Did you know your hair has melanin? Me either! The melanin in our brown skin gets all the glory, but we rarely acknowledge the melanin in our hair that gradually fades over time. Keep reading to learn a little bit more about why your locs are a lighter color at the ends.
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What causes the ends of your locs to lighten at the ends?
The most common cause for those lightened ends is the sun. As much as we love the glow that comes from the sun’s rays touching our skin, it also touches the color in our hair. So while the sun darkens the melanin in our skin, it actually lightens the melanin in our hair.
Your ends are lighter because that hair is the oldest and has been around the longest. This means it has had the most exposure to the sun and other elements.
Another cause of your ends having a lighter color is salt water or chlorine water. These elements can be harsh on your hair and negatively affect the protein that occurs naturally in your hair called keratin.
What can you do to prevent your locs from becoming a lighter color at the ends?
Well, this natural lightning can’t be prevented %100, but you can certainly reduce it significantly. Here are a few ways:
- You can protect your hair from the sun by wearing a hat. The hat will need to provide sufficient shade for your locs, so if your locs are longer (like past mid back length, this may not be very effective for the shade you will need an umbrella. I’m not sure about you, but I am not committed enough to walk around with an umbrella in the summertime when I have two children to chase around, haha!
- You can wear a swimming cap when you are headed to the beach or swimming pool. This will keep your hair protected from the chemicals in the water. You can also go one step further and moisturize your locs beforehand with a diluted hair conditioner. This will keep your hair protected from absorbing the chemicals in the water around it.
- You can use a hair spray that has a UV protectant. By using this spray on your hair, you are minimizing the damage to your locs from the rays of the sun. It is the equivalent of sunscreen for your skin, except this is for your hair.
Here are a few brands if you aren’t sure where to start: AVEDA Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, Soleil Shield Sun Protection Finishing Spray, Sun Bum Revitalizing 3 in 1 Leave-In Conditioner Spray Detangler.
- Another idea is to dye your hair a darker color. When you do this, you are depositing color into your hair strands. It will temporarily provide protection through this added layer the sun would need to penetrate.
- And lastly, you have the option to just embrace the ombre. So far, that is what I have been doing. As much as I looooove when my locs are dyed jet black, it doesn’t bother me enough to put myself through the work of dying my hair (I usually do this myself, and the last session I did required 2 boxes of dye and I was 3 years loc’d at the time. I am sure that I will need at least 4 boxes now to accommodate my current length at 7 years loc’d!).
How are you dealing with the ends of your locs? Are they lighter and giving that ombre effect? Will you be dyeing it soon? Feel free to comment below!
