Introduction
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Decorations are so much fun to add to your dreadlocks. This can be anything from extra locks, feathers, beads, cotton wraps and more! Decorating your dreadlocks is a perfect way to show off your personality and style through your hair. Below we will discuss the 5 main decoration styles that Lunalockshop work with regularly and all the considerations you have to make when choosing decorations that are right for you!
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Age of the dreadlocks
The age of the dreadlocks will determine what's best to use to decorate your dreadlocks. Especially if your goal is to achieve the loop-free perfect straight dreadlock look.
As a rule of thumb - the younger the dreadlock the more susceptible it will be to being manipulated by the decorations.
Baby dreadlocks are going through all kinds of changes on their own. So adding decorations into that mix can absolutely alter the way the dreadlocks mature. The hairs in a baby dreadlock are constantly moving to form a mature dreadlock if decoration such as beads or cotton wraps were to be introduced to the maturing process, it's likely your lock is going to mature with the decoration meaning it'll have bumps and loops caused by the decorations. This isn't a concern for your dreadlock health, it only needs to be a consideration for those wanting the smoothest straightest dreadlocks possible.
When a dreadlock is mature it can have decorations added without causing as much risk to the dreadlocks form, typically as long as the decoration isn't too tight then your mature dreadlock can handle it with no change.
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Beads
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Beads are a very fun way to decorate your dreadlocks and they're easy to install! Simply slip the end of your dreadlock through the hole of the bead and pull the bead along your dreadlock until it's snug in place. It should sit there for you until you pull it out to remove it.
The hardest thing about choosing beads is the size! All beads come with a hole size and for most beads that hole size is 4-6mm in diameter. Unfortunately for most of us in the dreadlocks world - a standard dreadlock is more between 6-10mm or maybe even thicker for some locks.
You can often find your bead size by measuring the width of your dreadlock with a tape measure. Then the hunt is on for beads in your size!
Dreadlock specific groups online, especially Facebook or Etsy should have a good range of beads for you to look through!
There are a few considerations when it comes to wearing beads as they can cause damage to your lock.
- Being too tight - When a bead is too tight it can cause a lot of damage to your dreadlock. A bead that has been forced into its place will be pinching the area that it is placed on. Over time with movement and constant restriction this can lead to your dreadlock end falling off below the bead because it's been weakened too much.
- Wearing beads while the dreadlocks are still maturing - If you wear beads long term while your locks are still maturing than it's very likely your dreadlock is going to mature around the bead which will cause bumps above and below the bead and it will also permanently set the bead in place. If a dreadlock matures around a bead it is likely that below the bead is now too thick for the bead to be removed. This means you will likely have to permanently wear the bead, cut/break it off (if able) or snip the lock below the bead, remove the bead and then reattach the dreadlock end using the extension install method.
- Weight - In our hands beads feel extremely light weight so it can be hard to imagine them being too heavy for your scalp to handle. Depending on the material of bead will depend on the weight. Fabric beads for example are very lightweight and will hardly be noticed by you once they're installed but metal beads have more weight in them which means your scalp will feel them more. In my experience with wearing beads the dreadlocks that had been decorated always felt very connected to gravity (weighted down) but not uncomfortable or heavy.
- Friction/Movement damage - Once a bead is in its desired place it's best to leave it alone as much as possible. Twisting the bead or constantly removing and reinstalling it will over time weaken your dreadlock.
- They can be a mini weapon - hahah slightly a joke, slightly not. Please don't forget to be mindful when you're wearing beads in your hair, especially if they're a heavier material type like metal. I've had instances where I've turned my head too fast and my dreadlocks have whipped the person close by.. and when there's beads on those dreads it can really hurt! I've also heard of times my client have moved their heads to fast and whipped themselves in the face, on one occasion it actually lead to a chipped front tooth. So please be mindful when installing heavier material beads onto long dreadlocks.
Cotton Wraps
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Cotton or other cords can be installed around your dreadlocks for decoration or additional security.
As the general rule of thumb - the younger the dreadlock the more susceptible it is to being affected by the decorations.
The cotton or cord is usually installed by wrapping the cotton at the very top of the dreadlock and wrapping it down the entire body using a criss cross method. Another way it is installed is in big blocked sectioned of cotton for even more of a colour pop.
Due to the criss cross style of the cotton wraps it's likely that your dreadlock is going to mature with this texture. Once the cotton is removed your lock will likely feel like it has a series of small bumps all the way down the lock. Over time this can smooth out on its own. Once a dreadlock is mature it is much less likely to be affected by cotton wraps because the hairs are no longer moving to form the dreadlock.
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Removable dreadlocks wraps
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Removable dreadlock wraps are just like cotton wraps for your dreadlocks except they're an extension piece that is installed by wrapping the top loop around one of your dreadlock bases at the scalp. It will sit next to the dreadlock and blend into your set. These are a great way to add colour to your dreadlocks with minimal damage.
Due to the wrap being installed at the scalp it can help to keep that one dreadlock from matting with any others and it won't causes bumps down the dreadlock like the cotton wraps do.
They're able to be washed however do take quite some time to dry.
Find out what Lunalockshop Removable wraps are available below:
https://lunalock.shop/collections/dread-wraps
Single ended extensions
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Single ended extensions are an awesome way to add extra dreadlocks or colour to your set.
They have a loose hair loop at the top of the dreadlock which is used to wrap around one of your dreadlocks bases at the scalp. After it is installed the extension will just sit in the gap between that dreadlock and the one next to it.
This is a fantastic way to add more dreadlocks to sets that are more sparse, you can have full volume so easy!
This is also a very convenient way to add colours to your dreadlocks without having to go through the process of dying them.
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Double ended extensions
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Double ended extensions are exactly the same as single ended extensions except it's double! Instead of there being a loose hair loop at the top, double ended extensions are sealed folded in half so that you just have to slip one end through the root of a dreadlock and pull it through until you reach the middle. It sits in place with little movement and can add lots of colour and volume to your dreadlock very easily!
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Find out what decoration extension sets Lunalockshop have available below: