/wax, rubber band, twist and rip, straight neglect). Really I haven't noticed anything going on in my hair that I attribute to wax. Then again it was used sparingly. That is the key. Most people with wax horror stories over waxed. I'd say look for advice beyond just here. The wax I used was from Knotty Boy which is all natural and made of bees wax. Also since mine were put in during multiple sessions using their pre dread oil and wax removal bar I'm pretty sure that there isn't much if any wax left in my dreads. The other thing to remember is that wax isn't necessarily permanent. You can find on different websites recipes for wax removal soaks. One thin that I'm not a fan of on here is the way that the discussions over shit like wax, weather twist and rip or backcombed, or waxed dreads are "Natural", should you palm roll or root flip etc turn into heated discussions and nobody seems to have any common sense in their argument. For example I was told here that playing with/any type of friction would slow or not allow dreads to form. What a load of bullshit friction is what causes dreads. The only thing worse than holier than thou is dreadier than thou. C/S, Rev J
Hey Nasheera. No, not really. I tried to dread my hair in high school with limited success. I think you'll find that wax will just make your hair really sticky. Sorry, wish I could be more help. PS Have you heard about Burning Man? http://www.afrikaburn.com I heard about it but I'm definitely not going, as I'm from the states and it's simply not in the budget, lol. Someone said it isn't very safe though, like that there might be lions or something. Hmm. Wouldn't want that!
^ lol ----------------------------- Nasheera, I'm of the camp that says the more natural, the better. And, although I never used wax, I personally would stay clear. I had some soap residue that wouldn't come out in my former crocheted locks. Yeah, when you brushed over it, you'd get the scent of the soap in your hands, even after repeated washing and deep cleaning (this was not a dreadlock safe shampoo/soap, but it still made me rethink some things and made me fear even the thought of wax) I have stick straight and silky hair myself, so I know what you mean about struggling to lock. That's why I did the crochet in the first place (before I knew any other way). But when I heard a story about a dreadhead, a curly dreadhead at that, taking a couple of years to even begin locking up, well then I knew that it just happens that way. And my what a beautiful set it is and was during that process! I digress. Sea salt spray worked for me. And a change in my shampoo. I use Lush Seanick bar now. It still has oils, but it seems to work better than what I used before and has a wonderful smell (that doesn't stick in your hands). And well, while I haven't tried just baking soda for a regular wash routine, I know that works well in deep cleanses. (with added Apple Cider Vinegar to help restore pH balance/conditions the hair) Just something to keep in mind is that any method will take time. Wax (and I'll even venture to say crochet) may give you the look temporarily, but it's more of a style than an actual mature dread.
Hi there, look for some hard wax that can tighten up your beard which is specially formulated for dread locking. Try to not wash your hair very frequently, use baking soda deep cleanse and wash it once in a week. Again, wool blankets over your pillow can help the process of dread locking.
