Dreadlocks are made up of knotted strands of hair. Many people believe that in order to get dreads, they have to constantly be doing maintenance and adding products to it. This is true to a small degree but you can’t get too crazy.
Dreads are a hairstyle that requires very little maintenance and products. The main goal is to keep your hair constantly clean- free from any debris, dirt, lint, or whatever else is floating around in the environment.
Less is more when it comes to your locs!
Is wax bad for dreads?
Yes, hair wax is the worst thing you can put in your locs!!
The hottest debate in the entire dreadlock community was established by a wrong assumption that somehow wax is the “magic glue” that is going to hold your dreads in place.
Sadly, the people who promote dreadlock wax are the so-called hair experts who are selling it. And heck, they try to be so convincing that some people will even believe them. 🙁
The truth is that the use of dread wax is one of the most detrimental yet common mistakes you can make when it comes to new dreads.
Contrary to popular belief, your dreads don’t need wax, dread cream, synthetic gels, or any sticking agent. In fact, such products, even the ones that promote the use of natural ingredients like organic beeswax, are extremely harmful!
Hair knots on its own regardless of your hair type, be it tightly curled, wavy, or straight hair. No products are needed whatsoever.
Let me elaborate.
Think about your pre-dread stage for a minute. There are all sorts of conditioning and detangling products out there to make the hair appear silky and soft. If we didn’t add conditioner after a wash, our hair would knot all over the place.
Here’s another way to think about it. After cooking spaghetti, many people add some oil to prevent it from sticking. If no oil is added, the noodles become stuck to each other within minutes.
Our natural hair works the same. If we add wax to it, we are coating the hair strands and preventing them from locking up properly.It is completely counterproductive to the long term health of your locs.
Dreads require an enormous amount of patience…that’s it!
The first couple of years are a struggle. I can relate first-hand. Patience is hard to come by in our fast-paced world, but that’s why they call it a loc journey. You won’t get to where you want to be overnight, and that’s okay.
Wax replaces patience in the short term. But in the long run, it takes away the joy of the authentic locking experience.
Not only that but it’s bound to make you really frustrated when you find out that wax removal is impossible and as a result, lint, dirt, and buildup are forever inevitable.
If that’s not enough to make you say “Heck NO!” then please continue reading.
In this article, we’ll discuss the complete pros and cons of using wax, but first I’ll give you insight into the ingredients that are used in the most popular brands of dread waxes.
What is dread wax?
Dread wax is a product that is typically used for the formation of dreadlocks, usually in the beginning stages but also during maintenance sessions.
It’s used to maintain new knots in place and allows for a cleaner look because the surrounding loose hair and frizzies become stuck to each other during palm rolling.
There are different types of waxes that are commonly used in dreads. Not all of the options are healthy for the hair because many contain harmful ingredients that are often disguised under their scientific names.
- BEESWAX is popular because it’s a natural product and in some cases, an unprocessed ingredient. Natural beeswax is stiff and thick. Cosmetic grade beeswax is also thick, but it contains added ingredients that are not dreadlock-friendly.
It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to remove beeswax from natural loose hair because it’s not water-soluble. You can imagine the nightmare that it is to attempt to remove it from tight mature locks. The melting point of beeswax ranges from 62 to 64°C(144 to 147°F). That temperature will scald your scalp.
- PARAFFIN WAX is the most common type of wax used for making candles and crayons. As you can imagine, it’s also extremely stiff. It’s also a gasoline by-product. It is not biodegradable or water-soluble.
Petroleum jelly is soft paraffin wax and is used in many dreadlock products. Paraffin wax melts at a temperature between 46 and 68°C(115 and154°F).
- MINERAL OIL is also known as white oil, paraffin oil, and liquid paraffin. It’s a liquid derivative of the process in which crude oil is turned into petroleum products like gasoline.
Baby oil is mineral oil with added fragrances (horrible, I know!). Mineral oil on its own is not soluble in water or vinegar, therefore it requires an emulsifier.
- PETROLEUM by-products are commonly mixed in dread waxes (like I just mentioned). In the cosmetic industry, it hides under the names: petrolatum, xylene, liquid paraffin (
paraffinum liquidum ), toluene and mineral oil.It has a thick, gooey consistency. Petrolatum melts at approximately 37°C(99°F).
- MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX is a vegan form of beeswax. It’s considered to be an alternative to paraffin wax, however, its melting point is higher than paraffin.
It’s synthetic and also derived from crude oil. It contains adhesive and elastic properties. Vaseline is an example of a microcrystalline wax which, as you might know, also has a gooey and thick consistency.
Commercial grade microcrystalline wax melts at a temperature ranging from63° to 93° C(145° to 200° F).
I’m going to dive into four of the most popular dread waxes on the market. Before you buy them, it’s important to really know what’s in them.
I don’t have any personal affiliation with any of these companies. I found the list of ingredients on each of their websites since none of them offered a clear ingredient description anywhere else (Amazon, eBay, etc).
Whether you choose to use these on your hair is a matter of personal preferences at this point. I don’t want to bore you with an ingredient list but I want to show you what they contain to make my point.
Dread Head HQ Dreadlock Wax
Dread Head Dread Wax Ingredients:
- Beeswax
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Mineral/ White Oil
- Hemp oil
- Vitamin E
- Fragrance
Ingredients of most concern:
- Beeswax
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Mineral Oil
Jamaican Mango & Lime Locking Firm Wax
Jamaican Mango & Lime Wax Ingredients:
- Petroleum Jelly
- Microcrystalline wax
- Beeswax
- Fragrance
- Honey
- Benzyl Benzoate
- Linalool
- Geraniol
- D-Limonene
- Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Ingredients of most concern:
- Petroleum jelly
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Beeswax
- Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde (This is a synthetic fragrance that can cause allergies, such as dermatitis, upon contact. The European Union has prohibited its use in the cosmetic industry.)
Knotty Boy Dread Wax
Knotty Boy Dread Wax Ingredients:
- Beeswax
- Castor Oil
- Shea Butter
- Hemp Seed Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Kukui Seed Oil
- Jojoba Oil
- Vitamin E
- Black Walnut Extract (In the dark wax only)
Ingredients of most concern:
- Beeswax
Murray’s Cream Beeswax
Murray’s Beeswax Ingredients:
- Water
- Beeswax
- Petroleum Jelly
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Cetearyl Alcohol
- Cetyl Alcohol
- Glycerin
- Safflower Seed Oil
- Tea Tree Leaf Oil
- Shea Butter
- Canola Oil
- Propylene Glycol
- VP/VA
- Menthol
- Panthenyl Ethyl Ether
- Dimethicone
- Vitamin E
- Carbomer
- Disodium EDTA
- Methylparaben
- Propylparaben
- Triethanolamine
- DMDM Hydantoin
- Polysorbate 60
- Fragrance
Ingredients of most concern:
- Beeswax
- Petroleum Jelly
- Microcrystalline Wax
- Dimethicone (This ingredient traps skin oils, sebum, bacteria,and other impurities. It’s known as an irritant for skin and eyes.)
- Triethanolamine (This ingredient is highly toxic and not recommended for prolonged use- especially not in large doses.)
I also have to point out that Murray’s Cream Wax contains way TOO many ingredients. Not all of the ingredients are bad for your hair but I’m certain that it will leave buildup (the seller on Amazon confirms the buildup claim too, by the way).
It claims to be water-based, but there’s more than one key ingredient in there that isn’t.
There are other beeswax products by Murray’s that have different ingredients, so make sure you’re carefully reading the labels.
The pros and cons of using wax on dreads
All of the products I just mentioned are well-known among the dreadlock community, but being popular does not mean that they’re necessarily good for you.
Thoroughly research the ingredients of any product you plan to put in your hair. I’m not just referring to waxes, but hair care products as a whole. This includes normal shampoos, dreadlock shampoo (they’re not all loc-friendly despite the advertisem*nt), moisturizing sprays, and conditioning treatments.
You want ingredients that will leave NO residue and will NOT leave your hair sticky and attract lint and dirt.
The only way to truly know if a product is safe for your locs is if you make it. Even though that sounds tedious or complicated, it truly isn’t. These are all the recipes your locs will ever need!
Anyway, let’s get to the cons and pros of dread wax!
