Faux locs get requested for a hundred reasons, a wedding, a big trip, a break from heat and daily styling, but the best one is the simplest: they give your natural hair a rest while looking incredible. As a protective style, they tuck your own hair away safe, and the range of looks you can build on top of that is huge. Artificial dreadlocks, or faux locs, come boho or sleek, short or waist-length, and every one buys your hair a few weeks off.
This is a tour of the versions worth knowing, from soft goddess locs to crisp jumbo rope, plus the install, the upkeep, and the one thing that matters more than any look: keeping your edges and scalp healthy underneath.
Faux Locs, Answered Fast
Faux locs are individual locs made from added hair (usually Kanekalon or Marley) that wrap or crochet over your own, giving you the look of locs without committing to permanent ones. They’re a protective style, meaning your natural hair rests underneath, and they typically last six to eight weeks before they should come out.
The two big variables are method and weight. Crochet installs fastest and sits lighter; the traditional wrap method takes longer but looks the most realistic. And the longer and thicker you go, the heavier they are on your scalp, which is the single most important thing to weigh, since tension is what puts your edges at risk.
Boho Goddess Faux Locs With Soft Waves
Goddess locs are the soft, romantic end of the faux-loc world, with loose, wavy pieces of curly hair left out along the locs and around the face. The effect is bohemian and undone. Think locs, softened, less uniform than classic ones and more like soft locs caught mid-breeze.
They flatter almost everyone, and the loose curls soften the hairline for a gentle, pretty finish. They photograph beautifully, which is why they’re a favorite for weddings and vacations.
- Curly pieces left out give a soft, bohemian, undone finish.
- Flattering and romantic, a favorite for events and travel.
- The loose curls need the odd re-dip in hot water to revive the wave.
A Natural-Looking Crochet Loc Bob
Not every loc look means length. A loc bob crops faux locs to the chin or shoulders for a short, modern protective style that’s quick to install and easy to carry. It’s the low-commitment way to try locs without months of length.
Why the Bob Length Works
The crochet method is what makes it fast: pre-looped locs are hooked into cornrowed hair in a single sitting, often in two or three hours instead of a whole day. That speed and the lighter weight make a loc bob among the most comfortable versions to wear.
A shorter loc sits lighter on the scalp, which means less tension on your edges and less strain over the weeks you wear it. If you’re new to faux locs or worried about weight, the bob is the gentlest place to start.
Loc Extensions for Length and Volume
At the other end, faux locs can add dramatic length and fullness your natural hair might not have on its own. Extensions wrapped over your locs or braided base can take you to the waist, with a fullness that feels bold and celebratory.
Length Without the Damage
The trade-off is real, and it’s worth naming: length means weight. Long, thick faux locs pull on your scalp and hairline, which is why the install and the length both matter to your hair’s health, not just the look.
The safe version keeps the base sections small but not tight, uses lightweight hair, and comes out on schedule. Done that way, long faux locs are a beautiful protective style; done too heavy or too tight, they do exactly the damage protective styling is meant to prevent.
On Your Edges
The single biggest risk with any faux loc is tension. If the install hurts, feels tight, or tugs at your edges, it’s too tight, say so and have it redone looser. Traction on the hairline is how a protective style ends up damaging the very hair it’s meant to protect.
Sun-Kissed Ombre Faux Locs
Because the hair is added, faux locs let you play with color without touching or dyeing your own strands, which is one of their quiet joys. A sun-kissed ombre, deeper at the root melting into caramel or honey down the length, adds dimension and warmth to the whole style. No bleach touches your own hair.
It’s a safe way to test a lighter shade, since it lifts out with the locs when they come down. Ask your stylist to blend the color gradually so the melt looks natural rather than stripey, and the effect reads expensive and soft. Caramel and honey melts flatter warm and deep skin tones especially, but a cooler ash blend works just as well on cooler complexions.
Distressed Faux Locs for Worn-In Texture
Distressed locs are deliberately roughed up, with a fuzzy, textured, worn-in finish rather than a smooth, uniform one. They look like locs that have been loved for years, which is exactly the appeal, relaxed, natural, and full of character.
