Braid Care

[Country gal]

I have individual braids in my hair. Loving the style. I have worn braids every since I was a little girl. However this is the first time I am wearing braids since becoming a member. I wanted so good braid care tips. I was told to not wash my braids.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

HeY Sbaker!

Whoever told you not to wash your braids must be joking right??

When I am in braids I co wash them daily! The look just as nice as anyone else's braids to.

You don't have to wash them daily but I would suggest at least once weekly. You can wash them with diluted shampoo. Take a big ole cup of water and put a couple of tablespoons of shampoo in it and stir it up. Pour the mixture over your head and massage throught the length of the braids.

To condition. I use diluted conditioner too. Done just the same. Make sure you rinse it completely out though. You don't want that extra buildup.

After washing put some sort of leave in conditioner on your hair and your done.

On a daily basis I suggest spraying braids spray on your braids to keep them moisturized. I dilute mine 50/50 with water. You can use S-curl too with the same ratio.

With the braid routine my hair stays oh so soft and when I take them done my hair is soft and moisturized.

Good luck!

 

[Country gal]

Yes, with individual aparently you shouldn't wash them because the braids will become loose. I would only wash them once in the past and that was after the braids were getting old.

 

[dontspeakdefeat]

Well, you are right. They can and will slip out sometimes. As you know I am a self braider and I don't mind rebraiding one or two braids hear and there. In my experience one the ones that were done on hair that was 2 inches or less would slip the others on the longer hair always stayed in place.

How long do you plan on keeping the braids in?

 

[Chanteuse]

Oh my, I can't believe they told you not to wash your braids. I agree w/ DSD about washing once a week. Depending on the type of braids you have, you may need to make large braids and secure the ends before you wash so that they don't unravel and get messy (not necessary if you have box braids).

I don't condition my hair when I have braids, I just make sure they are well moisturized w/ either braid spray or curl activator and spray infusium 23 every other day or so.

Also, make sure to give yourself a deep conditioning treatment when you take them out. HTH!

 

[Chanteuse]

Wow, you guys type fast!

I think that making the big braids before your wash will keep them from slipping out. Let them dry in the braids too.

 

[cocoa2122]

I have been wearing braids on and off for the past 10 years. I always wash my braids at least once a week by putting a little bit of shampoo into a spray bottle and mixing it with water. I then spray it on my scalp and rinse out. I have recently also started deep conditioning my braids so that my hair will not be dry when I take them out.

 

[MoezThunder]

[ QUOTE ]
cocoa2122 said:
I have been wearing braids on and off for the past 10 years. I always wash my braids at least once a week by putting a little bit of shampoo into a spray bottle and mixing it with water. I then spray it on my scalp and rinse out. I have recently also started deep conditioning my braids so that my hair will not be dry when I take them out.

[/ QUOTE ] <font color="blue"> how do u deep condition your braids? </font>

 

[Country gal]

I plan on keeping them for two months. Does anyone wash their hair with individuals? Regular braids can be washed with panty hose covering the braids to stop it from unraveling. But inviduals are different.

 

[simplycee]

These are all very good tips! I am getting twists next week and will remember all this when it comes time to wash and condition.

 

[katie]

Are box braids normal braids that are burned at the ends so they can't unravel?

 

[Dreamn]

[ QUOTE ]
sbaker said:
I plan on keeping them for two months. Does anyone wash their hair with individuals? Regular braids can be washed with panty hose covering the braids to stop it from unraveling. But inviduals are different.

[/ QUOTE ]


i have. i just put them into four ponytails and then wash

 

[Zuppy]

In my experience, over 15 years of getting braids, human hair box braids become very tangled and matted when washed. Using a stocking cap would certainly help, but I think they would still be pretty fuzzy. I never tried but I think condtioning human hair braids would just make them slip right on out.

Braids that are burned on the end are sythetic hair, they can hold up to a wash and condition.

 

[katie]

So if I wanted to wash and condition once a week I should use synthetic hair like kanakelon(sp?) or yaki?

 

[alliyah4eva203]

i'm getting braids in a couple of weeks and will be keeping them in for 8 weeks. i plan to wash weekly. i'll be spaying surge on my scalp daily. to wash my hair i'll mix some tee tree oil with some distilled water and a little bit of my regular shampoo.

