The Official "Braiders" Club

[RebekahE]

I am curious. How many of us here consistently wear our hair in braid(s) and grow to long lengths with minimal friction damage? I've grown my hair to classic twice by wearing my hair in a single english braid and my hair was healthy.
I have been finding that my hair is less tangly after spending a day in a braid, a bun equals more tangles. A braid is also much more comfortable for me, a bun gives me scalp ache after a while no matter what I do.
So, I thought it'd be fun to start a "club". Share your braiding tips, thoughts, ideas and such below.

[LongCurlyTress]

Now that I have trimmed out the remainder of my layers-- TODAY :joy: minus the ff layers.. I am at waist length, or a bit below. I am planning on wearing one English braid nape length since I am so excited that it is thick all the way down with a thick tassel!! Yeah!! Anyways, I want to join your braid club. Thanks!!

[littlestarface]

I wear one everyday.

[DoomKitty]

Thinking about it before I cut it to chin length I wore my (then) BSL-MBL hair in ponytails and braids all the time and only needed trims every 6 months or so. DD wears her BSL hair braided or ponytailed pretty much constantly and she barely ever needs trims even with her ends bleached. You might be onto something here. I prefer buns for sleeping but I'll try braids during the day...I'm in! Now to learn something else other than French and English braids...

[RebekahE]

Now that I have trimmed out the remainder of my layers-- TODAY :joy: minus the ff layers.. I am at waist length, or a bit below. I am planning on wearing one English braid nape length since I am so excited that it is thick all the way down with a thick tassel!! Yeah!! Anyways, I want to join your braid club. Thanks!!

Yay! I've considered layers to give my hair more volume and movement but I've never taken the plunge because I like thick braids all the way down.

littlestarface, your hair looks fantastic! My current goal is classic but once I reach that I think I'll head for fingertipeople, partly because of your lovely locks.

DoomKitty, welcome the the group! I'm curious to see what other's results will be.

[DoomKitty]

Thank you! Although I'm definitely a shortie compared to you all lol

[lithostoic]

Me me me! The top of my head is quite flat so there's really no good place for a bun that looks good and doesn't hurt. I have a sensitive scalp so the tension fatigue is real.

Plus I feel like it's hurting my scalp to have it pulled on like that (secured w a stick) and I care more about my scalp than my ends being possibly damage by elastics or being left loose.

Plus I just plain like braids c: My Spring pictures in 1st grade I wore my hair in two high-up braided pigtails! With my missing front teeth and unicorn shirt haha.

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DoomKitty APL was my favorite length so far (though I am getting very excited for waist, my braids are going to look great!)! You may still be a shortie by some people's standards but your braids are still relevant c:

[MsPharaohMoan]

I used to wear a braid compulsively, maybe I should get back into it? How do you guys minimize braid shred (silly fine hairs)?

Also LCT I've seen the term ff layers used frequently, what does that mean?

[MsPharaohMoan]

snip

My Spring pictures in 1st grade I wore my hair in two high-up braided pigtails! With my missing front teeth and unicorn shirt haha.

Omg I can only imagine xDDD :spitting:

[lithostoic]

Omg I can only imagine xDDD :spitting:

Next time I visit my parents I'll photograph the picture haha. And I believe they're referring to "ff" as "face framing" layers.

[Saige]

Ooh, I'll join! I always wear my hair in braids! I find them much more comfortable than buns and I think braids suit me better. I do get braid-shred, so I put a little bit of oil in the length to keep it a little neater.

[reilly0167]

Cool, I just got into doing braids. I know how to Dutch braid and now discovering many styles, especially updos. A great way for me to keep my hair up and contained and stylish.

[wispe]

I'm definitely one for this club! I had just gotten into braiding my hair a year and a half ago when a stylist interpreted a trim as "chop in tons of short layers" and then I couldn't get a neat-looking braid if I tried. A good year of trimming and enough layer has grown out that I can successfully braid again! I find when I braid my hair that I can put it up and forget about it for at least a whole day (several, if the braid is pinned up or bunned subsequent days) vs. when I wear a bun my hair will eventually spit the toy (or pins) out and I have to re-do it several times. My go-to braid is a dutch braid but I really like learning + wearing different styles. Plus I often do my siblings' hair as I'm the only person we know who can do anything fancier than a french or english braid.

[Aphra]

My go to up hair style is a single English braid over one shoulder, or two Wednesday Addams braids - I like the combination of hair up convenience with the scalp sensation of having hair down. I like buns, but I can't wear them for very long without getting a headache (EDS and its complications means I live on the verge of a headache constantly), so I tend to only do them for smart, or if I need my hair completely out the way.

I'm currently learning french braiding, 4 strands and fish tails to vary it up a bit.

[MoonRabbit]

I'll join! I braid every day and wear an english style to bed with my length wrapped in a sleep cap.

[littlestarface]

I wear a crown braid everyday, or twin dutch braids or a bunned single braid but majority of the time it's a crown braid. I do love braids, cant do buns unless it has conditioner or henna in it.

Thank you Rebeka :blossom:

[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. shudder:

[Deborah]

I sleep in a braid every night, but for day wear I only braid occasionally. Mostly I wear buns as I think they are prettier, more protective and stay much neater through the course of the day. My hair is very fine and straight, and wants to sneak out of any braid I put it into. :rolleyes:

[LadyCelestina]

I am curious. How many of us here consistently wear our hair in braid(s) and grow to long lengths with minimal friction damage? I've grown my hair to classic twice by wearing my hair in a single english braid and my hair was healthy.
I have been finding that my hair is less tangly after spending a day in a braid, a bun equals more tangles. A braid is also much more comfortable for me, a bun gives me scalp ache after a while no matter what I do.
So, I thought it'd be fun to start a "club". Share your braiding tips, thoughts, ideas and such below.

This is also the case for me :thumbsup: But I have to say that I also have some damage from the braid elastic - or at least I think it's from that.

[Dona]

I want to join! I wear my hair in braids around 5 days a week (other days I wear it either down or in a bun). I wear all kinds of braids, side braids or just at the back of my head. I alternate between regular braids, French braids, Dutch braids and fishtail braids. When I go to sleep, I usually wear my hair in two loose braids or one loose side braid. Sometimes I put it up with a scrunchy for sleep, but I prefer braids.

[LadyCelestina]

What is braid shred?

[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.

[littlestarface]

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. shudder:

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]

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! :p


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]

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]

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 (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5b/8f/c7/5b8fc778d21b6bea86978e25bea648e1.jpg) which I think is really pretty. I also love to find completely new ways of braiding, I think this (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/c5/1d/5f/c51d5feb03a2b131cabc68c9cf5b271b.jpg) 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]

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]

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]

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]

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! :D 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. :p
Thanks again for sharing! :)

[stachelbeere]

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! :D 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. :p
Thanks again for sharing! :)

I'm glad to help :D I'm guilty of pulling my braids apart, even a little bit (probably not as much as the girl in the video) :D
Maybe you could go the extra mile and stick some bobby pins down the length (or up the length) to keep it together for longer?

[Bea18]

I love braiding my hair, even thought I'm not the very best at it, and can only do the simple stuff. My go-to braids are the regular braid (I belive some call it the english braid), the dutch braid, the french braid and the fishtail braid.

I actually prefer using the dutch braid, I do two dutch braids and go on with my day, it's absolutly perfect for my gym days at uni, and it's still really cute. Another style I like (even thought I don't do very often) is the half-up braid, just a regular braid in the up half of the hair while the rest of the hair is down.

My BSL lenght is perfect for braiding, when I was at colarbone lenght I had twin regular braids pretty much all the time and I love that now I can switch up the styles a bit. I hope that when I reach MBL or Waist I'll be able to try more styles (such as a crown braid that doesn't look sloppy).

[lapushka]

I occasionally wear a side braid, but mostly my LWB (unbraided).

[MsPharaohMoan]

To get an even braid, I borrow bits of the thickness from other strands into the skinniest strands.

Keeping my hair from getting everywhere: oh man this happens at work a lot. Approach a table, greet them, braid decides to become a table's centerpiece. I just keep a hairtoy on me and put it up before doing things I know are hazardous (serving tables, cooking on the stove... going to the bathroom, jk jk!)

[RebekahE]

For braid shed, I love to use olive oil to tame it and/or aloe vera gel.
I have also found adding a little bit of aloe vera gel into my conditioner or shampoo when I wash my hair makes my hair less prone to "flying away".
With the braid getting everywhere, I haven't ever had it get in a bad position yet, like to get burnt off or something. Usually, I just grab ahold of it with one hand or take the bottom of my shirt and cup the braid in it. Most of the time I wear a braid behind my back but it loves to flip over my shoulder, especially my left shoulder. I don't know why. Usually I flip my head and toss it back over my shoulder so it falls down my back.

[reilly0167]

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
My favorite part of doing braids is to pull them, gently of course.

[LongCurlyTress]

I used to wear a braid compulsively, maybe I should get back into it? How do you guys minimize braid shred (silly fine hairs)?

Also LCT I've seen the term ff layers used frequently, what does that mean?
Ff layers means "face-framing" layers. :)

[littlestarface]

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? :)

I have same problem I have super thick until about hips then it gets thinner and then even thinner after bcl. I don't do anything tho I just ignore it. Tho it is very frustrating when my crown braid is super thick on my right side and then is so thin on the left side and back side of my head. It looks ugly but at least its being protected.

It's nice to have a thread for just us daily braiders without buns being mentioned its so nice. Thanks rebekah for making this thread, I always felt so left out alot of the time in the forum.

[Hairkay]

Ooh, I'm joining this club. I've been braiding/plaiting since I was a child and I adore it. It keeps my hair tangle free. I was taught not to plait tightly. I mostly put my hair in several plaits to manage the thickness and to help embrace the tight curls in my hair. It keeps my hair a bit stretched yet curly. I can plait hair without adding any hair ties at all. That's great for me as I like things simple. I tend to plait hair once a week. It'll even last through daily water rinses. When I want the plaits up all I have to do is bun it (lwb)or tuck it up, plait all the plaits in one fold up, reweaving it through the hair until it's a 3rd of it's length. I also love having two flat twists crown braid style. Plaits are a low manipulation styling that works best for me.

[rhyebud]

This is a great idea for a club. I love braids and I feel like buns pull on my hair no matter what I do. I keep practicing. I would like to get better at putting the braids up...

[DoomKitty]

lithostoic your comment about my braids being relevant gave me a good giggle when it was much needed, thank you!

