Synthetic Dreads & Dreadlock Maintenance Products

Maintain Your Dreads

It is important to maintain your dreadlocks in order to keep them looking nice. We carry everything you need to maintain beautiful hair. Most important and contrary to some rumours, you do need to wash your dreadlocks. They should be washed at a minimum of once per week in order to keep them clean, smelling nice, and free of any foreign objects. Always use a special shampoo that does not leave behind a residue that can build up over time and get trapped in your dreads - making your them stiff and heavy. If you are unsure which shampoos are best to use, check out our selection of cleansing products. We only carry shampoos from reputable brands like Dollylocks and DreadsUK so you can rest assured that they are dreadlock-safe and won’t leave behind an icky residue. It is also very important to thoroughly dry your hair after washing it or any time that your locks get wet. Damp hair can contain mould and will eventually begin to smell like mildew. It is also not good to get them wet in a pool. Chlorine from a swimming pool can wreak havoc on dreads as well. But that doesn’t mean you can’t swim! For the days when you need a shower but don’t have the time to wash and dry your hair, you can use a swim cap or shower cap. If you are feeling like a dip in the pool but don't want to damage your lovely locks, try one of our swim caps. They are a great way to keep your hair dry while you participate in any number of aquatic activities. These can be used in the shower, at the pool, at the beach, or even if you find yourself caught in a rainstorm.

Buy Dreadlocks on Dreadlab

There are a variety of different ways to obtain dreadlocks. These techniques can often be done by yourself at home. Alternatively you can have them done by a professional. The most popular method (and arguably the best) is using a crochet hook. The hair is separated into sections and a 0.4 - 0.75mm crochet needle is used to dread the loose hair together. This method requires care to not snap the individual hair strands during dreading. However it results in a great looking dread from day 1. You need to do maintenance every 2-3 months to not overly damage the hair.

Alternative and less recommended methods include:
Neglecting your hair and allowing it to naturally form into dreads due to matting and tangling. It is a lengthy process. Hair needs to be at least 10 inches long for them to start and they can take up to three years to form. When they do form they will be uneven and messy. Another method for making them is the twist and rip method. This is done by first gathering a section of hair that is to be formed into a lock and dividing it into two parts. Then you twist the two strands together. After that, you split the hair in two parts again, being careful not to split it exactly the same as the first time, and pull the twisted portion tightly to the scalp. Repeat this down the length of the strand. This method allows for more control over the size of the lock and results in tighter more evenly shaped dreads. The final method is backcomb and wax. For this, sections of hair are backcombed. Then dread wax is added to help stick the dreadlocks together. Again, we do not recommend this as dreadlocks can look waxy and can smell musty over time due to any moisture locked inside with the wax.

Synthetic Dreadlock Extensions

Synthetic dreadlocks are extensions that you can add to normal hair for an instant dreadlock look. You can also add them to existing locks in order to add length or volume. Added bonus: you can get the extensions to match your natural hair or add some colour. Here at Dreadlab, we offer everything you need to add dreadlock extensions to your hair. They are easy to use by braiding them into your hair and fixing with a small rubber band. Our synthetic dreads come in a variety of brilliant colours, lengths, and styles that are perfect for achieving the look you desire. Do you want your hair to look like dreads but aren't ready to commit to them fully? If so, then extensions are the ideal choice for you. Our synthetic locks can help you to create the perfect look. They also work very well if your natural hair is too short but you want to have beautiful, long, flowing locks right away.

A Bit of History

Dreadlocks have been worn by humans throughout history. Mummified remains of ancient Egyptians wearing locked wigs have been discovered by archaeologists. Art from many different ancient civilizations such as the Assyrians, Babylonians and Israelites, depicts individuals with locked hairstyles. The earliest known evidence of the hairstyle occurs in the Vedic texts of Hinduism which tell us that locks were worn by the holy men as a religious practice. It is a hairstyle that has been adopted by many different cultures for many different reasons. For example, they were worn by Spartan warriors when going into battle as a symbol of strength and also by Buddhist monks to symbolize the renunciation of material pursuits. Perhaps the most well-known culture to have adopted the dreadlock hairstyle in modern times is the Rastafarian culture; everyone is familiar with the famous Rastafarian poster-boy, Bob Marley. Recently, dreadlocks have gained popularity in Western culture.