 

[suga77]

in my experiance, washing individuals made them slip right out of my head...every one of them. I just came out of seneglese twists and I washed them every week with a body loafa cause your able to put the shampoo on the loafa instead of directly on the scalp and that makes it easy to rinse it completely out of your braids.

After washing, I would get some infusium 23 and mix it with tea tree oil and jojoba oil...the tea tree controlled flakes and itching IMMENSELY and the jojoba kept my hair moisturized. When i took the braids out, although i still had to detangle the hell out of my hair, it was still very soft to the touch and extremely mositurized. I still use the spray every day now that I've taken the braids out. I won't be perming my hair until the end of the month so that gives me 6 weeks of deep conditioning in preparation for the perm.

 

[Country gal]

[ QUOTE ]
honeydrop215 said:
[ QUOTE ]
sbaker said:
I plan on keeping them for two months. Does anyone wash their hair with individuals? Regular braids can be washed with panty hose covering the braids to stop it from unraveling. But inviduals are different.

[/ QUOTE ]


i have. i just put them into four ponytails and then wash

[/ QUOTE ]

How did you do it? Did you use a stocking cap over your head and then washed it? Did the braids become fuzzy? Details, please.

 

[Zuppy]

[ QUOTE ]
katie said:
So if I wanted to wash and condition once a week I should use synthetic hair like kanakelon(sp?) or yaki?

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, yes, you can only wash and condition synthetic hair. Everytime i've tried with EXPENSIVE human hair, my hair looked horrible afterward. Actually when I had human Kinky Hair it wasn't so bad... but hence...it was kinky hair.

 

[Country gal]

[ QUOTE ]
Zuppy said:
[ QUOTE ]
katie said:
So if I wanted to wash and condition once a week I should use synthetic hair like kanakelon(sp?) or yaki?

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, yes, you can only wash and condition synthetic hair. Everytime i've tried with EXPENSIVE human hair, my hair looked horrible afterward. Actually when I had human Kinky Hair it wasn't so bad... but hence...it was kinky hair.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I thought too. I thought only synthetic hair can be washed.

 

[Bobbie]

Does anyone have any tips on taking the braids out? I have individuals, but am having trouble with product buildup.

Is there a way to make it easier to remove the braid without losing so much hair?

 

[Bobbie]

bump

 

[JenniferMD]

I don't know how easy this is, but I lost very little hair while taking my braids out. First: I took my time, it took 4 days to take my braids out. I started in the middle and worked my way out to the edges during the weekend. Secondly: with every braid that I took out, I rebraided the hair with just my own hair. So when I was completely done with taking out my braids I had just as many braids, just with my own hair. Thirdly: Section your hair off then begin to take out your braids and apply scurl and water or a really good detangler and comb through your hair making a bigger braid once this is done. Continue to do this until you have about 6 big braids/plaits in your hair. Fourthly: Wash your hair while in the 6 braids/plaits (this will decrease the amount of tangling that can occur). Then proceed as you normally would.

I'm not quite sure if you consider that easy, but again, I had very little shedding/loss of hair.

 

[soslychic]

Really good suggesions here. Here is a post I made a long time ago about a braid regimen I was planning on applying. I'm transitioning now so anything about a relaxer no longer applies for me, but maybe it'll help you some.

Ok, I took in to count some of your resposnes and from other sources and this is what I've come up with as far as a braid routine. I know it's long so if you don't have time, skip this for later Any suggesions?....

braid CARE
6 MONTHS (plus in between waiting time)
Goal: Grow 3/4-1 inch a month
MONTH 1

PRE braidS-
*Cut one inch off hair for a clean palette of no split ends.
*Start a good diet, exercise, and vitamin routine.
*Make sure hair is NOT freshly relaxed. Wait at least 2 weeks after relaxer.
*2 weeks before braids, pretreat with mayo, egg, honey, and olive oil, wash, deep
condition for 30 minutes under dryer, and leave-in, moisturizer and oil and style.
Repeat in same week.
(If doing daily rinse, apply moisturizing conditioner after rinse for 10-30 minutes, rinse
out, and proceed to style)
*One week before braids, pretreat, wash hair, light protein condition under dryer for 30
minutes, moisturize condition, put in leave in, moisturizer, and a few drops of oil and
style.
*3 days later in same week, pretreat, wash, deep condition, leave-in and moisturizer, and
style

