Loc'd Up Thursdays - The "Ugly" Stage

Created via fotor.com

What's up loc-wearers?? It's a new day and I want Thursday posts to be all about locs. Styles, maintenance, personal updates, products, tips, etc. So, let's get to it! Just a quick reminder, I'm not a loctician. I am simply someone sharing their experiences. What works for me may not work for you and vice versa.

In the past few weeks, I've had two people ask me about my locs. Both individuals wanted to know how long I've had them, if I maintain them myself and how I got past the "ugly" stage.

What is the "ugly" stage, anyways? It's like puberty for locs. They do whatever they want. At this point, only the ends of the locs are developing that matted, interlocking appearance while the rest of the locs have yet to catch up. This means that locs won't always lay down and can stick up or out at odd angles.

So how do you skip over it? Some people do loc extensions but since I know absolutely nothing about that process, I won't suggest it to you. All I can say is that you have to ride it through. The "ugly" stage is a growing phase for your hair and for you. It is a test of confidence and patience. Things that are good-looking and beautiful don't pop up overnight. There's always a growing stage whether you see it or not. So when you're feeling self-conscious about your locs, don't threaten to get the scissors. Embrace its current stage and take extra special care of them. Before you know it, they'll be longer and have a more mature appearance.

In the mean time grab a spray bottle of water and visit YouTube for style tutorials. Experiment with head wraps. (Not everyday!) Invest in some hair pins when you really need to maintain a neat appearance. Talk to a loctician about coloring. Head over to Etsy or Amazon for some loc jewelry. Treat yourself to a scalp massage. Write an ode to your locs.

Remember, when feel like your locs aren't looking up to par, don't forget to put on an extra dose of confidence before leaving the house. Every loc model on social media or loc'd person in public had to go through some sort of "ugly" stage. Just rock it and keep being the best you you can be. You just may get a compliment from a loc-admirer who may be too afraid to start their journey. 😉