Braiding help- extension technique used at African braiding shops?

[PuddingPop]

Every African shop I have been to ( quite a few) has a special technique to attatch the extension hair.

When I do my own extensions I just drape the fake hair over the section of my hair to be braided and then begin to braid using my real hair as the 3rd strand. My braids always slip within a matter of days no matter how tight I put them in.

When they do it :

They section off the fake hair to be braided in,
The braider then divides this section into two
The braider then takes on portion of the divided hair and drapes it over the other portion. This creates 3 strands of fake hair
The braider then proceeds to somehow "hook" the hair into my hair and proceeds to braid it down.
Their attatchment never ever slips , even though they dont braid tight.

Does anyone know what I am talking about? Anyone know how to do braids this way or know a video that teaches this technique?

 

[Always~Wear~Joy]

Every African shop I have been to ( quite a few) has a special technique to attatch the extension hair.

When I do my own extensions I just drape the fake hair over the section of my hair to be braided and then begin to braid using my real hair as the 3rd strand. My braids always slip within a matter of days no matter how tight I put them in.

When they do it :

They section off the fake hair to be braided in,
The braider then divides this section into two
The braider then takes on portion of the divided hair and drapes it over the other portion. This creates 3 strands of fake hair
The braider then proceeds to somehow "hook" the hair into my hair and proceeds to braid it down.
Their attatchment never ever slips , even though they dont braid tight.

Does anyone know what I am talking about? Anyone know how to do braids this way or know a video that teaches this technique?

I know what you are talking about! I've yet to figure out how to do it...thanks for starting this thread Hopefully, someone knows.

 

[frizzy]

deleted post

 

[loolalooh]

I know what you are talking about and I ONLY use that technique when I put in my own extensions. It helps the braids stay in much longer.

Unfortunately a lot of the tutorials I've seen use the first method you discussed. I just learned the second method by watching Nigerian and Cameroonian women braid my sisters' hair. Maybe you can tag along with a friend and watch them braid her hair next time?

ETA: I had a tutorial in my fotki sometime ago. It's in my private album now, but I can put in my public album and let you view it if you want.

 

[PuddingPop]

I know what you are talking about and I ONLY use that technique when I put in my own extensions. It helps the braids stay in much longer.

Unfortunately a lot of the tutorials I've seen use the first method you discussed. I just learned the second method by watching Nigerian and Cameroonian women braid my sisters' hair. Maybe you can tag along with a friend and watch them braid her hair next time?

ETA: I had a tutorial in my fotki sometime ago. It's in my private album now, but I can put in my public album and let you view it if you want.

Wow, you know this technique? I would really appreciate it if you put your tutorial in your public album Pleeeeeeaaaaase . I have been trying to learn this technique for years. If I learn this i will be set for life

Most of the time when i try to explain it no one knows what I'm talking about .

As a last resort I was actually thinking of taking my daughter to the shop to get her hair braided and then watching the braider's every move like a hawk, or maybe even just asking them flat out to show me how to do it. Not sure how well that would go over

 

[msa]

I know what you are talking about and I ONLY use that technique when I put in my own extensions. It helps the braids stay in much longer.

Unfortunately a lot of the tutorials I've seen use the first method you discussed. I just learned the second method by watching Nigerian and Cameroonian women braid my sisters' hair. Maybe you can tag along with a friend and watch them braid her hair next time?

ETA: I had a tutorial in my fotki sometime ago. It's in my private album now, but I can put in my public album and let you view it if you want.

Would you please do that?? I would love to learn how as well. Thanks!

 

[Nonie]

I do the beginning kinda like you describe but I don't drape the hair around my own. I just put the three section extension hair behind my own and split my own hair into three sections and then braid them together.

I tried to put a tutorial on the forum years back but I don't know if it was clear. See my post here.

 

[loolalooh]

Wow, you know this technique? I would really appreciate it if you put your tutorial in your public album Pleeeeeeaaaaase . I have been trying to learn this technique for years. If I learn this i will be set for life

Most of the time when i try to explain it no one knows what I'm talking about .

As a last resort I was actually thinking of taking my daughter to the shop to get her hair braided and then watching the braider's every move like a hawk, or maybe even just asking them flat out to show me how to do it. Not sure how well that would go over

It took a LONG time for me to get the hang of it, but now it's easy. I still can't braid as fast as they can, though. LOL, I was watching like a hawk every time I went with my sisters' to get their hair braided.

As for the tutorial, it's up now. It was a quick one I put together for a member of another forum, so let me know if you have more questions.

Here's my fotki link (you have be signed in to see). I'll PM you the PW for the tutorial album:
http://public.fotki.com/loolalooh/

 

[loolalooh]

Would you please do that?? I would love to learn how as well. Thanks!

No problem!

Here's my fotki link (you have be signed in to see). I'll PM you the PW for the "Tutorial" album:
http://public.fotki.com/loolalooh/

Let me know if you have questions, since I put it together rather quickly last time.

 

[frizzy]

loolalooh I would love to have the link, to your tutorial also. Thanks in advance.

