Clarifying the LOC Process
I have stopped using my baggie concoction. I noticed my hair still sticks together, though. But, the great thing is that my hair stays moist in my baggie. I wet my hair, apply castor oil and then put the Shea butter over the top of my hair.
I see videos of people putting on oil first and then 'moisturizing' products on top of their hair. Then, they say that oil on the hair first doesn't make sense because it blocks out the moisturizing product that is water based.
THEY ARE MISSING THE POINT!
The layering has
NOTHING to do with getting the moisture from the 'moisturizing' product into the hair. It has
EVERYTHING to do with retaining the plain water in the hair, that you added FIRST!
The purpose of the layering is to hold in the plain WATER you initially put on the hair, which is the ONLY true moisturizer, in the hair.
GOAL:
- Retain the plain water you put in your hair for as long as possible.
- And, slow down the evaporation of that SAID water by layering with a liquid, oil and and then an emulsion (cream).
Here's the image I created and posted in December 2008 in my Fotki:
It has over
17,000 views. Somebody, not me, changed my
emulsified base label to a 'cream'.And this process was then called, "LOC" for liquid, oil and cream. Here is the fotki link:
https://public.fotki.com/Chicoro123/hair-care/tutorials/how-to-strategicall/006.html
I originally saw people on LHCF using cream and then oil. I did research for my own crispy, dry, hair ends and the picture above is what I came up with.
The LOC process does not work for everyone and that is okay. But, it is important to understand it so you can figure out why it may or may not be working for you and provide you with information to find what does work for you. Remember, I always say that gaining length on afro-textured hair is a THINKING game that requires analysis and understanding. It is NOT a guessing game.
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The liquid, oil and cream are SEPARATE and apart from the water you place on the hair [substrate]. The goal of putting on liquid, oil and cream based products is to hold in the water that you put on the hair FIRST. It is not important if the 'moisturizing' product penetrates the hair or not. Most 'moisturizing products' are lubricating products anyway, as they contain oils and fake silicones.
By the way, my favorite liquid is whole aloe vera gel, which is water based, but NOT water. And of course, Shea butter is my favorite emulsion (cream), as it contains both wax and gums along with its other yummy, buttery components.
You’re very welcome!
I look stupid. I’m going to do fewer braids tonight and see if it looks better tomorrow.
