All posts filed under: Protective Styles

Protective Style: Sensationnel Ponytail & Creme of Nature Perfect Edges Review

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One of the main problems l face as a transitioner, is adequately blending textures.  Sometimes even wearing your hair in a simple ponytail can highlight just how different both textures are.  My husband thinks that I’m wearing a hair piece when I put my hair in a ponytail or bun because it literally looks like different hair (how embarrassing!) That’s when I decided that actually wearing a hair piece would look more natural.  Wearing a curly-textured ponytail can provide the adequate blending needed, while simultaneously providing protection for your ends (and it’s perfect for the everyday professional). I purchased this ponytail for $8.99 at blackhairspray.com.  It is best worn with an incredibly high bun–practically a top knot.  I tried wearing it towards to back of my crown and it didn’t look natural at all because of the location of the drawstring.  If you purchase this piece, just remember: the higher, the better. To achieve this sleek look,  I used Creme of Nature Perfect Edges with Argan Oil.     Quick product review I’ve never been a …

You Put Body Lotion in Your Hair?

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My apologies! I really hate it when people post a topic about a particular hairstyle and forget to mention how they maintained it for the next couple days or weeks. I mean, what’s the point if I can’t maintain it and it looks like a hot mess after day 1, right?  So for that I apologize and, without further adieu, here are the following products I used to maintain my crochet braids: 1. Vaseline Total Moisture Body Lotion What?!? Body lotion???? I know what you’re thinking and calm down. Yes, body lotion! Not just any body lotion, but the good stuff that penetrates really dry skin.  Why? I’ll tell you why. Because synthetic hair, much like afro-textured hair (but more so), is one thirsty fiber! As outlined in the crochet tutorial, when installing the bulk hair, you’ll need to split it into either 2 or 3 strands. But splitting the original strand will fray it.  Coating the original strand with some deep moisturizing lotion will limit the amount of fraying that happens once split.  Even better, it acts as …

New Growth All Angles

How I Take Down Crochet Braids

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Hello Naturels! It’s been 3 weeks since I installed my very first DIY crochet braids on April 20.  Let me tell ya–it wasn’t perfect. I’m actually pretty surprised it lasted more than 2 weeks as my attempt to cornrow my hair  was certainly…amateur lol.  Since the quality of the cornrows definitely determines how long the style will last, I wasn’t expecting great results.  However, since I normally only wear crochet braids for about a month, this attempt was a solid showing! From the image below, I probably could’ve squeezed another week out of the style if I so desired, since the great thing about curly bulk hair is its ability to cover up new growth: But this is what was really going on underneath lol. I would love to think that all  of that was new growth, but in truth, it’s probably a combination of new growth and slippage.  Anywho, on to the take down process (because this has got to go)! Step 1: Follow each cornrow back and cut the bulk hair close to your head, …

DIY: Crochet Braids

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Hello Naturels! This is my first attempt at doing crochet braids on my own head! All in all–not a bad turn out (installed on April 20): I decided that I was going to start taking care of and styling my own hair (reasons articulated in a previous post). I already know all about the process of installing crochet braids–it’s a rather simple concept: 1. cornrow hair; 2. crochet bulk hair/braided hair through cornrows.  Simple right? Not if you don’t know so much as how to cornrow your own hair–which I didn’t.  So, my first step was surfing youtube to find a video that could adequately teach me how to cornrow my hair.  The best video I came across was created by Breanna Rutter of HowToBlack Hair (below): Actually, I found the video teaching how to cornrow with extensions first and followed that method for this round (below), but I sure wish I found the video above first, as it would’ve saved me a whole lot of trouble. Though, if you are seasoned at cornrowing your …

Feeling the Shrinkage

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By the time December 2013 rolled around ( 7 months post relaxer), I was really feeling the shrinkage.  When I began this journey, my hair was just past shoulder length, to about the top quarter of my shoulder blades.  I didn’t measure with a tape measure so I can’t give you the exact length in inches, though you can get idea from the picture below (yes, I realize that I’m leaning forward, so add about 1/2 an inch to the back). After my blowout was essentially null and void, my hair seemed to be bobbing just below my chin. I knew it was coming.  I’d read it, heard it, been warned, and yet…I just couldn’t get over how short it looked! Stretched out, it still went past my shoulders but it was not cute in it’s current state (sorry, I forgot to take a picture…probably too bewildered to remember). Anywho, wearing it down doesn’t seem to be much of an option, so I tried coming up with a style that not only hid the fact that …

Hairstyle 2: Crochet Braids – Pre-braided strands

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This is the other type of crochet braids that I like to put in: pre-braided strands.   This is the easiest way I’ve found to get the same look as micros/Senegalese.  Like the bulk hair version, you can get these wet at anytime.  The downside to pre-braided strands is that, if you hair grows quickly, it will last closer to the 4-week rather than the 6-week range.  There’s just no way to hide the new growth.Here are a couple of examples for comparison: 1) Actual Senegalese Braids  – never again (ain’t nobody got time for that!)   2)  Senegalese-style Crochet Braids: (hair brand/type = Biba Pre-lock Twist Braid)   As you can see above, this style is really easy to wear casual or for a special occasion.  I wore these for my wedding because it was in a humid, hot, location and my honeymoon was going to be spent on the beach.  It was great waking up and not having to do anything to my hair!   3)  Micro-style crochet braids: (hair brand/type = KB LEO …

Hairstyle 1: Crochet Braids – Water Wave (and other bulk hair)

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Protect it. Love it. Protective styling generally refers to…you guessed it…protecting your natural hair. Since afro-textured hair is actually pretty fine (for the most part) and fragile, it needs a break every now and again. Protective styles protect your ends from the elements and from drying out. Crochet braids are my favorite go-to protective style.  They are easy to do and (most importantly for braids) easy to take out. And individuals with practically any length hair can wear them. Bonus: they take less than half the time to put in than traditional box braids, micros, or Senegalese! PLUS, you can try a variety of styles with crochet. What are crochet braids?  Crochet braids are not to be confused with tree braids, which take a little longer to put in.  Basically, your hair is in cornrows, braided all the way back.  If your hair is long, your ends are tacked up.  There are two basic options after this process is done.  1) You may choose to crochet synthetic/human hair bulk hair through your cornrows or 2) …