6 Easy Ways To Maintain Your Braids

With festive around the corner, many women might opt for long lasting and protective hairstyles like braids. Braids are a classic hairstyle that can never get out of style for any black girl. Having said that though, just like any other hairstyle they need maintenance, more so that we tend to have them for much longer. The following 6 tips will help you to keep your natural hair and braids up to date.

1. Cover Your Hair At Night

Covering your head with a satin headscarf at night not only keeps your edges looking fresh it also protects your roots from drying out when you sleep. If you find satin headscarves uncomfortable then place a satin pillowcase over your pillow for a similar type of protection.

2. Keep Your Scalp Moist

Our hair is no different than any other living thing. It needs moisture to survive and the best type of moisture is water. Our roots get thirsty and they need watering. Our roots do not need heavy gels and oils – those clog our pores and make it more difficult for our roots to absorb moisture. Our roots need plain old water to thrive and survive.

3. Wash Your Braids Once Every Two Weeks.

You don’t need to hop in the shower and douse your braids in water if you don’t want to. You can always dry-wash your hair with a cloth, shampoo, and some water. Dampen a wash cloth with warm water and your shampoo of choice. Part you hair and wipe your scalp down in sections. That’s all!

4. Avoid Constant Up-Dos

Many women love updos. However, constantly styling your hair into high ponytails pulls at your hairline. This constant pulling weakens the hair along your hairline and you end up looking kinda like Naomi Campbell. Be gentle with your hairline.

5. Extend Your Style Time – Redo Your Edges

Often, after a couple weeks your roots have grown out and it’s time to freshen up your look. Rather than rebraid your entire head – go back to your stylist and ask her to spend an hour or so re-installing the braids along your hairline.

6. Don’t Leave Your Braids In For Too Long

Protective styling is meant to be short-term temporary. Stylists recommend protective styling for a month at a time – 2 months maximum. Any longer than that and your new growth will stretch and damage; this completely negates the point of protective styling. Protective styling is to give your fragile ends a break and focus on attaining new growth.