4 Faux or Temporary Loc Extensions Tutorials

Have you ever wanted locs without the commitment? Are you looking for a new “twist” on twists or braid extensions?  Well, faux locs are the answer. This is a protective style that can last up to three months.  It is basically a two step process that consists of braiding or twisting the hair and then wrapping it. Because you must first twist/braid your extensions and THEN twist, the process will take longer than your typical extensions. It will also require more hair, thus making them both more expensive and heavy.

This style can be accomplished using yarn, kanekalon braiding hair, or synthetic marley hair. The cheapest option is kanekalon hair at $3-5 per pack; the most expensive option is marley hair at $5-6 per pack.

To install, first start with stretched hair.  You can either add braid or twist extensions. Please keep in mind that you don’t want to install them too tight. Because of the weight of the faux locs, it may cause unnecessary tension on the scalp.

After the twists/braids are installed, you can wrap each twist/braid with the hair. (This is the most time consuming step of the process.)  Upon completion of your locs, you can burn the ends to prevent them from unraveling.  The entire process can take 10+ hours.

Because your hair is tucked underneath the locs, you should not have issues with your own hair frizzing. But since your hair is tucked away, you should take extra care to properly cleanse and moisturize your hair. Protective styling will not protect your hair if you neglect your hair.

To better illustrate the installation process, here are some of the top faux locs tutorials:

Saleemah Cartwright of Hydratherma Naturals was one of the first to post a tutorial.

Priscilla of I’m Shine Struck

Nikki of KnottiNikki initially did this still with yarn for yarn wraps but she found Marley Hair, easier to style and manipulate. Skip to about 4:00 mins to see her install process.

Donna also known as Donedo demonstrates

Photo Credit: Donedo