Butterfly locs are gaining more and more popularity these days and no wonder. This protective hairstyle keeps your natural hair safe and sound inside a synthetic loc, thus preventing such hair concerns as drying out, frizziness, split ends, and many others. What is more, compared to other similar styles, it is relatively easy to get. If you want to learn how to create the butterfly loc hairstyle in various ways as well as get some inspiration on the look, our guide is exactly what you need.
How Do You Describe Butterfly Locs?
Butterfly locs are a protective hairstyle that is popular among women with kinky hair. They are a close relative of distressed locs as well as faux locs. However, unlike the aforementioned styles, butterfly locs hair incorporates curly loops. This feature makes them resemble a butterfly, hence the name. Jungle braids have loops too. But they have a much neater appearance and require a different braiding technique.
It seems that a butterfly dreadlock hairstyle is a fusion of passion twists and goddess locs, taking the best of both styles. Its slightly messy finish gives your appearance an effortless feel with a touch of boho chic. On top of that, its maintenance is quite easy, which is one of the reasons why it is so popular nowadays.
What Hair Type Works For Butterfly Locs Better?
Butterfly locs hairstyles can be roughly grouped into two categories – those that are the same length as your natural hair and those that are longer. For locs of equal length with your hair, stock up on 22-28 in. water wave hair. You should get from six to eight bundles. As it features curls that bounce easily, you will be able to achieve the desired effect with no fuss.
Filler hair will allow you to create locs exceeding your natural hair length. Wavy hair, however, will work just fine too. The only condition is that you will need to get several bundles more than for short butterfly locs. Marley hair is another option that you can use for long butterfly locs. It can be easily braided into the strands of your hair.
How To Do Butterfly Locs
Now is the fun part. How to do butterfly locs? Well, like the majority of protective hairstyles, you can achieve butterfly dreads in a number of different ways. They may require different skills, effort and amount of time. Though, no matter what approach you are going to choose, it is a good idea to soak the purchased hair in a hair rinse made of Apple Cider Vinegar. This is especially relevant for synthetic hair. Several hours will be enough for the locks to soak in the solution so that you can avoid irritation afterward. Do not forget to rinse them with warm water. Now use one of the techniques we have described below to create butter fly locs.
Braiding And Wrapping Technique
The braid and wrap method is one of the most popular ways to achieve butterfly braids. Here is how to use it:
- Divide your hair into small equal sections and braid it. You can go with box braids for a more elaborate hair look or any other pattern. Also, instead of braiding, the strands can be twisted.
- Split a water wave hair bundle to achieve fluffiness while retaining the put-together look.
- Using a crochet hook, weave the water wave hair into your strands. To do this, push the crochet needle under your braid base and thread a strand of water wave hair through the hook halfway or even less.
- Take the braid into one hand and place the shorter end of the strand into it too. Wrap them around the other end of the water wave strand, adding loops every now and then. You can create the loops with the help of the thumb method. After wrapping the hair at least three times, insert your thumb and wrap the strand around it as well. Keep on the wrapping to fasten the loop and then you can take your thumb out.
- Finish off by creating a loop at the very end of your loc as well as sealing it by weaving the hair that is left into the base of the loc. Optionally, you can secure it with nail glue.
Crocheting Technique
The crochet braids technique is not as time-consuming as the braid and twist method. So, if you do not have enough patience but still want to get the look, then crochet butterfly locs are your way to go. So, follow these steps:
- Start with braiding cornrows in your hair.
- Take a piece of water wave hair, fold it so that there is a loop formed in the middle of the strand.
- Twist the ends of the strand around each other and create small loops all the way down the loc using the thumb technique and do not forget to seal the ends.
- Place the middle loop over the crochet hook and close it.
- Pull the hook under the braid so that the loop and the end of the strand would be on the opposite sides of the braid.
- Pull the end of the strand through the loop to tie the butterfly loc to the braid on your head.
- Continue doing so until you crochet all the water wave hair strands into your cornrow braids.
Butterfly Locs For Long Tresses
If you want to try out a longer version of butterfly locs, you are welcome to do so. One of the best things about this style is that you do not need to have particularly long tresses to get the look. Your natural hair length can be extended thanks to the weaved in strands. Besides, it allows you to pull off such a cool hairstyle as a butterfly locs bob. So, here is what you should do:
- Section out your hair using any parting pattern, from sisterlocks to box braids.
- Grab a strand of water wave hair and fluff it out.
- Weave the hair extension into your natural hair using braiding, twisting, wrapping or any other method.
- Insert the crochet hook into your hair near the base of the braid.
- Grab another strand of faux loc, fold it in the middle and put the loop that formed over the hook.
- Pull the hook with the strand through your hair.