They’re also forgiving, since the texture hides any unevenness and grows out gracefully. Achieved by picking and unraveling the locs slightly after install, the distressed finish is a favorite for anyone who finds crisp, uniform locs too polished.
Micro Faux Locs for a Lightweight Finish
Micro locs are thin and numerous, which makes them the most natural-looking and often the most comfortable faux loc of all. The finer the loc, the more realistic the scalp looks and the lighter the overall weight, though the install takes longer. What to know:
- The most realistic and natural-looking of the faux loc styles.
- Lighter on the scalp, since the weight spreads across many small locs.
- A longer install, often a full day, because there are so many to make.
A few faux loc terms worth knowing:
📖Wrap vs crochet method
Wrap winds hair around your braid for the most realistic look; crochet hooks pre-made locs in for a faster install.
📖Marley and Kanekalon hair
The two most common synthetic hair types for faux locs, chosen for texture and how natural they look.
Jumbo Rope Locs for Sleek Definition
At the opposite extreme, jumbo locs are thick, bold, and defined, made from fewer, larger locs for maximum drama with a faster install. They make a strong, sleek statement. Big and bold, and ready in far less time than micro locs.
The trade-off is weight: fewer, thicker locs concentrate more pull per section, so keeping the base sections comfortable matters even more here. Worn at a moderate length, jumbo locs are striking and surprisingly quick to achieve.
- Bold, thick, defined locs for a strong statement.
- One of the fastest faux locs to install, thanks to fewer sections.
- Keep the length moderate so the extra thickness doesn’t strain your scalp.
Curly-End Faux Locs for Bounce
Leave a curl at the bottom of each loc and the whole style gains bounce and softness. Curly-end locs finish the smooth loc with a spiral of loose, curly hair, so they move and swing in a way straight-ended locs don’t.
Keeping the Curl
It’s a playful, feminine variation that softens the look without leaving hair out along the length. The curls feel youthful and fun, and they frame a shorter or half-up style especially nicely.
The curly ends are usually set by dipping them in hot water after install, and they’ll want a re-dip every week or two to stay springy. A little mousse smoothed over the curls keeps them defined between refreshes.
Invisible-Root Faux Locs for a Realistic Scalp
The most realistic faux locs are the ones where you can’t tell where your hair ends and the loc begins. An invisible root means the loc blends smoothly into your scalp, with no visible braid or knot at the base. How it’s done:
- The base is wrapped or crocheted so no braid shows at the root.
- A color match between your hair and the locs makes the blend convincing.
- Best done by a stylist experienced in the technique, since the root is delicate.
A Short Faux Loc Pixie
Cropped short and tapered, a faux loc pixie is edgy, low-maintenance, and refreshingly light. It’s the shortest protective loc style, and its lightness means minimal tension on your edges, a real plus for anyone protecting a delicate hairline. Our short locs guide covers the length in more detail.
It suits strong features and slim necks, and it puts your face front and center. The short length also means the fastest install and the least weight of any style here, so it’s a smart pick if comfort is your priority.
Is a short faux loc style right for you?
1Worried about weight and tension?
A short or bob-length faux loc is the lightest, gentlest option on your edges.
2Want maximum drama and length?
Go longer, but keep the base sections comfortable and plan to take them out on time.
Half-Up Faux Locs With Face-Framing Pieces
One of the joys of faux locs is how many ways you can style them once they’re in, and a half-up is the everyday favorite. Gathering the top locs up and back keeps them off your face while a few are left loose to frame it, for a look that’s polished but easy. It’s among the most versatile loc styles for women.
It works on any length past the shoulders and takes seconds to do. Be gentle gathering them, though, since pulling a heavy half-up too tight recreates the same tension you want to avoid at the roots.
- Keeps locs off the face while framing it softly.
- A quick, everyday style that works on medium to long locs.
- Gather it loosely to avoid tension at the crown.
Blonde and Honey Melt Faux Locs
For a warm, beachy statement, a blonde or honey melt runs a soft, sunny color through the locs from root to tip. Unlike a real blonding process, it asks nothing of your own strands; the brightness belongs to the locs alone. To wear it:
- Choose a honey or caramel blonde for warmth that flatters most skin tones.
