Welcome to our review of the best products for retwisting locs in 2023.
Retwisting is part of the dreadlock maintenance routine. The technique brings out neat beautiful dreadlocks, only with the best-quality retwisting products.
My love for dreadlocks made me research the best retwisting loc products. I’ve always wanted other loc wearers to enjoy the ease of finding such information.
Eventually, I landed on Lion Locs Hair Locking Dreadlock Moisturizer as the best product for retwisting locs.
Since preferences vary, I reviewed more loc retwisting products best in their category. Check out to see which one works for you.
Our Picks in A Nutshell
- Lion Locs Hair Locking Dreadlock Moisturizer (Best Moisturizer for Retwisitng Locs)
- Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Gel (Best Gel for Retwisitng Locs)
- Lockology Lavender and Rosemary Loc Twist Butter (Best Butter for Retwisitng Locs)
- Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Firm Hair Wax (Best Wax for Retwisitng Locs)
- Lion Locs Salt Water Locking and Styling Spray (Best Spray for Retwisitng Locs)
- Voice of Hair Purefix Elixir (Best Elixir for Retwisitng Locs)
- Goiple Locks Foam Control Mousse (Best Mousse for Retwisitng Locs)
- Lockology Aloe Tea Tree Retwisting Loc Gel (Best Aloe Vera Gel for Retwisitng Locs)
- Lion Locs Loc Growth Oil and Scalp Relaxer (Best Oil for Retwisitng Locs)
- Choicbaby Double Prong Alligator Dread Clips (Best Clips for Retwisitng Locs)
- Patelai 52-piece Loc Comb Set (Best Comb for Retwisitng Locs)
The Best Products for Retwisting Locs Reviewed Below
Next is our review with fine details of the retwisting products. Here is where you compare and make the right choice for your locs.
Lion Locs Hair Locking Dreadlock Moisturizer
- Key features: All loc hairstyles, moisturizing, flake-free
- Hair type: Curly
- Item form: Cream
- Scent: Argan oil
- Volume: 8 oz.
- Best for: Moisturizer
Lion locs major their focus on loc products and accessories. One of the products is this dreadlock moisturizer aimed at infusing moisture into the locs. And sums up as a good retwisting agent because of its creamy texture and loc-nurturing ingredients.
After retwisting, it leaves a sweet soft feel on the locs. The argan oil, wheat protein, aloe vera, and jojoba oil make a nutritious blend that easily rejuvenates the locs. Additionally, they form a protective layer against heat damage.
It also eliminates destructive frizz by aligning the flyaways to form the loc structure. Hair does not stick out as before, ensuring the locs are smooth, stronger, and healthier.
You should know that the product works more effectively as a moisturizer than a retwisting product. Its hold unravels quickly, and in no time, your locs will be loose.
Check on AmazonJamaican Mango and Lime Locking Gel
- Key features: Nourishing ingredients, Long-lasting hold
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Gel
- Scent: Lime
- Volume: 6 oz.
- Best for: Gel
Just a smitch of the Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Gel gives you the desired crisply retwisted locs. The organic item combines ancient Jamaican recipes, including moringa seed oil and manuka honey.
Moringa seed oil has a rich concentration of fatty acids that augment shine in your locs. The component also protects the locs against damaging UV rays and supplements moisture. Manuka honey, on the other hand, defines your locs, tames frizz, and sterilizes the scalp against fungal infections.
The combination is potent for retwisting locs because of the double hydration and the long-lasting hold. The locs barely come undone after you’re done retwisting and removing the clips.
Unfortunately, the jar may come cracked and spilled. Confirm with the manufacturer that the product is well-packaged before delivery.
Check on AmazonLockology Lavender and Rosemary Loc Twist Butter
- Key features: Loc-maintaining, Natural plant extracts
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Butter
- Scent: Lavender, Rosemary
- Volume: 8 oz.
- Best for: Butter
The fragrance alone in this loc butter keeps you enjoying retwisting from the first loc to the last left. The mix of rosemary and lavender releases a sweet floral scent that deodorizes your locs if they smell moist. A word of caution; the scent is tempting to taste the butter but avoid giving in to the dangerous temptation, honeypie.
The butter is a nice formula that leaves your locs clean and neat. Once it melts into your hair, it will not leave gunky buildups or flake on your scalp and hair. Regardless of appearing creamy white, the product will be clear after smoldering it onto your locs.
Additionally, the product contains castor oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and sweet almonds. This healthy oil blend invigorates strength, growth, and luster.
Nevertheless, the retwisting butter has more of a greasy texture than a butter texture. Apply sparingly, as excessive amounts may flake on the scalp.
Check on AmazonJamaican Mango and Lime Locking Firm Hair Wax
- Key features: Gray hair locking, extra firm hold
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Wax
- Scent: Mango
- Volume: 16 oz.
- Best for: Wax
Alternatively, go for the Jamaican Mango and Lime Locking Wax for your thick unmanageable hair. Wax has a stronger hold than gel due to its chemical composition. If your hair refuses to be malleable into a loc strand, this is the answer to your problem.