Speaking of braids, I managed a French braid (from the crown which is something I've struggled with on DD) that I fishtailed for the very first time on DD! The fishtail twisted slightly as I did it but it was definitely acceptable. I can't wait till my hair is long enough for fishtails, DD is at BSL and she's determined to grow out until 'whenever ' lol

[Ophidian]

My hair is too short for buns still, so I am heavily braid-reliant for protective styling at the moment. I also find that my hair texture does best when I dry it in double braids. I've only been able to do french and english braids in the past, but managed my first dutch braid today and love it!As my hair continues to grow I'd love to learn more complex styles. I am also lazy when it comes to doing my hair and I like being able to braid my hair at night, sleep in a silk scarf, and just pin it up in the morning for work :)

Oh and DoomKitty, solidarity:rockerdud

[reilly0167]

https://youtu.be/OcUUlFz-N68
Here a good YouTube link, she has nice and easy styles:)
Also bebexo, has a few pretty ones too.

[MoonRabbit]

Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?

[Stub]

I braid daily. In summer, two pigtail braids (I'd do double dutch but I can't for the life of me do french or dutch other than down the middle of my head!) in winter, single English braid which is tucked into my coat. If it is super cold out and I need my knit hat to not let any air in around my head then I bun it but I prefer braids. At night I take it down, brush briefly, and rebraid very loosely for sleep. I throw my braid over my pillow at night but every morning I wake up with it wrapped around my throat. Luckily it's not yet long enough to wrap around and around and strangle me as I toss and turn in my sleep! :)

I dry it loose first.

[Shepherdess]

I'm glad to help :D I'm guilty of pulling my braids apart, even a little bit (probably not as much as the girl in the video) :D
Maybe you could go the extra mile and stick some bobby pins down the length (or up the length) to keep it together for longer?
I never thought of doing something like that before. That's an idea! :)


To get an even braid, I borrow bits of the thickness from other strands into the skinniest strands.

Keeping my hair from getting everywhere: oh man this happens at work a lot. Approach a table, greet them, braid decides to become a table's centerpiece. I just keep a hairtoy on me and put it up before doing things I know are hazardous (serving tables, cooking on the stove... going to the bathroom, jk jk!)
I do this sometimes too. :) It definitely helps some!



For braid shed, I love to use olive oil to tame it and/or aloe vera gel.
I have also found adding a little bit of aloe vera gel into my conditioner or shampoo when I wash my hair makes my hair less prone to "flying away".
With the braid getting everywhere, I haven't ever had it get in a bad position yet, like to get burnt off or something. Usually, I just grab ahold of it with one hand or take the bottom of my shirt and cup the braid in it. Most of the time I wear a braid behind my back but it loves to flip over my shoulder, especially my left shoulder. I don't know why. Usually I flip my head and toss it back over my shoulder so it falls down my back.
I love olive oil and aloe vera! I am almost out of aloe vera, so I really need to get some more to use for braids! Do you ever mix the olive oil and aloe vera together before applying?


I have same problem I have super thick until about hips then it gets thinner and then even thinner after bcl. I don't do anything tho I just ignore it. Tho it is very frustrating when my crown braid is super thick on my right side and then is so thin on the left side and back side of my head. It looks ugly but at least its being protected.

It's nice to have a thread for just us daily braiders without buns being mentioned its so nice. Thanks rebekah for making this thread, I always felt so left out alot of the time in the forum.
I am glad that you can relate! :) Perhaps this is a problem for thick hair as it grows longer at a certain length? Yeah, it can definitely make braided hair styles look a bit awkward. I suppose there isn't much that can be done about it. :shrug:

[Shepherdess]

Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?
I prefer to braid. After showering and dabbing it with a clean t-shirt and putting in leave-in I usually braid my hair and leave it that way. Takes a while to dry, but it prevents the hassle of tangles for me. :)

[Ophidian]

Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?

I air dry to lightly damp and then braid it. I have recently realized this works best for me after trying to observe conventional wisdom that wavy hair should not be touched as it dries to avoid frizz and failing. If I do not damp braid my hair looks like roadkill. If I braid wet then it takes forever to dry. So damp it is! I like brainwaves from double french or dutch braids best.

ETA hahahaha! braidwaves, not brainwaves :rollin:

[littlestarface]

Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?

I leave it loose until its dry then braid again but this last time I braided right after the shower and it took like 2 days to dry lol.

[littlestarface]

I air dry to lightly damp and then braid it. I have recently realized this works best for me after trying to observe conventional wisdom that wavy hair should not be touched as it dries to avoid frizz and failing. If I do not damp braid my hair looks like roadkill. If I braid wet then it takes forever to dry. So damp it is! I like brainwaves from double french or dutch braids best.

ETA hahahaha! braidwaves, not brainwaves :rollin:

LOL!:rollin:

[MoonRabbit]

I air dry to lightly damp and then braid it. I have recently realized this works best for me after trying to observe conventional wisdom that wavy hair should not be touched as it dries to avoid frizz and failing. If I do not damp braid my hair looks like roadkill. If I braid wet then it takes forever to dry. So damp it is! I like brainwaves from double french or dutch braids best.

ETA hahahaha! braidwaves, not brainwaves :rollin:

Brainwaves haha, I love it! I usually let my hair air dry then braid it but today was wash day so I decided to damp braid. I was also worried about frizz from all the man handling, since I'm a wavy. I have my hair in double dutch braids now..we will see tomorrow if my hair likes it.

[RebekahE]

Wow! I didn't think this thread would elicit such a response! I am so glad to see that there are so many other braiders.
I like to damp braid, for some reason it makes my braids look thicker. If I braid when it's sopping wet it takes forever to dry so I usually wait until it's at least 75% dry and then braid.

Shepherdess, I have mixed aloe vera and olive oil. Can't say as I've noticed a big difference, though.

[Shepherdess]

Wow! I didn't think this thread would elicit such a response! I am so glad to see that there are so many other braiders.
I like to damp braid, for some reason it makes my braids look thicker. If I braid when it's sopping wet it takes forever to dry so I usually wait until it's at least 75% dry and then braid.

Shepherdess, I have mixed aloe vera and olive oil. Can't say as I've noticed a big difference, though.

Thank you for creating this thread, Rebekah!! :) I am excited that there are so many other braiders here too!! :D

Ahh, okay! :)

[RebekahE]

No problem. I should have done it sooner. I tossed around the idea of making one but since I'm such an impulsive person I like to try to make myself wait.

[raemarthe]

I'm in! I don't like how I look with a bun and braids tend to be more comfortable anyway. I wear a braid almost everyday! :)

[DoomKitty]

Ophidian go us *shorties* lmao

I leave my hair loose to air dry and even that way it takes 8 hours or more :rolleyes:

[Mightyfine]

This is the club for me! I'm growing out my hair basically so I can do more intricate braids. Buns slip right out for me, so it's nice to find some fellow braid-enthusiasts!

[mayfaring]

I'm learning and trying out new braids. Trying to get neater dutch braids right now. I look forward to watching this thread.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I want to try this but I don't know what kind of "elastic" to use and I have no idea what kind of braids to use because when I use regular French/English braids, they just look bad, thin and awful and shredded. If I do a single braid it comes undone by the end of the day if I don't use latex elastics.
My hair is so short.. maybe too short for every day braids.

[LadyCelestina]

If my hair is too wet when I braid it it turns into a monster :D and it's a thin line, so I occasionally have to finish drying and back into the braid until next day :D

[pili]

I would love to join, but:
1. My hair has so many layers, I end up with tufts sticking out everywhere.
2. I'm always afraid my braid tassel is getting destroyed. The length of my hair feels great. The ends are dry.

If anyone has a suggestion for my tassel, I'm all ears.

[Serimel]

I belong in here! I like my hair best in braids. I used to have it open all day every day and having tried buns they make me feel somehow naked. I like the feeling of my hair hanging around and that I can see the length.

Also for my work braids are more practical. At work I have glasses hanging on my neck and I have to constantly put them on or off which always mess my buns when the "neck piece" get's stuck on the bump. With braids I don't have that problem.

I also love love love braid waves. Without them I wouldn't have any good hair days. :D

[RebekahE]

I would love to join, but:
1. My hair has so many layers, I end up with tufts sticking out everywhere.
2. I'm always afraid my braid tassel is getting destroyed. The length of my hair feels great. The ends are dry.

If anyone has a suggestion for my tassel, I'm all ears.

Have you tried adding a few drops of oil or conditioner when it starts feeling dry? That is what I do and it seems to take care of the problem.
Also, SilvousPlaits on YT had a video on braids, and what she did for the sticking out pieces was to unbraid to that point and twist that section so the tuft sticking out was inside the braid. It's hard to describe I'll see if I can find the video and link it.

[RebekahE]

I want to try this but I don't know what kind of "elastic" to use and I have no idea what kind of braids to use because when I use regular French/English braids, they just look bad, thin and awful and shredded. If I do a single braid it comes undone by the end of the day if I don't use latex elastics.
My hair is so short.. maybe too short for every day braids.

I use the goody Athletique hair ties. On my braids I go around four times and it holds pretty well. I have over a dozen of them, I use one until it gets stretched out then I put it in my little basket that holds them and grab another, usually by the time I work my way through the group they're unstretched back to the original size.
In the winter I almost never wear my hair down. A lot of times I oil it pretty heavily and that really holds my hair together and tames the flyaways and braid shred.
I will agree, when you get more length braids do seems to hold together better. With you being ii, I imagine your braids aren't all that thin. If it bothers you a lot you could always pull them apart a little. My hair is not thin by any means but I still struggle with the my braid is to thin mentality. I think it is somethign we just have to overcome. Personally, I think all braids are pretty, no matter how thin or thick. Part of my too thin braid stems from I have the longest hair in my family, my sisters and sisters-in-law all have thicker hair than me and they all like to go on about how my hair is thinner and their's is thicker. My response, "That might be. But my hair is longer."

[pili]

Have you tried adding a few drops of oil or conditioner when it starts feeling dry? That is what I do and it seems to take care of the problem.
Also, SilvousPlaits on YT had a video on braids, and what she did for the sticking out pieces was to unbraid to that point and twist that section so the tuft sticking out was inside the braid. It's hard to describe I'll see if I can find the video and link it.
I'll look for the video and try some oil. I'm only just now getting into long term hair oiling. My hair does love it, as long as it's not coconut oil.

[Hairkay]

I would love to join, but:
1. My hair has so many layers, I end up with tufts sticking out everywhere.
2. I'm always afraid my braid tassel is getting destroyed. The length of my hair feels great. The ends are dry.

If anyone has a suggestion for my tassel, I'm all ears.

You can try some tucked in styles to preserve your hair ends. Even the tassle could be doubled over before you put the elastic on it.

[pili]

You can try some tucked in styles to preserve your hair ends. Even the tassle could be doubled over before you put the elastic on it.
I'll have to try that when my tassel isn't a tiny little nub from the deep V and layering. Really I just can't wait to get rid of all the layering.

[wispe]

I don't know how protective it is but if I want to hide my tassel sometimes I loosely tie the end off with a clear elastic and use a topsy-tail or similar tool to weave the tassel back up into the main braid, in one or more sections. Then regular elastic on top of that. I think it's similar to doubling over your tassel except more protective as the ends aren't loose to rub against things, since they're integrated back into the braid itself? If I'm wrong I'd love someone to correct me so I know! Anyway, this leaves the end of your braid clubbed and eats up a bit of length (depending on how long your tassel is) so it might make tucking a braid up easier?

