My 2.5-Year Microlocs Update: What's Changed in the Last 6 Months & Finding a New Loctician
Hello beauties! This post is a little delayed because I've been so busy trying to soak up (and extend, really) what was left of summer, while also continuing to build the Omalocs Beauty and Get Microlocs Near Me platforms.
This summer, New York came alive in ways that it hasn't in a long time. Everyone was outside! Between a new mayor, #KnicksIn5, Spain winning the World Cup, and all the energy around the city, there were good vibes in the air, and I inhaled every bit of it. Every weekend was jam-packed with seeing friends and family, eating lots of yummy food, listening to live music, basking in the sunshine, and a whole lot of loc love. It was definitely one for the books and a summer I'll remember for a long time.
I recently celebrated my 2.5-year loc anniversary last month on the 11th. Where does the time go? It feels like just yesterday I was making the trip to Lagos, Nigeria, to finally get my microlocs installed after thinking about it for years. I'm not sure how many people actually read these updates, but documenting my microlocs journey on this blog has been such a great way for me to look back and see how far my locs have come. Sometimes it's hard to notice the changes when you're looking at your hair every day, but revisiting my old photos and blog posts reminds me that my locs really have been transforming, even when it doesn't feel like it.
I plan to continue sharing these updates every six months because that feels like enough time to notice meaningful changes in my locs, reflect on what's working, and share what I'm learning along the way.
What's Changed Over the Last 6 Months
Since my last update in March 2026, I'd say the biggest change is that I'm no longer maintaining my own microlocs... at least for now. I'd been retightening my own locs for a little over a year and had finally gotten my retie time down to 7 hours and 55 minutes. I was so proud of myself! When I first started DIY reties, they would take me 9 - 12 hours, so getting under eight hours felt like a huge accomplishment, especially considering I have almost 500 microlocs.
Back when I started maintaining my locs myself, my previous loctician (the one I adored) encouraged me to see a professional every so often to make sure everything looked good and was on track. So I finally stopped procrastinating, used the Get Microlocs Near Me app that I built myself, and booked a microlocs consultation with a loctician nearby.
Personally, I prefer to have a licensed cosmetologist or natural hair stylist doing my hair, so I was grateful to find someone who met my criteria and had an amazing online portfolio as well. The Get Microlocs Near Me platform really works, and I'm not just saying that because it's my baby! I recently helped my sister find her microlocs loctician on the platform and I can’t wait for her to get her locs installed in a few weeks.
Finding My New Microlocs Loctician in New York
After finding a loctician on GMNM, I booked an in-person consultation and a wash / loc detox at Myss Berri's Salon in Brooklyn, NY. During my consultation, Sheri (the owner) thoroughly cleansed my locs using three different shampoos from the Design Essentials line, assessed the condition of my microlocs, and dusted my ends upon my request. She actually decided not to move forward with the loc detox because she didn't think my locs needed it. According to her, my hair was free of product buildup and didn't have any visible lint. That was reassuring to hear, especially because I've been washing and maintaining my locs myself for so long.
What did surprise me, however, was learning that she thought my hair felt very dry. She recommended that I switch up my shampoo routine, so I purchased the Design Essentials Clarifying Shampoo and Moisturizing Shampoo and have been using them ever since. I've definitely noticed a difference compared to the Suave Naturals Shampoo I was previously using whenever I wanted to give my hair a deep clean. While clarifying shampoos have their place, I realized that the one I was using might have been too stripping for my hair, especially with how frequently I wash it. Going forward, I'm going to be more mindful about when I use it. One thing this experience reminded me of is that hydration and moisture start with a good wash. When you have locs, it's easy to focus so much on what you're spraying or applying to your hair between washes that you forget how important your cleansing routine is.
Sheri also noticed that about five of my locs at the front of my head were significantly shorter than the others. She suspected they might be experiencing some breakage from friction from my bonnet while I sleep. Ever since I can remember, the hair at the front of my head has ALWAYS been pretty short, even when I was a loose natural. I also started my microlocs with some heat-damaged leave-out from years of straightening my hair to blend with clip-ins, so I already knew those areas were fragile. She recommended that I switch to a satin scarf, and I've already started noticing a difference. In just two months, those shorter pieces have begun locking more and appear to be retaining more length.
Before (wearing satin bonnet)
After (switching to satin scarf)
Had I not gone to see a professional, I probably wouldn't have considered that something as simple as my nighttime routine could be contributing to the problem. That's one of the things I appreciate most about experienced locticians. Because they work with so many different heads of hair, textures, and loc patterns, they can often recognize issues that we might overlook, identify possible causes, and recommend solutions based on what they've seen work for other clients.
