CARING FOR YOUR BRAIDS THE RIGHT WAY

If you want to maintain your natural hair as healthily as possible through harsh weather conditions, the best decision you could perhaps make is to have the hair put into braids. Braids are also perfect if you don’t want to compromise on your hair’s integrity even though you are going for a lower maintenance. And let’s face it; braids are beautiful and bring out the elegance and sophistication in any woman.

It is, however, important to know that you cannot just put braids in and go to sleep. If you want to wear your braids for as long as is possible and you want your hair underneath the braids to be healthy, there are certain things you must do. I share these care tips with you in this article:

Moisturise:

Yes, I am a big fan of moisturisation, and this is an important care routine that shouldn’t be forgotten even when you have braids in. It is imperative that you keep your scalp as moist as possible by using a leave in conditioner at least two or three times a week. What this does is that it stops your hair from drying out and breaking. A simple recipe for moisturising your hair is a water solution mixed with a couple of teaspoons of almond oil, coconut oil, or any of your favourite natural oils. Make sure to mix well and shake well before using.

If you want the best moisturisation results, you should also use any natural butter or oil to seal in the moisture. I personally prefer oil. The way to do this is put the oil in a bottle with a nozzle and apply to scalp and hair.

Stay natural:

It is important that you don’t throw out your natural products regiment just because you have braids in. It is important that you avoid unnatural hair products and stick with the natural hair care products even with braids in.

Wear a protective scarf at night:

You need to protect your hair when you go to bed, whether you have braids in or not, but more so when you have braids put it. I recommend a satin or silk scarf, as the smooth texture keeps the edges of the braids looking neat and fresh, and prevents the braids from frizzing. For people who do not particularly like the feel of silk or satin headscarves around their heads, simply place a satin pillowcase over your pillow instead of a regular cotton one. It works just as well.

Wash it:

Rookie braid wearers often fall into the bad habit of going weeks without washing their braids, believing that having braids automatically stops you from having dirt build-ups in the hair. It doesn’t.

If you don’t want your braids smelling foul after a while, it is important that you wash it every few weeks (let’s say every two weeks). And the good thing is that you don’t have to have a full wash. Simply dry shampooing or dry washing your hair will do. To do this, dampen a washcloth with shampoo and warm water, part your hair into sections and wipe the scalp down in sections. Always follow with moisturising leave-in conditioner and possibly an oil to seal it in the moisture. When washing, make sure your shampoo is diluted. If you choose to use conditioner, also make sure it is diluted. This is because undiluted shampoo and conditioner will be hard to wash/rinse out of your braids. One other thing to know is that wet braids can be very heavy, and you will need to dry it immediately after washing. You can start with towel drying, but a tip is to use a blow air dryer (if you have one). You want to make sure that your braids dries properly.

Don’t tie your hair up all the time:

Having your hair up all the time in an up do has a way of damaging the edges of the hair, especially when you are carrying braids. Don’t do this. Also make sure that you avoid packing your hair in a way that pulls your scalp too tightly.

Don’t wear the braids for too long:

Because most women go for braids as a way to reduce time spent at the salon, they commit the cardinal sin of leaving the braids in for far too long. Don’t commit that sin. The ideal length of time to wear braids is six weeks. If you must wear ir for longer than six weeks, ensure that you don’t wear your braids for more than eight weeks, as keeping braids for longer than eight weeks can leave you battling with hair loss.

In conclusion

Braids and other protective hairstyles are such an awesome way to help your hair retain its natural glow. Braids are also a fashionable way to save you the daily hassle of combing and styling your hair.

All this been said, your braids will only serve you for as long as you take great care of them, so it is important that you do just that. So make sure that you keep on moisturising, wash every two weeks, continue to use natural products, and protect your hair with a silk or satin headscarf when you go to bed.

Also, don’t have your braids up in an up do all the time so that you don’t damage your hair edges. Finally, don’t wear those braids for more than eight weeks.

Your hair will thank you by remaining healthy when you adhere to these braid care tips.