50 Soft Locs Hairstyles & How To Style Ideas For 2025
Soft locs like the name suggests, are a variant of faux locs that are soft like in touch and appearance.
Much like distressed bohemian locs and butterfly locs, soft locs are achieved by using a mixture of different textured hair.
Soft locs can be done using a knot and a no knot or knotless method.
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Before we get into the tutorials, let’s look at the type of hair you’ll need and some frequently asked questions.
Type of hair and products you’ll need for soft locs
- 8 packs of 18″ Bobbi boss nu locs or 4 packs of 36″ of Bobbi Boss Nu locs. Alternatively, if you’re on a budget you can use non name brand soft locs like these or these.
- Crochet needle.
- Rat tail comb.
- Shine n jam.
- Spring twist hair.
- Mousse.
How long do soft locs last?
Soft locs can last for up to 2 months with touch ups in between depending on whether you prefer a neat fresh look, or a natural “aged” look.
What is the difference between soft locs and faux locs?
There’s no difference between soft locs and faux locs. Faux locs is the umbrella term for fake locs and soft locs just like butterfly locs and bohemian distressed locs are a variant of faux locs. Locs that aren’t actual dreadlocks fall under the term faux locs.
What kind of hair do I need for soft locs?
You’ll need 8 packs of Bobbi Boss Nu locs if you get the 18″ ones and you want to extend them or 4 packs of the 36″ Bobbi Boss Nu locs if you want them to be super long. 2 packs of spring twist hair will also be needed for wrapping.
Soft locs tutorial (the knot method)
As mentioned earlier, there are two types of soft locs.
The type that have a knot like appearance at the root of the loc and the knotless soft locs which look more natural.
Start by parting clean, straightened and moisturised hair into individual parts.
PS- The use of shine n jam to sleek down and tame fly aways at the roots of your parted sections is not optional.
Shine n jam is a key ingredient when it comes to achieving extremely neat parted sections.
After applying a generous amount of shine n jam on your parted sections, braid the individual sections into plaits (refer to the picture below).
You can choose to braid the hair completely or half way through.
You can also choose to do freestyle parts like the ones shown above or box like parts.
You’ll then take your crochet needle and loop your loc into the plait.
PS- In this method, only the part of the loc that has an opening is looped in and not the whole loc.
The plait is then inserted into the opening of the loc and pulled through to secure the loc.
After your locs are crocheted in, you’ll wrap spring twist hair around the locs continuously.
The last step will involve laying your baby hairs and applying mousse on your locs.
Fort a detailed visual, refer to the video below.
Soft locs tutorial (knotless method)
The knotless soft locs method as taught by @styledbypk on Instagram is by far the most natural looking type of soft locs there is.
Start by parting clean, straightened and moisturised hair into individual parts.
As always, use shine n jam on your parted sections to get a good grip and to achieve neat sections.
Braid the sections into as many natural hair plaits as you’d like to have.
If you want a fuller look, you’ll need to have a lot of individual parts & plaits.
Take your locs and use a crochet need to loop them in a couple of inches away from the part where the plait starts. This is how you achieve the knotless look.
You’ll then take the spring twist hair and start wrapping it lightly also a couple of inches away from the place where the plaits start around the locs.
This will ensure the soft locs can be styled in different ways as early as day one because they won’t be stiff as is the case with the soft locs that have a knot.
How to extend soft locs
If you opted to buy 8 packs of the 18″ Bobbi Boss Nu locs and you want your locs to be long, you’ll need to extend them.
To extend your soft locs, loop another loc into the bottom of the first loc and the separate the first loc into two at the bottom.
You’ll then braid both locs using the aid of the first loc that you separated into two parts at the bottom until the second loc is braided in securely.
This is a good alternative to using nail glue to secure the original loc and the second loc that you’re using as an extension.
Proceed to laying your edges aka baby hairs using your preferred edge control and applying mousse on your locs.
For a detailed visual for both parts, please refer to the video below.
How to DIY soft locs
If you prefer to DIY your soft locs, refer to the step by step beginner friendly video.
The process is pretty much the same.
Criss cross soft locs tutorial
Just like criss cross braids and criss cross knotless braids, criss cross soft locs are done using criss cross rubber band sections at the front that are then transitioned into locs.
For a detailed visual, refer to the video below.
50 soft locs hairstyles & ideas
Now that you know how to do different types of soft locs, let’s look at 50 soft locs hairstyles you need to try as one of your next protective hairstyles.
1) Freestyle parts soft locs
2) Freestyle parts 36 inch soft locs
3) Soft locs in a side part
5) Soft locs styles in a side part
How to take down soft locs without cutting your hair.
6) Textured soft locs
7) 36 inch soft locs
7) Blonde soft locs
8) Blonde soft locs in a side part
9) Middle part soft locs
10) Middle part 36 inch soft locs
Check out loc knots hairstyles on soft locs here.
11) Long soft locs
12) Middle part long soft locs
13) Long black soft locs
14) Criss cross soft locs
15) 36 inch criss cross soft locs
16) Brown soft locs
17) Soft locs in a bun
18) Thigh length soft locs
19) Knee length soft locs
20) Extra long soft locs
21) Half up half down soft locs
22) 36 inch soft locs
24) Side part soft locs
24) Half up half down soft locs with a bun
25) Extra long black soft locs
26) Half up half down soft locs in a high ponytail
28) Top bun soft locs
28) Side part textured soft locs
29) Textured middle part soft locs
30) Soft locs in a bun
31) Barbie ponytail soft locs with loc knots
Check out more loc knots hairstyles here.
32) Burgundy soft locs
33) Middle Part Extended Soft locs
34) Side part soft locs
35) Burgundy long soft locs
36) Side poart distressed soft locs
37) Boho soft locs
38) Boho soft locs
39) Side part soft locs
40) Small peekaboo soft locs
41) Red peekaboo soft locs
42) Triangle part long soft locs
43) Triangle part soft locs
44) Extra long soft locs
45) 36 inch soft locs
46) Side part distressed soft locs
47) Middle part distressed soft locs
48) Side part soft locs
49) Ombre soft locs
50) Side part soft locs
Soft locs maintenance tips
- Wear a silk bonnet or silk scarf to bed at night.
- Wash your hair the same way you would if you didn’t have any locs in if you plan on keeping them in for longer than 4 weeks.
- Use a dry shampoo and cotton ball or cloth top clean your scalp if you don’t plan on washing your locs or an apple cider vinegar hair rinse to remove scalp buildup and dandruff.
- Apply mousse on your braids to tame flyaways and give them a shine occasionally.
Which one of these soft locs hairstyles will you be trying?
Time to take out your locs? Here’s how to take down your soft locs without cutting your hair.
So nice