End Care...While in Braids

[girlyprincess23]

I need help. Last time I was in kinky twists I ended up having to chop off all the progress I made plus some due to my ends being chewed up and gross when I took them out. I still believe it was from them being dipped in hot water but just in case I am wrong and it was me not properly caring for them. Is there anything you serial braiders have discovered to keep your ends safe while in braids?


TIA

 

[Nonie]

How long were you in kinky twists?

Unfortunately I don't know of any special care. Since I do my own braids, I trim/dust my hair regularly as I am always redoing my braids as needed so I use that opportunity to snip about 1/4 inch as I get to each section. This seems to keep my ends looking good.

The one time I didn't trim for 4 months, I ended up having to cut my progress off too. And I was doing what anyone would consider "protective styling" as I was wearing my braids in French braids so that my own ends were tucked away. Yet they still suffered.

I will confess I don't use products when in braids. Maybe applying something heavy to your ends might help seal and protect them. But I'm not sure as I haven't done it, how that will affect the do in terms of "locing" the hair or ruining the style. Hopefully someone else can come and give some tips.

 

[yuriko]

Hair is usually dipped in hot water for only a few seconds and it is only 212 degrees. Many women succesfully flat iron at above 350 degrees. So i don't think its hot enough to damage your hair. Do you moisturize your hair with a braid spray. I would use a liquid moisturizer like s curl or Hawaiian silky and spray daily to keep your hair moisturized.

When I was growing out a short cut (like earlength hair style) years ago, i successfully grew out my hair to APL while in braids, they always use hot water on the ends, and it worked for me

 

[ajargon02]

ita, MOISTURE is the key to wearing braids. I'm in braids now. I still oil rinse, use indian powders, deep condition and add moisture daily I personally don't care if they get a little fuzzy, but looking at them now (they've been in over a month) they aren't frizzy at all. The key for me is product application. EVERYTHING IS diluted with distilled water,then concentrated. It seems to work for me!

 

[newflowers]

ita, MOISTURE is the key to wearing braids. I'm in braids now. I still oil rinse, use indian powders, deep condition and add moisture daily I personally don't care if they get a little fuzzy, but looking at them now (they've been in over a month) they aren't frizzy at all. The key for me is product application. EVERYTHING IS diluted with distilled water,then concentrated. It seems to work for me!

This is the ticket. You need to treat your hair the same as you would were you not in braids - everything you do to take care of your hair - washing, conditioning, moisturizing, deep conditioning - must be done when you are braided, twisted, loced or anything else.

Get that spray bottle and make a concoction of your choosing to moisturize your hair and then seals it, especially the ends.

 

[missnurselady]

I had the same EXACT problem when I got my last relaxer. I was sick when she showed me my ends before she cut them. I lost like 3 inches of hair. It had to be the dipping( I got them 3 times back to back). I just recently put in another set of kinky twist but this time I did them way past my real hair( they are about BSL uncurled) so that I would have enough room to curl the ends but not my hair. I moisturize my hair twice a day with a mix of African royale braid spray, dove sheer moisture, 14 in 1, motions strengthening leave in, aloe vera juice. I seal sometimes w/vatika. I dont DC while in braids, i may dilute one of my fav conds and apply it to the length of my hair only or use Doves foaming conditioner. Hopefully since Im not dipping my hair this time my ends will be in better shape.

I need help. Last time I was in kinky twists I ended up having to chop off all the progress I made plus some due to my ends being chewed up and gross when I took them out. I still believe it was from them being dipped in hot water but just in case I am wrong and it was me not properly caring for them. Is there anything you serial braiders have discovered to keep your ends safe while in braids?


TIA

 

[temfash]

I dip my braids in hot water all the time and my ends are fine. I agree with the moisturising/conditioning factor.
I wash my braids every week and moisturise with a mixture of aloe vera juice, glycerine, dionised water and rosewater daily (all in a spray bottle). I hot oil at least twice in the 6/8week period of braid wear, I also deep condition after every wash with a translucent deep conditioner and use infusium 23 diluted once a week (mainly on wash days).