Overall, Sheri thought my microlocs were in great shape, but she did recommend some grid cleanup. I had quite a few loose hairs sitting outside of my locs that I hadn't been doing the best job incorporating during my DIY reties. She suggested that I come in for periodic maintenance to help keep my grid looking neat and address those areas before they become more difficult to manage. I really enjoyed my experience at Myss Berri's Salon. Compared to the experience I had with the last loctician I visited before deciding to maintain my own hair, it was night and day. The salon is beautiful and so relaxing, and it's very clear that Sheri is passionate and knowledgeable about her work, her team, and her clients. I also loved being able to chat about my love for microlocs with someone who feels the same way and can relate. By the end of the consultation, I knew I'd be in good hands for my first retightening. The energy just felt right.
From 8-Hour DIY Reties to 3-Hour Salon Appointments
My first retie at the salon came a few short weeks after my consultation. I had six weeks of new growth, and the entire retie took just 3 hours and 12 minutes! First, they washed my hair, and then both Sheri and Rushel worked on retightening my locs at the same time. They were so fast and thorough, and I loved how my hair turned out. My only qualm was that I'm not the biggest fan of reties using a crochet hook. I find it a little more bothersome than the small pencil-looking tool I was accustomed to my prior locticians using, so that was an adjustment for me. But the results were worth it. The first two pictures are from before the retie, and the last two are from afterwards.
Having someone else retighten your locs really does make a difference, especially when they're able to work through your entire head consistently, complete all the locs using the same rotation, and end on the same rotation. It's really the little things that can enhance the quality of your maintenance. After such a great experience, I started asking myself why I was still spending eight hours over two days retightening my own hair when I'd found someone amazing who could do it for me in less than half the time.
So, following my first retie in August, I booked another appointment eight weeks later in October. That appointment took about 3 hours and 30 minutes, and once again, I left feeling so good about my hair. While the cost is definitely on the pricier side ($275–$350 depending on the number of weeks between appointments, with a wash included), I'm learning to be okay with spending money on things that make my life easier. I'm always doing so much for myself, between working full-time, building my businesses, and everything else life throws my way, that it's nice to have someone else take care of me for a change. There's something so lovely about showing up to a beautiful salon, having your hair washed and scalp massaged, getting your locs retightened, and walking out a few hours later with one less thing on your to-do list. I'm trying not to feel guilty about spending the money because, at the end of the day, this is exactly the kind of ease and lifestyle that attracted me to microlocs in the first place.
If you're someone who DIYs your microlocs, I highly recommend seeing a professional at least once or twice a year if you can. They may notice issues with your scalp or hair that you can't easily see yourself, help repair holes or thinning locs, or clean up areas of your grid that need a little extra attention. I still think learning how to maintain my own locs was one of the best decisions I made. It's a skill I'll always have, and knowing I can do it myself whenever I need to gives me peace of mind. I'm not sure if I'll continue going to a professional forever, but for now, I'm really enjoying being able to hand that responsibility over to someone else.
Getting More Intentional About Moisture
After learning that my locs were on the dry side, I've also been trying to be more intentional about my moisturizing routine. In addition to switching shampoos, Sherri recommended that I start steaming my microlocs. I remembered that I still had a Q-Redew (remember those?) handheld hair steamer tucked away in my closet from my loose natural days, so I dusted it off and put it back to work. While it's not the most efficient tool for steaming an entire head of locs, I've been trying to incorporate steaming into my routine once a week or every other week when I can. I've also continued using rosewater every couple of days as my hair needs it. And yes, I'm still washing my microlocs every week, which I absolutely love! Having microlocs has made it so much easier for me to maintain a consistent wash routine, especially since I work out a lot. I'm just learning that keeping my hair clean and keeping it properly moisturized need to go hand in hand.
What My 2.5-Year-Old Microlocs Actually Feel Like
I'm sure everyone with microlocs experiences this at some point, but I honestly feel like my hair has not grown. Like, I KNOW it's growing. When I look at individual locs or compare photos from two years ago, I can clearly see that they've gotten longer. But when I look at my microlocs as a whole, they feel like they're essentially the same length they were when I first got them installed. It's so strange! They definitely look a lot more like mature locs now. They've developed more of that cylindrical shape, they're fuller, and the texture has changed quite a bit. But because they're still maturing and expanding in fullness, I haven't experienced the kind of visible length that I expected by this point. Sheri explained that my locs are still relatively light and airy and haven't developed enough weight to really drop yet. And that makes sense. I can feel that some of my locs are still soft and fluffy in certain areas, while others are much more compact and firm. Even on the same head, different locs can be at completely different stages of maturity.