Another related idea, when I do wrapped styles (crown braids, heidi braids, etc) I usually skip an elastic and just weave my ends into the base braid to make a more seamless look. Pros are: ends hidden, I use less pins, people think I'm a wizard.

I think there was some discussion a while back where someone was wrapping their tassel with hair netting to keep things tidy, but I'm not sure how protective or wearable that is?

ETA: a topsy tail is handy for weaving those little tufts back into the braid when they pop out, too. Then use a bobby pin if it's being particularly stubborn, maybe.

[meteor]

What a great thread! :D

I live in braids 24/7, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to handle my hair at all if I couldn't braid it.
I couldn't get to bun my hair before it got pretty long and even then, I can't really keep all my hair in a bun if it's not corralled by relatively tight braid(s) first.

I even wash my hair in braids pretty often :lol: (it's amazing for preventing tangles during washing), just by making a few loose-ish braids from shoulders down only, it helps me focus on the scalp better without getting the length in the way.

I wear my braid usually bunned (in LWB or L-Infinity since Classic length), so I don't even need to tie the braid off before bunning the thing. Before bed, I simply take out the stick/fork and put a silky scarf on top, so I re-use the same braid. When my hair was shorter, I liked the simplified Ellingwoman braided bun and a variation of Amish Braided Bun and woven crown braid (https://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/luana-braids-woven-crown-variation/) from a few English braids.
I think those styles based on accent braids or braids where you start with a smaller English braid and then incorporate the rest of the hair into a bigger English braid (kind of braid-in-braid (https://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/luana-braids/)) are life-savers for those of us who can't do anything more complex than the English braid. I love styles similar to what you would see in shows like the Vikings. But I find sectioning along the scalp gets increasingly harder with greater lengths (due to tangles from self-braiding ends and just the sheer amount of hair), so my problem is my that braids have to be ultra-simple, unfortunately. :(

I really like the Braidictionary by ladollyvita333 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2ifoTyHoA4) and the braid basics series by Silvousplaits (https://www.youtube.com/user/silvousplaits/videos) on YouTube.



Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?

I have to let my hair air-dry loose if I want it to actually start drying. So I air-dry it loose, but if I have to run out somewhere, I put it in a loose braid (without even detangling) and bun it and then I take it down later, when I get more time to continue air-drying hair. I have to wait for my hair to be almost completely dry before I can begin to detangle it, because the strands just stick to themselves when they are wet.


I would love to join, but:
1. My hair has so many layers, I end up with tufts sticking out everywhere.
2. I'm always afraid my braid tassel is getting destroyed. The length of my hair feels great. The ends are dry.

If anyone has a suggestion for my tassel, I'm all ears.

1. Well, the only thing that helped me prevent hairs sticking out was waiting for the layers to grow out. Other than that, some leave-in or aloe gel or oil or silicone serum did help smooth it out... but not as much as simply having hair at "one length".

2. Have you tried weaving a folded silky ribbon into the last few inches of the braid (one half is added to one braid strand and another to another braid strand) and then tying it off with the same ribbon in a bow? It's very gentle. Alternatively, you could make a paranda from yard and weave that in (add it to the last few inches of the braid).
Personally, I don't even tie braids off because I always bun/coronet them anyway.


I used to wear a braid compulsively, maybe I should get back into it? How do you guys minimize braid shred (silly fine hairs)?

By pinning the braid(s) up. This reduces all friction dramatically. :)
Also, if I braid hair when it's oily or covered in oil or serum or leave-in conditioner, the fine hairs stick out a lot less.

[PrincessBob]

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

Wear it around my neck like a scarf or quickly nautilus or lwb with a fork or sticks. My hair is almost to ankle.

I love braiding my hair, even thought I'm not the very best at it, and can only do the simple stuff. My go-to braids are the regular braid (I belive some call it the english braid), the dutch braid, the french braid and the fishtail braid.

I actually prefer using the dutch braid, I do two dutch braids and go on with my day, it's absolutly perfect for my gym days at uni, and it's still really cute.
From cbl to hip I wore twin braids every day. English style three, four, or five strand braids. I couldn't do any augmented braids or woven braids until much more recently, and the length makes sectioning difficult and my grip loose. Even so, I now prefer twin Dutch braids into for strand box braids (dutch braids back from hairline on center parted hair to past ear until the thickness of the nonbraided hair matches that of the three braiding hanks, then box braid to ends). Very put together look.


Hey braiders club, do you prefer to let your hair air dry loose or do you put it in a braid right after a shower?
Air dry, takes ages to dry as is; in a braid, I would mildew.


To get an even braid, I borrow bits of the thickness from other strands into the skinniest strands.

Keeping my hair from getting everywhere: oh man this happens at work a lot. Approach a table, greet them, braid decides to become a table's centerpiece. I just keep a hairtoy on me and put it up before doing things I know are hazardous (serving tables, cooking on the stove... going to the bathroom, jk jk!)
I do the same. I have gotten better at even sections, but taper and such can take relatively equal hanks up top very uneven by mid lengths.


I want to try this but I don't know what kind of "elastic" to use and I have no idea what kind of braids to use because when I use regular French/English braids, they just look bad, thin and awful and shredded. If I do a single braid it comes undone by the end of the day if I don't use latex elastics.
My hair is so short.. maybe too short for every day braids.
I will usually use the terrycloth toddler hair ties on m bridge ends. Soft, cheap, gentle and available in bright colors.


I would love to join, but:
1. My hair has so many layers, I end up with tufts sticking out everywhere.
2. I'm always afraid my braid tassel is getting destroyed. The length of my hair feels great. The ends are dry.

If anyone has a suggestion for my tassel, I'm all ears.
By longer lengths you may find you get those tufts no matter what. I do an extra round of conditioner on my ends at shower time, but hate to use styling products. My braid shred is nigh embarrassing with four-to-ten inch long frizzly bundles of escapee hairs all down the braid within hours of braiding it. I have a had habit of leaving braids in for multiple days, which looks about the same the whole time, because those mad Braid shred bits tangle up. Those tangles trap me if I'm too lazy to take it down for more than three days. I spent hours yesterday finger detangling a faux crown Braid from friday.

[littlestarface]

I need to redo my crown braid but im just sooooo lazy aah. I know there's gonna be mats since I haven't redone it in 4 days lol.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I use the goody Athletique hair ties. On my braids I go around four times and it holds pretty well. I have over a dozen of them, I use one until it gets stretched out then I put it in my little basket that holds them and grab another, usually by the time I work my way through the group they're unstretched back to the original size.
In the winter I almost never wear my hair down. A lot of times I oil it pretty heavily and that really holds my hair together and tames the flyaways and braid shred.
I will agree, when you get more length braids do seems to hold together better. With you being ii, I imagine your braids aren't all that thin. If it bothers you a lot you could always pull them apart a little. My hair is not thin by any means but I still struggle with the my braid is to thin mentality. I think it is somethign we just have to overcome. Personally, I think all braids are pretty, no matter how thin or thick. Part of my too thin braid stems from I have the longest hair in my family, my sisters and sisters-in-law all have thicker hair than me and they all like to go on about how my hair is thinner and their's is thicker. My response, "That might be. But my hair is longer."
I'm a fine hair so oiling doesn't really help me unless I plan to wash relatively soon. I don't like doing it unless it's wash day because oil tends to collect dust and lint and cause breakage. For me, heavy oiling a braid works to control shred but it makes my hair look awful and greasy. I just don't dig the look. And it causes more issues then helps.
But I'll look into the hair ties. I was using the black elastic ones that come in a pack of like 300 for 1$, and they usually don't pull hair but I think my ends are so tapered that they need to be so tight they are breaking hair even if I don't see it, I just feel it. My ends are too brittle I guess.

Idk I just feel like my hair is too thin. I don't like braids on me but I love having my hair down. I wear a bun every day but I don't, like them on me. I don't know. I'm trying to find a protective style that still makes me feel attractive lol

[DoomKitty]

I want to try this but I don't know what kind of "elastic" to use and I have no idea what kind of braids to use because when I use regular French/English braids, they just look bad, thin and awful and shredded. If I do a single braid it comes undone by the end of the day if I don't use latex elastics.
My hair is so short.. maybe too short for every day braids.

Have you tried ribbon elastics? I picked up some cheaply from ebay and they hold gently but well, I use them all the time for both DD (they hold through a day at school and all night) and myself

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Have you tried ribbon elastics? I picked up some cheaply from ebay and they hold gently but well, I use them all the time for both DD (they hold through a day at school and all night) and myself

Ive looked at them but theyre really not my aesthetic... lol unless you can find me some in all black.
Would these be ok? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Goody-Black-Ouchless-Ribbon-Elastics-Hair-Ties-/302176888363?hash=item465b25662b:g:U~QAAOSweXhXmUG Q

All the ribbon elastics ive seen in stores are bright colors or printed and i cant.

[wispe]

Ive looked at them but theyre really not my aesthetic... lol unless you can find me some in all black.
Would these be ok? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Goody-Black-Ouchless-Ribbon-Elastics-Hair-Ties-/302176888363?hash=item465b25662b:g:U~QAAOSweXhXmUG Q

All the ribbon elastics ive seen in stores are bright colors or printed and i cant.

I've not tried those (they look okay to me?) but you could alternately do like meteor suggested and use a ribbon braided in to tie your ends. Just get a black ribbon! You can either use a long one and incorporate it in your braid further up, or just add it in the last few stitches, wrap it around the tassel a time or two, and tie it off. You could use the ribbon in other ways as well (4-strand braid with ribbon, for taping/sewing down crown or milkmaid braids, etc...) eta; lacking ribbon, I've used yarn, too. Depends on the texture you want. Check the sewing or craft section of whatever local store you go to and see what's available in your color?

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I've not tried those (they look okay to me?) but you could alternately do like meteor suggested and use a ribbon braided in to tie your ends. Just get a black ribbon! You can either use a long one and incorporate it in your braid further up, or just add it in the last few stitches, wrap it around the tassel a time or two, and tie it off. You could use the ribbon in other ways as well (4-strand braid with ribbon, for taping/sewing down crown or milkmaid braids, etc...)

Ive seen people do that and to be honest with you, it isnt appealing to me. But thanks for the suggestion.

[wispe]

Ive seen people do that and to be honest with you, it isnt appealing to me. But thanks for the suggestion.