 

[girlyprincess23]

How long were you in kinky twists?

Unfortunately I don't know of any special care. Since I do my own braids, I trim/dust my hair regularly as I am always redoing my braids as needed so I use that opportunity to snip about 1/4 inch as I get to each section. This seems to keep my ends looking good.

The one time I didn't trim for 4 months, I ended up having to cut my progress off too. And I was doing what anyone would consider "protective styling" as I was wearing my braids in French braids so that my own ends were tucked away. Yet they still suffered.

I will confess I don't use products when in braids. Maybe applying something heavy to your ends might help seal and protect them. But I'm not sure as I haven't done it, how that will affect the do in terms of "locing" the hair or ruining the style. Hopefully someone else can come and give some tips.

Thanks for the info. I was in braids for about 2-3 months i think?? It's in my fotki but I think that is how long I was in those, and I didn't ger a trim beforehanderplexed

 

[ibeleevenme]

I wore braids for quite a while and it's just like some say, I have heard you have to do the same to your hair in braids as you do out. Now I'm never sure what to put in mine, but your hair will dry out and crack with no moisture. Before I knew what to do while in weaves, I wasn't really doing to much to my braids and scalp underneith, but then found that my hair was dusty dry under and I learned my lesson.

 

[girlyprincess23]

Hair is usually dipped in hot water for only a few seconds and it is only 212 degrees. Many women succesfully flat iron at above 350 degrees. So i don't think its hot enough to damage your hair. Do you moisturize your hair with a braid spray. I would use a liquid moisturizer like s curl or Hawaiian silky and spray daily to keep your hair moisturized.

When I was growing out a short cut (like earlength hair style) years ago, i successfully grew out my hair to APL while in braids, they always use hot water on the ends, and it worked for me

I was using water mixed with infusium moisturologie, but not on the length of the hair/ braid. so this could be. This hs never happened to me before and i used to wear a lot of braids!! but the hair they use for kinky twists is different from kanekalon and the other braiding hair, it is very rough ( the kind they used anyway) it was called naffy it was very coarse when they opened the package.

 

[girlyprincess23]

I dip my braids in hot water all the time and my ends are fine. I agree with the moisturising/conditioning factor.
I wash my braids every week and moisturise with a mixture of aloe vera juice, glycerine, dionised water and rosewater daily (all in a spray bottle). I hot oil at least twice in the 6/8week period of braid wear, I also deep condition after every wash with a translucent deep conditioner and use infusium 23 diluted once a week (mainly on wash days).

what is a translucent deep conditioner?

 

[girlyprincess23]

ita, MOISTURE is the key to wearing braids. I'm in braids now. I still oil rinse, use indian powders, deep condition and add moisture daily I personally don't care if they get a little fuzzy, but looking at them now (they've been in over a month) they aren't frizzy at all. The key for me is product application. EVERYTHING IS diluted with distilled water,then concentrated. It seems to work for me!

This is the ticket. You need to treat your hair the same as you would were you not in braids - everything you do to take care of your hair - washing, conditioning, moisturizing, deep conditioning - must be done when you are braided, twisted, loced or anything else.

Get that spray bottle and make a concoction of your choosing to moisturize your hair and then seals it, especially the ends.

how are you guys deep conditioning? i tried this one time and it was very hard to get the conditioner back out of my braids!

 

[girlyprincess23]

I had the same EXACT problem when I got my last relaxer. I was sick when she showed me my ends before she cut them. I lost like 3 inches of hair. It had to be the dipping( I got them 3 times back to back). I just recently put in another set of kinky twist but this time I did them way past my real hair( they are about BSL uncurled) so that I would have enough room to curl the ends but not my hair. I moisturize my hair twice a day with a mix of African royale braid spray, dove sheer moisture, 14 in 1, motions strengthening leave in, aloe vera juice. I seal sometimes w/vatika. I dont DC while in braids, i may dilute one of my fav conds and apply it to the length of my hair only or use Doves foaming conditioner. Hopefully since Im not dipping my hair this time my ends will be in better shape.

were you moisturizing the length of your hair?

