Third Culture Haus

third culture haus / braids / faux locs

no.09 · locs, without the commitment

faux locs

Locs you can take out. Wrapped or crocheted onto your own hair, worn for two months, gone in an evening.

Family
Locs, without the commitment
Chair time
6–10 hours, 3 if crocheted
Lasts
6-8 weeks
Faux locs, temporary locs wrapped over braided hair and hanging long
01

the BASICS

Faux locs are a temporary version of locs. Your hair is braided or twisted first, then loc hair is wrapped or crocheted around it, so the finished loc is built on top rather than grown. They are the heaviest style here. The first few days take adjusting, and the weight is the thing to ask about before you sit down, not after. The crocheted version is a different day entirely. Pre made locs hooked in, three hours instead of eight, and cheaper. It's the same look from a distance and a different thing up close. They also take the longest to dry, which is why the wash cycle is longer than for braids. Everything locs give you, on a two month lease.

02

the VARIATIONS

traditional wrapped locs

the technique
Natural hair braided individually, then Marley or Kanekalon fiber tightly wound down each column to encase it.
the feel
Opaque, defensive, heavy. Stiff for the first week until the fibers settle.

install

6–10 h

SF baseline

$300–500

faux locs variation

butterfly locs

the technique
A distressed wrapping method — thumb-pull technique unravels loops along the column for a weathered look.
the feel
Airy, lightweight, pliable from day one. No rigid-column feeling on the neck.

install

4–7 h

SF baseline

$250–400

faux locs variation

crochet locs

the technique
Pre-fabricated loc tubes threaded onto a foundation of cornrows with a latch-hook needle.
the feel
Zero weight, zero tension. Half the install time of hand-wrapped. Scalp stays free.

install

2–3 h

SF baseline

$150–250

faux locs variation
04

the UPKEEP

washEvery three to four weeks. Diluted shampoo on the scalp, and dry them completely. A damp loc holds smell.
sleepSatin scarf or bonnet. Tie them up so the weight is off your neck.
lastsSix to eight weeks, one of the longest wearing styles here. Heavy at first, lighter as you settle.
edgesLight oil on the scalp and edges two or three times a week. Don't keep handling the locs themselves.
05

who DOES it · sf

african braids by lima — inglesideboho braids · box braids · cornrowssourced