That’s why the product also befits gray hair. Your natural hair may become coarser and wilder when you grow older. So, the wax helps to tame down its unruliness for the locs to retwist even in old age.
Not beeswax only is in the product, as there is tea tree extract, lime extract, honey, coconut oil, and mango butter. These ingredients are ideal for scalp care, moisturization, and repairing damaged hair cuticles.
But the wax content is not satisfactory. The product feels more of a gel than wax. So if you seek ultra hold from the product, you might be disappointed.
Check on AmazonLion Locs Salt Water Locking and Styling Spray
- Key features: Heat protectant, loc tightening, dandruff prevention
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Liquid, spray
- Scent: Aloe
- Volume: 4 oz.
- Best for: Spray
Dandruff making your locs style uncomfortable, and the new growth demands retwisting? The saltwater spray works beyond holding the loc hair together in a bid to maintain healthy and tight locs.
The Lion Locs pride its commitment to the inclusion of sea salt water to avert scalp itchiness and irritation. The ingredient is an exfoliator itself and helps encourage blood flow in the scalp to grow hair follicles. And the sea salt water alongside the aloe vera juice strengthens the hair to prevent hair loss.
Moreover, it’s an anti-frizz retwisting spray conducive for all hair types. Whether you have type 1,2,3, or 4 curling patterns, it finds a way to soften and tighten the hair. When the hair is uni-directional, it creates a single beautiful and smooth loc strand.
From a different perspective, the retwisting spray could be drying on your hair. Ensure to oil and moisturize your locs after retwisting. Also, ensure it comes with its cap; some users received none.
Check on AmazonVoice of Hair Purefix Elixir
- Key features: No minerals, moisturizing natural ingredients
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Oil
- Scent: Natural
- Volume: 2 oz.
- Best for: Elixir
Elixirs are powerful 6 in 1 moisturizers. The Purefix elixir is a hair oil that comprises castor oil, black seed oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and aloe vera juice, all with biotin. It’s a hair treatment formula that reduces loc thinning and breakage.
It’s the most suitable for retwisting a head with bald spots, or thinning locs. It nourishes the scalp to speed up hair growth in these spots, especially in black men and women aged 26-40. The company assures the product is clinically proven, tried, and tested.
Add the elixir to your retwisting gel, wax, butter, or cream to reinforce the locs. It’s a hair growth and strengthening additive rather than a retwisting product. It also prevents drying and a flaked scalp.
The oil takes time to start showing growth results. You will have to apply several times a week for it to work faster. You’ll also have to follow the instructions on how to use the product.
Check on AmazonGoiple Locks Foam Control Mousse
- Key features: frizz-taming, extra hold, easy application
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Mousse
- Scent: Lavender
- Volume: 8.4 oz.
- Best for: Mousse
Goiple foam mousse is a perfect finish to your dreadlocks after retwisting them. It fortifies the durability of the hold and sealing strength provided by the retwisting product. By doing that, the mousse helps keep flyaways out of your locs longer.
This mousse consists of a lavender extract, willow bark, and collagen that also moisturize and brighten your locs. They become shinier and more smooth. In fact, the willow bark is known to treat dandruff since it has scalp-protecting antibacterial properties.
You’ll feel comfortable to use the product because it’s non-sticky. It comes in the form of foam, which immediately spreads and dissolves into your dreads.
However, it’s not good for a sensitive scalp. It’s likely to make your scalp itch, giving you a loathsome discomfort.
Check on AmazonLockology Aloe and Tea Tree Retwisting Loc Gel
- Key features: Herbs-infused, Caribbean natural extracts
- Hair type: All
- Item form: Gel
- Scent: Tea tree
- Volume: 8 oz.
- Best for: Aloe vera gel
This is a good option for those who want an aloe vera retwisting gel. Aloe vera is the main ingredient such that the bottle label has a picture of a succulent aloe vera plant.
It’s vegan, therefore, perfect for a vegan loc community. It has a light hold for fine hair without flaking or forming dirt. The gel is soft on the hair and doesn’t cause stiffness after retwisted locs dry.
The gel also conditions the locs with Provitamin B5 extracted from the tea tree. This repairs scalp cells and the hair shaft.
You need to know the hold is light and will not be firm in thick hair. The product may also flake if not applied properly.
Check on AmazonLion Locs Loc Growth Oil and Scalp Relaxer
- Key features: Revitalizing formula, scalp treatment, lightweight oil
- Hair type: Dry
- Item form: Oil
- Scent: Natural
- Volume: 4 oz.
- Best for: Oil
Dry locs requiring retwisting need ample moisturization from this Lion Locs loc growth oil. It stimulates your locks with moisture to prevent breakage due to drying.
The oil is lightweight and does not sit in the hair; hence easy to apply. Plus, the oil cannot cause unwanted buildup because of an inability to melt into the hair. It easily penetrates the locs to reach every hair strand.
Also, the oil is versatile. You can use it on loc types: sisterlocks, boho locs, faux locs, crochet locs, or natural dreadlocks. It works well to provide the touch you’re after.
The only downside is the bottle is tiny for the price. And the dropper applicator easily leaks, and the product may spill before you use it. Some people have received it in a leaked condition after purchasing it.
