There's so much controversy surrounding the use of beeswax that it's easier for most people to advise against it, but just because an ingredient is misunderstood and misused doesn't mean it should be disregarded.  You will soon discover that it's not the beeswax itself that causes problems, concentration is the key
 
Regardless of what locking product you choose, make sure that the Texture or degree of hardness/rigidity in your products that contain beeswax is not due solely to the beeswax.  For example, Cocoa Butter is very hard when cooled but it also has a pretty low melting point. Therefore, if a product contains more or just as much cocoa butter as beeswax then chances are, much of the stiffness could actually be the cocoa butter, not the wax.
 
The photo to the left shows what pure, unrefined beeswax looks like.  So when customers or clients say that they used "beeswax" and didn't like the results,  it really gets under my skin.  Stating this would be equivalent to saying I used candle wax on my hair last night.  What they really mean is I used a product that CONTAINS beeswax and you will soon find that the contents isn't the problem, it's the concentration of said contents.
 
THE TRUTH ABOUT BEESWAX
Beeswax has traditionnally been used to help keep twists intact and smooth flyaways during the initial locking stages. The problem with traditional beesweax products is that they are manufactured to be so thick and gooey or ultra-hard that they were very difficult to shampoo out of your hair. Very hot water is often needed to fully remove the product and even then, there may still be some residue which overtime leads to Build-up.
 
Try purchasing a jar of over-the-counter (OTC) beeswax-petroleum product and examining its consistency. Unlike the pomades we're used to, most OTC beeswax products are therefore thick and repel water like a raincoat.  Because these products usually contain additives like petrolatum/petroleum which clogs pores and gets trapped in Dreadlocks, they're all the more
difficult to wash out (it'd be like pouring a melted candle and vaseline onto your hair). So imagine having it in your hair after regular applications. How can you truly expect to remove it all in just one setting...especially when you have dreadlocks?

 
Using petroleum and mineral oil based products repeatedly can cause a build-up of the material in your dreadlocks that may be impossible to remove. In addition, as your locks mature, OTC beeswax or petroleum based products can give your hair a dull, lifeless appearance and can also cause your dreadlocks to become quite heavy.
 
The rule of thumb is that if it feels sticky and heavy, leave it on the shelf.  If you do a little label reading, It's really hard to find holding agents which don't contain some form of petroleum, mineral oil, etc. so it may take time to zero in on a product of choice.
 
Now some people throw a fit at the sight of beeswax on an ingredient list which I think is a bit over the top.  Beeswax has its benefits but as with all things in life, many of us prescribe by the "more is more" philosophy and that just doesn't work with dreadlocks.
Beeswax in and of itself isn't wholey evil.  It's what the product manufacturer has chosen to add to it, how much the manufacturer has used in the formulation AND how much product (no matter what the ingredients) you use during maintenance which determines its effectiveness.
 
With that said, there are beeswax products that work well with dreadlocks.  These products rinse clean and will leave no build-up on your hair.  They also offer better hold that you will get with traditional gels, pomades or hair dressings.  Such products take advantage of the holding power beeswax offers without over doing it.
 
The photo on the right shows naaniMODEL SOULSISTA's dreadlocks after using naani's naturals LOCK'D DOWN Dreadlocks Butter.  Here at naani we have formulated a wide variety of products for use on dreadlocks, one of them being naani's naturals LOCK'D DOWN Dreadlocks Butter. Our product contains the following Ingredients: Herb Infused Olive Oil, Jojoba, Cocoa Butter, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Illipe Butter, Sweet Almond Oil, Essential Oil and/or Fragrance Oil Blend.
 
Note, it contains beeswax but I'm sure you've been paying attention.  LOCK'D DOWN leaves no residue because we use a proper concentration of beeswax in our formulation.  Many of our clients and  naaniMODELS have used the product succesfully for years because it washes away easily and leaves no build-up or harmful residues.  LOCK'D DOWN remains our best selling product for a reason.
 
The texture of LOCK'D DOWN, whether you're purchasing the Creamy or Thick variety, is smooth.  It literally glides onto the hair and is not gooey like traditional dreadlocking products or hard as a brick like some that you'll find on the net.  You're sure to fall in love with it and once you try it, you'll never say "Never" to beeswax again because when a product is formulated right, that's just what it is...right.