braidS-
*braid in pretreated Kanekelon hair. Make sure hair is not too tight!
To pretreat hair: Use a twister to hold the hair together. Run a sink full of hot water. Pour
a cup of vinegar in and stir. Swish the kanekalon hair around in it and leave it for 10-15
minutes. Take out of water and rinse under warm water. Hang to dry. Then sprary with
braid spray. Allow to dry overnight. Spray once more lightly before you apply to hair.
*Leave braids in for 1 month0 only.
*Wash braids once weekly with regular shampoo. Be very gentle as not to fuzz up braids.
*Condition with diluted hydrating conditioner after every wash and rinse gently.
*Spray some Infusium 23 on hair. Apply a GENEROUS amount of braid spray on towel
dried hair and scalp. Start with scalp and spray lightly, then move on to hair and saturate.
Put a few drops of olive oil throughout braids to lock in moisture.
* Daily spray braids with braid spray in morning and before bed at night.
* If braids get fuzzy at crown, brush 3 or 4 strokes back very gently with boar bristle
brush
*Style ends of hair (that are left out) with hot water to curl or blow dry or curl on VERY
low heat when hair is wet. Hot curling when hair is wet is another option.
*Be very gentle in braid updos. Never pull braid in tight ponytail and be careful with
bobby pins, clips, and other hair accesories.
*Wrap braids nightly and sleep in satin or silk bonnet/scarf.

POST braidS-
*Take braids out carefully and comb through each section with a wide tooth comb as it
comes down.
*Pre treat, wash with clarifying shampoo, then a detangling shampoo, deep protein
condition (45 minutes follow with a moisture condition).
*Add leave-in, moisturizer, and oils, and style in protective style for one week (follow
regular routine, deep condition with every wash and take special care of ends)
*After week is up, relax new growth only
*Wait 2 more week to put in braids again (follow regular wash routine, deep condition
with every wash and take special care of ends)
*Always check for split ends and trim.

MONTH 2

Follow procedure for month one except:

*Do not use a protein when braids are taken out. Instead deep condition under dryer for
45-60 minutes. (Alternate protein and deep condition with every time braids come out)
*Don't relax after braids are taken out. (Relax every OTHER time) Instead, simply wait 2
weeks before adding braids again.

PRODUCTS FOR braidS

1. clarifying shampoo- KeraCare 1st Lather Shampoo or Nexxus Aloe Rid
2. regular shampoo- Creme of Nature Moisturizing Formula
3. hydrating conditioner- Nexxus Humectress
4. leave in- Infusium 23
5. oils- jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, rosemary oil
6. braid spray- African Pride
7. vinegar- Apple Cider Vinegar
8. deep conditioner- LeKair Cholesterol
9. any sharp pair of trimming shears
10. pre shampoo treatment- mayo, egg, olive oil, honey
11. boar bristle brush
12. wide tooth comb
13. spray bottle for infusium
14. satin bonnet
15. gentle hair accesories and clips

MONTH 3-6

*Continue all of steps and keep up with good diet, exercise, and vitamin routine.
*In this time, decide whether to continue with the braids for the entire 6 months or if hair
has grown enough, stop braids and begin to take care of natural hair again.

 

[Country gal]

Thanks SOS

 

[Country gal]

[ QUOTE ]
Bobbie said:
Does anyone have any tips on taking the braids out? I have individuals, but am having trouble with product buildup.

Is there a way to make it easier to remove the braid without losing so much hair?

[/ QUOTE ]

Bobbie are you washing your hair with the invidual style.

 

[Bobbie]

I am. I'm washing once or twice a week with the braids on. For some reason, the build up feels alot like the glycerin in S-curl, which I've been using alot when I'm wearing braids.

 

[Stormy]

Hey ladies!

I've been wearing braids off and on for years. I always use human wet-n-wavy. What I do is, wait at least two weeks before the first shampoo, that way they don't slip out. After that I can wash weekly (as DSD does) with no problems of them slipping out.

As for taking them out, I take my time. They're usually pretty moist, very easy to take out, and I lose a minimal amount of hair only due to not combing it for so long.