 |
| My LOC Trio |
I've been natural for about two and a half years so when I tell people that I only just figured out the LOC method, they look at me like, 'And you call yourself a blogger?!' To clarify, it's not that I didn't know about it, it's just that it never worked for me, no matter how much I tried. And goodness knows I tried!
For those who don't know, the LOC method is a method of applying product to your hair in layers to help seal in moisture.
First apply:
L = Liquid. This can be water, aloe juice or a water-based leave in (first ingredient should be aqua).
then:
O = Oil. Any natural oil will do although I see a lot of debate about whether to apply a penetrative vs sealing oil or a light vs heavy oil.
and finally:
C = Cream. This should be an emulsified base. Or, in plain English, a product that has a liquid and a butter mixed together. It needs an emulsifier for the two to properly mix.
The LOC method is hailed for being THE way to beat dryness. And since my hair is really, really dry, I wanted it to work for me. I tried different oils, leave-ins and creams but all they did was leave my hair greasy yet still dry. I eventually gave up trying when I discovered Qhemet Biologica Amla & Olive Heavy Cream, which is a wonderful moisturising sealant.
But once my Heavy Cream ended, I was back to square one. I still had the Qhemet Biologics Burdock Root Butter but it was too light and my hair would always feel so dry by the end of the day. Around the same time, I noticed my daughter's skin getting very dry despite oiling it daily so my sister gave me Ghanaian shea butter to try on her skin. I whipped it with some oils to make it easier to apply and it turned out so yummy that I started using it on my skin too. One evening, while I was remoisturising my hair, I realised I was out of JBCO which I use for sealing my ends so I decided to use my whipped shea instead.
I've always been the first to say how much my hair hates shea but this mix was the bomb! My ends felt so good straight after and were still nice and smooth a few days later. I decided to try it on my whole head and it was a total 'Aha!' moment. I haven't looked back since.
My Modified LOC:
L = Leave-in. First I spray my hair with my homemade leave-in spray. Hair should be damp but not dripping. Leave it to absorb into hair for a minute or so until your hair feels fluffy and moisturised.
C = Cream. Apply a small amount of QB Burdock Root Butter over the leave in, making sure to work it through thoroughly and paying attention to the ends. Because it is a light emulsification of water and olive oil, it not only provides extra moisture but also helps start the sealing process.
S= Sealant. Apply some of my Mandarin Whip shea mix over the cream. This step is vital for sealing all that lovely moisture I've put in so I always work in sections to ensure my hair is well sealed, paying extra attention to the ends.
Unlike before when I would have to remoisturise several times a week, the LCS method is so effective that it keeps my hair sealed for the better part of the week if I wear it in in two strand or flat twists. Because I am using such heavy products, I have found doing the LCS method more than once a week leaves my hair quite weighed down. Therefore if need to remoisturise, e.g if I'm wearing my hair out a lot, I simply spray on my leave-in and let it absorb as before. I then apply a tiny amount of jojoba oil over and finish by sealing the ends with a little of my shea whip.
That's it!
Have you tried any modifications of the LOC method that have worked for you?
If anyone is interested, here is a video of Chicoro, the 'creator' of the LOC method, although someone else coined the acronym.
My Modified LOC:
L = Leave-in. First I spray my hair with my homemade leave-in spray. Hair should be damp but not dripping. Leave it to absorb into hair for a minute or so until your hair feels fluffy and moisturised.
C = Cream. Apply a small amount of QB Burdock Root Butter over the leave in, making sure to work it through thoroughly and paying attention to the ends. Because it is a light emulsification of water and olive oil, it not only provides extra moisture but also helps start the sealing process.
S= Sealant. Apply some of my Mandarin Whip shea mix over the cream. This step is vital for sealing all that lovely moisture I've put in so I always work in sections to ensure my hair is well sealed, paying extra attention to the ends.
Unlike before when I would have to remoisturise several times a week, the LCS method is so effective that it keeps my hair sealed for the better part of the week if I wear it in in two strand or flat twists. Because I am using such heavy products, I have found doing the LCS method more than once a week leaves my hair quite weighed down. Therefore if need to remoisturise, e.g if I'm wearing my hair out a lot, I simply spray on my leave-in and let it absorb as before. I then apply a tiny amount of jojoba oil over and finish by sealing the ends with a little of my shea whip.
That's it!
Have you tried any modifications of the LOC method that have worked for you?
If anyone is interested, here is a video of Chicoro, the 'creator' of the LOC method, although someone else coined the acronym.
No comments:
Post a Comment