- Wrap the longer end of the hair around the base braid joined with the shorter end and add loops.
- Secure the ends with an elastic band and nail glue.
How To Maintain And Refresh Butterfly Locs?
Maintenance is essential for keeping your protective hairstyle in check and ensuring the scalp remains healthy. So, you will need to prep your hair thoroughly for the loc installation. Take care to wash your hair to prevent build up from forming, condition and moisturize it. Also, the style needs to be cleaned periodically and refreshed after two weeks of wearing. For upkeep, you will need to look for the locs that are too distressed or loose and to redo them. In addition, you should massage a hair oil into your scalp regularly. If there are any flyaway hairs, you can smooth them out using a hair mousse. In case your hair has grown out too much, you may want to take the hairstyle out and then to start over.
Washing Butterfly Locs
As we mentioned before, it is important to wash your butterfly locs to keep them clean and fresh. However, this is not the same washing you normally do. Depending on the method you have used to create your locs, you will have a different level of access to your natural hair. The braiding and wrapping method implies covering your hair with synthetic strands almost completely, while the crocheting technique leaves you some access to it. This is why it makes sense to pay more attention to the scalp. Also, this is one of the reasons why you should not wear locs for more than a month.
Because you apply hair products and oil to your hair, they may accumulate in it, causing bacteria to breed. So that it will not happen, you should take out the locs after a month of wearing and wash your hair thoroughly. Plus, remember that not only washing your locs is vital but proper drying them as well. So, wash your scalp using a trusty cleansing product and keep it fresh longer with the help of a dry shampoo, while leaving the locs themselves intact for most of the time.
Do Butterfly Locs Last Long?
So, one of the most important questions that may bother you is how long do butterfly locs last? Like the majority of protective hairstyles, butterfly locks may last for quite a while. If you maintain them properly and refresh them regularly, then their lifespan may be up to three months or even longer. However, your hair will have grown out quite noticeably by this point, so you may want to redo the style completely anyway. Besides, wearing the locs for more than 4 weeks may put too much stress on your scalp. As you do not want that to happen, you should allow your natural hair to breathe from time to time.
The Most Popular Ideas For Butterfly Locs
As there is more than one way to achieve butterfly locks, there is also more than one way to style them. To give you some ideas, we have put together the trendiest butterfly braids hairstyles below. So, everyone will be able to find the look to match their taste and style, be it a neat butterfly bun or messy blue butterfly locs.
How To Take Out Butterfly Locs?
Like we said before, you should not wear butterfly locs for more than a month. Hence, you will need to remove them after this period. So, here is how to take out butterfly locs. To start with, arm yourself with patience. The undoing process takes as much time as the braiding itself, if not more. First, you need to remove the attached locs. They should be unraveled beforehand so you could take them out easily. And do not forget that the tip of every loc is sealed so you will need to snip it. Next, the braid inside the loc should be unbraided as well. Take your time to untwine the hair and be very gentle with it, as it may be a bit fragile and thus, snap easily.
You may have some product residue and other buildups in your hair, so you will need a bottle of water with a spray dispenser and hair oil to break them down. Once your hands are tired or you are feeling like you are losing patience, it is better to give yourself time to relax.
Other FAQs About Butterfly Locs Our Reader Ask
How much do they cost?
The price for butterfly locs varies depending on many factors. On average, they may cost anywhere between $180 and $300. This is if you want to have the extension of your natural hair. Yet, homemade locs should not be more expensive than $100.
How long do butterfly locs take?
Butterfly locs may not be the longest protective hairstyle to create. However, they still require pretty much time. You need to allocate 3-5 hours for a short style and as much as 7 hours for longer options.
How long do butterfly locs last?
Between two and three months is an average period the butterfly locs may last. But this greatly depends on how well you maintain your hairstyle and how fast your hair grows.
Do you need to dip butterfly locs in hot water?
There is no use in dipping butterfly locs in hot water. Instead, it can make them unravel sooner than expected. Besides, a dry strand is more manageable.
Do butterfly locs damage hair?
When you do everything right, butterfly locs cause no harm to your hair. Yet, if the loc weighs too much, it drags your natural hair down, thus putting strain on it. As a result, it can break off at the roots. To avoid this issue, entrust this task to a professional.
Now that you know everything about butterfly locs, we do not see any reasons to deprive yourself of this bohemian hairstyle. With little effort and a few tools, you will be able to create a hairstyle that looks head-turning and takes care of your natural hair. Should you have any questions, make sure to study our guide once more. We are pretty convinced that you will find the answer here.
REFERENCES:- utterfly locs: How to, price and butterfly locs hairstyles. Source
- Butterfly locs the freshest faux loc technique to fly out the garden. https://crochetfauxlocs.com/
