Teach Me Everything You Know About Braids And Marley Twists

[CaraWalker]

i am thinking of doing one for the summer but its been so long since i had individual braids in my hair.

what kind of hair should i use and where should i buy it?

does the hair get too heavy if you have braids too long in length?

how long do they take to do? i remember the days of microbraids

i have bsl length hair will that make this more difficult than it has to be?

how hard are marley twists to wash? im in the gym all the time.

if youve had them done tell me the story! post pics of styles you like! tips and tricks? help meeeeeeeee!

 

[bklynbornNbred]

i am thinking of doing one for the summer but its been so long since i had individual braids in my hair.

what kind of hair should i use and where should i buy it? Depends on your hair type and what kind of braids you want

does the hair get too heavy if you have braids too long in length? The length isn't always the issue - its the amount of hair attached to each braid. If parts are too small compared to amount of hair added then it can tend to get heavy - especially on the edges.

how long do they take to do? i remember the days of microbraids Length of time varies. What type of braids are you getting? (Using human wet and wavy hair on neck length hair will be faster than waist length braids on APL hair). Are you doing yourself or going to a shop? Are you going to an appointment or a round the way place? More than one stylist?

i have bsl length hair will that make this more difficult than it has to be? Not difficult just plan accordingly. Wash your hair and detangle/dry before you go. Some places prefer blow dried hair but if you get the same results by stretching then do so the day before - don't rush in the shop with half wet or shrunken hair or they may pull out a dryer and attempt to blow with no protectant.

how hard are marley twists to wash? im in the gym all the time. You don't treat braided hair the way you do your personal hair. Spray your scalp and apply shampoo (diluted) to your scalp let it sit for a few minutes then let it wash down your head as you are in the shower. Squeeze it through and put in some leave in. What I think is key is sit under the dryer for at least 30 minutes so your scalp dries. Unless you're going outside on a hot day I believe that air drying (especially overnight) with braids is asking for trouble.

I'm going back to hot yoga once I throw my braids in. I'll come back and let you know how I had to adjust. For now I plan to do what I did before - tie hair up in high pony while in class and rinse through my scalp every few days followed by spraying length with mixture (Infusium 23 and braid spray). I'll do this at night at home and not in the uber small studio.

People get in trouble when they try to maintain same routine as when their hair is out. No need. Do a good deep conditioner when you remove braids.

if youve had them done tell me the story! post pics of styles you like! tips and tricks? help meeeeeeeee!

I've had my hair in braids off and on for years while relaxed. This is my first time doing with all natural hair so it will be interesting to see what if any difference there is. I managed to grow my hair for years in braids long before length was a goal. Keeping it simple was key. I never had the issues some have had with braids. I prefer box braids for the versatility but pay attention to your edges. If you're washing a lot you may need to tighten up the edges on your own after a few weeks.

Other tip -

• Take your own supplies to shop - combs you want used and don't just bring your huge detangling comb.
• Speak up if the braids are too tight.
• If you're tender headed take an aspirin before hand.
• If you can wash your braiding hair before getting your braids done. They don't always like when I do this but I refuse to put fake hair in my head with all those chemicals sprayed on it. Throw in a basin with some vinegar, let it sit for a few minutes, rinse until the water stops being black, throw in basin with shampoo in the water (just a little bit to make some bubbles no need to be heavy handed) - rinse, throw in basin with some conditioner, squeeze water out and hang to let it dry completely before getting your hair done. Do not try to do this the night before unless you live someone very hot.

That's all I can remember right now.

 

[Guinan]

I just recently put box braids in my hair and I love them. I used Xpressions hair brand. There is a thread about how to safely remove braids that was really informative in regards to how long to leave the braids in, different brands of hair, products to use when installing the braids and of course how to remove the braids. I'll bump it for you.

It took me about 8hrs (4hrs per day) to complete my box braids. With the Xpressions hair, I use 3 1/2bags of hair. The quality of the hair was really good. The hair was sooo long that I cut the hair in half. My hair doesn't feel too heavy. I have pictures of my braids in the SL thread. The length of my box braids are WL. I just recently crimped the ends. I plan on leaving the braids in until Aug.

I prefer braids over Marley twists due to the technique; however marley twists disguises better when it's time for you to take the braids/twists out. To me, Marley twists wash the same as braids. The drying time is different. I feel like Marley twists dry faster than braids due to the marley hair.

If you plan on doing your own hair, make sure your parts are as even as possible, so that you don't get that web effect (if that makes sense).

 

[GGsKin]

I used braids and twists and crochet braids to transition for about 18 months and I kept it really simple. I did my own braids/twists. I'd make sure I had a good couple of days off (I am slow, so I will take a couple of days on my own head). I'd shampoo, condition, apply a shea butter mix section by section, sealing and begin braiding. I'd always dip my ends (sometimes on rods, or not), and sometimes way more than the ends as it smooths any flyway, instead of burning them.

I agree with what's been said but I admit that I was lazier with my (added)hair prep than I will be in future. Meaning, I will take the time to wash all hair I plan to use, and comb it all out beforehand, rather than as I go along. I will probably wash my hair more often while in extensions. I don't know but for the longest time I used to think this was a bad idea for me, until I tried it and my hair didn't dread up like I thought it would lol. I also kept them looking fresh by redoing them one by one as they grew out. So when it comes to the takedown, detangling and removing shed hair shouldn't be too extreme.

Anyway, here's a few pics of braids/ twists that I've done on myself. Last pic, my friend said she wanted her hair like the pic on the left, right is my rendition. Ramble over

 

[Fine 4s]

Hmmmm....I plan to crochet this fall for my last stretch before the 2015 WL challenge and hmmm....those boxed twists look niiiiice....