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Culture and heritage, an integral part of what comprises a certain set of rules and fashion that is adopted and followed for decades and lifetimes by the foregoing generations. One of the highly followed cultural aspects that require the people to maintain the heritage besides food, and ornamental practices, is the way you present yourself, and the hairstyles.
Amongst the maintenance of these heritage values, the presentation of oneself had been the most prominent and evident way of depicting a culture, in which the hairstyle of an individual spoke the most about their cultures.
In this article, we would like to enlighten the importance and the roots of one of the most favored cultural appropriation topics which is ‘dreadlocks’ – a type of hairstyle where rope-like hair strands are formed which is similar to braids but is a completely different topic.
Be it different types of braids, or maintaining the most difficult dreadlocks, people have never backed down from the chance of representing their ancestral heritage when it came to hairstyles and body modifications.
8 Best Locking Gels for Dreads:
1. Bronner Brothers Tropical Roots Firm Locking Gel
This Gel contains Vitamin B-12 which is very good for hair nourishment, it can be used on braids as well as dreadlocks. It absorbs into the scalp quickly, therefore you don’t have to sit under the fan or worry about spending time to let the gel dry or get absorbed properly.
Besides these merits, this gel has a very nice fragrance which makes it a worthy choice for your hair care routine and proves why it is the best selling product in the market.
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2. Jamaican Mango & Lime, Locking Firm Hair Wax Extra Hold With Real Beeswax & Honey
It has been supervised and preferred greatly by the dreadlock community in jamaica, and since it has a creamy consistency, it proves to be very good for people who are getting started with dreadlocks since it won’t allow the twisted locs to untwist or create a fuzz.
Its consistency allows it to be used on all types of hair which eliminates the need for you to search for a product that suits your hair type.
It eliminates the chance of buildup because it lacks flakiness which is certainly an important aspect you should look out for when buying products like this. Even small amounts of this product when applied result in satisfactory outcomes.
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3. Taliah Waajid Black Earth Products Lock It Up Tight Hold
This gel makes use of ingredients that are all-natural and cruelty-free. These ingredients nourish the scalp and provide it with the required nutrition for better healthier hair growth.
It provides the hair with moisture which makes the locs look shiny and ingredients like yarrow root, Indian hemp extract, and rosemary enhance the hair growth and better conditioning of the locs that are formed.
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4. Genuine African Formulas Hair Gel with Ilios Comb Bundle
This gel has a very thick formula which makes it the most unique product and gives the product an edge over its competition in the market. You can make very little use of this product which will be sufficient for your entire head of hair.
It has a very strong hold, therefore, frizziness and untwisting of your dreads is out of bounds. Even though it is a very thick formula the gel is very malleable which eliminates the chances of any buildup or grossness in the scalp and dries fast.
This product also contains Biotin and Placenta extract which contributes to hair health and hair growth and promotes it thoroughly.
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5. Murray’s Gel Loc-Lock
This is another popular gel-based product that is available in the market which provides the best maintenance for dreadlocks. It makes use of natural ingredients with the special involvement of olive oil as the main ingredient.
The use of olive oil in this product provides immense nourishment which is sort of refreshing for the scalp making sure your hair gets all the goodness out of it. It moisturizes your hair.
It doesn’t flake up in your hair, instead, it dries up very quickly leaving no residue behind, and due to its thick formula, it provides a very stronghold.
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6. Lion Locs Firm Hold Hair Locking Dreadlock Gel Cream for Dreads
This product is known for maintaining as well as nourishing the locks you already possess. It gives them a very firm hold and absorbs fast.
Due to its fast absorption, the scalp is moisturized which leaves no place for buildups or any dandruff that may deplete your scalp health.
This product is also considered really affordable which makes it the best choice for individuals that are beginning with haircare and dreadlocks.
The ingredients used in this product are organic and 100% vegan, cruelty-free, and also include ingredients like argan oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera leaf juice, enhanced wheat protein.
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7. Stylin’ Dredz Mouldin’ Gel Wax – Loc n Twist Gel – Dreadlock Gel Wax with Tea Tree Oil
This is also a gel-based product that is used for the maintenance and care of dreads. It promises maximum hold for an entire day and it also claims to smoothen the scalp, making the locs look shinier and healthier.
It also has Tea tree oil as the main ingredient which is a very popular herb that is used for its nourishing, rejuvenating, and healing properties.
8. Retwisting Gel for Locs, Locking Gel – Organic Aloe and Rosewater Loc Gel For Dreads
This product is specially made for retwisting and maintaining your frizzy locks which are in urgent need of retwisting. It does the deed without leaving any stiffness or residue behind that may cause build-up in the locs or in the scalp.
