Braids are not only stylish but one of the best ways of protecting your hair from damage. Popular braid styles include Box Braids, Havana Twists and Cornrows. Check out our gallery.
Tip 1: Tie your head with a silk scarf
Never use what we Jamaicans call ‘stocking foot’ to cover your braids before bed.
The fiber of the stockings creates a pulling effect that tugs at loose strands leaving your hair looking shaggy. The roots of your hair are also susceptible to damage and breakage. This type of breakage usually results in very short strands of hair sticking up through the braids. The extent of the damage is realized when you take down the braids and find long broken strands of hair that was trapped inside the braids.
Other poor choices of fabric for tying your hair include cotton, polyester and linen. These materials absorb moisture and will remove the nourishing natural oils and moisturizers from your hair. This will result in your hair feeling dry and brittle. Braids are intended to protect your hair but if your roots lack moisture, the ‘protective’ side of things goes out the window.
Your body produces natural oils that help moisture your skin and hair. The use of a silk scarf helps retain that moisture leaving your hair feeling supple in the morning. The scarf is also good for smoothing fly away hair, leaving your braids neat and longer lasting.
Another option is the use of a silk bonnet. The operative word for both options is silk.
The silk bonnet is great for curly hairstyles. If you have curly ends on your braids it would be good to tuck your end up under a silk bonnet. This prevents your curls from being flattened. They are also a great option for protecting your hair when showering. Be sure to cover the bonnet with a plastic shower cap.
Tip 2: Wash your braids with warm water
By using warm water to wash your braids, there is less need for rigorous scrubbing to remove oil and grease from your scalp.
Wash your braids while standing in the shower or in a position where the hair falls back. Wet your hair with warm water then gently lather your scalp with your preferred shampoo. Well if your preferred shampoos are dual function shampoo and conditioner in one and leave in conditioners it is advised that you take a break from using such products when you are wearing braided styles. Leave in conditioners especially, have high moisture content that will trap oil and grease at the roots of your braids. This later leads to a build up of dust and grime in your hair as you go about your day.
It is best to use a shampoo that is grease fighting, kind of like how your dish washing liquid works. Do resist the urge to go for that bottle of dish washing liquid to wash your hair. I can’t even tell you what would happen because I have not tried it so please avoid experimenting at this time. who knows, maybe someone has done that. Ask Google.
One good and affordable brand of shampoo I stand by for removing dirt and grime from your braids is VO5. Another good choice are shampoos from the TRESemme line
When washing your braids gently work the shampoo into your scalp using your fingertips. Avoid scratching your scalp with your nails in the process. Keep the lathering effect close to the scalp region and minimize the scrubbing motion. Let the warm water run through on your scalp from your forehead towards the back of your head. This will gently remove the shampoo along with any grease and dirt from your hair. During this process you can lightly massage your scalp to help remove all the shampoo but focus on the scalp area.
After washing your braids do not apply conditioner to your hair. Yes, you heard (or read) right. You want your hair to remain with that crisp clean. Remember the aim is avoid adding too much moisture to your hair when you have braids installed.
Let your hair air dry or you can use a hooded dryer if strapped for time. When your hair is dry go ahead and lightly apply a moisturizer (preferably water based) to the scalp and then lightly spray oil sheen on the shafts of your braids. The aim here is to keep your braids lightweight by not adding too much product that will clamp the strands together and attract dust.
Tip 3: Use oil sheen not hair oil
Avoid using heavy oils ton the scalp when wearing braids. In fact the only hair oil that should remain on the scalp till next wash day, is the oil applied by your stylist during the installation of the braids.
Have you ever seen white dirt rings at the root of your braids? This happens when dust mixes with the products on your scalp then dries into a matted ring around each braid also known as grime. These dirt rings can be hard to remove when washing your hair. This is why less is more when it comes to maintaining your braids.
Oil sheen and any moisturizer with a spray top, is ideal for braids. This will leave your braids looking shiny but not greasy and light enough to create movement. Hair polishers can be used as well but sparingly.
Unlike your real hair, braids will not absorb products as quickly. This means the products remain on top of the braids for days. For this reason, it is best that you use oils and other moisturizers no less than once every 3 days.
Tip 4: Trim and hot water
So, you’ve had your braids in for a few weeks, but you are far from ready to take them down. For example, box braids installed right can last up to 2 full months. A way to get to that finish line is to trim your braids on occasion and apply hot water to the ends.
The trimming removes frizzy strands that have become undone which can make your braids look unappealing. Trimming involves clipping away any fly away hairs or loose strands of the braid. Try to avoid clipping your own hair in the process.
A good time to apply hot water to your braids is after washing your hair. If you wash your hair weekly, then it is best to apply hot water treatment every two weeks. The process of pouring hot water on your braids helps to renew the strands and reduces the need for constant trimming as well. The hot water also seals the braids making them less likely to unravel during repeated styling.
Hot water can be applied whether you like your braids bone straight or curly. For straight ends ensure the hair is let down at full length and the ends are not bent before applying the hot water. If you are rocking curly ends, the same process applies but with curlers. Put the curlers in to get the style curl you want then emerge them in hot water. Your curls will come out looking bouncy and refreshed.
For the hot water process to be effective, the water must be at a temperature where you can see the water is bubbling. This is to ensure the water is hot enough to the smooth out your braids. For best results clip away any loose strands on your braids before applying the hot water. This will result in a sleeker look that will not frizz when your hair is dry.
When applying hot water, it might be best to get help if you can. It is a dangerous process and must be done carefully. One last thing to note about using hot water, is that the steam is can be very hot. This may startle you at first, if you are new to the process. You might feel a light burning sensation on your scalp caused by the steam during the hot water process but you are not actually being burned. The sensation is one you can get used to and it is nowhere as painful as having the actual hot water touch your scalp.
Tip 5: Taming your hairline
Braids when installed properly doesn’t frizz until weeks later but our hairlines are another matter. Braids are never truly neat if your edges are unkept.
Use products with a light hold such as edge control to tame unruly edges. Avoid using styling gel as this may result in build-up of grime on your hairline. It can also lead to breakage due to the strong hold of the product.
If you believe you must use styling gel to get the desired hold, then apply the gel lightly on top of the edge control. This helps to weaken the holding power of the gel and allows better movement of strands, preventing breakage during sleep.
If you are one to not use holding products on your hairline, you can tame your edges by brushing them down before tying your hair with a silk scarf. This will result in nicely laid edges in the morning. By using this method your edges might not stay laid the entire day. To help lengthen the time stay away from the windy outdoors.
Let me know if these tips were useful and if you would like more posts like this in the future. Comment below.
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