Relaxed braidout look for natural hair?

[sheba1]

Hey everybody!

I have natural 4a curls and I'm loving em! Since I've come to this board I've discovered my hair and it is truly beautiful. I love that I have the option to straighten if I get the urge and wear my natural culs most times. But as I look through the different fotkis and see all the beautiful hair on this board, there is one look I want to be able to replicate that I'm not sure how. I wonder if you would help me? I want the braidout achieved with relaxed hair.

I've been thinking I could straighten my hair (or even blow it out?), then apply a product that would not cause reversion but would provide hold and braid it up. So what do you think? Does anybody do this? Do you mind sharing which product you use to provide hold but no reversion? I'd love to see pics also, if you have.

 

[glamazon386]

You can do a braid out on natural hair. Just braid your hair while wet. I like them better on my wet hair. That and I'm really not a fan of applying unnecessary heat to my hair.

But my hair turned out like you described when I had it cornrowed at a natural hair salon. I ended up sewing a weave on top of the braids myself. But the girl washed, blowdried and then cornrowed my hair. She used some kind of leave in cream/butter but my hair looked like a braidout done on relaxed hair when I took it down 3 weeks later (even after getting wet). I've never had definition like that after taking a weave down nor have I ever blowdried my hair straight before getting it braided so it must have been the combination of the blowout and the product.

It was really soft too but IDK what the product was. It wasn't a mainstream product I think it was something they sold in that shop. It was in a generic tub with a black and white printed label. But everybody in there was using it for braids, locs, etc. I plan on going back when I take this weave down and I'll be sure to find out what it was because it left my hair really soft. I'd like to buy it.

 

[sheba1]

Oh, Glamazon, that's exactly what I am looking for! Yes, I'm not a huge heat person either, but I really want to be able to recreate that look for special occasions. I have a knockoff buttercream that I will try. Thank you!

 

[NikStarrr]

yep, just blow dry your hair first, then use a product to help "set" the hair and voila a looser braidout that "hangs". Instead of blow drying U could also let your hair airdry most of the way in a ponytail and then braid.

 

[sheba1]

yep, just blow dry your hair first, then use a product to help "set" the hair and voila a looser braidout that "hangs". Instead of blow drying U could also let your hair airdry most of the way in a ponytail and then braid.

Thanks, LuvMyBigHair! You're hair is lovely. Do you have a product that you like to use to set?

 

[glamazon386]

OP - Just as an FYI you're not going to be able to use anything water based to set after you blowdry because it will make your hair revert. So I would stick with some type of cream, butter or pomade. If you look at the ingredients and water is in the first 5 (most of the time you will see it listed as #1) ingredients - don't use it.

 

[NikStarrr]

I would use MJ's Buttercream or something similar too that.

 

[AtlantaJJ]

I just saw a video on this on the net, the lady blowdryed her hair first then applied gel and braided. She said this helps her cut down on knots in her hair. She was a 3c / 4a type. I'm defenately going to do this when I get more length. Any gel holding product without water will prevent the reversion. I have Hairveda Whipped Gelly, tried it on my freshly flat ironed hair and it did not cause reversion.

 

[Nonie]

I did it before. I didn't plan on it actually. I always braid my hair for the night, even when it is pressed and just forgot my comb at home. I used to get to work way before everyone else so I'd finish "getting ready" at work. I never undo my braids with a comb so it was after I finish undoing my overnight plaits that I realized I didn't have a comb. I just let my hair be and it's funny how it passed. My boss thought I'd crimped my hair. (Pic)

But I don't think you need to press your hair. Did you see Mwedzi's braid out? She took her extensions braids out and just let her hair be. It was a very beautiful stretched braid-out!

 

[sheba1]

Oh Nonie, this is it!! Beautifulllll Did you use a product before braiding? Or do you remember what you'd pressed with? This is exactly the look I'm looking for. Too cute!

 

[anniev2]

i did this last night. i straightened my hair on Wed and wore it out thursday and friday. saturday i wore a bun and last night i braided my hair (not in corn rows) in about 10 plaits/braids. before braiding i put on emergency 911 extra dry formula and sealed with castor oil (i'm trying to achieve optimum moisture so...). then i rolled up the ends of the braids with rollers.

i really liked it. it wasn't as straight as a relaxed braid out but the waves were nice. It would be even better when i learn to use products to lessen teh frizz. the top layer frizzed b/c its misting here but the bottom was not frizzy. Also i used pretty small rollers and the result was a curled ends so i'd also like to try larger rollers for my shoulder length hair.

sorry i don't have pics. my new camera is coming and i'll be doing this again. i'll be sure to post pics when i start my fotki.

 

[Nonie]

Oh Nonie, this is it!! Beautifulllll Did you use a product before braiding? Or do you remember what you'd pressed with? This is exactly the look I'm looking for. Too cute!

Girl, when it comes to pressing products, I'm so not the person to ask. I don't even trust myself to do it, hence the reason I dream of it but too chicken to do it.

Anyway, let me look at my notes from back when I did that to see whether I wrote down what I did. If I'm not mistaken I just use a serum on my hair to seal out moisture. I might've pressed with that too. Oh and I am one of those wet-to-dry pressers...only I do it on naked hair. So don't do what I do. But a serum to seal works well.

Hold on... I'ma be back with details if I find any.

 

[yodie]

What about a little Sabino Moisture Block to prevent your hair from reverting and some type of buttercream?

 

[Nonie]

Oh OK, I had just washed and DC'd and ACV rinsed. Then I pressed wet to dry with a ceramic wet-to-dry flat iron. Then I appled Neutrogena Triple Moisture Serum and went over the hair again with the flat iron. Then sealed with John Frieda Anti-Frizz. According to my notes, I hated how my hair felt. "It is too light and fluffy. Next time I will apply John Frieda to the hair when damp and press to dry in that state," so my notes stated. When I was relaxed, applying JF to damp hair before curling always gave me swinging hair. So I think that's why I was considering that. (Pics of the Pressed hair from then)

I think the next time I press I will not do so without some heat protectant. I also want to try the Sabino Moisture Block. Anyway, these are the plaits I used to get the braid-out.