Question about the ends of micros on natural hair

[lilsparkle825]

OK...so I am new to micros but not to box braiding. I tried a new style on my sister a few days ago, with the micros around the perimeter and a sew-in in the middle so I didn't spend 3 days braiding. her hair is SL-APL stretched, and i was hoping to just braid down maybe 3-4 inches like most people with micros and leave the rest loose, but that would have left her natural hair out, and since it is 4b it didn't blend with the added hair AT ALL. all the YT tutorials i watched had people with relaxed or transitioning hair, so they just took some AV gel or something similar and blended their real hair into the added hair.

is there a way to get around this that i didn't think of? i ended up just braiding to the ends of her real hair, but now it doesn't blend the way i had hoped. i wish i had pics, but i don't. please don't tell me next time i'm just gonna have to do braids all the way through. (althought MOOK...i see those wet n wavy braids...very nice!)

 

[glamazon386]

I don't think there is a way around it. If I were to get micros, I would just get them to braid all the way down past my hair. I wouldn't want my hair hanging out in the wind susceptible to damage. I think this is part of the reason why some shops don't recommend micros with straight hair to naturals if you have long hair. Even if you blowdry your hair before hand, it's still going to shrink back up once you wash it or if you're outside in humidity, rain, etc. if you don't braid past it. I had a shop recommend wet n wavy hair to me vs yaki for this reason. They said it would blend better with my hair. You would be able to see my texture through the straight hair once I washed it. I've even had this happen with other types of braids too. The smaller the braids, the less likely it will happen too.

 

[mscocoface]

When the two textures of hair are soooo different there isn't really a way around it. And you may notice if she is a true 4BZ that when she does her washes and it dries her frizzies are going to start curling around the fake hair.

 

[Nonie]

I agree with the ladies. I would not recommend not braiding to the ends. While I know the look people are going for, I've never liked it or thought it a good idea; not even for relaxed hair. And yes, there's no way to blend in natural hair of a different texture. I also think it's a recipe for knots and damage to your hair. It's such an oxymoron because braids are supposed to be a protective style but you're basically leaving your hair susceptible to as much damage as possible. I have never done it. If I wanted to wear hair that was free, I'd rather get a full weave and protect my hair while enjoying the "free hair".

 

[lilsparkle825]

When the two textures of hair are soooo different there isn't really a way around it. And you may notice if she is a true 4BZ that when she does her washes and it dries her frizzies are going to start curling around the fake hair.

Yeah, it always does that. She washes every week or so, and by week 5 or 6 we take them out because they have frizzed up so much.

Well I am glad I braided to the ends of her hair then. To tell the truth, as an LHCF member you know I was thinking about the PROTECTIVE capacities of the "protective style" moreso than how it looked. I mean, it still looks good, but...you get my point. Oh well, next time I will just suck it up and do a head full of braids with wet and wavy. They're safer than micros anyway. I think she will like the look.

 

[Nonie]

Lilsparkle, do you blowout or press her hair before braiding? In other words, is her hair stretched before you braid?

 

[lilsparkle825]

^^^blown out.

 

[Nonie]

^^^blown out.

I think that's why you find the braids get frizzy when you wash several times.

You see, when you wash braids, the natural hair shrinks while the extension hair doesn't. This causes an accordion effect on the braid so that the braid puffs out as it's drawn down by the shrinking natural hair.

This is why I always braid my hair when shrunken. That way, when you wash, the hair doesn't change shape/length but just stays the way it was when you braided it. If you look at the close up from 2007 (below), this hair had been washed a few times and this was just one of those times. The part of the hair beyond my own does unravel but notice how neat the braided part stays. This is how come I can wear braids for so long. Granted I do redo them as I pacify my HIH disease and find loose braids, but even if I didn't, I'm sure I could get a lot of wear from them because except for the roots, the braids stay neat.

Try that next time. If you may remember, prior to me putting the braids in, my hair was pressed but I washed it first in preparation for the braiding. And don't even worry about blending. It really won't be a problem. Peep the newly done braid, there's no hint that my hair is of a different texture from the finished braid:

 

[Lucky's Mom]

there is a balance. I have done it both ways. I agree with monie though.

 

[cuteazz1]

You can try tree braids.The natural hair won't be exposed but you can still get the look that you want.