Thinking about going natural?: Why not “loc” into a new hairstyle
Shear Ingenuity Hair Salon
Owner: Ramika Duillary
Location:
7223 Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19142
Appts: Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Saturday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Specialties: The salon offers a range of optimum hair care and make-up services; Professional hairstyling, haircuts, Ethnic hairstyling, Hair texturing and restoration; Bridal and special event packages.
215-883-0893
www.shearingenuity.com
facebook.com/shear ingenuity
shearingenity@mail.com
ABOVE PHOTO: Shear Ingenuity owner Ramika Duillary with one her creations.
(Photos courtesy of Shear Ingenuity)
By Leah Fletcher
For some, "locs" may be a fashion statement, a release from daily maintenance, a sign of cultural identity or a restorative natural hair style. Whatever the reason, locs, which are known by many names including dreadlocks, locks and dreads are increasingly becoming a style of choice.
There are several types of locs": Latching (Tightening locs at the roots with a latch hook that resembles a crochet needle) Free form. (Achieved by not looping or twisting new growth), Sisterlocs (Half an inch double-stranded twists, Braiding (Locs created by three strands) and Palm-rolling (Use palms to form loc by rolling hair clockwise until it forms a coil)
Te Dara, a stylist at Shear Ingenuity Hair Salon, believes the health and texture of your hair determines the style of locs that you may cultivate. She explained that at Sheer Ingenuity, owed by Ramika Duillary, many clients prefer the palm-rolling method, but those with thin hair are advised to get sisterlocs to add fullness without the weight of traditional locs.
Super-thin and versatile, sisterlocs are popular for a number of reasons. For women, sisterlocs are great if you have soft and curly hair Te Dara says. "Even if you're exposed to moisture, the hair stays tight to the root until it grows out." she said. Also relaxed hair with a minimum of one-and-a-half inches of new growth can transition easily to sisterlocs without cutting. The only drawback might be the costs, which might start in the hundreds of dollars. Te Dara noted that sisterlocs should be done and maintained every four to six weeks by a licensed practitioner. "There are many who attempt the process with a copy cat look and eventually express dissatisfaction, spending more money and time to take corrective measures," she said.
Hair textures also determine how long it will take to loc. The process might take six months to a year and depends on how the person's hair reacts to water, explained Te Dara. "If your hair relaxes in water, it will take longer, but if it's porous and curls when it's wet it will loc easily."
Salon owner Ramika, according to Te Dara, encourages staff to stay abreast of industry trends. Te Dara often references web sites like Curly Nikki that provide product recommendations and techniques for maintaining healthy natural hair. "Part of having locs is figuring out which products work best for you, she said. Many who have locs find invaluable education and inspiration on the web site, created by Nikki Watson, knowing they don't have to go through their loc journey alone.
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