Embracing your natural hair is a beautiful thing, but caring for it can become frustrating, especially if you are dealing with dryness. Moisturizing natural hair has always been a hot topic in the natural hair community. The LOC method has been proven to be one of the best ways to moisturize natural hair and it can be done in 3 easy steps. This method requires products to be layered in a particular order to achieve bouncy, hydrated, and healthy curls. The “L” stands for liquid/leave-in and this is the first step of the LOC method. It consists of hydrating your hair with water or a water-based product. The “O” stands for oil. This step consists of using a penetrating oil . Lastly, the “C” stands for cream. When adding the cream to your hair, it closes the cuticle and this prevents the hair from losing moisture.
Here’s Why the LOC Method Works!
Water = Moisture! We all know that water or water-based products contain a lot of hydrating properties. The issue is retaining the moisture from the water or water-based products. That’s where the oil and cream come into play.
The oil helps the hair hold onto water molecules. It is important that you use an oil that has the ability to penetrate the hair strands. Examples of penetrating oils are avocado, babassu, coconut, and olive oil. These oils increase your hair’s ability to hold onto water molecules. The cream locks in the moisture. It is important to use a moisturizing cream.
How to Do the LOC Method
Step 1: Liquid/ Leave-in Conditioner
The simplest way to do the L in the LOC method is simply by washing your hair. If your hair is completely dry, section your hair and re-wet it with a spray bottle. Proceed with your desired leave-in and apply it to each section. Make sure to show your ends some extra love, as they are the oldest, weakest part of your hair.
Step 2: Oil
Once you have applied your leave-in conditioner, you are ready to apply the oil. For this step, it is important to apply a thin layer of oil to your hair. You don’t want to apply too much, because your hair can look and feel weighed down. The type of oil you use is also very important. There is a difference between moisturizing oils, sealing oils, and penetrating oils. As mentioned before, it is best to use penetrating oils for this step. Penetrating oils will aid in retaining moisture from the water or leave-in conditioner.
Step 3: Cream
When your hair has been conditioned and oiled, you are ready for the last step of the LOC method, which is applying the cream. This step seals in the moisture. As you know there are different types of creams on the market. For this step it doesn’t matter which cream you use, but as long as you are using a moisturizing cream. Apply the desired amount of cream to each section and your end result should give you bouncy, hydrated, and healthy-looking curls.
What about the LCO Method?
The LCO Method is also another way to moisturize natural hair, however, the product layering is a little different. For this method, you would apply the products, Liquid-Cream-Oil. When choosing which method to use, It really depends on your hair porosity and hair type. Like with anything, it is trial and error. I recommend trying each method on your hair to determine which method works for you.
The LOC method is one of the best methods to use when moisturizing natural hair. This technique ensures that hair is moisturized for a longer period of time. It is very straightforward and works on different curly hair types. Try it out and you’ll be 3 steps away from poppin’ curls!