 

[girlyprincess23]

I wore braids for quite a while and it's just like some say, I have heard you have to do the same to your hair in braids as you do out. Now I'm never sure what to put in mine, but your hair will dry out and crack with no moisture. Before I knew what to do while in weaves, I wasn't really doing to much to my braids and scalp underneith, but then found that my hair was dusty dry under and I learned my lesson.

It is very weird but i've never done any of this stuff even in a full head weave and this has never happened before. Ithink i will start moisturizing the length with a mixture of water, infusium 23 moisturologie, and s curl, and sealing with JBCO

 

[ToyToy]

I wear braids (extensions) all the time, and I treat my braids the way I treat my own hair. I wash weekly, and condition daily by using braid spray tweaked with glycerine or honey moisturiser. I haven't had any problems at all sofar. I always tell my braider to braid past my hair, though.

 

[girlyprincess23]

I wear braids (extensions) all the time, and I treat my braids the way I treat my own hair. I wash weekly, and condition daily by using braid spray tweaked with glycerine or honey moisturiser. I haven't had any problems at all sofar. I always tell my braider to braid past my hair, though.

yeah they didn't braid past my hair and i didn't moisturize. I won't be getting kinkys EVER again (way too traumatizing to lose that much hair) but in my cornrows I think i will start moisturizing and deep conditioning the length!!

 

[loulou82]

I treat my braids the same as my real hair. I moisturize the length of my braids with distilled water/aloe vera juice/castor oil/ dab of conditioner. African Pride Braid Spray works well too. I shampoo every two weeks and I dilute my conditioner (usually ORS Replenishing Paks) with distilled water and tea tree oil. I put it in an applicator bottle and squirt my hair. I put on a plastic cap and go under the dryer for 20 minutes. Because the DC is thinned out it rinses away easily. Once or twice a week I literally soak my hair with distilled water, aloe vera juice, Aphogee Pro V Leave In (protein), and a dab of conditioner mixed in a squirt bottle. I make the solution watery so I don't get build up and then squeeze out the excess and air dry. My hair is soft and strong when I take my kinky twists out.

To get rid of build up between washings you can soak a cotton ball with distilled water and witch hazel and wipe your scalp. It really removes sweat and dirt. You can also do an ACV+ water rinse.

ETA: I have a love affair with kinky twists. I get the best growth with them. In fact I'm getting another set tomorrow. I have progress pics and maintenance info in my Fotki.

 

[msa]

I still think the hot water used to dip braids is too much for your hair, especially the ends. I just don't see how boiling water applied to your hair can be a good thing so the last time I got braids I made sure they only dipped the ends of the fake hair and not my hair.

I always use kanekalon hair and I think it really absorbs any moisture you try to put on your hair. So, last time I had braids I used conditioner to moisturize the length of my braids and I didn't dilute it. After washing my hair I would put the conditioner on and just leave it (I used Oyin Honey Hemp). When I took my braids out my hair was really moisturized.

 

[temfash]

what is a translucent deep conditioner?

I use Africa Best organics deep conditioner/leave in, because of its consistency/texture it does'nt build up on my braids.

 

[girlyprincess23]

I use Africa Best organics deep conditioner/leave in, because of its consistency/texture it does'nt build up on my braids.

is that the olive oil one?

 

[girlyprincess23]

I still think the hot water used to dip braids is too much for your hair, especially the ends. I just don't see how boiling water applied to your hair can be a good thing so the last time I got braids I made sure they only dipped the ends of the fake hair and not my hair.

I always use kanekalon hair and I think it really absorbs any moisture you try to put on your hair. So, last time I had braids I used conditioner to moisturize the length of my braids and I didn't dilute it. After washing my hair I would put the conditioner on and just leave it (I used Oyin Honey Hemp). When I took my braids out my hair was really moisturized.

