What Are Wicks? [How To, Wicks Vs Dreads, and Care Tips]

Dreadlocks have been gaining immense popularity because of their rich history and cultural significance since the time they were introduced into the Afro-Caribbean culture. They have a historical context and cultural significance that goes back centuries and civilizations. It has roots in various cultures across the globe, and they have transformed from the symbols of spirituality and social status to being a form of self-expression and style statement in the 21st century.

They give an aesthetic appeal to your hair and face and help in creating a beautiful style statement. The diverse methods of maintaining them play a major role in creating new hairstyles that become a part of the culture. In recent times, we have been witnessing explosions in wicks made from dreads due to their unique style and iconic looks.

Now, many of you may think, what are wicks?

What are Wicks?

Wicks is an alternative approach to the traditional dreadlock. It involves the creation of wicks that mimic the appearance of traditional dreadlocks. To create this, one needs to make use of yarn or synthetic hair to form the core of the wick. The wick is then wrapped with your natural hair to create a structure that looks like dreadlocks. It gives a unique feel and looks iconic on anyone. This is the best choice if you are looking for a temporary dreadlock style.

When you are tired of your dreadlocks, you can combine them to form stylish wicks. You must have seen many social media influencers trying these trends and flaunting them in the most beautiful ways. This article gives complete information on the art of creating wicks of dreadlocks. It gives an overview of the intriguing techniques of wicking and provides insights into ways of maintaining these unique styles.

Wicks Vs. Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks help the person to maintain individuality and give the freedom of creativity and self-expression. But wicks are an intriguing style that has a twist on the traditional dreadlocks.

If you are looking to try something new and experiment with your hairstyle apart from dreadlocks, wicks of dreadlocks are the best option to try a unique style.

Let’s talk more about the differences between dreadlocks and wicks.

Versatility

The main advantage of wicks over dreadlocks is the versatility it offers to your look. It gives you the freedom to try on different arrays of colors, styles, and lengths. The best part about them is that you don’t have to keep them for a long time if you don’t like them. They are temporary, unlike the traditional dreadlocks, and you can try different ways to find which works best for you. It gives you the freedom to express your personality and try different looks that match your mood.

Temporary Transformation

Wicks give you the ability to try a new hairstyle without a long-term commitment to it. This is the main factor that draws many people to this style. If you are curious about how dreadlocks would look on you but aren’t ready for a long-term commitment, wicks provide you with a great opportunity to try out this style.

Creative Freedom

Wicks of dreadlocks are a style with boundless creativity. Whether you like subtle and minimalistic looks, you want to go for natural looks, or you want to try out bold and daring styles, this is a great option to try out. It gives you an open canvas, and you can go wild with your imagination. You can try to mix and match colors and create unique styles of ombre patterns or try the bright shades that reflect your personality. It allows you to design as a true reflection of your individuality.

Easy to Maintain

You must be aware of the fact that traditional dreadlocks require a dedicated routine for maintenance. You are required to make efforts to encourage the natural locking and matting process of your hair. But with wicks, the presence of yarn core or synthetic hair makes it easy to not worry about your hair tangling or matting. You are required to put low efforts into maintenance, making it a great choice if you have a busy lifestyle.

Weight and Comfort

Wicks have the potential to be lighter and more comfortable than traditional dreadlocks. This is possible by making use of lightweight synthetic hair and yarn for the core. The major issue with traditional dreadlocks is that they are likely to feel heavy, especially if they thicken and mature with time. On the other hand, wicks can offer a more comfortable experience. They are also easy to manage for those looking for an easy and low-effort hairstyle.

Easy Styling

The wicks of dreadlocks give you a plethora of styling options. The synthetic hair or yarn helps in forming a consistent core in each wick. So, they tend to be in a more uniform shape and size as compared to traditional dreadlocks. The uniformity of the dreadlocks gives a huge range of styling options that are easy to do. The wicks look consistent and give you a polished and well-groomed look even if you go for the complex styles.

Protecting Your Hair

Wicks create a layer of protection for your natural hair. The synthetic hair or yarn obstructs the air, dust, pollution, etc., from coming in contact with your natural hair, keeping it safe. They also help prevent breakage and damage to your hair and allow it to retain strength and health even when you are conducting multiple experiments on your hair.

Based on your preferences and style requirements, you can choose the best one.

Creating Dreadlocks

Method 1: Twist and Rip

This is a controlled way to create dreadlocks on your head.

The first step is to wash your hair thoroughly and then condition them to ensure that they are clean and manageable.
Now, decide the size of your dreadlocks and section your hair in that size.
After that, you must twist each section along with putting it apart. This motion creates knots and helps the hair to intertwine. This creates the foundation of the dreadlocks.
After this is done, you must ensure aftercare with gentle maintenance. It can be done by regular palm rolling to smoothen the dreads and encourage the locking.

