African Hair Braiding
Quick Tips for African Hair Braiding
African hair braiding has become increasingly popular for people of all races and nationalities. Not only are the styles interesting and unique, but it also offers a creative way of managing hair that might otherwise be unruly. In the summertime, it can be a good way for children to keep their hair out of their faces when the weather is hot and humid. What follows are some quick tips for African hair braiding and how you can achieve these looks at home.
1. Prepare the hair. First, you need to get the hair ready. If you’re going to use African hair braiding, which is sometimes referred to as “cornrowing”, then you need to ensure that the hair starts out clean and healthy.
2. The hair should be at least 3 inches long in order to braid and it should be clear of split ends. This means that you might have to give it a trim first. It should also be shampooed and conditioned, too. In fact, you might want to even use a hot oil treatment as well to make sure that the hair is at its healthiest.
3. After the hair has been prepared then you can get to work on the style that you want. If you’re a beginner, then you might just want to try simple straight cornrows first. On the other hand, if you’ve done it before then you might want to try to get more adventurous and choose a pattern that has zigzags and patterns. It helps to know ahead of time what you want.
Tip: You might want to invest in a book that pertains to African hair braiding. The various braiding designs have different names such as Pixi Pin Curls, Micro Braids, Candy Curls, the Bantu Knots, Goddess Braids, Fishtail Braids, the Flat Twist, Tree braids, Invisible Braids, Silky Locks, the Senegalese Twist, Interlock Weaving, Pixie Braids, Silky Corkscrew, French Inverted Braids, the African Twist, the Kinky Twist, the Two Strand Twist, Latch Hook Weaving, and the Nubian Corkscrew.
4. Before you start braiding, make sure that the hair is just a little bit damp. It is sometimes easier to braid damp hair than dry hair because it is more likely to stay in place. You can also use a leave-in conditioner if you’d like.
5. Comb the hair and separate it into the rows that you will be braiding. To get the rows straight you might need to use a pick or even a pencil. If it helps, you can clip back the rows that you aren’t working on so that they don’t get in the way.
6. Braid each section as you go. If the hair becomes dry then you can try spraying it with water to keep it moist. As you’re braiding, pull the braid fairly tight so that they will stay in place, but not so tightly that the hair breaks or that it is painful.
7. Once the hair is braided, it should last for a couple of weeks. In between that time, you can spray the braids with hair oil or leave-in conditioner in order to help keep it healthy.
8. When sleeping, you can wear a sleeping cap in order to keep the braids in place, too, at night.
9. While you have the braids in place, you can also wear a hair net or a hair cap in the shower which can dampen the hair without messing it up.
10. If you want something that is really complicated and you’re afraid to try it at home then you might want to consider visiting a salon. Some African hair braiding designs are very complex and can take a professional seven hours or more to finish.