MOST OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY CALLED ME THE TREE BRAID QUEEN. I CAN NOT TELL YOU MUCH ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL BRAIDS BUT I LOVED THE CORNROW TREE BRAIDS. I PREFERRED THIS METHOD MORE THAN THE INDIVIDUALS DUE TO THE WEIGHT THE FAKE HAIR CAUSES ON THE INDIVIDUALS (TOO MUCH STRESS ON MY ROOT).
I LOVE TREE BRAIDS AND ACTUALLY USED THEM AS MY PROTECTIVE STYLE TO GROW MY HAIR OUT AND GET IT BACK IN ITS HEALTHY STATE.
IN REGARDS TO MAINTAINING IT. IT REALLY DEPEND ON THE TYPE OF HAIR YOU USE:
FOR CURLY STYLE (LIKE OPRA CURLS): I USED OUTRE BATIK LOOSE DEEP (LOVE THIS BRAND WITH A PASSION FOR TREE BRAIDS). I WASHED MY HAIR ONCE A WEEK AND DID RINSES OFTEN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THIS BRAND OF HAIR DID NOT TANGLE AND WAS VERY LOW MAINTENANCE. WHILE STILL WET, I PUT OH SO SEXY CONDITIONER ON IT FOR SOFTNESS AND FRAGRANCE. THEN SHAKE IT AND GO.
FOR THE STRAIGHT LOOK: I USED IN LIVING COLOR TRIO. I HAD IT CUT IN LAYERS AND WORE IT FEATHERED ON ONE SIDE. I SPRAY HAIR SPRAY ON THE FEATHERED STYLE AND IT STAYED ALL DAY UNTIL COMB OUT. THIS HAIR TOO DID NOT TANGLE AND WAS ABLE TO BE WASHED WEEKLY. WHICH WAS A MUST DUE TO THE HAIR SPRAY.
HOWEVER MOST IMPORTANT WAS THE UPKEEP OF MY REAL HAIR. AGAIN I WASHED WEEKLY AND DID RINSES. IN REGARDS TO MY WASHES, IF I HAD THE TIME, I TOOK SHAMPOO AND APPLIED IT TO MY PARTS, IF I DID NOT HAVE TIME, I WOULD MIX SHAMPOO AND WATER IN A SPRAY BOTTLE AND STRAYED IT ON THE PARTS AND MASSAGED. IN REGARDS TO CONDITIONING, I PUT THE CONDITIONER ON THE BRAIDS THEMSELVES AND RINSE. I USED MY MN MIXTURE ON MY SCALP EVERY OTHER DAY (GOOD GROWTH).
OVERALL I LOVED TREE BRAIDS AND HAVE BEEN WEARING THEM OFF AND ON FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. DUE TO THE GOOD QUALITY OF HAIR I USED AND HOW I BABYED AND TOOK CARE OF MY NEW GROWTH (KEEP FROM DREADING) I WAS ABLE TO KEEP MY TREEBRAIDS FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS WEARING THE STRAIGHT STYLE AND ABOUT 3 MONTHS WEARING THE CURLY STYLE. AGAIN IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE QUALITY OF HAIR, THE STYLE YOU WEAR AND HOW WELL YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR NEWGROWTH.
I LIKED THE CURLY STYLE BETTER BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE A LOT OF NEWGROWTH AND I WAS ABLE TO CAMOFLAUGE (SPELLING OOPS) IT BETTER.
I JUST TOOK MY BRAIDS OUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND HAVE DECIDED TO GIVE THE BRAIDING A BREAK BECAUSE THE ONE THING I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO VERY WELL WITH TREE BRAIDS WAS DEEP CONDITION, PROTEIN TREATMENTS AND OTHER TREATMENTS ON THE ENTIRE STRAND. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO THIS BETTER BY HAVING THE INDIVIDUAL BRAIDS.
SORRY I CANNOT TELL YOU MUCH ABOUT THE INDIVIDUALS.