Before you Braid: 5 Steps to Prepare Your Natural Hair for a Protective Style
hair + beauty
November 28, 2019
Ashley
Braids are always a great protective style for natural hair, and go perfect for any season. To keep your hair well protected, beautiful and long lasting follow these steps to prepare your natural hair for a gorgeous braided protective style.
1. Deep Cleansing
Before you braid your hair it should be clean. It’s best to get rid of any built up dirt, grease, and oil in your hair before you start the braiding process. Shampoo and condition your hair thoroughly with tgin’s Moisture Rich Sulfate Free Shampoo and Triple Moisture Replenishing Conditioner once your hair is clean and conditioned it’s time to deep condition.
2. Deep Condition
It’s imperative to deep condition your natural hair before protective styling. Deep conditioning with tgin’s Honey Miracle Hair Mask prepares the hair by making detangling quick and painless, and drawing much need moisture to the hair.
3. Get a Trim
It’s best to get rid of knots and split ends before you get a protective hairstyle. Trimming your hair before getting braids can make for a smoother, neater appearance, as well as helps you to avoid excessive breakage or shedding while your hair is braided.
4. Use a Leave in Conditioner
One of the best ways to keep your hair protected while it is braided is by using a leave in conditioner before you braid your hair, and applying it sparingly as needed while the hair is braided. Using tgin’s Green Tea Super Moist Leave in Conditioner will leave hair feeling soft, smooth and manageable. You don’t have to worry about flakes and it aids in replenishing natural hair oils.
Find a Good Stylist
You can’t have a fabulous protective style, without having a fabulous hair stylist. Let’s face it not everyone who knows how to braid can do it correctly and protect your natural hair while doing so. Do your research! Make sure that your stylist has experience caring for and styling natural hair. Remember your hair should never be too tight or uncomfortable. If your stylist doesn’t know how to properly braid without causing you pain, or ripping out your hair, run! Find someone who understands your hair, and the art of braiding. Protective styles can be amazing for your hair when done properly.
Will you be rocking a protective style this season?
Ashley Renee is a licensed esthetician, Mac makeup artist, natural hair enthusiast, writer and poet from Chicago,residing in Los Angeles! Follow her on instagram @ashleyreneepoet