Taliah Waajid Lock It Up Gel Product Knowledge

The Lock It Up gel or the Tight Hold gel is often used by many people with locs because it’s readily accessible in most retailers however you need to be cautious of how this product can affect the scalp!

Personally, in the past, I used the Lock It Up gel to retwist my husband’s locs and on my clients’ locs because it looked like the most natural product available. One day, I turned the jar around and couldn’t read every ingredient on the label so I stopped using it and opted for a more holistic approach to loc maintenance.

Taliah Waajid Lock It Up Gel Ingredients

 Taliah Waajid Lock It Up Gel Ingredients

Contrary to popular belief the Taliah Waajid Lock It Up gel does not contain all natural ingredients. Despite the relaunch of their products with new labels and formulas, as of January 2015, the Lock It Up Gel gel contains 12 ingredients which include:

Water (Aqua), Carbomer, Triethanolamine , D&C ,Yellow 10, FD&C Dark Brown 518, Yarrow Roots Extract (Achillea Millefolium), Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis), Nettle Extract (Citrus Aurantium), Indiam Hemp (Cannabis Sativa), Caprylyl Glycol Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance (Parfum).

The Lock It Up gel label states that:

Lock It Up™ has no alcohol so there’s NO FLAKING. Stops Frizz, holds locs and styles longer. Lock It Up offers great options for starting locs, two-strand twists, loc grooming, etc. It’s also great for styling wavy hair and color-treated hair. This is a very versatile product that is infused with Yarrow Root Extract, Rosemary Extract, Nettle, and Indian Hemp for an all-natural herbal hair experience!

Based on the ingredients that you read, can you be completely sure that the Lock It Up will hold your locs, stop Frizz, and not flake, and be all-natural?

Understanding What’s Inside Taliah Waajid Lock It Up Gel

It is assumed that the ingredients are listed in order of strength, from most concentration to least.

1. Water (Aqua) – Good Ingredient – Average hair care products contain about 50% to 90% water. The rest of the ingredients determine the look, feel, and performance of the product and it is standard practice for water to go through a purification process.
2. Carbomer – Cautionary Ingredient -Gel-like thickener that tends to flake in high concentrations.
3. Triethanolamine – Cautionary Ingredient – Sometimes functions as an emulsifier (keeps the oil and water components in a product from separating) and pH adjuster (it’s alkaline). Known as an irritant in higher concentrations because of its alkalinity, so it may cause problems if it is present in higher concentrations in a product, though it should be fine in small amounts.
4. D&C Yellow 10 – Okay Ingredient – Yellow food coloring found in products for teeth, bath products, conditioners, and shampoos.
5. FD&C Dark Brown 518 – Okay Ingredient – Food coloring additive.
6. Yarrow Roots Extract (Achillea Millefolium) – Okay Ingredient – Plant-based anti-inflammatory for scalp. In rare cases can cause severe allergic skin rashes and with prolonged use can cause skin photosensitivity.
7. Rosemary Extract (Rosmarinus Officinalis) – Okay Ingredient – Used as a hair tonic and growth stimulant, and thought to prevent dandruff and premature baldness,.The leaves are known to have relatively high levels of antioxidants. However, in the very tiny amounts found in hair care products, the chances of it being able to do anything are slim.
8. Nettle Extract (Citrus Aurantium) – Okay Ingredient – Plant-based anti-inflammatory for scalp.
9. Indiam Hemp (Cannabis Sativa) – Good Ingredient – Emollient oil that contains adequate amounts of essential fatty acid contents and Vitamin E. The emollient properties help to enhance hair health.
10. Caprylyl Glycol – Okay Ingredient – Used for conditioning and as an emollient that’s made from both plant and synthetic sources, specifically it is made from capric acid and glycol.
11. Phenoxyethanol – Okay Ingredient – This is an oily, white to off-white liquid that smells a bit like roses. Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that kills bacteria and is believed to be less irritating than others and it can also be used as a fragrance. It also has some conditioning and emollient properties.
12. Fragrance (Parfum) – Cautionary Ingredient – The word “fragrance” or “parfum” on the product label represents an undisclosed mixture of various scent chemicals and ingredients used as fragrance dispersants such as diethyl phthalate. Fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.

Professional Recommendation

The Taliah Waajid Lock It Up gel is okay to use but I would advise you to be very cautious if and when using it. Within the first 3 ingredients, assumed to be the highest in concentration, there are 2 cautionary ingredients, one that may cause build up and the other a possible skin irritant. with that being said, you MUST use a clarifying shampoo to ensure all of the Lock It Up gel is removed from the locs so that it does not build up or irritate the scalp. Out of the total 12 ingredients, 3 ingredients are notably cautious for your hair or scalp, but that is only 25% of the product with the remaining ingredients being okay to use.

From personal experience using the Lock It Up gel on my husband’s locs he did eventually develop scalp issues and when I discontinued use of the Lock It Up gel he had some relief. Keep in mind, every individual is different and what did not work for one person may work for another. If you’re seeking an all natural approach to your loc maintenance, the Lock It Up gel is NOT for you.

Alternative Products To Use

I strongly encourage you to make your own locking gel from natural ingredients like Aloe Vera gel or flaxseed gel, or try the retwisting method without product.

Share your thoughts and experience with the Taliah Waajid Lock It Up gel in the comments!