Check on AmazonChoicbaby Double Prong Alligator Dread Clips
- Key features: smooth surface, rust-proof, quality spring design
- Material: Stainless steel
- Hair type: All
- Clip color: Black or silvery
- Number of clips: 120 clips
- Best for: Clips
During retwisting, clips are very important to prevent unravels before the dreads dry. We advise going for the Choicbaby alligator clips to have quality and hair-friendly clips for your hair.
The stainless material is strong and durable for the clips to never break when clipping. And they’re resistant to rust that weakens and discolors the clips. The stainless steel clips have a black or silvery coating to improve durability.
You’ll find 120 pieces in the package, each clip 1.8 inches long. These are plenty of clips to ensure you don’t run out of them when retwisting your locs. The clips have double prongs with a smooth surface to gently grip the locs without damaging them.
But some of the clips come stuck together, making it difficult to open them to grip the locs. Also, they may be rusty. Be careful not to use the rusty pieces to avoid leaving rust residue in your client’s hair.
Check on AmazonPatelai 52-piece Loc Comb Set
- Key features: Taper comb, pintail comb, double-prong metallic clips
- Hair type: All
- Comb color: Black or pink
- Material: carbon fiber combs
- Pieces per set: 52 pieces
- Best for: Comb
Instead of getting combs separately, you can opt for this set of two combs and clips. Patelai understands the satisfaction quality sets give their clients and always strives to meet that.
The combs are made of high-grade carbon fiber. One is a tapered comb to remove leftover dirt in the new growth before retwisting. The other is a durable pintail comb for parting out the locs.
Both have smooth teeth that easily go through the hair without pulling your hair. However, the pintail comb is good for comb coiling because it’s finely-toothed, but the pintail end is handy in retwisting. The 50 stainless steel double-prong clips secure the retwisted locs.
Sadly, you may not get the tapered comb in the package. They place the regular comb instead, as most buyers testified. So, if you really want a tapered comb in a set, this set may not suffice for you.
Check on AmazonHow to Retwist Dreadlocks
Whether your method is palm-rolling, comb coils, or two-strand twists, the retwisting principles are the same. Therefore the process we explain will apply to every dreadlock retwists.
And most professional locticians recommend starting retwisting on a clean, moisturized, damp mane. This is based on the fact that damp hair is malleable and easy to twist. While clarification conditions the hair to easily absorb the retwisting product you’d use.
Once you’re done with preparation and with the right tools and products in place, you’re ready to go. A binge-worthy movie would be the ultimate accompaniment if DIY-ing in the comfort of your home.
Products You’ll Need
These are items to have beforehand:
- Retwisting butter/gel/wax
- Pintail/Rat tail comb
- Several alligator clips
- Hooded dryer/blow dryer
- Hair ties
- Silk or satin cap
The Procedure in Steps
After holding all the dreadlocks high using a hair tie, carry out these steps one loc at a go.
Step 1: Starting from the nape of the neck, section out the partings around the new growth. That re-defines the loc partings.
Step 2: Go in with a pinch of retwisting butter, gel, or wax. Spread it along the parting, and massage a smaller pinch into the new growth around your first loc.
Step 3: Twist the loc clockwise and clip at the roots. Repeat the process on every locs and add them to the same clip until you need another. Then wrap with the satin cap, sit under the hooded dryer, or blow dry till completely dry and finish by removing the clips.
TIP: Apply mousse before drying the retwisted dreadlocks for an extra firm hold. And after retwisting, oil the locs with a moisturizer of choice to nourish the scalp and prevent dryness.
FAQs about Retwisting Locs
How Often Should You Retwist Your Locs?
Locs in the starter and budding phases require retwists at least once a month to redefine their shape and texture. They are still young and tender, and tightening is necessary to stimulate the interlocking and loc formation.
But if the locs are 1+ years old, how often you retwist them depends on your preferences and growth rate. If you like your dreadlocks neat with fine partings, retwist them every month or even bi-weekly. Or you could let them grow shaggy for several months before retwisting or leave them to nature like freeform locs.
Is it better to Retwist dreads wet or dry?
Cutie pie, stay cuter when you retwist your dreadlocks when slightly wet rather than dry. You’ll achieve the best results because the hair will be elastic and align with the twisting pattern. Also, the retwisting gel or butter works best in damp hair, allowing the product to stick and slide smoothly along the hair surface.
Is wax or gel better for dreads?
For thick dreads, wax offers a stronger hold than gel that easily tames unruly hair. But gel is the better option if you’re just looking for a retwisting product that would provide hold for normal hair. However, wax is heavy and prone to causing massive buildups, so a little precaution is important.
What is the best retwist method for locs?
No retwist method is better than the other because they have the same effect. Opt for comb coiling, palm rolling, or 2 or 3-strand twists, knowing your choice will not impact your dread look. But how well you conduct the twisting process determines how appealing and tight your locs will be.
The Takeaway
Challenge yourself to retwist your locs on your own next time rather than involving pricey locticians. The process is easy, and there’s no better feeling than contentment with the work of your hands. In fact, our product recommendations will make it simpler to navigate, and as always, YouTube is your best visual friend.