Understandable! I hope you find a solution that works for you. I personally use nylon ties like these (http://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/26397802_Alt01?wid=450&hei=450&fmt=pjpeg), but I've only ever seen this brand in colors/patterns. I'm not sure but these may be the same sort in black: This (https://www.amazon.com/Prettyou-Seamless-Multicolor-Long-range-Elasticity/dp/B00PVFC5IY/), this (https://www.amazon.com/L-Erickson-Sport-Pony-Tube/dp/B01H4482F4/?th=1), this (https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Nylon-Rubber-Wrapped-Stretchy/dp/B00HR5PEK2/) or maybe this (https://www.amazon.com/Seamless-Ponytail-Headband-Scrunchies-Accessories/dp/B01LX32F1F/). Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Greenfire]

I love my hair in braids. I wear them every day I'm off work, and casual, with it being so windy here it's a must. When I hike up in the mountains, it's the only thing that keeps my hair from turning into that little feral kid in Mad Max, that's not an exaggeration. My hair looks like that in the morning if I don't braid it at night. Bunning it at night leaves my scalp hurting, so it's a no go, even braided buns aren't as comfortable. I keep trying to get my nerve up to try some of the styles in Vikings, but for now, I do half up braids, braided braids, Wednesday Addams braids, side braids, rope braids, dutch, french, crown, there isn't a braid I don't like!

[DoomKitty]

Ive looked at them but theyre really not my aesthetic... lol unless you can find me some in all black.
Would these be ok? http://www.ebay.com/itm/6-Goody-Black-Ouchless-Ribbon-Elastics-Hair-Ties-/302176888363?hash=item465b25662b:g:U~QAAOSweXhXmUG Q

All the ribbon elastics ive seen in stores are bright colors or printed and i cant.

They look good...I'd like to be able to get the Goody stuff but it's too expensive for me being Australian

[RebekahE]

Understandable! I hope you find a solution that works for you. I personally use nylon ties like these (http://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/26397802_Alt01?wid=450&hei=450&fmt=pjpeg), but I've only ever seen this brand in colors/patterns.

The goody athletique hair ties I use are identical to the ones you use except they're black.

[MoonRabbit]

I use a small piece of nylon stockings that matches my hair color to protect my ends. I tuck my ends in it and tie it off with a scrunchie.

[pili]

Understandable! I hope you find a solution that works for you. I personally use nylon ties like these (http://target.scene7.com/is/image/Target/26397802_Alt01?wid=450&hei=450&fmt=pjpeg), but I've only ever seen this brand in colors/patterns. I'm not sure but these may be the same sort in black: This (https://www.amazon.com/Prettyou-Seamless-Multicolor-Long-range-Elasticity/dp/B00PVFC5IY/), this (https://www.amazon.com/L-Erickson-Sport-Pony-Tube/dp/B01H4482F4/?th=1), this (https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Nylon-Rubber-Wrapped-Stretchy/dp/B00HR5PEK2/) or maybe this (https://www.amazon.com/Seamless-Ponytail-Headband-Scrunchies-Accessories/dp/B01LX32F1F/). Sorry I can't be of more help.
I get those in black at target and Ulta.

[wispe]

The goody athletique hair ties I use are identical to the ones you use except they're black.


I get those in black at target and Ulta.

I guess my local stores don't stock them, I've only seen the bright patterned ones at target&ulta and I've had my eye out for months. Good to know!

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I get those in black at target and Ulta.

ill have to check out ulta when i get another coupon

[FennFire911]

This looks like a fun club idea, count me in! I need to commit to learning new braids.

[lithostoic]

Wearing a rope braid today :P I do bun sometimes, usually for sleep. Buns do not suit me so I only wear them at home, and rarely bc I can only wear them in one spot.

[Rowdy]

I've started wearing a dutch braid to the gym and it's been much easier on my scalp than my usual high ponytail. I put about a third of the braid from my nape down in the tassel and that seems to prevent it from swinging into my face :P I also just really like the look of a long braid tassel.

[littlestarface]

My hair wasn't too matted (thank god!)I only had mats at my nape as always and I did another crown braid, was thinking to put oil in it but thought naah, I still want clean hair, me roots aint even oily. I honestly cannot live without braids everyday, I couldnt handle my hair.

[ReadingRenee]

I really like braiding, and I prefer English braids to french braid or dutch braid because I don't like the bumps on the back of my head. But, English braids never stay tight at my nape or hold their shape, so its pretty discouraging. Anyone have any tips? Do I just need more length? Im about BSL right now.

[meteor]

I really like braiding, and I prefer English braids to french braid or dutch braid because I don't like the bumps on the back of my head. But, English braids never stay tight at my nape or hold their shape, so its pretty discouraging. Anyone have any tips? Do I just need more length? Im about BSL right now.

Have you tried starting with a half-up (just pinch some top hair with a claw clip) and then braid the hair? This really tightens the hair on top for me.
Also, braiding some hair at the top as a half-up and then add the rest of the hair and braid the whole lot together (like a smaller English braid into a bigger English braid).
Alternatively, a faux French braid technique could help: get one-third of hair from the top hair (1st strand) and then divide the bottom hair into 2 sections, and English-braid the whole thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kOyGD_KOoA

[Hairkay]

Here's a few of my tuck in plaits styles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApfMX8_yLdQ
Flat twist style I've used

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSsUDh9S_DI
I don't pull out bits of hair though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeZzc69Ln-I
I also do a cornrow version of this. The end can stay down, be tucked up or put in a bun.

Flat twists style I'd like to try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5FfQ7mPdOc

Cornrows that I've done

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEzBAAIBIrI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeZ1M_3qIJo

[hamilton]

I'll definitely join this. Just got the hang of doing a basic braid, but it has been super useful for the last week or so. Wearing it like that at night makes mornings much easier.

[dvep]

I'm in, I've only started adding buns in more recently for variety but before if my hair was up, it was braided. I need to learn more styles, though...so far I only wear French or Dutch braids out (or my usual single English braid for work). I do have some problems, however: my iii thickness is limiting for styles, especially since my hair is WL, and I also have the same issue as ReadingRenee where my braid is loose at the nape and it drives me CRAZY, I want to tear out my braids every time. I think it has more to do with the amount of hair in each strand and how tightly they're being pulled but I don't have a solution that's perfect yet.

I can't wait until my hair is much longer so perhaps I could do crown braids. I think braids are where straighter or less voluminous hair shine best...you have what I call pliable fairy braids that retain their length better! I get bummed sometimes at how much shorter my hair looks when braided. Still, since I'm committed to wearing more protective styles I will try to expand my repertoire.

[ReadingRenee]

Have you tried starting with a half-up (just pinch some top hair with a claw clip) and then braid the hair? This really tightens the hair on top for me.
Also, braiding some hair at the top as a half-up and then add the rest of the hair and braid the whole lot together (like a smaller English braid into a bigger English braid).
Alternatively, a faux French braid technique could help: get one-third of hair from the top hair (1st strand) and then divide the bottom hair into 2 sections, and English-braid the whole thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kOyGD_KOoA

Thanks for the ideas! I love the video you linked! I am totally going to try that tomorrow and the other ideas you had as well. Thanks very much. The video looks like it might be the answer I have been looking for.

[pili]

I'm in, I've only started adding buns in more recently for variety but before if my hair was up, it was braided. I need to learn more styles, though...so far I only wear French or Dutch braids out (or my usual single English braid for work). I do have some problems, however: my iii thickness is limiting for styles, especially since my hair is WL, and I also have the same issue as ReadingRenee where my braid is loose at the nape and it drives me CRAZY, I want to tear out my braids every time. I think it has more to do with the amount of hair in each strand and how tightly they're being pulled but I don't have a solution that's perfect yet.

I can't wait until my hair is much longer so perhaps I could do crown braids. I think braids are where straighter or less voluminous hair shine best...you have what I call pliable fairy braids that retain their length better! I get bummed sometimes at how much shorter my hair looks when braided. Still, since I'm committed to wearing more protective styles I will try to expand my repertoire.

This is what made me realize that my goal of a TBL braid will probably mean growing to classic+ stretched.

[wispe]

For sagging hair at the nape: Try the trick in this video (5:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTUiDFhzjao

[daisychain]

Yay braid club! I love wearing my hair in braids, french, dutch, english, fishtail, crown, whatever! I especially love wearing my hair in two braids because then I really look Native American, where as when I wear my hair down and straight I tend to get people thinking I'm Asian American. Also like previous posters have said, I love the feeling like my hair is down, but it's still contained, although at BSL my hair is the perfect length to get in the way, last night at dinner the end of my braid ended up getting in my soy sauce! Luckily it was a wash night. Can't wait to take a look at the videos and get new ideas!

[littlestarface]

Yay braid club! I love wearing my hair in braids, french, dutch, english, fishtail, crown, whatever! I especially love wearing my hair in two braids because then I really look Native American, where as when I wear my hair down and straight I tend to get people thinking I'm Asian American. Also like previous posters have said, I love the feeling like my hair is down, but it's still contained, although at BSL my hair is the perfect length to get in the way, last night at dinner the end of my braid ended up getting in my soy sauce! Luckily it was a wash night. Can't wait to take a look at the videos and get new ideas!

Kewl you live in Japan! ^_^ my favorite country<3

[daisychain]

Kewl you live in Japan! ^_^ my favorite country<3


<3 I love it here, I never wanna leave!

[RebekahE]

Wow, Hairkay, wish I had the ytime, patinvr and hair for those braids. They are lovely!

I have worn my hair in an English braid everyday this week, with very minimal tangles. I'm starting to remember why I love braids so much.

[GrowingOut]

I've worn braids for years! I love 'em love 'em love 'em!! :D They're so much less tangly, it feels easier to bun with them, and it's easy to fix if my bun slips! :D

[dvep]

For sagging hair at the nape: Try the trick in this video (5:30) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTUiDFhzjao

Oooh, thank you, will try! I can always count on torrinpaige.

Though I will never get my braided hair to bun someday, I must also search for braided styles the conceal and protect my ends.

[wispe]

Oooh, thank you, will try! I can always count on torrinpaige.

Though I will never get my braided hair to bun someday, I must also search for braided styles the conceal and protect my ends.

Double braids into two buns, maybe? I find rope braids are more pliable when bunning after, as an example. Also maybe some sort of faux crown done with two braids.

[Sw33th34rt4my]

I'm joining! Although, due to joint pain in my hands and wrist I am only able to do an English side braid over my shoulder or two side braided. I don't wear them everyday in the daytime but I will be trying to more. Buns are almost impossible for me to do. I sleep in a braid ever night. Keeps me from waking up with my hair pinned under my husband ��

[DoomKitty]

Very glad I joined this thread...I discovered last night that spin pins are snapping my hair atm 😥 so wearing it in braids during the day is going to be the way to go for a while. Still can't sleep with braids though so it'll be invisibobbles holding my buns at night.

[gracenotes]

I'm wearing my hair in Wednesday Addams style braids right now! I love the look of braids. I usually do a plain English braid over one shoulder, or a Dutch braid (sometimes bunned). I like how nicely the Dutch braid distributes weight (there's always that one strand of hair that feels the need to pull at my scalp) and the top part of the Dutch braid gives pins and sticks something to hold on to if I put it in a bun. The only trouble I run into is friction damage and braid shred, so I'm fighting back with braided buns. The best of both worlds!

