Faux Locs: A Hot Look or An Attempt to Make Locs Into a “Trend”?

May 29th, 2012 - By Victoria Uwumarogie

Source: My locking process in 2012

However, the differences between real locs and fake ones are vast. With fakes, while you can jump into the look with a bob, shoulder length locs, or even longer, there’s no altering or manipulating what your real hair is capable of doing. I’ve been so impressed by the way my hair has been able to grow in the short time that I’ve been on this journey. I’ve had to wait very patiently for my locs because my beautician decided that two-stranding my hair until it matted and locked, as opposed to interlocking it, would be the healthiest thing for my hair. From the start, I was a bit leery about how I looked, but as I’ve left my hair alone and trusted the words of my stylist, I’ve watched in awe as they’ve sprouted out and have gotten longer by the month. Watching them go through this maturation process has made me appreciate my hair even more, and respect the process.

I guess that’s why I’m on the fence about it all. As someone who has worn fake ones, not to fit in but to test myself, I don’t see the harm in them. But I can also see why some would say something like the following: “Do the time sister,there is no short cut to this journey,you trying to look comfortable with something your not comfortable with.” There are definitely people out there of all colors, hair textures and backgrounds who want locs because they think they look cool, but wouldn’t be caught dead locking their own hair. Is that a bad thing? But then again, there are some who want to see what they could be working with before they make the big leap. And if you can test something temporarily before doing it permanently, is that such a bad thing?

I personally could not find fault in someone rocking fake locs as I have done so myself. If the fake ones get you interested in taking the leap and trying the real ones, more power to you. If after trying them you decide they aren’t for you but that you want to wear fakes forever and ever, that’s you hair and your business, so do you. Just as women who aren’t natural are reaching for natural wigs, and that seems to get a positive response for the most part, should it be any different for locs?  Should hair and the people who wear certain styles really be broken up into “exclusive” clubs? (aka, if yours isn’t real, don’t bother showing up pretending.) I guess it depends on how seriously you take hair. I would say no. In the end, I do think much respect should go to brothers and sisters who’ve waited patiently, doled out big money monthly and watched their hair grow to incredible lengths after years of hard work. Do what you feel, but as I’ve learned over these few months of waiting, learning and growing, there really is “nothing like the real thing, baby.”

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Melissa-Taylor/100003170966965 Melissa Taylor

    I have natural hair and I like using using the Karmin G3 Salon Pro Styling
    Iron, I can straighten, curl and create waves with it on my natural hair because the pure ceramic
    tourmaline plates have rounded edges and heat up to 460F. My hair looks
    gorgeous!

  • April P.

    I am natural with locs and I don’t care about people wearing fake locs! Honestly it not that deep for me. Its just another way to wear you hair nothing special. If people want to rock locs because they are cute…uuuum so what? What is the big deal. :/

  • http://twitter.com/NewNaturalSista High GrAdE KarMa

    Loc your hair because you want to not because rihanna had it in her head. The same applies to the women who are all of s sudden natural do it because you want healthy hair not because its trending and a year later you back to relaxers. I have been natural for a year now and I didnt know that natural hair was a trend back then I did it because I got sick of the unhealthy relaxers…..I plan on gettn my hair loc’d next year

  • Rah Truth

    Everything else is fake, so why not locs? Moving on….

  • Trisha_B

    Being natural has become a trend/fad, so rihanna rocking fake locs is the least of it. Everybody & their mother have been jumping on the natural bandwagon, not knowing how to take care of it & dying it every color in the rainbow damaging their hair more than what a relaxer would do. Black people & their hair complexes is getting old. People can rock their hair anyway they want, if someone wants to rock fake locs then so be it. It’s good for people who like changing their hair up or trying to grow their hair out. There are rastas, people who rock dreds (when the hair is more unkept, not neatly twisted/wash & go) who look down at the people w/ locs that keep it neatly twisted b/c they think it goes against what dreadlocs are about & stand for. So please, the argument is pointless. Let people do what they want w/ their head. 

