To keep your hair healthy and your braids in good condition, no matter the type, you should follow these steps. Caring for your braids takes place well before the service takes place and it is a lot maintenance work. In order for your hair to grow and stay healthy moisture should be added to the hair. The braids should not remain in your hair past two months to avoid breakage. Only leave them in anywhere from six to eight weeks. If you relax do so two weeks before service due to the weakness of your hair. Moisturize your hair with a protein deep conditioner a day before your service and once every two weeks. Leave on hair for 30 minutes with a plastic cap under the dryer on high heat. Wash braids every two weeks with a moisturizing shampoo. Your scalp still needs to be cleaned every three to four days to keep it from getting itchy or dirty.
You can clean your braids efficiently with witch hazel astringent. This can be done every two weeks opposite shampooing the braids themselves. Additionally, keeping water off the ends of your braids will keep the three separate section of hair separate and distinct, so it will be easier to remove the braids when the time comes. Braids are heavy when wet, so to keep the braids looking clean is to wipe them down a couple of times each week with a cloth soaked in witch hazel.
-Dampen a clean washcloth with warm water and dab the witch hazel over the cloth thoroughly. -Part your hair and wipe the scalp down in sections. -After your scalp is clean, quickly rub the washcloth over the braids individually. You do not need to scrub the braids; a quick wipe is more than enough. -You can do this once a week or so.
Keep your scalp moist and hydrated by massaging a natural, organic oil into it twice weekly. Coconut oil, almond oil, argan oil and shea butter are among the best types. Part the braids away to reveal your scalp. Using a cotton pad or cotton ball, or clean fingers, rub a generous dab of oil over your scalp in sections. Try to cover as much of the scalp as possible without getting any oil onto the braids. This is not strictly necessary, but doing so can prevent your braids from getting frizzy or from attracting lint at the root or base of the braid.
Tie the scarf around your braids at the scalp. If your braids are longer than the scarf itself, you can loosely pin the braids up before wrapping the scarf.
Alternatively, you can sleep on a satin pillow to minimize frizziness in a similar manner.
Your braids can usually last for six to eight weeks, but even if they still look great past that point, you should still take them down to avoid causing long-term damage to your hair.
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