[MoonRabbit]

I'm wearing my hair in Wednesday Addams style braids right now! I love the look of braids. I usually do a plain English braid over one shoulder, or a Dutch braid (sometimes bunned). I like how nicely the Dutch braid distributes weight (there's always that one strand of hair that feels the need to pull at my scalp) and the top part of the Dutch braid gives pins and sticks something to hold on to if I put it in a bun. The only trouble I run into is friction damage and braid shred, so I'm fighting back with braided buns. The best of both worlds!

I hate when that happens. I sometimes get the pulling with my shorter hairs at the nape.

[Shepherdess]

I left my hair in a braid for two days and I think that was a mistake! My hair is getting so thick at about the area at the back of my head to just above my shoulders where I get so many snarls and some matting, that it sometimes is so difficult to untangle it and get it all out, and my combs and tangle teezer aren't even helpful since they don't get through the thickness in that area anymore! I need to learn to section it bit by bit while untangling I guess? Anyway, I wonder if doing two braids instead of one might lessen this issue. I will need to experiment. Lately it has been doing this when I leave it in a braid for more than a day, and I never had this trouble in time past (that I can remember anyway). :confused:

[littlestarface]

I left my hair in a braid for two days and I think that was a mistake! My hair is getting so thick at about the area at the back of my head to just above my shoulders where I get so many snarls and some matting, that it sometimes is so difficult to untangle it and get it all out, and my combs and tangle teezer aren't even helpful since they don't get through the thickness in that area anymore! I need to learn to section it bit by bit while untangling I guess? Anyway, I wonder if doing two braids instead of one might lessen this issue. I will need to experiment. Lately it has been doing this when I leave it in a braid for more than a day, and I never had this trouble in time past (that I can remember anyway). :confused:

2 will be the same but that's how it is for me, I always get matting but im lazy so I just deal with it 3 4 days later ha!.

Yea little sections and start at the bottom and try n hook just a little hair with part of the tangle teezer not the whole thing but like the edge part do it slowly down, use fingers too. I always have to get my mats out and this way helps me not break hair.

[reilly0167]

Yesterday, was trying get my hands coordinated when I get to the back of my head trying to do a crown braid, :justy: will keep trying.

[pili]

Yesterday, was trying get my hands coordinated when I get to the back of my head trying to do a crown braid, :justy: will keep trying.
Lol! This was me the other day.

[Hairkay]

Wow, Hairkay, wish I had the ytime, patinvr and hair for those braids. They are lovely!

I have worn my hair in an English braid everyday this week, with very minimal tangles. I'm starting to remember why I love braids so much.

Thanks RebekahE,

I also do a variation of this including the bun except I'd make less plaits that are bigger and longer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFADIthR7L0

I've done this once

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDyG1gUq2s0

I've also done variations of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh6X9uOfZ-U

[reilly0167]

Lol! This was me the other day.

It is frustrating lol

[Shepherdess]

2 will be the same but that's how it is for me, I always get matting but im lazy so I just deal with it 3 4 days later ha!.

Yea little sections and start at the bottom and try n hook just a little hair with part of the tangle teezer not the whole thing but like the edge part do it slowly down, use fingers too. I always have to get my mats out and this way helps me not break hair.
Yes, I know what you mean, I like to leave braids in as long as possible too! ;)

This is good advice, thank you! :) I will try working it slower and doing tiny bits at a time. Sometimes I get impatient, but I have to work on that.

[lithostoic]

Found a nice way to loosen braids without pulling them apart. I'm a tight braider but the resulting waves look horrid. So I braid a few stitches, hold the top and bottom, and kinda smush them together. Braid a few more stitches and repeat.

[wispe]

Found a nice way to loosen braids without pulling them apart. I'm a tight braider but the resulting waves look horrid. So I braid a few stitches, hold the top and bottom, and kinda smush them together. Braid a few more stitches and repeat.

Could you elaborate, I'm trying to visualize this but I'm not quite sure what you mean. Do you pinch the stitches vertically together along the direction of the braid, or am I thinking wrong?

As another note, I do find that waves from rope braids are often prettier and resemble the 2a bits of my hair more than waves from a 3+ strand braid does. A hawser braid (2 rope braids that are then rope braided together) tends to hold better and fray less than a normal rope braid. So for waves I like to do two lace rope braids, and rope braid the tails together. It's a cute style that can be worn down or bunned and kept in overnight for 2nd-day waves.

[lithostoic]

I can't go into any more detail than that, I'm not sure how to make it more clear. I am not a smart person. Would it help if I made a short video?

[wispe]

I can't go into any more detail than that, I'm not sure how to make it more clear. I am not a smart person. Would it help if I made a short video?

If you wouldn't mind & when you have the time, that sounds helpful! I'm more of a visual & tactile learner, I think.

[lithostoic]

Double post

[lithostoic]

No problem! It's pretty simple just hard to explain haha. Sorry for the vertical upload, I had to balance my phone on a roll of toilet paper lol.


https://youtu.be/d2E6hmfBo-c

[wispe]

No problem! It's pretty simple just hard to explain haha. Sorry for the vertical upload, I had to balance my phone on a roll of toilet paper lol.
-snip-
Ohh, I see now. It looks much gentler than pancaking/pulling on a braid is. Thank you! I'm a tight braider too, I may try implementing this sometime (:

[lapis_lazuli]

I wore an english braid every day between BSL and tailbone, with no problem gaining length. Nowadays, my hair is usually up in a LWB, but I'd love to get back to braids. I enjoy having my hair down and not hidden away as I do now.
Now I just have to learn how to do braids other than the english one. I will try my best to progress this year!

[littlestarface]

Nice vid litho, short sweet n to the point.


I'm gonna have to stop wearing amish pins so much which means no crown braids :cry: I took me hair down yesterday and omg there was a crinkly bumpy part in my hair near my scalp where the amish pin goes and I notice some short hairs there. I'm terrified now so now i'm doing double dutch braids and using spin pins to make it into a bun. I'm so the sad now.
http://i.imgur.com/Gn6jvt7.jpg

[Arctic]

Has anyone had success securing braid ends with spin pins? I like the idea and I do get it to work on shorter term but I've never (yet?) tried it on longer term, or outside home (where I might loose the spin pin).

[lithostoic]

You're welcome wispe! Yes it's much gentler, no roughing up the hair c:

lapis_lazuli An easy one to learn is rope braids. Just two strands! I think next easiest is 4 strand braids because they're so similar to regular English braids.

Thank you littlestarface! Sorry to hear about the breakage, spin pins are supposed to be pretty gentle so I think you've made the right decision!

[hayheadsbird]

:( that's annoying if they're causing breakage littlestarface . Switching up to spin pins is prob the best idea.


Has anyone had success securing braid ends with spin pins? I like the idea and I do get it to work on shorter term but I've never (yet?) tried it on longer term, or outside home (where I might loose the spin pin).

Do you mean instead of using elastic or ribbon? I use them to pin up my Dutch braids, but I use hair friendly ties to secure the tails of the braid itself.

[Arctic]

Yes, that's what I meant.

[DoomKitty]

Yesterday, was trying get my hands coordinated when I get to the back of my head trying to do a crown braid, :justy: will keep trying.

Sounds like me yesterday trying to do lace braids for the first time...although maybe freshly washed hair wasn't the best choice either

[MoonRabbit]

Started damp braiding my hair on wash day

https://s25.postimg.org/syi8xad0v/20170124_010202.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/6zbua2w6j/)free screenshot software (https://postimage.org/app.php)

Here are the results after 9 hours of drying in two dutch braids

https://s25.postimg.org/kua4sjqlr/20170124_010541.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/cc0oo7k2z/)print screen (https://postimage.org/app.php)

[lithostoic]

Looks great MoonRabbit! I wish my braid waves turned out that well.

[littlestarface]

Looks great MoonRabbit! I wish my braid waves turned out that well.

That goes double for me.

I miss my crown braid T_T

[reilly0167]

Nice vid litho, short sweet n to the point.


I'm gonna have to stop wearing amish pins so much which means no crown braids :cry: I took me hair down yesterday and omg there was a crinkly bumpy part in my hair near my scalp where the amish pin goes and I notice some short hairs there. I'm terrified now so now i'm doing double dutch braids and using spin pins to make it into a bun. I'm so the sad now.
http://i.imgur.com/Gn6jvt7.jpg
Wow, that shine!

[littlestarface]

Well I went back to crown braid, I couldnt take it my hair was trying to escape and matting every second.

[wispe]

Well I went back to crown braid, I couldnt take it my hair was trying to escape and matting every second.

Perhaps you can vary where you place your pin to hold it, to mitigate potential damage.

I don't know how you manage to hold your braid with just a single pin; I wore a crown overnight+this morning and I needed 12 amish pins to lock that sucker down, and my hair tried to spit most of them out x_x

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

Started damp braiding my hair on wash day

https://s25.postimg.org/syi8xad0v/20170124_010202.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/6zbua2w6j/)free screenshot software (https://postimage.org/app.php)

Here are the results after 9 hours of drying in two dutch braids

https://s25.postimg.org/kua4sjqlr/20170124_010541.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/cc0oo7k2z/)print screen (https://postimage.org/app.php)

Love it, your curls look real and not braid manipulated. I cant do braids with my hair because the waves dont look good. Yours are perfect.

[littlestarface]

Perhaps you can vary where you place your pin to hold it, to mitigate potential damage.

I don't know how you manage to hold your braid with just a single pin; I wore a crown overnight+this morning and I needed 12 amish pins to lock that sucker down, and my hair tried to spit most of them out x_x

Yea i'm trying different spots, lets see if it works cuz I can't live without this braid loll.

I think it's cuz my hair wraps around and around so I wrap pretty tightly round maybe that's why, I have no idea. At first I was using 6 pins when I did it looser.

[FennFire911]

The pics in this thread are great!

How do you guys protect your braids when you sleep? If I sleep with my hair in Dutch braids I wake up looking like a fuzz monster. Sprigs of hair will be out all over the place.

[MoonRabbit]

Thanks everyone ;) I think I'm going to keep doing this for awhile. I like how it keeps my wet hair out of my face. If it's damp and loose I have an issue of flipping it out of the way and that causes frizz. As for protecting my braids while I sleep, I tuck the two braids (length only) in a satin sleep cap and tie it off with a scrunchie. My scalp hairs are protected by my "silk pillow case" ( which technically is a silk robe wrapped around my pillow lol).

[wispe]

Yea i'm trying different spots, lets see if it works cuz I can't live without this braid loll.

I think it's cuz my hair wraps around and around so I wrap pretty tightly round maybe that's why, I have no idea. At first I was using 6 pins when I did it looser.
I hope it all works out for you!