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1151786392 Ronique Nicole

    fake hair is fake hair, extensions, or whatever… who cares. She looked cool with em, and it suited the performance. I can identify with RiRi as a hair changer, I don’t like to be dedicated to just one style.

  • RedButterfly81

    I’ve been growing my dreads for 5 years now and I didn’t like RiRi’s fauxlocks because she had a bang with them.

  • Dionerobertson

    Really?  

    I used to admire the different hair that Rihanna would rock per album since “Good Girl Gone Bad”.  Red hair?  Her “Loud” sound.  Black bob?  The “Good…” look. When I saw the “We Found Love” video I enjoyed the brown locks.  

    It’s amazing that she is driven and hard working enough to drop an album a year (and tour…BOSS!) since 2009 and I really hope that she is not forcing these rapid hair dos (brown/blond/black/shaved) in the past six months in a unhealthy way to a feel passion that her hard work is driving out of her.  

    As for the bulk of your article; their is a certain kind of sense to….. discouraging the vast majority of relaxers.  The lye dries out your hair (if your very lucky). That makes it very breakable.  It robs your hair of shine/volume/natural oil.  It can burn your scalp to the point that hair will not grow.  The lye can damage the lungs of hairdressers after years of using it. Creating lung cancer in some rare cases.

    While wigs (over a long period of time) can limit hair growth and destroy hair line (as could tight braids and heavy locks); these happen over a period of time that you can notice and stop the use before the damage is noticeable.  Damage that many relaxers cause happens in minutes.  

    It is silly to open a debate on temp locks in light of the damage/danger of most relaxers.  Try to withdraw from the creamy crack…..       

  • sweettea

    I have real locs that are real long but I love fake locs since i miss my short hair. Sister locs are super cute too and I think those are fake too to right? Wear what you like. I envy people who can change up their hair. I hate change personally but i love seeing it on other people

  • Gimmeabreak78

    For the life of me, I don’t know why the Black Hair Nazis always obsess over black folks do or don’t do with their hair.  If you were a perm or a weave, you have self-hate issues.  If you wear fake locs, you are disrespecting a cultural statement.  Give me a break.  It’s just hair, for crying out loud!  I think the author’s hair looks nice, real locs or not. 

  • Guest

    To the author,

    Just do you sis. There will always be people with opinions but, whatever floats your boat because it’s your hair. I’ve had locks for over 15 years and I love it. Cut them into a bob style twice and they grow very quickly but, that is how my hair grows. I don’t look down on people who have fake locs because life is too short for all that nonsense. If you decide to loc your own hair for good, then all I have to say is… welcome to the loc side, LOL.

  • guestdfw

    I have been naturally “loc’d up” for about 9 months. I don’t care if you choose to fake it or make it. That’s you as long as you don’t criticzed me for it, I have nothing to say.

  • Mrsadkiah

    UGH! IT’S A FREAKING HAIRSTYLE FOR GOODNESS SAKE!! 

    “There are definitely people out there of all colors, hair textures and backgrounds who want locs because they think they look cool, but wouldn’t be caught dead locking their own hair” This is me and I see no problem with it. I love how locs look but will never EVER loc up my own hair because I like changing up my hair very often. While you can style your locs, it’s not the same and my twist out, bantu knots outs and occasionally rocking my hair straight. So to satisfy my want for locs I do genie locs a.k.a yarn braids. Natural Nazis KILL me. So what if locs DO become a fad? You don’t have to be apart of it. You can be having your locs just because you want them, not having to adhere to any kind of fad at all. “Real” people with locs don’t have an monopoly on the style. Chill all the way out.

  • Bluekissess

    This article was so dumb I’m not gonna voice my opinion

    • Sophie

      the fact that you wrote the comment alone was voicing an opinion… you lose.

  • Thisis me

    i don’t hate on anybody with locs i personally couldn’t wear them because it would aggravate me to not be able to comb through my hair but i could understand why people would wear fake ones here and there just like a faux ponytail or bun it’s just a style.