The Official "Braiders" Club

**LadyCelestina** · January 17th, 2017, 01:13 AM

What is braid shred?

**wispe** · January 17th, 2017, 01:33 AM

When your braid shreds up and the hair pokes out/frizzes instead of behaving and lying neat. I think usually caused by friction, though of course having lots of layers makes it easier for your braid to shred.

**littlestarface** · January 17th, 2017, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by sumidha

Okay I have a question for the longer haired members of the braiders club... How do you keep your braid from getting into everything?

When I braid I find it almost as high maintenance as just wearing my hair down, unless I'm sitting still the darn braid is always falling over my shoulder into whatever I'm doing (potentially a big problem when I'm cooking) or snagging on things. I think the worst is when it gets caught on the zipper of my sweatshirt.

Crown braid, any other ones fall right in front of me when I bend over. I dunno how many times I bent down to clean a mess on the floor and woop there goes my braid trying to play in it or when I go to check something in the oven boop there goes my hair trying to commit suicide again. The only way to really stop hair from being a lil psycho is to tie it up.
I used to do twin braids and then loop the tail ends up with the braid by my ears and tie them together with ribbons and that worked pretty good. Also braided buns with amish pins or spin pins work great. And I also used to tuck my braids into my shirt, like you get the bottom part of the shirt (like your gonna take it off but dont) make sure theres a little pocket for your hair to fit in in the back and hold the shirt tightly in the front until you need to.

Those were my tips I made up for myself.

**Shepherdess** · January 17th, 2017, 03:39 AM

I was just thinking the other day how I only ever seem to wear braided hair styles and how I should switch up my hair styles sometimes, though I doubt I will be doing that much, so I guess that means I am in this club!

Originally Posted by littlestarface

Crown braid, any other ones fall right in front of me when I bend over. I dunno how many times I bent down to clean a mess on the floor and woop there goes my braid trying to play in it or when I go to check something in the oven boop there goes my hair trying to commit suicide again. The only way to really stop hair from being a lil psycho is to tie it up.
I used to do twin braids and then loop the tail ends up with the braid by my ears and tie them together with ribbons and that worked pretty good. Also braided buns with amish pins or spin pins work great. And I also used to tuck my braids into my shirt, like you get the bottom part of the shirt (like your gonna take it off but dont) make sure theres a little pocket for your hair to fit in in the back and hold the shirt tightly in the front until you need to.

Those were my tips I made up for myself.

I sometimes tuck my braid into my shirt too!

Other than that I wrap my braid into a sort of nautilus bun to keep it out of the way.

**LadyCelestina** · January 17th, 2017, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by wispe

When your braid shreds up and the hair pokes out/frizzes instead of behaving and lying neat. I think usually caused by friction, though of course having lots of layers makes it easier for your braid to shred.

Ah I have this. My braid looks like a christmas tree unless I slick it down with silicone serum, which I don't mind.

**stachelbeere** · January 17th, 2017, 04:03 AM

That's me as well - the reason why I grew my hair long is to wear braids and fancy updos (still can't do those because my hair rejects bobby pins)! I can wear buns, and I wear them maybe 40% of the time (usually if I'm super lazy) but after a while they give me scalp aches, so I have to take them down often and redo them... I would probably wear a braid for some portion of the day.

I'm not too worried about damage while wearing my hair down to be honest - I like my hair length as it is which is more or less around waist length and if it happens and grows to hip - great. If not, oh well.

When it comes to braids my go to is a French braid, the weight is nicely and evenly distributed and I usually go for a side braid variation. When I go to work I coil the French braid into a bun and if I place the hair fork in properly, it's very comfortable and I can wear it pretty much all day.

Sometimes I spice my life up with a hybrid braid, part-less Heidi braids, a crown braid or do this which I think is really pretty. I also love to find completely new ways of braiding, I think this is my all time fav!

OH OH and I've got my own take on two Dutch braids merging into one which since BSL has been my ultimate signature look

One more thing: I also like to wear a silk scarf (tied like bandana - especially when I'm at work) or a 'slippery' feeling blouse when I wear my hair in a braid to protect it a bit more - it definitely helps with tangles around the nape. The blouse doesn't have to be silky, I think 'slippery feeling' is quiet enough.

lithostoic, I've got a "flat head hack" as I have a flat crown myself - sometimes, when I do a French braid I part my hair how I would normally (side part) and then start the braid behind the part and above the crown. I first only add hair from around the crown (around 4 to 5 stiches) and then start adding hair from around my face. That gives me a bit of lift, something like a bump and I like it from the front and sides.

**Shepherdess** · January 17th, 2017, 04:12 AM

Have any of you ever had trouble with an awkward braid thickness down the length? The past few years my hair thickness has been returning (after a massive shed I had some years ago). The thickest part of my braid feels about the same as my wrist in diameter, but it becomes much thinner when it hits about waist length (about 1/3 thinner than the thickest point, and becomes significantly thinner after this). Sometimes it really bothers me while trying to braid it it evenly all the way down, and also how the braid turns out lumpy and snarly after wearing it a day (in the area where it is at its thickest), perhaps because of the new growth and it isn't even with the rest of the length? I never had trouble with this before my massive shed. It has been getting easier to braid than it was last year, though it still bothers me, so I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with this and what they did?

**stachelbeere** · January 17th, 2017, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by Shepherdess

Have any of you ever had trouble with an awkward braid thickness down the length? The past few years my hair thickness has been returning (after a massive shed I had some years ago). The thickest part of my braid feels about the same as my wrist in diameter, but it becomes much thinner when it hits about waist length (about 1/3 thinner than the thickest point, and becomes significantly thinner after this). Sometimes it really bothers me while trying to braid it it evenly all the way down, and also how the braid turns out lumpy and snarly after wearing it a day (in the area where it is at its thickest), perhaps because of the new growth and it isn't even with the rest of the length? I never had trouble with this before my massive shed. It has been getting easier to braid than it was last year, though it still bothers me, so I was wondering if anyone else has had experience with this and what they did?

You could mask the difference by pulling the bottom braid apart a bit? Only if you don't mind doing that. Here is a video which might help on how to get the most volume in braids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEBiB4admyc

**LaísB** · January 17th, 2017, 04:32 AM

I love braids, I wear them pretty much everyday to sleep, because I get no tangles when I wear it up to sleep, I used to get no tangles with buns too, but braids are way more comfotable to sleep. I love every single type of braid, but The fishtail is my favorite for when I go out because it's really simple but still looks different.

Braiding is pretty much the reason why I decided to grow my hair.

**Shepherdess** · January 17th, 2017, 04:33 AM

Originally Posted by stachelbeere

You could mask the difference by pulling the bottom braid apart a bit? Only if you don't mind doing that. Here is a video which might help on how to get the most volume in braids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEBiB4admyc

Thank you for sharing those tips and that video!

I do something similar occasionally when I leave my braid down. Definitely helps give the illusion that it is thicker towards the ends!

My only struggle with it is that it comes loose much faster by the end of the day, though I suppose I could just redo my braid more often during the day to solve this problem; I am too lazy sometimes.

Thanks again for sharing!