How To Do Sisterlocks On Natural Hair?

Sisterlock is a great hair-locking technique that has gained popularity over the years for maintaining the beautiful texture of natural hair with a fuss-free appearance. They are very different from all the other types of dreadlocks because of the versatility it offers and the technique it requires to be installed. Sisterlocks are best suited for type-4 afro-textured hair. So, if you also have type-4 natural hair, you can install sisterlocks in your hair. But, how to do sisterlocks on your hair?

As I said before, sisterlocks have a different installation technique. You need to have a special locking tool and skilled hands in doing a specific grid pattern in the tiny sections of your hair. I know, you might be pretty confused about the installation process of sisterlocks but don’t get overwhelmed already. In this article, I have explained the whole procedure of how to do sisterlocks on your hair so that you can have the best-looking locks ever.

How To Prepare Your Hair Before Installing Sisterlocks?

Before starting to install the sisterlocks, there are certain preparations that your need to know and follow for an easier application.

1. Consider Hair Type: You need at least 2.5 inches of long hair for doing sisterlocks. Shorter hair than this cannot work because the hair needs to twist and turn in a grid pattern with a hair-locing tool. The texture of your hair needs to be thick. Thin hair will expose your scalps more. That is why sister locks are most effective for type 4 hair.
2. Wash Before Installation: Before installing your sisterlocks, you need to wash your hair very well and condition it afterward so that your hair can have a flexible texture for locking hair. Try to use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. Also, a good wash will wear out all the dirt, debris, or build-ups on your hair.
3. Required Hair Tools: There are certain tools that you need to have beforehand before you start installing your sisterlocks. You will be needing
   • A fine-toothed comb.
   • locking tool.
   • sizing tools.
   • Hair ties.
   • Hair clips.

4. Stretch If Needed: Natural Hairs are very fragile to begin with. Since they shrink too much if you stretch the hair with any heating tools like straighteners or curlers before installing sisterlocks, they can be very prone to damage afterward. If you really want your hair to look a lot straighter, and stretch it, you can go for heatless methods like banding, braiding, twisting, hair rollers, etc.  You can stretch your hair at least one day before installing, then comb out your hair to get a smoother locking procedure.

How To Do Sisterlocks Step-By-Step?

Sisterlocks are great for 4c or 4d hair types because they are very difficult to maintain for their density and thickness. But, installing them can also be pretty daunting since it takes hours to put on. Your hair might need 250-400 locs or more based on your hair type. The technique should be done very cautiously for a perfect lock and healthy hair growth. You need to follow the step-by-step procedure to do the sisterlocks properly and precisely. The steps are explained below:

1. Create Sections

Part your hair with a fine comb, and divide your hair into sections. The section size depends on your hair type. If your hair has a thick, coarse texture, the section will be larger. If your hair has a thin and fine texture, then the sectioning will be smaller. For sectioning, first part your hair in the middle from ear to ear. Then, part the front section into 4 and the back section into 6. Use elastic bands to hold the hair into each section.

2. Twist The Sections

After that, take one section at a time and measure half an inch with your sizing tool and twist it. The front and back sections twists should be vertical and the middle section’s twist of your hair needs to be horizontal. You just need to do a flat twist this time.

3. Divide The Sections

After twisting all the sections, you need to divide the lines into further small parts. You need to divide the lines so that they look like a small square. Clip those sections to avoid merging your locks. But you should remember that smaller sub-sections can take a longer installation process.

4. Lock Your Hair

1. For locking the hair, take the hair strands of a small square and twist the strands at the end. Then, you need to rotate your hair clockwise and turn those hairs upside down in a grid pattern. Grab the end of your hair and keep doing the twists over and over again.
2. Until the locs get closer to the roots, you can use your hands instead of the tool. You need to do a 4-point rotation where you pass the fingers through your hair in different directions while holding the hair ends and locking it.
3. When you are almost near the root, take the locking tool to pass the hair strands into one another cause your hands will not be able to twist them. Insert the tools near the root and rotate them to create a small loop to knot the particular hair strands.
4. Every time you twist it make sure to tighten a little bit in the locked part to have a firm finish. You need to do the same grid again and again until the hair strands of that are completely locked.
5. Do the procedure section by section because sisterlocks can take hours to install and might need multiple days to complete.

5. Final Touch

After installing your hair completely, you can set your hair with a moisturizing cream or spray to give additional hydration to your locks, it will hold the locks even better. You can also trim off your hair to give it a neat appearance.