The cons of using wax
I’ll start with the bad news first to end on a good note. 🙂
- WAX BUILDS UP IN THE LOCS, no matter how much or little is used or the quality. Wax on its own is an ingredient that will cause residue.
There is no such thing as good wax. And using a pure grade of wax is just as bad as using a low grade.
The application method involves palm rolling your dreads in order to incorporate the wax into the inner part of the loc.
So the question is, why would you willingly ADD residue to your hair when you know buildup and
residue are the enemy of dreads? Please don’t do it.
- IT’S EASY TO USE TOO MUCH WAX. The specific instructions for each wax mixture differ in how much they recommend you to use.
Dreadhead Wax recommends using “the size of a headless gummy hear” and Knotty Boy recommends “working a very small amount and applying more as needed.” On the other hand, Jamaican Mango & Lime recommends that a “generous amount” be applied.
These instructions are not just unclear but also misleading. Any amount of wax, even such small amounts equivalent to the size of a pea, will destroy your locs.
- WAX MAKES THE HAIR FEEL HEAVY AND OILY. Contrary to the stereotype, your dreads should never have a sticky or uncomfortable feel to them. They’re supposed to feel lightweight and clean.
The more products you apply, the dirtier they can become. Also, note that too much weight on your scalp will create tension on your roots. This, in turn, may lead to future hair loss, thinning dreads, and severe neck pain.
- WAX HINDERS THE LOCKING PROCESS IN THE LONG TERM. Wax functions much like a lubricant in that it coats your hair strands and sticks them together to maintain a dreadlock shape.
This doesn’t allow the hair to move around and adjust itself freely as dreadlocks need to.
At the same time, it adds unnecessary buildup, weight, and a slippery surface where the hair cannot lock.
Your hair requires friction and a clean strand to knot up, that’s why during the baby and teenage stages, your locs will be loose in some areas and matted in others.
Wax merely sticks the hairs together but does nothing to promote the natural composition of locs.
- WAX CANNOT BE DISSOLVED IN WATER. Wax is not only insoluble in water but it also has a high melting point.
In other words, no matter how many hot showers you take, you’re probably never going to be able to completely remove the wax from the center of your dreads.
- WAXED DREADS ATTRACT MORE FUZZIES, LINT,
AND DIRT than non-waxed dreads since they have a stickier feel to them.
- WAX WILL GIVE DREADS A DIRTY APPEARANCE. In the long run,
wax is going to resurface on the dreads and it will look like buildup and dandruff got stuck all over your hair. Yuck!
- WATER CAN STAY TRAPPED INSIDE OF THE DREAD. Since water is repelled by wax, when you wash
your locs it becomes impossible for the water to flow naturally and cleanse your hair properly.After washing, it will take much longer for your hair to dry thoroughly, especially if you have large dreads. And if any water stays stuck inside the loc, it can lead to the growth of mildew and cause dread rot.
Mold can start growing on your hair in as little as 24 to 48 hours, so long that the environment (the ideal humidity and temperature) allows for it.
- PROLONGED USE OF WAX WILL HARDEN DREADS. Every time you palm roll, the wax penetrates the inner layers of your locs.
As wax is being caked on, your hair will harden and get heavier. It may give you the impression that your hair is locked, but it’s actually in firm holds.
If you were to cut through the middle of one loc, you would see they’re just strands of glued hair mixed with a lot of
buildup .
- WAX IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DREADLOCKS BEING CHOPPED OFF. I read hundreds of comments on social media and forums of people in the dreadlock community who made the mistake of starting their locs with some type of wax.
Some people brushed their hair out within the first month and had to start over. There were others who chopped off their dreads completely. Most dread heads regret using wax on their hair immediately after applying it.
If you do a Google search of the question of dread wax and read product reviews on Amazon, you’ll immediately see a consensus of people advocating against it.
- WAX IS COSTLY. A $20 container of wax might last you several months or even years, but not getting it at all is free! I don’t know about you, but free is always a better option for me. 🙂
The pros of using wax
Now that the bad news is out of the way, I’ll shine some light on a few of its benefits.
- YOU CAN HAVE SHORT-TERM LOCS. Wax gives your dreads the appearance of mature dreads. Say you’re going to a dress-up party and you want to rock your Jack Sparrow look. You’re not gonna win the prize for “Best Costume” if you don’t have some realistic-looking dreads, right?
