Tree Braids

[Bublin]

The search feature is not working for me folks. Can someone pleeeease post some links to threads were this has been a topic.

I'm thinking about getting some done. If anyone has any opinions please feel free to add here.

Thanks

 

[nakialovesshoes]

Hi there. I currently have tree braids & am about to do a thread in a few minutes about my progress. I love mine. My hair is growing really fast. I only have one picture of them in my fotki, though. What specifically do you want to know?

 

[Bublin]

Oh great nakialovesshoes,

Well, i am in need of a long term protective style. Most options i have ruled out due to the fact i don't like the way they look or the maintainace involved.

I've just found someone in the UK that can do tree braids and i'm really liking the way they look and they seem like the perfect solution to me.

Is it easy to look after your own hair - ie wash, moisturise?

Is it best to use human hair?

I have to choose the hair i'm going to use tomorrow. The braider said i shouldn't choose straight hair as the cornrows may be visible. She suggested i but something with at least a bit of a wave.

I also want to know if i can have a fringe (bang i think you call it in the US) or at least a side swoosh if i do choose straight hair.

Typically how long will the style last for?

 

[nakialovesshoes]

Oh great nakialovesshoes,

Well, i am in need of a long term protective style. Most options i have ruled out due to the fact i don't like the way they look or the maintainace involved.

I've just found someone in the UK that can do tree braids and i'm really liking the way they look and they seem like the perfect solution to me.

Is it easy to look after your own hair - ie wash, moisturise? I'm having no problems w/maintenance. As I type this I have my own hair saturated w/DC & a plastic cap. I keep a daily Fotki journal of what I'm doing to my hair. I basically separate each cornrow & spray my scalp daily w/Surge & oil it once a week w/my GroAut oils & try to spray daily w/my concoction of IC hair & scalp moisturizer, Aphogee green tea & keratin leave in & African Royale braid spray.

Is it best to use human hair? My braider thinks that synthetic is better as far as staying in but that's just 1 person's opinion. She said that my hair is so soft that if we used human hair, it would probably start sliding out after a few washes.

I have to choose the hair i'm going to use tomorrow. The braider said i shouldn't choose straight hair as the cornrows may be visible. She suggested i but something with at least a bit of a wave. As you can see from the Fotki, I have a wave & I guess it makes sense that the wave camoflauges the braids.

I also want to know if i can have a fringe (bang i think you call it in the US) or at least a side swoosh if i do choose straight hair. I'll be honest, I don't know about this. With the hair being cornrowed to the back, I can't see how a bang could be done but of course what do I know? I guess your braider could better answer this.

Typically how long will the style last for?

I think it depends on your hairgrowth. My plan is to keep this for 2 months & then rebraid but I've already got 1/2 inch of new growth in some places (see my recent thread) so I'm not so sure they will last until then.

HTH...

 

[Bublin]

That was a massive help. Thanks.

I looked at your fotki but couldn't find the picture.

Now going to check out your thread.......

 

[Bublin]

Ah - i just found the pic of your tree braids. They look great.

Can i ask the name and brand of the hair use used?

I'm not experienced with extension hair so when i wash it will it dry looking the same, do i blow dry it?

 

[nakialovesshoes]

Ah - i just found the pic of your tree braids. They look great.

Can i ask the name and brand of the hair use used?

I'm not experienced with extension hair so when i wash it will it dry looking the same, do i blow dry it?

Mine dries looking the same. I would not use a blow dryer since it's synthetic. However, my braider did tell me it was okay to use those hot rollers to spruce it up a bit. I think I'm going to buy some this weekend. I'll post pics if I do. BTW the hair is Outre Batik & I think it is the loose wave. Sorry I don't know for sure. My braider supplied the hair & I didn't think to keep the packaging.

 

[Bublin]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[NikNik79]

Hey Bublin, i just wanted to add in my two cents. I got my tree braids on 2/8 and I LOVE them! I used Milky Way human hair in Spanish Wavy. I like the way the hair looks but I wish it had less shedding. It camoflages the braids really well though. I already have about 1/2 inch of new growth but you can't tell.

