What Is The Loc Method? Detailed How To Guide For Beginners

Moisturization is essential for natural hair – there's no doubt almost information technology. Without it, your curls merely won't flourish.

While there are tons of tips and techniques for how to keep your girls hydrated, none are as widely accustomed as the LOC method, a layering technique that can assist you unlock the best version of your hair.

If you lot're new to the LOC method, you've got a lot to learn. In this article, we will introduce you lot to the LOC hair regimen and tell you exactly how to exercise it for maximum natural hair hydration.

Tabular array of Contents

• 1 What Is the LOC Method?
• 2 Should Yous Endeavor the LOC Method?
• 3 The LOC Method Acronym
• four How to Do the Loc Method
  • 4.1 Gather Your Materials
  • 4.2 Prep Your Pilus for the LOC Method
  • iv.3 Start Layering
• 5 The Dos and Don'ts of the LOC Method
  • 5.1 Dos
  • 5.2 Don'ts
• vi How Oftentimes to Do The LOC Method
• 7 Pros and Cons of the LOC Method
  • 7.one Pros
  • 7.2 Cons
• 8 Make the LOC Method Method Work for You lot

What Is the LOC Method?

The LOC method is a godsend for curly girls with dry, crispy strands. The acronym stands for 50iquid, Oil, and Cream, each of which will exist layered onto the hair to maximize moisture retention.

The LOC method was named past the founder of curly pilus intendance brand Alikay Naturals, Rochelle Graham-Campbell. She learned almost the method from a volume called "Grow It" by Chicoro, which discussed hair growth in scientific terms.

The LOC method has been around for several years, and countless naturals swear by the technique. It has transformed many women's hair from a dry crunchy mess to hydrated, supple, pliable pilus that ameliorate resists brittleness and damage.

Should You Endeavor the LOC Method?

The LOC method was created for people with loftier porosity hair. Loftier porosity hair has raised cuticles which make it difficult for the hair to hold onto moisture.

The LOC method is an first-class solution to this problem, given that it creates a barrier between the pilus and the exterior environment, encouraging moisture retentiveness.

This is not to say that the LOC method is just for those with high porosity hair. Information technology can be used on all hair types. I of the main benefits of the LOC method is that information technology tin can be tweaked to work for any pilus type – more on that later on in this article.

Not sure what your pilus porosity level is? You can endeavour the pilus porosity test, where you drop a strand of your clean pilus into a cup of h2o.

If, later on a few minutes, your hair floats on top of the h2o, your hair is considered low porosity. If your hair stays suspended nether the water, your pilus is deemed to be medium porosity. If information technology sinks to the bottom of the cup of h2o, you have high porosity pilus.

Annotation: This porosity test is pseudoscience, but it's a fun way to go a general thought, even it'due south not 100% accurate. Read this article to learn more about hair porosity.

The LOC Method Acronym

It'due south probably safe to say that you know the nuts of the LOC method by now. But let's swoop a little chip deeper into the acronym.

In the list below, we will get into all 3 parts of the LOC method in detail:

• Liquid – The "50" in the LOC method stands for liquid and prompts you lot to infuse your hair with moisture. Some believe that they tin can use water for the "50" pace, but according to the creator of the LOC method, the liquid portion of the LOC method stands for water-based leave-in. Withal, many people use h2o in a spray bottle for this step without upshot.
• Oil – The "O" in the LOC method stands for oil and is the starting time chance y'all go to seal in the wet from the previous pace. Naturally, this step in the LOC method calls for sealing oils, similar coconut oil, sweet almond oil, or argan oil. Not only any oil will do, as super heavy oils can ruin your hairstyle by weighing your hair down.
• Cream – The "C" in the LOC method stands for foam. And by creams, we hateful natural butters, styling creams, or even cream moisturizers. The foam essentially finishes off the process past sealing in the pilus oil and liquid. Later on this step, you lot're ready to fashion your hair as you unremarkably would. According to the creator of the LOC method, this step is optional but necessary for anyone with super dry pilus.

How to Do the Loc Method

L.O.C. METHOD ON NATURAL HAIR

Now that yous know what the LOC method is, it'due south time to go down to business and larn exactly how to exercise it. Some people tend to go confused by the steps, and so nosotros will walk you through the process without leaving annihilation out.