Dealing With Loose Ends, Bunching, and Hidden Length
A few months ago, I found myself doing that exercise again where I interlock my hair farther down toward the ends. I don't know if it was because I'd stopped braiding and banding, but I started noticing that some of my ends had quite a bit of loose hair again and were beginning to bunch, so I decided to work on them. I also identified areas along some of my locs that felt unusually soft, almost like they had little air bubbles or gaps inside them. They weren't necessarily visible to the eye, but I could feel them when I ran my fingers along the locs. I carefully worked on those areas to help compact the gaps, and I noticed that doing so helped some of my locs appear longer. It's interesting how much length can be hidden in bunching and loosely compacted sections of hair. Of course, I'm also trying to be careful not to over-manipulate my locs, because I know that constantly working on them can create its own problems. I'm still learning that sometimes the best thing I can do is leave them alone and let them mature.
Learning Not to Compare My Locs to Everyone Else's
I'm no better than anyone else, so sometimes I catch myself comparing my microlocs to other creators who started around the same time as me. I'll see someone celebrating their two-year anniversary with locs that are already past their shoulders and swinging in the wind, while I'm over here wondering when mine are finally going to drop. But I have to remind myself that our hair textures, densities, starting lengths, and loc sizes are all different. And even though we might have started our microlocs around the same time, that doesn't mean they're going to mature or grow in the same way. My locs are where they're supposed to be, and they're maturing beautifully in their own time.
When I think back to what they looked and felt like in those first few months, I can see just how much they've changed. They're fuller, more defined, and increasingly starting to feel like the locs I imagined having when I first decided to get them. Everyone keeps telling me that the length really starts to show after year three, so I'm excited to see what happens when I reach that milestone in March.
What I'm Focused on for the Next Six Months
For the next six months, I want to be more intentional about how I care for my microlocs and my overall health. That means staying consistent with my shampooing and moisturizing routine, incorporating steaming more regularly, and making sure I'm giving my hair the care it needs as it continues to mature. I'm also about to begin training for a marathon, so taking care of my body through proper hydration, rest, and eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods will be a big priority for me leading up to race day.
Another thing I want to challenge myself to do is wear my microlocs down more often, without any added hair. I already wear them out about 90% of the time, but they're usually pulled back with a spiral hair tie. And when I feel like dressing them up, I love adding a curly ponytail for a little extra volume and length. Don't get me wrong, I love switching up my look every once in a while, and that's one of the things I enjoy about having microlocs. But I also want to get more comfortable just letting them exist in their purest form. No extensions, no ponytails, no extra styling. Just my locs, exactly as they are. I think part of that is learning to appreciate this stage of my locs instead of constantly looking ahead to what they'll look like when they're longer.
Continuing to Build Omalocs Beauty & Get Microlocs Near Me
My other big priority, among the million other things I have going on in my life, is continuing to build Omalocs Beauty and Get Microlocs Near Me. We've been hitting some exciting milestones lately, including reaching our highest month of Get Microlocs Near Me app users in August, showing up in person at loc festivals, and connecting with members of the microlocs community in ways that have been so special and meaningful. We also have another event coming up on October 18th, and I'm looking forward to meeting even more people in the loc community.
And to everyone who has reached out personally to share your experiences, ask questions, or tell me how the platform has helped you find a loctician, thank you! I genuinely love getting to know you all. As we continue to grow, it's becoming even clearer to me just how needed a platform like this is. My own experience finding a new loctician this summer was another reminder of why I started Get Microlocs Near Me in the first place. Even after having microlocs for more than two years, I still needed help finding someone I could trust with my hair. And I was fortunate enough to find an amazing salon that met my needs, was accessible to me, and made the entire experience feel easy. But I know that's not the reality for everyone. So many people are still struggling to find qualified microlocs professionals in their area, whether they're looking to start their locs, maintain them, repair them, or transfer to a new loctician. That's why we've been working so hard to expand our directory, onboard more locticians, and make it easier for people to find the services they need.
We recently transitioned the directory app to a paid Search Pass and concierge model, which allows us to provide more personalized support to people looking for locticians. We're also working to develop a more customized platform with improved features and capabilities for both users and locticians.
There's still so much I want to build, but it's exciting to see how far we've come and how the platform continues to evolve alongside the needs of the community. And in many ways, my own microlocs experience continues to shape what we're building. From spending years researching microlocs before getting them installed in Lagos, to learning how to retighten nearly 500 locs myself, and now finding a new loctician, every stage has taught me something new about what it means to live with microlocs. That's what I love most about this lifestyle. There's always something new to learn, and I get to share those lessons with a community of people who understand exactly what I'm talking about.
As always, here are a few of my favorite photos from the last six months!
If you made it this far, thank you for reading. Leave me a comment and tell me what you're most excited about for your own loc journey over the next six months. I'd love to hear from you! 💕