Wax is going to save you two years of growing dreads by giving you the neat locs of your dreams in under a week.
It can also make a fun April Fool’s prank for your grandma or boss.
- WAX PROVIDES TEMPORARY STRUCTURE TO THE DREADS. It will give the appearance of mature and smooth locks in less time. The actual maturing process takes a minimum of one year in product-free dreads.
If wax is added in the initial stages, the hair might never have a chance to dread. (Darn it, I’m going back to cons. Sorry!)
- YOU CAN TRY IT OUT ON A SINGLE DREAD. If you’re still not convinced that wax is a horrible idea for your hair, then my best suggestion is that you buy the wax of your choice and only use it on ONE dread.
It would be a good idea to pick a dread somewhere in the lower part of your head, that way if you regret it, it will be somewhat hidden among the other locs (…last resort you can cut it off).
What to do if you already used wax on your dreads
If you have ever used wax in your hair, there’s a possibility that it won’t come off in its entirety. But don’t be completely discouraged just yet.
The good news is that there are a few things you can do to remove at least some of it.
The following suggestions are your best options.
OPTION 1: The first thing you want to do is try to remove as much of the wax as possible using a hair straightener and a paper towel.
Turn the hair straightener on and set it to the highest heat. Then, wrap a paper towel around one loc. Use the hair straightener to clench the loc and try to squeeze it as hard as you can.
Essentially, the heat will melt some of the wax, and the wax will adhere to the paper towel.
While it’s likely that it won’t remove all of the wax, it can help in removing a good portion of it.
OPTION 2: The next thing you can try is Wax-B-Gone. It might take a few applications for it to work, depending on how much wax you’ve used up until this point.
I don’t have any affiliation with the company that makes it but I have read purely positive reviews about them. Although I haven’t tried it myself (because I don’t need to), many people have gotten the best possible results with this product, and that is why I recommend it.
If you’re at the point where cutting off your dreads is your last option, it’s definitely worth giving it a chance.
OPTION 3: Apple cider vinegar is effective in making the wax less noticeable in your dreads. While it will not remove it (especially not at the core of the dread), it will remove some of the stickiness.
Dilute apple cider vinegar with water and let your dreads soak in it for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse and dry your hair thoroughly.
Dread wax alternatives
There are a couple of alternatives to wax, but it depends on what you were planning to use it for in the first place.
Reasons for using wax
– You want neater dreads
If you work in a professional environment and your frizzies are out of control, (yup, I’ve been there too!) then a great alternative is 100% pure aloe vera gel.
I like to use the gel straight from the aloe leaf because it guarantees that there are no additives. Scrape the gel into a blender, and blend it until it’s all the same consistency. Then, strain it into a bowl.
Only use the portion that has been strained so the little gel pieces don’t get stuck throughout your hair. Use as needed to tame the frizz near the roots.
Aloe vera also works surprisingly well as a natural itch relief! Check out my favorite uses for aloe vera here.
– You want to accelerate the locking process
I know we all get impatient with the way our dreads progress because the journey can feel slow at times.
It’s almost guaranteed that you will have a messy head for the first year and possibly the second one.
But don’t worry, there is one thing you can do to lock your dreads a little bit quicker: spray your hair with a locking accelerator spray. I say “a little bit” because too much of it will dry out your hair and can cause permanent damage. So use it in moderation!
One of the cheapest and most effective loc accelerators is made by mixing sea salt (or Himalayan pink salt) with warm water. Get the recipe here as well as some tips on how to prevent damaging your hair.
Dreadlocks are all about patience. What they need is time, not wax. The messy stage is organic, wild, and beautiful. It’s a wonderful and unique journey to experience.
Baby and teenage locs will loosen up way before they become tight and mature. Don’t expect your locs to look perfect overnight. And when they unravel, be extra patient and leave them alone. In due time, they will dread up again!
Give your dreadlocks the love they deserve. Keep them clean, moisturized, and protected.
Don’t screw them up by adding unnecessary and counter-productive waxes. Make sure your loctician doesn’t use them either when you’re getting them professionally maintained.
Enjoy your process and let your dreads happen!