Gather Your Materials

Before you get started, nosotros recommend picking up the following materials:

• Shampoo
• Conditioner
• Water-Based Leave-in
• Sealing Oil of your option
• Cream styler or moisturizer
• Wide-tooth comb
• Alligator clips or elastics (optional)
• A towel (optional)

Prep Your Hair for the LOC Method

Earlier yous achieve for your liquid, oil, or cream, your hair needs to be sufficiently prepped. Permit'due south get into the hair prep steps below.

Wash Your Pilus

Doing the LOC method on unwashed hair diminishes its benefits. This is because unwashed hair may accept buildup or clay that inhibits the products' power to do their work. And so, information technology's crucial to wash your hair earlier doing the LOC method.

To start, you lot should wash your hair with a gentle, natural shampoo. It's near e'er all-time to avoid sulfate shampoos and opt instead for sulfate-costless varieties.

When you wash your hair, brand certain that you focus the shampoo on the roots instead of the ends of your hair, equally this allows your pilus to ameliorate retain wet at the ends, which are the oldest parts of your hair.

Rinse thoroughly after shampooing your hair. Yous don't desire the shampoo to stay on your strands and dry them out over fourth dimension.

Condition and Detangle

After shampooing your hair, condition with your regular rinse-out conditioner. The type of conditioner you lot should utilize will depend on your regimen and pilus goals, but most naturals tin become by with a natural moisturizing conditioner.

When applying the conditioner to your hair, focus on the ends of your hair rather than the roots. The ends of your hair are the oldest and demand the most TLC.

While the conditioner is still on your hair, detangle your hair with a wide-toothed rummage. The slipperiness of the conditioner will make detangling your hair a breeze. And the more than knot-free your hair is, the easier information technology will be to complete the LOC method steps.

Dry Your Hair

Drying your hair is the final preparatory step you should take earlier doing the LOC method. The easiest manner to dry your hair is to only let it to air dry. Withal, you can towel dry out your hair with a microfiber towel if you're short on time.

Start Layering

With your hair sufficiently prepped, you're fix to get started layering your hair products co-ordinate to the LOC method. Here are the steps you need to accept to become the all-time results:

• Part your hair into at least four sections with or without a comb. Twist and clip each department of hair upwards with alligator clips. If you don't have clips, you tin can utilize elastics or twist your pilus. This not only makes the hair easier to work with but also helps with product distribution. If you skip this pace, you may have problem getting the products on your pilus evenly.
• Secure each of the sections with an alligator clip, elastic, or twist to go on them separate.
• Cull ane of the iv sections and release the hair. This volition be the starting time section you work on.

Use Your Leave-in

• Spray the section with your water-based leave-in conditioner. Make certain that every strand in the section is completely coated in the leave-in. This will exist your first layer of moisture.
• Use your fingers or a wide-molar rummage to gently distribute the leave-in throughout the section.
• Once you lot've saturated the section with the leave-in and combed information technology through, twist the section around and use your alligator clip or elastic to secure it up and out of the mode.
• Apply the go out-in conditioner to all of the other sections and then resecure them.

Utilize Your Oil

• Now, release one of the sections and apply some oil to it. You don't want to over-apply your oil, or else your hair will go a weighed down, greasy mess. Just a few drops of oil per department should be sufficient in near cases. Simply you should use your judgment – if your hair is extremely dry, experience free to use a few more than drops of oil.
• Gently run your fingers through your curls to distribute the oil evenly.
• Repeat the previous two steps on all of the sections.

Apply Your Cream

• To complete the LOC method, apply your styling cream. For this pace, y'all can employ as much or as little styling cream every bit you need to achieve the look that you desire.
• Repeat the previous step on all of the sections.
• Release all of the sections and proceed to style your hair as normal.

The Dos and Don'ts of the LOC Method

The LOC method is pretty straightforward, but it's non uncommon to run into bug. To ensure that you have a no-fuss experience as you try out the LOC method, we'd similar to fill y'all in on some of the dos and don'ts associated with the LOC method:

Dos

• Do choose your products carefully. Since everyone's pilus is different, you may need a different liquid, oil, and cream than someone else. For instance, if you have wavy pilus, you lot should reach for super lightweight products that won't brand your hair limp and strong.
• Exercise exam out multiple product combinations. If you lot try the LOC method and don't get the results you want, information technology could be that y'all did non use the correct products for your hair. In that case, feel free to give the LOC method another try with different products. Using the wrong liquid, oil, or cream can negatively affect your hair.
• Do pay attending to your hair earlier doing the loc method, at every step of the LOC method, and afterward. If you don't pay attending to your hair at all times, it'll exist difficult to know whether the LOC method is working for you.
• Practise start the LOC method with dry or clammy pilus. Some do it on wet pilus, merely this can be problematic. If your hair is already drenched before you lot first the LOC method, it may not be able to accept the moisture you lot'll be adding.
• Check the ingredients in the products you'll be using for the LOC method. You may be surprised past what you lot find. Some of the ingredients you should definitely avoid are drying alcohols and sulfates, which could dry your hair out, inhibiting the effectiveness of the LOC method.

