One of the most efficient ways to form dreadlocks in your hair is to use beeswax. It can help shape the hair the way you want, whether it is straight or curly. Depending on the thickness and length of the hair, the technique for making dreadlocks can vary. A coating of beeswax for dreadlocks, along with a few rubber bands and a comb, is often enough. With beeswax and African-American hair, especially, often the product helps to hold together each strand in each of the dreadlocks.
It is usually important to wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, and then comb it so it does not get tangled. A special comb and ponytail holders can then be used to create separate sections of hair. When beeswax is used on dreadlocks, it is usually applied to the back of the head first, one section at a time. Other hair waxes or styling gel can be applied; these are often more suitable for temporary dreadlocks.
After the beeswax for dreadlocks is put on, then you can start twisting each section of hair. The twisting usually starts about 3 inches (about 7.6 centimeters) from the scalp and continues for the length of the hair, while a comb can then be slid through it from root to tip. Rubber bands are often used to keep everything in place. You can then soften the wax using a blow dryer; this typically enables it to cool slowly so the beeswax becomes firm to make a stronger dreadlock.
Usually, more beeswax is needed for thick hair and large dreadlocks, while a thinner texture typically requires less. Not as much wax will be required because thin hair generally doesn’t need much to hold it together. In most cases, you just need enough wax so that it can be felt; too much can clump the hair together unnaturally. After using beeswax for dreadlocks, daily care and maintenance will usually keep them in place and lead to a permanent style.
Beeswax for dreadlocks suited for hair styling not only work to hold hair together, but also add a desirable smell. It also acts as a conditioner and excess residue can be melted away by the heat from a hair dryer. Loose hairs can usually be secured as well. Sometimes regular beeswax can be used, but it often leaves behind residue and takes longer to use in the styling process. Petroleum wax often provides lubrication, but dreadlocks may fall apart as the residue from the product builds up.