The pics in this thread are great!

How do you guys protect your braids when you sleep? If I sleep with my hair in Dutch braids I wake up looking like a fuzz monster. Sprigs of hair will be out all over the place.

Silk bonnet on top, to contain it so the tail won't rub on the rougher sheets.

[littlestarface]

The pics in this thread are great!

How do you guys protect your braids when you sleep? If I sleep with my hair in Dutch braids I wake up looking like a fuzz monster. Sprigs of hair will be out all over the place.

Silk bonnet.

[RebekahE]

A silk bag (like a bag for a horses tail) on the braid. I don't worry much about the top.

[lithostoic]

An oiled French braid is always nice. Although I wish it was more comfortable for the back of my head when laying down.

[Simsy]

The pics in this thread are great!

How do you guys protect your braids when you sleep? If I sleep with my hair in Dutch braids I wake up looking like a fuzz monster. Sprigs of hair will be out all over the place.

I found straight English braids shred less than Dutch or French braids on me. So I do a few separate braids and just pin them around my head. Very comfortable to sleep in and they still look respectable in the morning.

[FennFire911]

Well heck, I should have checked in before going to the store today. I looked at a bonnet but didn't get one. Lol I'll get it on my next trip and try it out. It would be a life saver if I could braid at night when I have time, and the braids survive well enough to wear to work the next day. :D

[Impulsive]

An oiled French braid is always nice. Although I wish it was more comfortable for the back of my head when laying down.

Double french/dutch braids would probably solve that problem. I wear double braids a lot. Very comfortable. :)

[hayheadsbird]

Double french/dutch braids would probably solve that problem. I wear double braids a lot. Very comfortable. :)

Double butch braids pinned up are my go to style for work these days. Holds well even if I'm running round most of the day, and can just unpin and leave them in for sleeping.

[LadyCelestina]

My braid froze today :D

[lithostoic]

Can't do double French or Dutch. I guess I'll have to do double rope braids more often. I like the braid waves from those better anyway.

[Ponymad21]

I wear two braids everyday, it's the only hairstyle that doesn't give me a headache!

[Impulsive]

Can't do double French or Dutch. I guess I'll have to do double rope braids more often. I like the braid waves from those better anyway.

You've been getting better and better. If you really want to learn double French/dutch, then practice, and I have no doubt you'll get there eventually. Of course, if you just don't want to, that's fine, too. I've always thought that rope braids are really pretty, but I hardly ever do them; too much twisting for my personal tastes. Braiding is just easier and faster for me ... I suppose I should take my own advice, huh?


Double butch braids pinned up are my go to style for work these days. Holds well even if I'm running round most of the day, and can just unpin and leave them in for sleeping.

Do you mean with bobby pins? I like to skewer both braids with a stick or fork and then wrap the tails around the toy and tuck the ends under the resulting wrapped formation. It holds all day with no extra pins for me. Course, I also don't jump around a lot.

[lithostoic]

Impulsive It hurts my neck/shoulders and back to have my arms up for that long. Rope braids are much faster because of only having two strands.

[meteor]

A silk bag (like a bag for a horses tail) on the braid. I don't worry much about the top.

Great idea, RebekahE! :) I'm thinking maybe I could DIY a really simple tail bag from silk fabric or even a silky pantyhose (e.g. like this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0e4cGEqzcE)) and use it on my braid at night? :hmm: Just watched this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GxCkmgExcs) and this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrhxVBSHfFo)... so many possibilities... :)

[hayheadsbird]

Do you mean with bobby pins? I like to skewer both braids with a stick or fork and then wrap the tails around the toy and tuck the ends under the resulting wrapped formation. It holds all day with no extra pins for me. Course, I also don't jump around a lot.

Normally a spin pin, sometimes an Amish pin.

[lithostoic]

The double French rope braids feel very comfortable. Looking forward to the braid waves. I don't like the waves from 3 strand braids.

[Impulsive]

Impulsive It hurts my neck/shoulders and back to have my arms up for that long. Rope braids are much faster because of only having two strands.

Ah, ok. I see now. Yes, it does strain the arms. I understand why you'd avoid it. Rock those rope braids! :)


Normally a spin pin, sometimes an Amish pin.

Spin pins do hold well. I used to really like mine and I used them a lot, but then the finish started coming off. Perhaps, I just got a bad batch, but I've been wary of using them or buying new ones ever since. I don't have any amish pins. I've had them favorited for about 2 years and on a list of something-to-try-eventually and I've just never gotten around to buying them. I think it's because they look fragile to me. They look just like mini-forks only not sturdy enough to hold my whole bun. Do you find them to be fragile? How many do you normally have to use to hold up your buns/braids?

[MoonRabbit]

The double French rope braids feel very comfortable. Looking forward to the braid waves. I don't like the waves from 3 strand braids.

I hope we get a photo of these braid waves :)

[hayheadsbird]

Ah, ok. I see now. Yes, it does strain the arms. I understand why you'd avoid it. Rock those rope braids! :)



Spin pins do hold well. I used to really like mine and I used them a lot, but then the finish started coming off. Perhaps, I just got a bad batch, but I've been wary of using them or buying new ones ever since. I don't have any amish pins. I've had them favorited for about 2 years and on a list of something-to-try-eventually and I've just never gotten around to buying them. I think it's because they look fragile to me. They look just like mini-forks only not sturdy enough to hold my whole bun. Do you find them to be fragile? How many do you normally have to use to hold up your buns/braids?

They are Def not fragile :)
For a cinibun I normally use 4 or 5. If I'm using them instead of spin pins then 2/3 on each braid.
For two braided bins or a pair of cinibuns I use about 3 on each bun.
Littlestarface can use one to hold up her whole crown braid I believe!
I use mine like mini forks. I got 4 sizes to play with after being gifted some from a very lovely member here because they were so amazing. The smaller ones I use to tuck in layers trying to pop out.

My hair's only BSL but is just in to iii.

[lithostoic]

Here's the braid waves c:

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/16178994_1564503636899716_95920183654931022_o.jpg? efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=dbd76d8de32bc316c41790f583ee911a&oe=59006CCF

[ReadingRenee]

So pretty lithostoic! Seriously beautiful hair and waves. :)

[wispe]

Here's the braid waves c:

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/16178994_1564503636899716_95920183654931022_o.jpg? efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=dbd76d8de32bc316c41790f583ee911a&oe=59006CCF

I love those waves on you! I wore rope braidwaves a few days this week also, they're my favorite. I wish mine were a little larger sometimes, I might try rope braiding in a paranda and see if that does it.

[lapis_lazuli]

That is lovely, lithostoic! Your colour is very pretty too :o

[lithostoic]

Thank you ReadingRenee, wispe, and lapis_lazuli!

[MoonRabbit]

Beautiful lithostoic! I'm in love with your color :crush:

[Impulsive]

Those are absolutely beautiful braid waves, lithostoic! :crush: I'm jealous.


They are Def not fragile :)
For a cinibun I normally use 4 or 5. If I'm using them instead of spin pins then 2/3 on each braid.
For two braided bins or a pair of cinibuns I use about 3 on each bun.
Littlestarface can use one to hold up her whole crown braid I believe!
I use mine like mini forks. I got 4 sizes to play with after being gifted some from a very lovely member here because they were so amazing. The smaller ones I use to tuck in layers trying to pop out.

My hair's only BSL but is just in to iii.
That's good to know. I'll have to move them up my to-buy list. It will probably still be a little while before I can try them 'cause I'm sorta broke right now, but my interest is definitely caught. Thank you!

[lithostoic]

Thank you MoonRabbit and Impulsive! Strange for me to think anyone could admire or be jealous of my hair, I was always told it was undesirable! Aaaand here's the waves at the end of the night. Markedly looser lol. If I hadn't used hairspray, I doubt they'd be there at all!

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/16403388_1565243073492439_769392804847199963_o.jpg ?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=0299faba2dfd3c11829e2442215123f4&oe=5914AF6D

I still like the texture though. Going to try to preserve the style for tomorrow! I will redo the same braids tonight (except looser), after scrunching in some serum. I haven't yet combed my hair today so this will be interesting lol! Fingers crossed that it won't hurt to detangle.

[LadyCelestina]

^ I don't know if you've seen it since the thread exploded a bit shortly after (giving up the dye etc thread), but on my computer your hair is always a golden medium blonde, which is quite a desirable colour :D

[Serimel]

lithostoic your wavies are lovely :3

[lithostoic]

LadyCelestina I assure you that is not true! Haha. My hair is very reflective and I have natural highlights (as well as bleach from the jaw down), but it is actually much closer to brown c:

Serimel Thank you!

And here's today. I rebraided the other night with a bit of serum and left them in all day yesterday. My hair feels great and no signs of oil at the roots! I'm glad, I thought I might have to water rinse today.

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/16422749_1567382689945144_8084166790631881488_o.jp g?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=e969a31cd242bd968fa0d667c9770713&oe=590C73F8

Can't believe the shine! It really does make my hair look blonder.

[reilly0167]

Finally managed a two strand crown braid yesterday after many tries. Today, as I'm getting ready for work, I did it again and it was easy peasy:D

[reilly0167]

LadyCelestina I assure you that is not true! Haha. My hair is very reflective and I have natural highlights (as well as bleach from the jaw down), but it is actually much closer to brown c:

Serimel Thank you!

And here's today. I rebraided the other night with a bit of serum and left them in all day yesterday. My hair feels great and no signs of oil at the roots! I'm glad, I thought I might have to water rinse today.

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/16422749_1567382689945144_8084166790631881488_o.jp g?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=e969a31cd242bd968fa0d667c9770713&oe=590C73F8

Can't believe the shine! It really does make my hair look blonder.
Sooooo pretty:D

[lithostoic]

reilly0617 Thank you! And congrats on the crown braid, I've tried a few times with no luck! I must be doing something wrong bc my hair just slips right out as I'm braiding.

[Mrstran]

Ok I've got the braid thing down. It looks just awful due to all my layers sticking out all over. Still when I go out it goes in a braid. Whatever. At home it's that or loose bun.

[reilly0167]

reilly0617 Thank you! And congrats on the crown braid, I've tried a few times with no luck! I must be doing something wrong bc my hair just slips right out as I'm braiding.
I find that braids and buns hold better on day two or three hair. Well on mine at least.

[MoonRabbit]

Spraying your hair with some water before braiding will give it some grip as well.

[Flossiebell]

Bit late but I'd like to join too please! I usually braid my hair whenever I need to put it out of the way and it strays relatively well without using a hair tie. If I braid it every day then I may be able to grow it out faster (although I appreciate that could all be in my head :D)

[Hairkay]

I've discovered that my hair is now too long to just criss cross and tuck when I do two flat twists crown braid style. The ends of the hanging twists reach from the back of my head to beyond my forehead in the front. I'll need more tucks or tripling back my weaving in the ends technique. Today I just settled for a bun in the back of my flat twists.

