What to consider before braiding?

Braiding is THE hairstyle of hairstyles; 

• Versatility, check; 
• Protective, check; 
• Long-Lasting, check; 
• Low Maintenance, check! 

Braids are your go-to hairstyle especially if you're trying to regrow your hair and you want to take your mind off it; it allows your hair to rest while also affording you the chance to slay with a cute hairstyle that you can style in so many ways.

IMAGE: @jummiegrow

Braiding your hair is a commitment that you have to take seriously if you want your hair to pull through without any injuries. So if you’re considering braiding your hair, here are some things you should know;

Prepare your hair before you braid it

No matter what braid style you’re going to make, you have to prepare your hair for it. Clarify your hair by taking the following steps

• Wash (deep cleansing) - this helps to get rid of any pent up dirt or oil on your scalp and hair; use shampoo and conditioner to deep cleanse.
• Deep condition - this step comes after deep cleansing and it is next to a deep condition to strengthen and also give your hair as much moisture as possible before locking it up in braids. 
• Get rid of those split ends - Before braiding, you need to trim your split ends; this way, you reduce the chance of hair breakage/shedding when you finally take down the braids and your braids also have a cleaner appearance. 
• Moisturize - Use Coconut oil or Shea Butter to moisturize your hair and strengthen it before making braids  a good blend of this is found in the whipped coco shea butter
  You should also keep your scalp healthy after you braid with a  blend of jojoba oil, olive oil and castor oil which keeps your scalp oily and refreshed; a healthy blend of this oils is what we have combined especially in the  Braid oil     

Keep in mind that your hair will be braided up for about a month and during that period, your hair will not receive the maximum amount of care it needs. Therefore, you have to give it as much as you can before making that protective style. 

Do not braid just after relaxing your hair

If you’re not a naturalista, it’s normal for you to want to relax your hair before you braid it because you want your edges to be well laid. I’ll advise you not to! Relaxed hair is stretched and also quite weaker as relaxers put a lot of stress on your hair. Braiding your hair shortly after relaxing will make it prone to breakage so it’s ideal you wait for about six to eight weeks after relaxing before you braid your hair.

Get a good hairstylist

What makes a fabulous hairstyle? Well, a good hairstylist of course! Don’t just walk into any salon to get your hair done because a lot of people do not know how to braid hair correctly. Contact a hairstylist that can do it the right way and also protect your hair while doing it. 

Your hair shouldn’t be too tight or uncomfortable; no jokes, some hairstylists believe that the tighter the hair the longer it’ll last and the finer it looks - no dear, what will last is the heartbreak from the hair breakage you will experience it you continue on that path. For your own good, find a hairstylist that has experience braiding your type of hair. If you encounter one that causes you pain while making your hair, RUN! Pulling hair stresses your strands and causes thinning hair which will, in turn, lead to split ends and eventually, hair loss.

IMAGE: BEAUTYCANBRAID (@beautycanbraid)

 

Night care 

Braids are “low maintenance”, not “no maintenance” so you still have to care for your hair the same way you would if you just got it done. Night care involves wrapping your hair in a silk scarf before you get into bed or you can substitute this for a silk pillowcase. 

This will prevent your edges from frizzing or getting dried out and keeps your braids looking new and clean. 

Moisturize

Braids are great no doubt but you have to watch your scalp! One misconception about braids is that you do not have to take care of them, absolutely untrue! Your scalp is prone to dryness when you have braids on as you cannot wash your hair while you have braids as often as you would your natural hair. This is why you need to moisturize your scalp regularly. Use water to rehydrate more often and use the Glammednaturallyoil braid oil which is packed with nutrients that helps your scalp Flourish during a protective hairstyle

 

Takedown your braids when due

Do not over carry This is one mistake that a lot of ladies make, I’ve seen ladies that have carried their braids for close to two months and they have no intention of taking it down any time soon. Braids can be carried for a while quite alright but it’s not “till death do us part!” 

Braids are meant to be a protective style, as in to protect your hair from harsh conditions or too much chemical use on it and let it rest from overtreatment; but it is only temporary, not for you to carry til infinity. Carrying your braids for too long will pull on your scalp and you will end up losing more hair than you were even trying to protect in the first place. It can lead to hair breakage and can cause your hair to become weak and prone to falling out.

Take a break

Don’t take down one braid style and immediately make another one. Not only is it disastrous for your hair, but it can also slow down your hair growth if you’re always braiding as you give your hair no chance to recover. Let your hair breathe for a while; wash it, treat it, deep condition and moisturize so that your hair will regain its strength. 

Follow these steps and you’ll enjoy your braids to the maximum. Also, you wouldn’t have stressed or broken hair by the time you take it down.