 

[Nonie]

Wow, you know this technique? I would really appreciate it if you put your tutorial in your public album Pleeeeeeaaaaase . I have been trying to learn this technique for years. If I learn this i will be set for life

Most of the time when i try to explain it no one knows what I'm talking about .

As a last resort I was actually thinking of taking my daughter to the shop to get her hair braided and then watching the braider's every move like a hawk, or maybe even just asking them flat out to show me how to do it. Not sure how well that would go over

That's how I learned. Whenever I'd go to get my hair braided at the salon in Kenya, as I waited my turn, I watched the stylist braid another person. I would then try out the motions on my dolls...or my baby sister. Then I'd undo one braid they did and try to redo it. Or I'd take a friend to get her hair braided and get a refresher course that way.

Initially I couldn't start at the base of my hair. I seemed unable to keep it from slipping. Now I cannot not only start at the base, but I do it without pulling on my own hair, or someone else's hair if braiding someone.

 

[frizzy]

Thanks again loohlalooh!

(off to practice/redo my hairline )

 

[scarcity21]

Would you please do that?? I would love to learn how as well. Thanks!

me too pretty plsssssssssssssss

 

[loolalooh]

Thanks again loohlalooh!



(off to practice/redo my hairline )

^^^ No problem!

 

[*Luscious*Locked*Doc]

That's how I braid my hair! The three strand method - I just finished another set of micros - my best advice is to lay the 3rd strand over your hair and then grip firmly and braid it down. It may take some practice but you'll get the hang of it. Lol - I am nigerian I didn't realize there was another way to do it

 

[shyekiera]

Hi I am new here and have been practicing the '3 strand' method but can't get it close enough to the scalp...may I have the password for the tutorial also?

 

[Nonie]

Hi I am new here and have been practicing the '3 strand' method but can't get it close enough to the scalp...may I have the password for the tutorial also?

Just wanted to say that getting it close to the scalp will come w/ practice. I remember trying to explain how one does this in an old thread. Let me see if I can find it. Otherwise, keep practicing. Soon you'll learn how to keep one hand's thumb and middle finger holding the hair in place at the base center while the index finger reaches over for the outside third of the braid to bring it over and to the middle. Then you swap hands and the opposite hand keeps hair rooted at the base while its index finger reaches around to the farthest third and brings it over the middle section...following the braiding method.

Don't know if the post I'm going to get makes this any clearer, but I believe I tried harder then to explain this.

 

[Nonie]

OK, found the post. Just want to clarify that what I refer to as "cross-over" is the section of the extension hair that you cross over to get the hair into 3 parts (See Loolahlooh's tutorial).

Here's the post

 

[mahoganee]

OK, found the post. Just want to clarify that what I refer to as "cross-over" is the section of the extension hair that you cross over to get the hair into 3 parts (See Loolahlooh's tutorial).

Here's the post

I read your tutorial a few weeks ago, after my last set of braids. I'm going to try this method on the next set of braids. I thought your directions were pretty straight forward.

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Thanks Loo and Nonie!!! My braiding heros.

Loo Can you possibly open the tutorial??? Even if for 24 hrs?

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Bumping for loo!!!!

 

[Lucky's Mom]

Bumping this one too.... this is very impressive!!!!

 

[jerseygurl]

Do you ladies still need help? I don't know have a webcam, I would have posted it for you ladies to see. It takes practice but you can do it. I learned from watching my sisters and friends back home (Nigeria) and did it successfully on my own head. Good luck though

 

[frizzy]

Yes! I still need help, this is harder than Chinese arithmetic! I did a few on the front of my hairline, but the ones in the back of my head.... Getting the braid started is not going well, AT ALL!

Help me.......please. Jerseygurl a tutorial would be fabulous!

 

[missnappylady]

That's the same technique I use. I didn't know it was an African technique but, I DID learn it in Nigeria so... The way I learned was by undoing a braid and redoing it using the same hair. That way you can see exactly what the braider did. It's kind of learning in reverse. Hope that made sense.

 

[jerseygurl]

ok I tried to make a tutorial using my camera and it was dark I could hardly see anything. So I'll try again later

 

[PuddingPop]

I viewed the tutorials. Thanks. I still havent had a chance to try this method yet but I hope to try it soon. I cant believe the braiding DVD's available dont teach this method.

 

[PuddingPop]

ok I tried to make a tutorial using my camera and it was dark I could hardly see anything. So I'll try again later

Please try again when you get a chance . A video would be great.

 

[lipyt]

I have been trying to figure out this very same thing for a long time! But I think I finally got it. I take one piece of fake hair and fold it, and take a second piece of fake hair and fold it in the other so it kind of looks like this: >< Then I put the >< over my hair and start a very small and short corn row until all of my hair is braided in making 3 sections of fake hair and my hair equally mixed....does that make any sense?

 

[jerseygurl]

Makes sense but don't do a cornrow it means that your real hair is more than the extension, they should be more or less equal. The braid should stand on its own. I'll see if I can make a video this weekend. It takes a little practice though. I didn't know it was an "African technique" till I came here and saw the two strand style.
Don't worry Pudding, we'll make a braider out of you yet