[MoonRabbit]

Does anyone know another way to tie off double dutch braids, other than using the little black or clear rubber band things?

[Aredhel]

I love braids but my thin hair looks so short in them! Plus I often hear my hair breaking as I braid... heartbreaking. :(

Anyone else struggle with braiding the back of their head? My arms get so exhausted after 2 minutes!

[PrincessAralin]

I wear a plait basically every day and night, I've done so basically since my hair was long enough to get into a plait. (English braid, to the Americans)
It's just really comfortable to wear it that way. I braid and bun it when I go to work. I'm really a fan of braids, I think they look good and are very practical.

[vpatt]

I like braids, I have learned to French braid. I did a successful Dutch braid finally and then thought it didn't look that good with my hair. I like the faux French braid. I guess i should try a crown braid and maybe fish tail and rope braids. Maybe I will play around tomorrow before washing.

[Groovy Granny]

Does anyone know another way to tie off double dutch braids, other than using the little black or clear rubber band things?
I use the elastic ribbon ties for around the house, and the Scunci no damage cloth covered ties for outside.


I love braids but my thin hair looks so short in them! Plus I often hear my hair breaking as I braid... heartbreaking. :(

Anyone else struggle with braiding the back of their head? My arms get so exhausted after 2 minutes!

I FINALLY learned how to pull the braid to the front (over my shoulder) to finish it off :joy:
Before, I would start the braid , then continue holding it up and finally over my head, but now it is too long and my hands go numb lol

So practice that ...it is a head game at first to reverse movements, then muscle memory takes over your hands.


I wear a plait basically every day and night, I've done so basically since my hair was long enough to get into a plait. (English braid, to the Americans)
It's just really comfortable to wear it that way. I braid and bun it when I go to work. I'm really a fan of braids, I think they look good and are very practical.
I JUST started doing that this week and love it!
Prior I wore a low/loose/nape ponytail with the elastic ribbons, but suddenly with length @ hip it will not stay flipped over my pillow and gets caught under my shoulders.
I tried a top knot; it stayed well and was comfy but caused scalp pain the next day because the hair shaft placement was different.
I'll stay with the braid, and do a flipped braid for Summer; I found a small barrette to clip it at the top of my head.


I like braids, I have learned to French braid. I did a successful Dutch braid finally and then thought it didn't look that good with my hair. I like the faux French braid. I guess i should try a crown braid and maybe fish tail and rope braids. Maybe I will play around tomorrow before washing.

Since I am mostly silver now, it is too fine to do French braids; I get major tangles....and it is too fine to do accent braids as well. :(

Dutch braids don't look good on me either; my hair isn't thick enough to pull it off. :shrug:

I do Torrin Paige's faux French braid, a single English, and rope braids (those I love!!); worn down to sleep, and bunned or flipped to go out.

Forget fish tail braids...I don't have the hair or dexterity LOL

[vpatt]

GG, with rope braids do you do one braid or two? Last week I did a French braid and th I. Put it up with a Dragon fly flexi 8... I was shocked that not only did it feel good, I was actually happy with how it looked. D

Do rope braids give similar waves as buns?

And why why why can I not get a good siggie pic, lol. Guess I need an actual camera.

[Groovy Granny]

GG, with rope braids do you do one braid or two? Last week I did a French braid and th I. Put it up with a Dragon fly flexi 8... I was shocked that not only did it feel good, I was actually happy with how it looked. D

Do rope braids give similar waves as buns?

And why why why can I not get a good siggie pic, lol. Guess I need an actual camera.

So far I have only done one 2 strand....I should try 2 and see how it works (if I have enough hair lol)

Flipped or bunned French braids are lovely; as much as it can tangle I must try and muster through now and then :wink:

My rope braid waves produce similar waves I get from cinnamon buns.

I need a good camera too ....and someone to take pics (forget Hubby lol) :p

[vpatt]

I put my sleep braid in my siggie. I don't seem to be able to put pictures in my posts.

[202_bh_rider]

subscribed to this. i've grown up braiding the horses hair for shows, so i've known how to braid from an early age. my hair is usually in a dutch braid that i redo every morning, but sometimes i put in a french or do pigtail braids :) i think it definetly has helped to keep my ends healthy!

[abribun]

I'd love to join! Do any fine and thin hair ladies have advice for getting a thick looking braid? I really think I need to start braiding my hair more often to avoid friction damage.

[vpatt]

I'd love to join! Do any fine and thin hair ladies have advice for getting a thick looking braid? I really think I need to start braiding my hair more often to avoid friction damage.

There are several youtube videos on this. But basically you want to braid a few inches and then pull each bump first from the the outer part and then the inner part of the bump to fluff and plump it. Braid a couple more inches and then pull/fluff each bump you just braided. Or you can complete the whole braid and then pancake or pull each bump to make it look larger. But you cannot fluff them as much if you complete the whole braid first. I'm sure a video will make more sense than me.

[wispe]

I'd love to join! Do any fine and thin hair ladies have advice for getting a thick looking braid? I really think I need to start braiding my hair more often to avoid friction damage.

Thinner braids can be beautiful in their own right: there's something dainty and intricate about them. But if you're self-conscious about it pancaking (as described by vpatt, youtube has tons of examples) is an excellent way to make a braid look a little larger. I also find that texture helps - dry shampoo and braidwaves both help for me. Smooth hair and tightly braided styles can get pretty compact and look thinner. I think there's also products out there like texturizing powders or sprays but I don't have experience with those types of products. You could also braid with a paranda or hair extentions if you like. Or if you have a long enough thin-material scarf you can always braid one in.

[lithostoic]

It'll be a while before I can even attempt a decent bun. My hair thins out significantly at about jaw length because of my bleach damage. I have to wrap the ends a million times, and the resulting bun is very unstable if it can be secured at all. I will stick with braids!

I've got a French braid in right now. Slightly damp, rinsed and conditioned hair. I imagine the braidwaves will be silky and defined! Too bad my hair looks so oily or I'd wear them down tomorrow.

[lithostoic]

Sorry for the double post. Crossposted from the braid picture thread. Oily hair always makes for the best French braids on me.

https://scontent-mia1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/17358870_1624602580889821_4529558913708011342_o.jp g?efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&oh=106977a45f7b7367ba413661f3453570&oe=5925403A

[MoonRabbit]

lithostoic I always love seeing your french braids, they look perfect. I wish you could do mine lol.

[lucid]

I dutch braided my hair when it was wet, and when it was dry I brushed it out, and it gave me really nice waves and volume (look at avatar for reference, I have 1a hair irl :p ) - however, my hair felt tangley, and I suspect it was because it wasn't tangle free when I braided it? Or maybe wavy hair just tangles easier? I don't like combing my hair when it's wet, so I'm thinking that maybe braiding while dry, and then spraying water on it when it's braided could work?


Cross posted.
https://s26.postimg.org/bd10icmx5/17269221_10158263052370109_794593921_o.jpg


And isn't it strange that my hair holds waves better and better, the longer it gets? I love it, but I have no idea why it's happening? Does anyone else experience the same thing? I didn't do CWC when it was shorter, that is the only thing that is different with my routine.

[Shorty89]

I don't know if this has already been asked, but don't you guys find some damage from your braid catching/rubbing on things? If I wear a braid in winter it rubs on my winter coat, gets tangled in my scarf and coat zipper. It's easier in summer, but I couldn't wear my hair in braids most of the time (especially winter) because of this problem. How do you guys avoid that?

[Groovy Granny]

I must braid my hair for bed all the time now; it is too long to keep in a low/loose ponytail....and crawls all over me lol
Thankfully the braid waves are lovely now that my hair is longer, and they actually give me more texture now which helps a lot with my fine silver :thumbsup:

[Impulsive]

I don't know if this has already been asked, but don't you guys find some damage from your braid catching/rubbing on things? If I wear a braid in winter it rubs on my winter coat, gets tangled in my scarf and coat zipper. It's easier in summer, but I couldn't wear my hair in braids most of the time (especially winter) because of this problem. How do you guys avoid that?

I haven't noticed any damage. My biggest problems are split ends and fairy knots, and I have noticed that I have fewer fairy knots when I braid my hair than I when I just bun it or leave it down. I think that because of the reduction in fairy knots, and just knots in general, wearing my hair in braids actually helps to keep my hair looking and feeling its best. Whenever my braid gets in the way I simply bun it.

[wispe]

If my braids are down and rubbing/shredding and it starts to aggravate me I'll bun them up. I keep a small arsenal of hair toys in my purse, so it's no problem if I'm out and about, and there's always a nautilus if I don't have time to dig for a stick. I can also pull them forwards/over a shoulder if I feel they are rubbing on my back/getting caught behind me (they're long enough now they stay put instead of falling behind me again when I turn my head).

[MoonRabbit]

I don't know if this has already been asked, but don't you guys find some damage from your braid catching/rubbing on things? If I wear a braid in winter it rubs on my winter coat, gets tangled in my scarf and coat zipper. It's easier in summer, but I couldn't wear my hair in braids most of the time (especially winter) because of this problem. How do you guys avoid that?

The only time I get damage from braids is when I wear the same one for days. When I take it down it is full of tangles and I'm sure over time combing and handling has caused some damage. But as long as I redo my braid everyday and change the style, it's more protected than wearing it loose. In winter I do tend to wear my hair up more but if I want to wear a braid I always make sure I tuck the length inside the coat so it's out of the cold wind/moisture. My coat has a silk lining so it never catches on the inside.

[Hairkay]

I don't know if this has already been asked, but don't you guys find some damage from your braid catching/rubbing on things? If I wear a braid in winter it rubs on my winter coat, gets tangled in my scarf and coat zipper. It's easier in summer, but I couldn't wear my hair in braids most of the time (especially winter) because of this problem. How do you guys avoid that?

I mostly keep my braids bunned or tucked in or interwoven back up the plaits/braids to shorten it to above my shoulders. That way much rubbing is reduced. Leaving hair down is an occasional thing.

[lucid]

I always wear my hair down, either loose or in a braid. I have started seeing damage - but only in the bleached parts (breakage and splits). It is kind of frustrating... My braid used to be smooth, but now hair is poking out everywhere after a while. I have bought silk scarves to put over my sofa (I tend to lay my head against it, and the fabric is coarse, so I really think this is the biggest cause of friction damage) and shoulders when I'm home, and silk pillow case to ease the friction. I want to wear my hair down, so some damage is inevitable, but I think this way friction damage is reduced as much as possible.

When my hair was un-bleached I didn't see any damage from wearing it in a braid. Some in my nape/neck area, where my hair is a bit shorter than the rest - but again, I think that is a consequence of wearing it down - there will be some friction against your clothes.