Don'ts

• Don't over-apply the products. This is especially important for those who have super loose curls or fine hair. Over-applying your products is a cinch way of weighing your pilus down and eliminating its volume.
• Don't exist stingy with the products. While y'all should never over-apply your products during the LOC method, yous should ever accept the fourth dimension to brand sure that all of your strands accept been coated in the product. If you don't, yous may have some dry spots of your hair that don't behave and stick up more than the residuum.
• Don't use a leave-in that doesn't accept water as the outset ingredient. Some manufacturers call their leave-ins water-based even when water isn't one of the showtime v ingredients. So, you'll have to check on this yourself.

How Frequently to Do The LOC Method

One topic that has been widely debated is how often to practice the LOC method. The answer is that information technology depends on the quality of your hair and your hair routine.

If you regularly launder your pilus once a week and your hair is in relatively good condition, you can do the LOC method once a week.

If your hair is severely damaged or dry out, you may need to practice the LOC method more than often than once a calendar week – think in one case every few days.

If your pilus feels dry immediately afterward doing the LOC method, peradventure you're non using the correct products or applying plenty of each product. In that instance, switch things up. Eventually, you'll find the winning combination that your hair will love.

Pros and Cons of the LOC Method

The LOC method is i of the best ways to moisturize curly natural pilus. Just, but similar everything else, it comes with both pros and cons.

Knowing these pros and cons can help you determine whether this moisturization method is for you lot. In the department, we will examine the good, the bad, and the ugly:

Pros

• The LOC method is relatively easy to follow and tin be adapted to suit every hair type.
• Many credit the LOC method with transforming their hair from dry out and brittle to soft and supple.

Cons

• It's hard to find concrete, matter-of-fact information about how to do the LOC method correctly. Therefore, it is hard to specify precisely how much of each product to utilise, making the technique a chip harder for some to perfect.
• The LOC method requires several products and some experimentation in some cases. This tin chop-chop get expensive.

Make the LOC Method Method Work for You

Some ladies within the natural pilus community take tried the LOC method without success and and so blamed the technique. This is a bit unfair given that we choose the products we'll utilize during the process.

A lot of times, the reason why the LOC method doesn't work is that the products weren't suitable for your pilus. To assist prevent a disastrous situation, hither are some tips to help you choose the right products:

• Direct/wavy hair – Type 1 and type 2 hair don't usually get dry due to the fact that the scalp oils are easily able to lubricate the strands. Still, after chemical processing or excessive heat, these hair types may indeed need the LOC method. If you are using the LOC method on straight or wavy hair, ensure that the products you cull are super lightweight. If you lot choose heavy products, your hair will exist weighed down and expect greasy.
• Curly/Kinky pilus – Type 3 and type four hair take a distinct curl pattern (either coils or kinks) and is prone to dryness. This is because the scalp'southward oils aren't able to adequately moisturize the length of the strands due to the twists and turns that make up curls. Pilus types 3 and iv rarely lack book, so you could use heavier products for the LOC method if yous'd like. It may even exist necessary depending on your hair porosity.
• High porosity hair has difficulty holding onto moisture, so it needs heavier products and oils to stay moisturized. Use heavier natural oils like castor oil and olive oil, and medium to heavy whorl creams to help your hair retain wet.
• Depression porosity pilus can be challenging to moisturize, given that its cuticles lay apartment. And so, if you want to use the LOC method for low porosity hair, opt for light oils like jojoba oil and argan oil and lightweight creams.

In your pursuit of healthy hair, nosotros hope you have found this article helpful and that it has encouraged yous to endeavor using the LOC method. We wish y'all the best as you piece of work to keep your hair good for you and hydrated. For a slightly dissimilar approach to LOC, read our article on the LCO Method.

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Source: https://www.curlcentric.com/loc-method/