BRAID CARE
6 MONTHS (plus in between waiting time)
Goal: Grow 3/4-1 inch a month
MONTH 1
PRE BRAIDS-
*Cut one inch off hair for a clean palette of no split ends.
*Start a good diet, exercise, and vitamin routine.
*Make sure hair is NOT freshly relaxed. Wait at least 2 weeks after relaxer.
*2 weeks before braids, pre-treat with mayo, egg, honey, and olive oil, wash, deep condition for 30 minutes under dryer, and leave-in, moisturizer and oil and style.
Repeat in same week.
(If doing daily rinse, apply moisturizing conditioner after rinse for 10-30 minutes, rinse out, and proceed to style)
*One week before braids, pre-treat, wash hair, light protein condition under dryer for 30 minutes, moisturize condition, put in leave in, moisturizer, and a few drops of oil and style.
*3 days later in same week, pre-treat, wash, deep condition, leave-in and moisturizer, and style
*Braid in pretreated Kanekelon hair. Make sure hair is not too tight!
To pre-treat hair: Use a twister to hold the hair together. Run a sink full of hot water. Pour a cup of vinegar in and stir. Swish the kanekalon hair around in it and leave it for 10-15 minutes. Take out of water and rinse under warm water. Hang to dry. Then spray with braid spray. Allow to dry overnight. Spray once more lightly before you apply to hair.
*Leave braids in for 1 month0 only.
*Wash braids once weekly with regular shampoo. Be very gentle as not to fuzz up braids.
*Condition with diluted hydrating conditioner after every wash and rinse gently.
*Spray some Infusium 23 on hair. Apply a GENEROUS amount of braid spray on towel-dried hair and scalp. Start with scalp and spray lightly, then move on to hair and saturate.
Put a few drops of olive oil throughout braids to lock in moisture.
* Daily spray braids with braid spray in morning and before bed at night.
* If braids get fuzzy at crown, brush 3 or 4 strokes back very gently with boar bristle brush
*Style ends of hair (that are left out) with hot water to curl or blow dry or curl on VERY low heat when hair is wet. Hot curling when hair is wet is another option.
*Be very gentle in braid updos. Never pull braid in tight ponytail and be careful with bobby pins, clips, and other hair accessories.
*Wrap braids nightly and sleep in satin or silk bonnet/scarf.
*Take braids out carefully and comb through each section with a wide toothed comb as it comes down.
*Pre treat, wash with clarifying shampoo, then a detangling shampoo, deep protein condition (45 minutes follow with a moisture condition).
*Add leave-in, moisturizer, and oils, and style in protective style for one week (follow regular routine, deep condition with every wash and take special care of ends)
*After week is up, relax new growth only
*Wait 2 more week to put in braids again (follow regular wash routine, deep condition with every wash and take special care of ends)
*Always check for split ends and trim.
Follow procedure for month one except:
*Do not use a protein when braids are taken out. Instead deep condition under dryer for 45-60 minutes. (Alternate protein and deep condition with every time braids come out)
*Don't relax after braids are taken out. (Relax every OTHER time) Instead, simply wait 2 weeks before adding braids again.
1. Clarifying shampoo- Kera Care 1st Lather Shampoo or Nexxus Aloe Rid
2. Regular shampoo- Creme of Nature Moisturizing Formula
3. Hydrating conditioner- Nexxus Humectress
4. Leave in- Infusium 23
5. Oils- jojoba oil, extra virgin olive oil, castor oil, rosemary oil
6. Braid spray- African Pride
7. Vinegar- Apple Cider Vinegar
8. Deep conditioner- LeKair Cholesterol
9. Any sharp pair of trimming shears
10. Pre shampoo treatment- mayo, egg, olive oil, honey
11. Boar bristle brush
12. Wide toothed comb
13. Spray bottle for infusium
14. Satin bonnet
15. Gentle hair accessories and clips
*Continue all of steps and keep up with good diet, exercise, and vitamin routine.
*In this time, decide whether to continue with the braids for the entire 6 months or if hair has grown enough, stop braids and begin to take care of natural hair again.