Method 2: Backcombing

Backbombing is a technique of creating dreads through controlled tangles.

To begin, you must wash and condition your hair. Then, section them into the desired size of dreadlocks.
Now, use a comb to tease each section upwards towards the roots. This creates tangles that will form knots after a few days and develop into dreads.
Then, regular rolling and shaping of your dreads, along with consistent efforts for maintenance, are required to get those beautiful-looking, well-formed dreads that mature gracefully.

How to Wick Your Dreads?

Required Equipment:

Prepare Your Natural Hair: Start by ensuring your natural hair is clean, well-conditioned, and free from any tangles or knots. You want a smooth and manageable base for the wicking process. If needed, gently comb or brush your hair to ensure it’s in its best condition. Ensure that your hair is washed and conditioned well before trying on anything. They must be free from any tangles or knots, as you need a smooth and manageable base for the wicking process. You can comb or brush the hair to ensure it is in the best condition.
Section Your Hair: Now, divide the hair into multiple sections based on the size of wicks you want in your hair. Use a separator to keep them apart. You can use any hair clips or bands for separation, as it becomes easier to work with one section at a time without being disturbed by other sections.

Attach the Synthetic Hair: This part requires you to use your creativity. If you don’t want to do that, just follow the basic guidelines to begin. Take a section of synthetic hair or yarn and fold it in half. The folded end will be a loop that joins to your natural hair. Now, hold the loop end of synthetic hair with your hand.
Use the Latch Hook Tool: Now, as your other hand is empty, use it to hold the latch hook tool. Insert the hook through the base of a small section of your natural hair within the section you are working on. Here, you must ensure that the hook is under the natural hair.
Secure the Synthetic Hair: Now, take the looped end of the synthetic hair over the latch hook and pull it back through the section of natural hair. It creates a look around your natural hair. This ensures that the synthetic hair always stays in its place.
Wrap the Synthetic Hair: Now hold both ends of synthetic hair- one that is a looped end and the other loose end together and begin to wrap them around the base of your natural hair. As you progress into the wrapping process, the synthetic hair will conceal the natural hair that will look like dreadlocks.
Achieve Your Desired Length: Keep going with the process of wrapping the synthetic hair around your natural hair till the point you have reached the desired wick length based on the style that you have in your mind.
Secure the End: After reaching the desired length, you can use a hair tie or elastic rubber to secure the end of synthetic hair. Ensure that it is good enough to hold the wick together.
Repeat the Process: Now repeat the process from step 3 to step 8 for each section of your divided hair. Take your time with the process and take a break when it becomes tiring. Transform every section into a unique and captivating wick of dreadlock.
Styling and Maintenance: Now that you are ready with the wicks, you can style them and enjoy your new look. Every few days, you can experiment with the hairstyle by doing braids and adding accessories to enhance their appearance. The wicks are easy to maintain as compared to traditional dreadlocks. Follow the simple tips given below for maintaining your wicks.

Wick Care Tips

You can easily achieve a polished and uniform look with your wicks by ensuring that they are of the same size.
Wash the wicks regularly with shampoo at least once a month based on how quickly they become dirty.
Ensure to moisturize your scalp frequently.
Every night before sleeping, cover your hair with a satin or silk bonnet or scarf.
After washing the wicks, dry them with a microfiber towel and then air dry or blow dry them well. This will help in preventing the growth of mildew and molds in your hair.
Use some rose water and lightweight oil on your wicks to keep them shiny and hydrated.

Conclusion

Creating and maintaining the wicks of dreadlocks is a combination of personal style, interests, and moods. It may require some time for the dreadlocks to create and flourish, but the end product is worth it. The key is to believe in the process and express your style and personality in the hairstyle. With the basic information about the techniques of maintaining and care, you can confidently create wicks of dreadlocks and showcase your creativity.

Tell us about your ideas and experiences of creating wicks in the comments section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cost for Wicking Dreads?

Based on the style you choose, wicking your dreads can cost you somewhere between 100 to 300 based on the length of your hair if you do it in a salon. If you do them yourself, it will be comparatively cheaper as you will just have to spend on the materials required.

How Long Does it Take for Wick Dreads to Lock?

The amount of time required for the dreadlocks to fully form and lock is majorly dependent on your hair type and texture. To begin, you can leave the rubber bands for 3 to 4 weeks for the hair to lock. If you do not get the desired results this time, you must keep the rubber band for more than 4 weeks.

Can You Undo the Wicks?

The wick removal process requires you to comb your hair or just cut them out. Both these processes will require you to spend several hours based on your hair length and thickness. After the wicks are removed, you must trim the hair and repair it if any damage is caused during forming the wicks of dreadlocks. However, it is suggested to not undo the process to avoid hair damage.