Can You Do Sisterlocks Yourself? – 5 Reasons Why It is Difficult

Sisterlocks are always recommended to be done by an expert. The process is very long and tedious since it takes hours or even days to complete the whole installation procedure. For this reason, the cost also increases a lot for the doing sisterlocks. So, if you really want to have sisterlocks, you need to invest a hefty amount of money towards it. But, if you want to save your budget for something else and try to install sisterlocks on your own, there are some concerns that your need to address first.

1. Locking tool: As You already know, sisterlocks need a special hair-locking tool to hold your hair, twist it in a different direction and rotate it. You need to know that specific grid pattern to install the locks properly.
2. Proper tightening: Also, after every rotation, you need to tighten the locks a little bit towards the hair ends. The tightening should be not too tight or too loose for holding the locks perfectly. This can be very difficult to do when you are trying to do this by yourself if you have never done it before.
3. Number of sections: The size of sisterlocks is tiny and it can take up to 400 sections for your hair type. So, you need to have extreme patience for installing these many locks in your hair.
4. Time for each strand: Along with the sheer number of strands you need to do, the time it takes to do even one is a lot! One single lock can take 5-10 minutes or more depending on your hair length and density. So, you need to prepare yourself for doing the locking process for multiple days requiring 24 to 36 hours.
5. Permanency: Sisterlocks are not reversable or changeable. You can keep it for your lifetime, or you have to cut it to remove it. Sisterlocks’ size is tiny, so it is not unnatural to mess up in the back part of your hair which is pretty hard to see even in the mirror. But, remember that there is no going back in sisterlocks.
6. Possible mistakes: You can also accidentally merge the sections, merge the hair strands from two different sections, or create uneven sections if you are not careful even once in this long and painstakingly careful process. Otherwise, you might end up ruining your hair over time!

Consider these concerns before taking any steps to do sisterlocks in your hair on your own. You even might need to cut your hair if your locks are not done properly. That is why it is not recommended to do sisterlocks on your own and only try to install them by an expert.

How To Take Care of Your Sisterlocks? – 4 Valuable Tips

If you had Sisterlocks done on your hair, then you have to know how to take care of them! Here are some valuable tips on how to care for your Sisterlocks:

1. Give It a Good Wash: Your natural hair is already very delicate, so do not use any shampoo and conditioner with harsh chemicals. Use sulfate-free, clarifying shampoo, and conditioner. Wash your hair once a week since too much washing can make your sisterlocks fragile. It will strip away the natural oil from the hair and your hair will get frizz. Before shampooing braid your sisterlocks into 6 sections. Apply the shampoo gently on your hair section by section.
2. Avoid Heating Tools: do not use heating tools like flat irons, curling machines, and blow dry in the highest settings. These will make your sisterlocks prone to breakage and damage. Do not rub vigorously with a towel to dry your hair. pat your hair with a microfiber towel and blow dry with the lowest setting. Attach a bonnet cap to your blow drier to concentrate the air and let your hair dry faster without heat.
3. Use Oil and Moisturizers: Oil and moisturizers can be applied to make your hair soft and moisturized. Type-4 hair is already very dry and kinky. It needs extra hydration to maintain your sisterlocks. Oils can be great for locking the moisture in your hair. Take any of your favorite oil or moisturizer and apply gently with your fingers. Do not rub harshly or it can damage your locks.
4. Use Silk or Satin Fabrics: if you have a rough cotton pillowcase, you need to change that with a silk o satin pillowcase. It will reduce the frizz from your hair and help to remain breakage free. If you do not have a silk pillowcase either, take a scarf of a similar fabric. Cover your hair with satin or silk cloths to avoid friction and loss of moisture.

Differences Between Regular Locks and Sisterlocks

I have put together the main differences between the regular locks and the sisterlocks for your better understanding before you take the initiative to start doing your sisterlocks.

Although there are multiple differences between regular locks and sisterlocks, all of them require a good hair care routine to make a healthy appearance.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

Sisterlocks are not only a great hairstyle if you love your natural hair texture and want to embrace it, but also a way of expressing your individuality and cultural identity. You might want to install sisterlocks in your hair, but the whole process can feel pretty daunting. It takes a lot of money to do sisterlocks, also, it needs extra time and patience as well. But all these processes and maintenance are really worth it if you love your natural hair and love to have an equally beautiful natural lock.

Key Takeaways