Top products from r/Dreadlocks

You don't need a special "dreadlock" shampoo. I've never bought a single dreadlock-oriented product and I just hit the two year mark a month ago.

Look for "residue-free" shampoos. I mostly use Dr. Bronner's (I dilute 2-4 drops in a water bottle before I apply it). Neutrogena makes a residue-free shampoo, but it smells like Egyptian perfume so it's not everyone's cup of tea.

I also really like african black soap but it isn't technically residue free. It makes my hair feel amazing though so I use it every week or two. It also comes in a bar form like Dr. Bronners but I feel like the bars are difficult to manage how much soap you're using and I will always end up using way more than I need to.

I also did the twist and rip method and my locs are now a few inches past my shoulders. I wash with shampoo every other wash. The washes in between I use just straight water to scrub my scalp and rinse my dreads really well. I try to be very cautious of what I put in my locs and I pay most attention to rinsing well and drying completely.

Ninja edit: Forgot to add, I have been using argan oil to help hydrate my hair after washes. I usually spray some in while I'm drying my hair. There are a few different brands and mixes you can get, but this is the one I have been using. I looked for the one that didn't mention anything about detangling when I bought it (some of the others mentioned they help detangle, so I just avoided those but I'm not really sure how good/bad they are for dreads).

I vote no on the latch hooks. Most of them are rounded at the tip and too wide. Dreadheadhq has a pointy one that's ok. I bought one years ago and still have it around but never use it. With young, loose dreads, it works great. But once they're nice and tight even the pointy latch hook is too thick to push through. I prefer to use an upholstery needle like this. The medium sized one on the left. I use this with a piece of thread for pulling in loosies near the roots. Here's a tutorial on how I do it. She starts the "sewing" part at 2:00. It's pretty much the same concept as a latch hook, except it's much thinner and pushes through without loosening/weakening the dreads.

For loosies further down, I pull them in with a size 12 crochet hook. Well, I used to. After my dreads reached about 5 years old and were obviously done tightening up, I shaved up and down the length of them with electric sheers. 10/10 would do again! But I won't have to, since they're fully locked, nothing is going to slip out any more.

Ok, so for your ear, my daughter's pediatrician has recommended to us in the past a garlic goldenseal oil

https://www.amazon.com/Michaels-Naturopathic-Progams-Garlic-Goldenseal/dp/B00014JXW6


Hope that helps!

Every dreadhead should own an inflatable hairwashing basin. It's perfect for deep-cleaning -- you can just lie down on the floor for 30 mins and read a book while your locks soak. I used an old rolled towel under my neck for additional comfort, then when the 30 mins were up I'd use the towel as a headwrap so I wouldn't drip all over the floor while walking to the shower. :-)

I can't speak for ALL bar soaps but I have used one kind before.

The one kind that I have used is Kirk's Castile Soap Bars

I usually use Dr. Bronner's Liquid Soap (Diluted)

Hope that helps a little.

Their really isn't much to it, residue free and cost effective, 2 bottles for 10 bucks, I typically get some through Amazon, here's the exact one I've been using for years, http://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Ultra-Dishwashing-Liquid-Original/dp/B001XQ7LOS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373341739&sr=8-1&keywords=dawn+dish+soap

I bought two of these in the .5mm. One for work, one for home. I love it and it has a little metal cap in case you need to store it or carry it with you somewhere and it won't stab through fabric:
http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013AG9OC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

or, if your hair is too thick, buy a pack of these and double them. Thicker headbands are awesome too just to keep your hair out of your face!

I tend to change shampoos every few months when I find something better. Right now I'm using Nothing But Clarifying Shampoo and I really like it, at least enough to buy a new bottle when I run out.

For drying, I wring out as much water as possible and turban it up in a microfiber beach towel (which isn't wide enough to handle how long my hair is anymore and I'm seriously considering upgrading to a beach blanket instead of a towel).

When the towel has soaked up as much as it can, I then stuff it all into a bonnet dryer and veg out for a couple hours while it works its magic. Tada.

I used perm rods like these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0036ZDWQK/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1541452088&sr=8-2&keywords=long+perm+rods&dpPl=1&dpID=01xVFhCgtAL&ref=plSrch

They were super uncomfortable to sleep in though, so I think if I try it again I will need to use a bonnet hair dryer instead. They weren't all the way dry when I took them out in the morning.

I work out with mine and it's usually fine. If my scalp gets too dirty and it's not time to wash I use this to help clean my scalp.

I have incredibly dark hair naturally, and this worked great after pre-washing a few times. Alibd 8A Body Wave Brazilian Hair Bundles Virgin Body Wave Human Hair Bundles Natural Black Brazilian Body Wave(121416) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KWV2NJR/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_BU9jDbW3W7KVK

Oh, I understand. I use this one. If I put all my hair in at once I occasionally get airflow blocked, so I leave some portion out and then readjust my dreads halfway through drying to get the damp areas. You might have to spend longer under the dryer to make sure all your hair gets dry. See what I mean? You might have to do it in portions like me, which will take longer.

I would suggest wearing a stocking/wave cap for the first few washes so they dont unravel.

https://www.amazon.com/Magic-Stocking-breathable-comfortable-extensions/dp/B002KPJPTU

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002HP03J4?pc_redir=1395424822&robot_redir=1

Maybe these or something similar:

Swingline Rubber Finger Tips, Size 11 1/2, Medium, 12/Box (54035) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017DF9U0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-2cSCbCK2BGXQ

I dose my roots in Island Oil & let it soften up a bit. Then I kinda use my fingers to rake the hairs to where they need to be. You can probably get away with just using water but YMMV.

One last question. I've been using this but I'm not exactly sure if I'm using it correctly. I put it (just dab my pinky in it, not a large amount) in the holes on my sponge and rub against my hair. Would that be correct or is that too much?

Why is no one suggesting residue-free shampoo? Don't use regular shampoo, even with thorough rinsing it can be damaging to your hair. This is the kind I use, it rinses out very easily and cleans well.

I wouldn't do the Deep cleanse that often. Like, holy shit man, I do it once every 6 months maybe.

I would do an Apple cider Vinegar Rinse to get your scalp back to a healthy state and then use residue free soap for your general washes. Then do a deep cleanse (I consider ACV Rinse a deep cleanse) on occassion. Dont do it too often as it can EASILY dry out your scalp. But if you get some nasty stuff in your hair, by all means make sure you deep cleanse and RINSE THE EVERLIVING SHIT OUT OF YOUR HAIR, as left over residue can cause the scalp and hair to become extremely dry and itch really bad. It can also cause mildew and we all know what that means...

I've had my dreads over a year and only deep cleansed once due to some, shall I say, foreign substances getting one of my thicker dreads and caused it to smell really bad.

For residue free soap, I use Dr. Bronners and use this video to show the same method I use to wash my hair.

EDIT: fixing my god awful formatting.