That's what I was thinking too. Yes I think I am going to try to moisturize more until I take these out and then I don't think I will be getting anymore braids, they're too scary (bald spots, dry ends you can't see, traction alopecia). I 'll have to find another way to get a break from my hair when i get tired of taking care of it!!

 

[msa]

That's what I was thinking too. Yes I think I am going to try to moisturize more until I take these out and then I don't think I will be getting anymore braids, they're too scary (bald spots, dry ends you can't see, traction alopecia). I 'll have to find another way to get a break from my hair when i get tired of taking care of it!!

If you're not adverse to fake hair...you may want to try half-wigs. I wore them over the last few months and it was a nice way to get a break from my hair. I just had my hair in some Celie braids underneath and washed/conditioned/moisturized as much as I wanted to. I wore a headband instead of trying to blend my hair in the front. It was a really great protective style.

 

[justsimply]

This is the ticket. You need to treat your hair the same as you would were you not in braids - everything you do to take care of your hair - washing, conditioning, moisturizing, deep conditioning - must be done when you are braided, twisted, loced or anything else.

Get that spray bottle and make a concoction of your choosing to moisturize your hair and then seals it, especially the ends.

I agree that you should continue to treat your hair as if you were not in braids or kinky twists. I prefer the kinky twist because now that I'm natural it resembles my hair more. When in twists, I wash my hair weekly and use a moisture spray daily. I do the same things when not in twist. The twist allow me to use minimal manipulation and the moisture helps me retain my length.

 

[cuteazz1]

I put castor oil at the area where my natural hair ends.I do this about once a week and I spray the whole head with a glycerin/water mix as needed(about every 3 days)...Or I use braid spray if I have any.

 

[ksk_xs]

I was using water mixed with infusium moisturologie, but not on the length of the hair/ braid. so this could be. This hs never happened to me before and i used to wear a lot of braids!! but the hair they use for kinky twists is different from kanekalon and the other braiding hair, it is very rough ( the kind they used anyway) it was called naffy it was very coarse when they opened the package.

The hair is definitely different-when I got my twists done though,my braider put moisturizer and beeswax on the hair and its still soft and moisturized. moisturizing the weave is better for ur hair and the braider's fingers.

 

[girlyprincess23]

If you're not adverse to fake hair...you may want to try half-wigs. I wore them over the last few months and it was a nice way to get a break from my hair. I just had my hair in some Celie braids underneath and washed/conditioned/moisturized as much as I wanted to. I wore a headband instead of trying to blend my hair in the front. It was a really great protective style.

I was thinking about that but I workout a lot and I wouldn't know how to get the hair off my neck, make it stay on my head, and still look cute, that is what deters me from half wigs.

 

[girlyprincess23]

I put castor oil at the area where my natural hair ends.I do this about once a week and I spray the whole head with a glycerin/water mix as needed(about every 3 days)...Or I use braid spray if I have any.

Matter of fact I did this with JBCO when I had other braids ( not the kinkys) I should do it again now that you have reminded me.

 

[girlyprincess23]

The hair is definitely different-when I got my twists done though,my braider put moisturizer and beeswax on the hair and its still soft and moisturized. moisturizing the weave is better for ur hair and the braider's fingers.

yeah it was it was so coarse it was terrible she had to rip apart, she didn't put anything on it at all!!erplexed

 

[temfash]

is that the olive oil one?

No, its the Africas best rinse out and leave-in deep conditioner, its the same conditioner found in the relaxer kit but the 356ml/12fl oz size.

 

[nubinikki]

I put twist extensions in my hair recently.

I mixed coconut oil, glycerin, water & a drop of peppermint oil in a spray bottle and sprayed the synthetic twist hair.

I also wet my own hair, put shea butter on top, then sealed each section w/ beeswax before twisting w/ the extensions.

A bit overkill, maybe, but I wanted to make sure my hair was protected from that dry synthetic hair.

Everyday, I've been spraying my twists w/ the coconut oil/glycerin/water solution. When the braids start to feel a bit tacky from the spray mixture, I rinse them in the shower. So far so good.