It contains ingredients like aloe vera and rosewater which are considered to have higher beneficial properties for the nourishment of the hair and the scalp
They are in this business for over 20 years and they also have other variations with different ingredient in this product which is Aloe vera and lemongrass.
What are Dreadlocks?
Dreadlocks, commonly known as locs, or dreads are considered high when the topic is about cultural appropriation. They have been adopted by various religions, races, and cultures namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Africa, Australia, Rastafari, etc. It has come to a point where players from different sports categories have also contributed to the display of dreadlocks, and it has also been adopted as an integral additive in the western fashion culture.
Comparison of the same cultural aspect from older generations to the newer ones:
The deity worshipped in the Hindu culture by sadhus who practice Jata i.e Dreadlocks in Sanskrit is Lord Shiva is often depicted with dreadlocks. The Maasai warriors of ancient Africa were renowned for their long, thin, red dreadlocks and other such results and depictions throughout the decades have shown how important it is to cultural appropriation.
It has also heavily influenced the music industry where artists like Bob Marley from the oldest years of the music revolution to artists like Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne. Jay Z, Kendrick Lamar that reside today have never backed down from representing the heritage by making use of locs as evident proof.
These artists have made sure that locs never go outdated and kept the essence of the history behind them intact for it is more than just a fashion accessory and more about the culture.
As you advance ahead with this article, you will notice how we make sure that the motive of you looking out for the best products to maintain your dreadlocks or get started with it is fulfilled satisfactorily. Maintaining dreadlocks or getting started with that can be very tricky and time-consuming.
Why is the maintenance of locs an essential procedure?
Even though dreads are suitable for all hair types, they are not as easy as tying braids. Sometimes not combing or conditioning the hair also leads to the formation of dreadlocks, but people often resort to salon treatments or getting it done from individuals who have expertise in this field of hairdressing.
Regardless of the fact that these salon treatments provide you with satisfactory results in at least getting you started with the procedure of getting dreadlocks, or guidance for maintaining the existing ones, you must also inculcate the knowledge about the right products you need for maintenance purposes.
When you adopt practices that lead to freeform dreadlocks, your hair will grow little by little every month, and that is when the need for retwisting and maintenance of the dreads will arise. This will make you lookout for the best products on the internet and the nearest haircare shops.
Making sure the products you choose to suit your hair and do not damage it is very essential and gaining knowledge about the products rather than just purchasing them off due to blind recommendations will only get you prone to making serious mistakes that can cause permanent damage to your hair or have other prolonged side effects.
What are the important aspects you should take care of while buying these products?
When you start looking out for products, you will find a plethora of gel-based products as well as wax-based products, but make sure you choose the gel-based ones always because they are absorbed by the scalp whereas the wax-based products promote buildup in your locks, which decrease the health of your locs, also making your hair look dirty.
Make sure the gel-based products you choose have nourishing ingredients like citrus elements and ingredients that favor your scalp health. A healthy and well-nourished scalp will lead to better hair growth, which will ultimately lead to healthy and thicker locks.
Check whether the products have extra holding or extra strength properties, this allows the gels to keep the locs twisted for a longer period and decrease the chances of smudging, stranding, or untwisting of the hair.
Avoid Gel based products that are flaky, make sure you check the expiry date of the products, expired products will lead to flaky consistency which will not allow the gel to be absorbed fully by the scalp. This flakiness in the scalp may lead to dandruff buildup and an unhealthy scalp.
Here are Best Locking Gel for Dreads which are preferred by people all across the globe, and have provided them with satisfactory results that have left them speechless and grateful at the same time.
These are considered some of the best locking gels for dreads in the market. If you haven’t decided on one yet, we recommend you to research more and consult more with your peers who have been in this situation before for better consultation.
If any of the products is exceeding your budget or your price range we recommend you try out the other products in the lesser price range rather than completely giving up on the idea and ignoring the hair care procedure.
If you are skeptical about any product’s authenticity, it is advisable if you make the first purchase in a very small amount. Trying out a smaller tube instead of a tub will allow you a window of trying out a better range of products over a period of time and will help you decide on that one product that suits you the best.
Some other Frequently Asked Questions:
Summary
Seeking out opinions from barbers or people who have expertise in dreadlocking techniques and procedures will provide you with better tricks and information that is suitable for the dreads you have according to your hair type.
This information can be really beneficial as it is coming from seasoned individuals and you can get the opportunity to learn and explore more in this field.
