Loc Care · Guide

How to maintain healthy locs between appointments.

6 MIN READ · MAY 2026

Your loctician retwists every 4-6 weeks. The other 25-30 days are on you. Here's what actually works.

The single biggest mistake new loc-wearers make: assuming the maintenance appointment is the whole job. It isn't. Healthy locs are 70% what you do at home and 30% what your loctician does in the chair. Master that ratio and your locs will last decades.

1. Wash more often than you think — but smarter

The old advice was "wait 4 weeks between washes so your locs don't unravel." That advice gave a generation buildup, scalp issues, and dull locs. Today's loc community has learned: wash every 7-14 days. The trick is doing it right.

• Use a residue-free clarifying shampoo, not a moisturizing one. Moisturizing shampoos leave conditioner residue that builds up inside the loc and causes that gym-sock smell.
• Dilute it 50/50 with water in a squeeze bottle. Apply directly to the scalp, not the locs. Massage with fingertips.
• Rinse for twice as long as you think — at least 5 full minutes. Buildup is mostly under-rinsing.
• Squeeze water out with a microfiber towel. Don't rub. Sit under a hooded dryer until 100% dry — wet locs are mold-prone.

2. Hydrate the scalp, not the locs

Locs themselves don't need oil. They're already a closed structure — adding oil just attracts dust and lint. What you need to hydrate is the scalp.

• Rosemary or peppermint oil mixed into a lightweight carrier (jojoba or grapeseed). 5-10 drops in a spray bottle of water.
• Spray scalp only, every other day. Massage in with fingertips for 30 seconds.
• Never use heavy butters (shea, mango) or thick pomades on locs. They build up and rot.

3. Sleep on satin. Always.

Cotton pillowcases pull moisture out of your locs and cause frizz. A satin bonnet or pillowcase is non-negotiable. Bonnet is better — it stays put. If you sleep with a partner who pulls the bonnet off, get a satin pillowcase as backup.

4. Don't retwist too often

Over-retwisting causes thinning at the root and eventually loc breakage. The general rule: 4-6 weeks between retwists for new locs, and as long as 8-10 weeks for mature locs (2+ years).

If you can see new growth at the root in the mirror, you're due. If you can't, you're not.

5. Book your next appointment before you leave the chair

The single thing that separates people whose locs look amazing from people whose locs look mid: they book the next appointment before leaving the current one. Master locticians book up months in advance — if you wait to call when you "need" a retwist, you'll be waiting 6 weeks for an opening.

The TL;DR

Wash every 7-14 days with clarifying shampoo. Hydrate the scalp, not the locs. Sleep on satin. Don't over-retwist. Book the next appointment before leaving the current one. Do those five things and your locs will outlast your phone, your car, and probably two relationships.