I don't find the maintenance to be hard at all because the cornrows are easy to get to unlike some sew-ins that I've had. I'm still experimenting with different leave in conditioners and haven't found one that I really like. So I've been using a mixture of Motions leave in conditioner and a little kemi oil for shine.

I ordered some BT and tried it for a couple of days, but I guess I was using too much because the hair became too greasy and I had to wash it. I'll just save it for when I have another hair style. Hopefully I can keep them in for two months but we'll see how this new growth acts.

 

[DarkDesire]

Oh great nakialovesshoes,

Well, i am in need of a long term protective style. Most options i have ruled out due to the fact i don't like the way they look or the maintainace involved.

I've just found someone in the UK that can do tree braids and i'm really liking the way they look and they seem like the perfect solution to me.

Is it easy to look after your own hair - ie wash, moisturise?

Is it best to use human hair?

I have to choose the hair i'm going to use tomorrow. The braider said i shouldn't choose straight hair as the cornrows may be visible. She suggested i but something with at least a bit of a wave.

I also want to know if i can have a fringe (bang i think you call it in the US) or at least a side swoosh if i do choose straight hair.

Typically how long will the style last for?

Hi Bublin, you found someone? I've been searching around London for so long - there's so many different names that they go by as well. Tree braids, invisible braids, pic n drop(?) I thought I was on the right track when someone said they did pick and drop, but all they did was plait a little of the extension at the top, leaving all the rest of the length of my natural hair exposed, which didn't make any sense. I just walked out and did finished them off like regular extensions myself.

Could you pass me on the details of your experience (and hairdresser) afterwards if you wouldn't mind? Does she braid very tightly, does she use a fine toothed comb to part and comb from root to tip? is she gentle, or rough?

 

[Bublin]

Hey Bublin, i just wanted to add in my two cents. I got my tree braids on 2/8 and I LOVE them! I used Milky Way human hair in Spanish Wavy. I like the way the hair looks but I wish it had less shedding. It camoflages the braids really well though. I already have about 1/2 inch of new growth but you can't tell.

I don't find the maintenance to be hard at all because the cornrows are easy to get to unlike some sew-ins that I've had. I'm still experimenting with different leave in conditioners and haven't found one that I really like. So I've been using a mixture of Motions leave in conditioner and a little kemi oil for shine.

I ordered some BT and tried it for a couple of days, but I guess I was using too much because the hair became too greasy and I had to wash it. I'll just save it for when I have another hair style. Hopefully I can keep them in for two months but we'll see how this new growth acts.

Thanks for this.

Oooh i'm getting excited now - i think this maybe just the thing for me.

I just bought some Futura Aftress - Just like human hair and tongable - French wave in 1b colour.

I'm hoping that she can direct the front of the hair forwards on one side so all of the hair is not going backwards off my face.

I take it you airdry your hair. I've never had a weave before so i'm worried about my own hair not throughly drying in the cornrows.

 

[Bublin]

Hi Bublin, you found someone? I've been searching around London for so long - there's so many different names that they go by as well. Tree braids, invisible braids, pic n drop(?) I thought I was on the right track when someone said they did pick and drop, but all they did was plait a little of the extension at the top, leaving all the rest of the length of my natural hair exposed, which didn't make any sense. I just walked out and did finished them off like regular extensions myself.

Could you pass me on the details of your experience (and hairdresser) afterwards if you wouldn't mind? Does she braid very tightly, does she use a fine toothed comb to part and comb from root to tip? is she gentle, or rough?

Yes yes yes - i found someone. Girl, i had been ringing nearly every salon in London and none of them knew what i was talking about (so what's new!).
I did find a salon called Eftal hair and beauty. Check out their website. They have salons in Tottenham and Hackney. They were very very helpful and polite on the phone and they obviously care about the health of your hair. They were charging £70 not incl hair but she said they would have a consultation first and walk to the local BSS with you to choose the hair.

I decided to go for the girl doing my hair tomorrow as she lives just 20 minutes from me in Penge South London and she is an American Uni student and seems run off her feet doing people's hair. She is charging £40-£45. I'll PM you with the results and her contact details.

I'm praying it will come out good as i need a hair break.