Week "B" Dreadlocks Maintenance

The "B" week follows the "A" week so that all those new knots you made can lock and compress down, starting their transition from "knots" to "dreads". The "B" week has a totally different environment form the "A" week. Instead of maxing out the fiction between hair strands we want to help the hair strands move and compress when we palm roll and stay compressed when we're not palmrolling. This sounds really tricky, but it's not. It's really just a matter of using the right amount of a Dread Wax that's made to work with these techniques.

The right dread wax will allow the hair to move when you palmroll. Not only does DreadHead wax always remain pliable (movable) at room temperature but when you palm roll you'll increase it's temperature and it will move even more freely. When you stop palm rolling the dread wax holds the hair until you compress it again. Because hair has memory (ever braid your hair and let it dry braided and it stays wavy?) it will get used to it's compressed state and the next time you palm roll, the hair will be able to compress further than it did before.

During the "B" Week you'll find that the "A" Week activities don't work so well - if at all. If you need to make knots just hold off until the next "A" Week comes around and you can tackle them then. For now, just focus on compressing the knots you've already made.

• Maintain a good "B" Week, tightening environment.
• Palm roll and finger roll puffy knots at the roots into a more compressed, dread-like shape
• Palm roll the bodies of the dreads to help them squeeze down, allowing the knots to tighten further

The "B" Week Environment is much simpler than the "A" Week environment. You'll still want to wash your dreads regularly through the "B" Week to keep them clean but they don't have to be freshly washed for the "B" Week magic to happen. Locking Accelerator and Lock Peppa are not needed during the "B" Week.

Depending on your washing schedule you make be washing your dreads at the start of the "B" Week or a day or so in. Try to avoid washing right after waxing. It's good to give yourself at least a a day to palm roll the dreads and get the benefit of the wax before you begin washing it away if possible. The best case scenario would be to wash your dreads the end of the "A" Week, then immediately make lots of new knots as soon has the hair (and optionally the Accelerator) is dry. As soon as you're done pulling loose hair in and creating knots in the roots you would then apply a maintenance serving of the dread wax. Be sure to follow the maintenance waxing instructions. Don't skip the hair dryer step! Apply the correct amount and be sure to palmroll the dreads after adding the wax. Not only does this begin the compressing but it also removes excess wax on the surface of the dreads leaving only the wax inside where it does it's job.  

As mentioned above the Locking Accelerator and Lock Pepper should be used primarily during the "A" Week or when you are doing "A" Week activities. Besides Dread Wax and Dread Soap there are a couple other products that you may want to use during the "B" Week.

Dread Butta can always be used immediately after applying Dread Wax. When waxing is followed up by blow drying the dreads and palm rolling very little wax will be left on the surface of the dreads and the wax that does remain will soak in and rub off with more palmrolling. While it remains it's nice to be able to mask it so that the dreads feel softer and smoother and the Dread Butta does just that. Apply it by working a small about between the palms of your hands like lotion, then pull your fingers through your dreads to leave a thin trace of Butta on the surface of the dreads. Only a small amount is needed to make the dreads feel much smoother and more inviting.

Dread-Licious is primarily a moisturizer but because it comes in a range of tempting "flavors" people often spray it on just to enjoy the scent.  Like Dread Wax and Dread Butter, Dread-licious should be avoided during the "A" Week but a small amount is welcome during the "B" Week. It's best added after the wax is applied rather than before. As with the Butter and Dread Wax, very little is needed.