it's official: i'm starting my dreads tomorrow! i'm getting one last quick trim in the morning, and then in the afternoon two friends of mine are going to backcomb for me i was just wondering if any of you had any suggestions or helpful hints before i dive into the dready world... for the record i'm just backcombing to give 'em a little nudge, and no wax! is there anything i should pick up at the store while i'm out today, i.e. special shampoo, sea salt/lemon spray (which i'd make haha), elasics or anything? i don't know of any health food stores near me... the closest thing to one is a trader joe's.. does that even count? haha and what type of brush works best for backcombing - is a regular flea brush from the pet store good? thanks guys
I don't have dreads and don't know much about them (yet) but one thing I have been told that makes a lot of sense is NOT to use lemon juice. Sea salt sprays are fine, but not lemon juice, because lemon juice has sugar which can mold and make your dreads nasty. It also attracts a bunch of bugs esp during summer, which get stuck, die, and yeah... gross. Lemon juice just isn't worth it for dreaded OR normal hair IMO - and sea salt does a heck of a lot more for drying out or tightening dreads I think, I know because of how my hair has felt even undreaded after swimming in the ocean.
the lemon juice is only suggested to the sea salt spray because it is acidic and will naturally nap your hair somewhat. i really haven't heard anything about mold or bugs or anything. i have used it, nothing strange happened. i really think that if you only give a little squeeze from 1/4 a lemon to the mixture, it should be good. just don't overdo it.
lemmonjuice acts like peroxide when it contacts heat or sunlight it bleaches hair i add it to the deep clense and havent experienced any problkems (were taliking lemmo9n juice not lemmonaide no sugar added type stuff) i do not leave it in i rince uit out right after no trim no brush u want sa flea comb (not brush) no elastics (can be used during backcomb but should be removed within a couple days ) trader joes sells dr bronners
i'm planning on leaving some bangs out and so i wanted to get them redone since they've grown out quite a bit. also my hairdresser is the best, she's wicked cool and i just wanted to get one last trim in!
Possibly for the same reason that I'll be cutting my hair. I've grown my hair for the past nine or ten months in anticipation of dreadlocks. The only problem with me is that I've been growing from less than 1/4'' of hair (almost completely shaved) and the resulting hair growth is much like a mullet, due to the natural hair line in the back being lower. Before I begin dreading, I too will cut to even out the hair, althought I mourn the loss of length. Personally, I couldnt care less how long the hair is in the back, front, sides, whatever, but when I see myself with dreads, they are even. I feel that denying that "inner image" is somehow wrong, and makes me more than a little uncomfortable. *shrug* lol or maybe he likes cutting his hair? hell, I've got no idea
so i went out today and bought two different kinds of shampoo - one pure castile soap (with oils from peppermint, olive, coconut, and aloe vera) and then some "refresh" trader joe's shampoo. how do i tell if either one will leave residue in my hair? should i dilute them? sorry about all the questions - i guess it's all a learning process
Whats the brand of the castile soap? I'm thinking definitely dilute that. Remember you don't have to shoot for actual "shampoo".
