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The L.O.C Method Made Easy

Written by Millennial In debt on March 4, 2015

The natural hair community is one giant alphabet soup if you ask me! And this method that we are about to discuss is no newbie on the block. So instead of boring you to death with the details you have probably heard a million times before and couldn't wrap your mind around... here's a piece by piece break down of the method using products as the guideline so you can understand what it is you should be doing and why. L.O.C Method: is a method using products based in liquid (water), oil, and cream to help moisturize the hair and retain moisturization for a longer period of time. It keeps your hair moisturized for longer periods of time, and works best for type 4 hair (which doesn't mean other hair types can't use this method successfully) In an event I went to over the summer the CEO of Alikay Naturals explained to us how she came up with and trademarked this method that has become a staple in many naturalistas lives. So let's dive into the L.O.C method logistics

L.O.C Method Made Easy

L= Liquid

The liquid step requires obviously liquid! Water is the best form of moisture to add to your hair, however a liquid based leave in conditioner after it has been cleansed is also advisable. The leave in should have the first ingredient listed as Water. That is something to pay close attention to! Some of my favorite Leave In Conditioners for the liquid step of the L.O.C Method are:

1. Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave In- This my dears is liquid gold! The only liquid based leave in I use in the liquid phase of the L.O.C method. I usually don't use liquid based leave ins until the end as a final spritz after styling but this leave in works wonders as the first step of the L.O.C method. And with the founder/CEO of this brand being the driving force behind the L.O.C method in the first place its no surprise that I am always pleasantly pleased.  You can use code: TNT to get 15% off all of your orders from Alikay Naturals. 

LOC Method Made Easy

2. Hydratherma Naturals Protein Balance Leave In Conditioner- My absolute favorite leave in conditioner right now hands down! I have major issues keeping my hair at the delicate balance of protein and moisture it needs to thrive. And if you haven't read up on why it is important to have that balance checked at all times take a look here! This conditioner makes it very simple for me to make sure that I have both moisture based and protein based ingredients without any other harmful chemicals or ingredients I can't pronounce.

3. Cantu Shea Butter Leave In Conditioning Repair Cream: This used to be my go to leave in conditioner for just about everything. It is thick with great slip and costs about 5 bucks at the beauty supply store and drug stores like Walgreens and Rite Aid. Besides being easily accessible it also smells devine and serves up a great bit of moisture before you get to the O step of the L.O.C Method.

O= Oil

The O step of the L.O.C Method requires you to choose an oil to seal in the moisture you just added to your hair with the presence of the liquid based conditioner. I find the best oils to use for the L.O.C Method are oils that can penetrate the shaft of the hair and seal/lock in the moisture to be retained for a few days. My highly recommended oils are: l.o.c. method natural hair1. Olive Oil: is a heavy oil that is an extreme benefit to the hair as it is filled with fatty acids that are capable of coating the shaft of the hair. This means you can use this oil as a sealant after applying your moisturizer of choice. Best of oil this oil is very easy to find and usually fairly inexpensive depending on the brand. You can find extra virgin olive oil in your local supermarket or it can be purchased online. l.o.c. method natural hair2. Coconut Oil:  is an oil that is able to penetrate the shaft of the hair, and helps reduce frizz while adding shine. When used as a pre-poo you are helping to prevent damage to the hair, as well as moisturizing, thickening, and reducing dandruff on the scalp. l.o.c. method natural hair3. Avocado Oilis much lighter than the previous two oils mentioned, but is a major heavyweight in the oil game. Filled with vitamins and minerals this oil is a great protectant for your tresses.

C= Cream

This is the step I skip most often I'm not going to lie, but if you want the full out benefits the L.O.C method has to offer than you should do the full out method. I find that I don't need to add the cream after the oil and I just style. But the cream step of the L.O.C method is just as important. In order to shape/mold your curls you use a cream that wont leave your hair feeling hard or crunch when it dries.  I'm not a huge styler, or curl definer I just enjoy moisturized curls. But there are some stylers that I just love what they do to my hair (and sometimes I use them as my leave in/ cream step all in one when I'm feeling lazy or rebellious hahaha) l.o.c. method natural hair1. Hydratherma Naturals Daily Moisturizing Growth Lotion: This product is supposed to be used as a daily moisturizer instead I used it as a styler because it smells delicious, is made of natural products that are good for the hair and it leaves my hair feeling moisturized... period. It is a fan favorite and was my favorite product in this line. So much so that after I reviewed it I had to go out and get more for myself l.o.c. method natural hair2. Naturalista Cosmetics Juicy Leave In: I know this is named as a "leave in" but it is so thick that it has to be used as both in a way. When I use this product I tend to use a very light light light leave in conditioner like the Alikay Naturals or Giovanni. I then use very little of this product as a styler for my twist outs and other styles and I am NEVER disappointed. This has become a regular staple in my regimen for the past two years form the moment I received it in a Curl Kit box back in 2013. I can't stop ranting and raving about this product because its hard and rare to find a product that consistently gives you the same results, and is made of all natural ingredients. l.o.c. method natural hair3. Thank God I'm Natural Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer: Ahhhh I'm a sucker for a product that consists of natural ingredients and smells devine. Incase you haven't noticed a pattern!! Thank God I'm Natural's Butter cream moisturizer is also supposed to be a daily moisturizer for your hair that I use instead as a leave in/ styler. I just recently started using this product (as they are now available in Target's worldwide woo hoo for convenience!) and I was literally shocked that I was able to go DAYS without having to do anything or add anything to my hair! Going from wash day to wash day with out having to do much and still have my hair looking and feeling happy & healthy... thats always a plus in my book! So there you have it the L.O.C method explained with some example products. Are you going to give the L.O.C method a try? It is best to give it a go for 3-4 weeks to truly see a difference and results. So don't give up if you see that the first week isn't a major drastic change! If you loved what you read sign up for our mailing list here and never miss a post. Also get your hands on our free protective styling E-book: "Protective styling like a pro: Maximizing Hair Growth & length retention"

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Hey there! I'm Melissa, co-founder of Trials n Tresses, natural hair and beauty lover, binge tv watcher and lover of life. When I am not creating content for TNT, I'm busy teaching the future of society.
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