- A gradual melt from a deeper root looks more natural than solid blonde.
- The color comes out with the locs, so it’s commitment-free.
Burgundy and Copper Faux Locs
On the richer end of the color spectrum, burgundy and copper faux locs bring warmth and depth without going light. These jewel and spice tones read luxurious against a range of skin tones and suit fall and winter especially.
Mixed together, burgundy and copper create a dimensional, multi-tonal effect that catches the light as the locs move. It’s a bolder color choice than a natural black or brown, but because it’s all in the added hair, it carries none of the risk of dyeing your own.
These deeper shades flatter deep and rich skin tones beautifully and add warmth to fair and medium ones, so they’re a truly universal way to add color. Pair them with gold accents or cuffs for a finished, celebratory look.
Waist-Length Bohemian Locs With Accents
For maximum impact, waist-length bohemian locs make a dramatic, celebratory statement, especially dressed with accent threads, cuffs, beads, or shells. It’s the showstopper of the faux loc world, and the one people save for weddings, festivals, and big occasions.
The Weight Conversation
The accents are part of the tradition and the fun, with threads wrapped along the locs and metal cuffs or shells threaded on for shine. They personalize the style and add a rich, adorned finish.
This length demands an honest talk about weight. Waist-length locs are heavy, and worn too long or installed too tight they strain the scalp, so keep the base comfortable, use lightweight hair, and take them out on schedule. Worn responsibly, they’re spectacular; worn carelessly, they cost you your edges.
📋Before you commit to long locs
- ✓Ask about the total weight and how it’ll feel by week three
- ✓Confirm the base sections will be small but not tight
- ✓Circle a take-down date roughly two months from install day
Layered Faux Locs With Feathered Ends
Cut at varying lengths with soft, feathered ends, layered faux locs add movement and shape rather than hanging in one solid curtain. The layers frame the face and give the style a lighter, airier finish, especially noticeable when the locs swing as you move or turn your head. What defines it:
- Locs cut to different lengths for shape and movement.
- Feathered, tapered ends soften the overall look.
- Face-framing layers flatter and lighten a long loc style.
What to Expect
Faux locs are an investment of time and money, so it helps to know the realities going in. Expect the install to take anywhere from three to eight hours depending on the method and length, and to cost around $150 to $350, more for waist-length or intricate work. They last six to eight weeks, and pushing much past that risks matting and tension on your natural hair.
While you wear them, care is simple but non-negotiable: keep your scalp clean with a diluted cleanser, moisturize your edges and scalp, tie the locs up in silk at night, and take them out on time, gently. Done with care, faux locs are a beautiful and truly restful protective style. Done carelessly, they undo their own purpose.
Faux Loc Questions, Answered
?Are faux locs actually protective, or do they damage your hair?
They’re protective when done right and damaging when done wrong. Installed at a comfortable tension, kept clean and moisturized, and taken out within six to eight weeks, faux locs give your natural hair a real rest. Installed too tight or left in too long, they cause tension damage and matting, the opposite of the goal.
?How long do faux locs last, and how do I care for them?
Most last six to eight weeks. Care is straightforward: cleanse your scalp with a diluted shampoo or a cleansing spray, moisturize your scalp and edges regularly, and wrap the locs in a silk scarf or bonnet at night to prevent frizz. Don’t push past eight weeks, since that’s when matting and buildup set in.
?Will faux locs work on my hair type?
Faux locs can be installed on most textures, but they’re designed for and work best on textured, coily, and kinky hair, which grips the base and holds the locs securely. If your hair is very fine or straight, talk to a stylist experienced with your texture about whether the base will hold and how to protect it.
Protective First, Pretty Second
The looks are the fun part, and there’s a faux loc for every mood, boho or sleek, short or waist-length, honey or burgundy. But the reason to reach for them is what happens underneath: a few weeks where your natural hair rests, protected from heat and daily manipulation. Get that part right and the style earns its name.
So if you’re drawn to any of these, choose your stylist for their care as much as their creativity, ask how they’ll protect your edges, and be honest about your comfort with weight and length. Worn with your hair’s health first, faux locs are as good for your hair as they are for your look.