[MoonRabbit]

Decided to do double rope braids today and it was a mistake doing it on damp hair. I don't know if the dampness made the grip tight or I twisted far to much but I felt 2 nape hairs snap while doing them. I can feel them pulling some hairs at the back and the top. It's very uncomfortable, though I'm only wearing them for a symmetrical soft wave pattern when I take them down in a few hours. I hope I didn't cause much damage.

[languagenut]

Decided to do double rope braids today and it was a mistake doing it on damp hair. I don't know if the dampness made the grip tight or I twisted far to much but I felt 2 nape hairs snap while doing them. I can feel them pulling some hairs at the back and the top. It's very uncomfortable, though I'm only wearing them for a symmetrical soft wave pattern when I take them down in a few hours. I hope I didn't cause much damage.

How did it turn out? Last time I did rope braids in damp hair, the results were horrible; when I tried to undo them, my hair kept trying to twist back up, and I ended up with a tangled mess that I finally just threw in a bun in desperation. It was days before my hair was back to normal. So now I do rope braids only in completely dry hair, and don't get any wave to speak of. Were your results different?

I'm wondering if perhaps it would work for me with veeery slightly damp hair? But I'm too scared to try...

I guess I can be considered part of the "braiders' club" since I braid my hair most of the time. It's just a simple English braid or two; not the most protective style perhaps, but easier and more comfortable for me than anything else.

[Zebra Fish]

This is also the case for me :thumbsup: But I have to say that I also have some damage from the braid elastic - or at least I think it's from that.

I use a small calw clip at the end. Even if I braid for sleep I do that and no damage at end from that. You might try it :flower:

[bparnell75]

I often braid at night and here is my solution to the elastic damage. Just be sure to put the coils up high enough to cause some tension around the coils.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=141968

[MoonRabbit]

How did it turn out? Last time I did rope braids in damp hair, the results were horrible; when I tried to undo them, my hair kept trying to twist back up, and I ended up with a tangled mess that I finally just threw in a bun in desperation. It was days before my hair was back to normal. So now I do rope braids only in completely dry hair, and don't get any wave to speak of. Were your results different?

I'm wondering if perhaps it would work for me with veeery slightly damp hair? But I'm too scared to try...

I guess I can be considered part of the "braiders' club" since I braid my hair most of the time. It's just a simple English braid or two; not the most protective style perhaps, but easier and more comfortable for me than anything else.

Horrible! haha It kept twisting back up and took forever to finger comb out. Up in a bun it went right after this photo.

https://s25.postimg.org/g03bfwm7j/20170318_214044.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/5q0wgnwbv/)

[languagenut]

Horrible! haha It kept twisting back up and took forever to finger comb out. Up in a bun it went right after this photo.

Oh no! :-( Guess that method for making waves can be really problematic for some of us. It sure was a mess when I tried it.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I CANT WAIT TIL I HIT WAIST. Then I can do braids without looking like a 12 year old and can join this forum lol

[MoonRabbit]

Oh no! :-( Guess that method for making waves can be really problematic for some of us. It sure was a mess when I tried it.

Well now we know. Rope braids only on dry hair. A little damage for new knowledge isn't so bad I guess. Maybe it would work on someone with fine silky hair.


I CANT WAIT TIL I HIT WAIST. Then I can do braids without looking like a 12 year old and can join this forum lol

I think double dutch braids looks amazing at any length.

[hayheadsbird]

I CANT WAIT TIL I HIT WAIST. Then I can do braids without looking like a 12 year old and can join this forum lol

Embrace your inner child!
As already said, double Dutch looks great on everyone, I use it for PE days at work. Advantage is a couple of pins and the braids are short enough to pin up in a pretty complex looking braided bun at the back. Instant switch to a more professional look. :D

[rags]

I CANT WAIT TIL I HIT WAIST. Then I can do braids without looking like a 12 year old and can join this forum lol

I don't know how old your are, but I'm older (a grandmother!), and I wear straight up double braids fairly often. Oh, and I have such thin hair that you can barely see them too, for a double whammy. :p. (My pony is 1.5"). Double Dutch are my favorites, though often nowadays my fingers won't work well enough to do them in the mornings, so it's only english braids or a bun.

I think braids are for whoever wants to wear them! Thick or thin, curly or straight, they're very comfortable and beautiful as well.

[lithostoic]

French braiding my wet water-rinsed hair nightly is my new thing. I'm really liking it.

[Aphra]

I've started wearing my double English braids to work. I realised that it still wouldn't be the least conventional hairstyle in the dept (and that prize goes to someone very senior), so what the heck. They are sooooooooo comfy.

I've concluded that I don't actually have hair length goals, I have braid goals. I'm actually starting to find my hair a bit annoying down (MBL length) and would probably cut back to shoulder if it wasn't for my love of my braids.

[*Seraphina*]

I love to braid my hair! It looks like I put a lot of time to it and it's very comfy.
I like a french side braid or a bunned (French) braid. I tried the crown braid last week which was also very comfy to wear. :)

[lizardspots]

I've concluded that I don't actually have hair length goals, I have braid goals. I'm actually starting to find my hair a bit annoying down (MBL length) and would probably cut back to shoulder if it wasn't for my love of my braids.

This is so true of me too. I have decided I'm aiming for tailbone length, but actually what I want is a minimum waist length braid. I also find wearing hair down annoying, hate getting strands caught on bag straps or flying into my face/mouth/eye. How do some people wear their hair down all the time??? Is there a skill to it? xD

[lucid]

I love wearing my hair down, I must inhabit that special skill :p one exception though; if there is wind...

I would love bcl length braid. I don't know how long my hair would have to be to achieve that. My braid doesn't steal much of my length, but some of course.

[lizardspots]

I love wearing my hair down, I must inhabit that special skill :p one exception though; if there is wind...

I would love bcl length braid. I don't know how long my hair would have to be to achieve that. My braid doesn't steal much of my length, but some of course.

Braid goals! I dream of having a long smooth braid that swooshes around like a whip when I turn my head xD

[lithostoic]

I would love to have a hip length braid someday. Doesn't seem feasible though :/ As a kid my hair only ever made it to waist before it stopped growing.

[lucid]

What do you guys think about wearing two braids down? I really like wearing them, but for some reason I always undo them and make one braid instead if I'm heading out :p

https://s26.postimg.org/w4dej8wsp/17505615_10158317001805109_1151957210_n.jpg

[lithostoic]

I think it looks really cute, lucid!

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

I don't know how old your are, but I'm older (a grandmother!), and I wear straight up double braids fairly often. Oh, and I have such thin hair that you can barely see them too, for a double whammy. :p. (My pony is 1.5"). Double Dutch are my favorites, though often nowadays my fingers won't work well enough to do them in the mornings, so it's only english braids or a bun.

I think braids are for whoever wants to wear them! Thick or thin, curly or straight, they're very comfortable and beautiful as well.

I just feel like they look better on longer lengths. I look too young already as it is.. im 23 and get mistaken for being 18/19 a lot.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

What do you guys think about wearing two braids down? I really like wearing them, but for some reason I always undo them and make one braid instead if I'm heading out :p

https://s26.postimg.org/w4dej8wsp/17505615_10158317001805109_1151957210_n.jpg

Goal braids!! This is what I want my braids to look like!

[anisia]

I'm in!
Someone told me a long time ago, that it's better to wear your hair braided, if you want to grow it really long.
So that's what I do now, besides I can't really do anything else with my hair while it's at this length...

[anisia]

What do you guys think about wearing two braids down? I really like wearing them, but for some reason I always undo them and make one braid instead if I'm heading out :p

https://s26.postimg.org/w4dej8wsp/17505615_10158317001805109_1151957210_n.jpg

I love your hair! And those braids look beautiful on you :)

[Aphra]

What do you guys think about wearing two braids down? I really like wearing them, but for some reason I always undo them and make one braid instead if I'm heading out :p

https://s26.postimg.org/w4dej8wsp/17505615_10158317001805109_1151957210_n.jpg

Looks awesome. As mentioned, I now happily head out to work like that some days (well, I say like that, but my braids are half the length #braid goals). I don't think it looks little girly unless it gets teamed with a very girly dress - and even then if someone likes looking that way, why care what anyone else thinks.

[languagenut]

I just feel like they look better on longer lengths. I look too young already as it is.. im 23 and get mistaken for being 18/19 a lot.

18/19? Consider yourself well off; I'm 23 and people think I'm 15 or 16! And then my dad tells them my age, and they're all incredulous and it's so awkward... and how am I ever going to get married if all the young men think I'm just a kid? I'm not sure I want to be an old maid...

(end tangent)

[pili]

Rebeccalaurenxx and languagenut, I know you two probably don't want to hear this, but be grateful. At your age, I also got mistaken for much younger, and now at 42...I still get mistaken for younger! Theres always a silver lining.

[raemarthe]

I love your hair lucid, I would love to have braids that long!

[MoonRabbit]

Rebeccalaurenxx and languagenut, I know you two probably don't want to hear this, but be grateful. At your age, I also got mistaken for much younger, and now at 42...I still get mistaken for younger! Theres always a silver lining.

I concur. I'm 24 and everyone thinks I'm 16. I love it haha. Inching to thirty and still pass off as a high school student...won't hear me complaining about that.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

18/19? Consider yourself well off; I'm 23 and people think I'm 15 or 16! And then my dad tells them my age, and they're all incredulous and it's so awkward... and how am I ever going to get married if all the young men think I'm just a kid? I'm not sure I want to be an old maid...

(end tangent)

18/19 is the more common one, but I have been mistaken for much younger. Depends on if my tattoos are showing, I get 18/19 because legally its the only way I can look the way I do.. I have a quarter sleeve, my full stomach and several large leg tattoos. If I didnt have so many I would be mistaken for much younger more often.


I concur. I'm 24 and everyone thinks I'm 16. I love it haha. Inching to thirty and still pass off as a high school student...won't hear me complaining about that.

I had a cop harass me on the street once because I was walking home after curfew and he thought I was 16. Looking younger is great i guess if you care about appearances, but ive been assaulted and harassed in public for being mistaken as a teenager far too many times for it, so meh. I also dont appreciate the people that pick on me, asking if I would like some apple juice etc etc. Doesnt help that I dont drink or do things that a lot of typical 23 yr olds do. I love disneyland and watch cartoons regularly, if I wasnt tattooed it would be way worse. I just want to appear older and long braids accomplish that for me!

[MoonRabbit]

18/19 is the more common one, but I have been mistaken for much younger. Depends on if my tattoos are showing, I get 18/19 because legally its the only way I can look the way I do.. I have a quarter sleeve, my full stomach and several large leg tattoos. If I didnt have so many I would be mistaken for much younger more often.



I had a cop harass me on the street once because I was walking home after curfew and he thought I was 16. Looking younger is great i guess if you care about appearances, but ive been assaulted and harassed in public for being mistaken as a teenager far too many times for it, so meh. I also dont appreciate the people that pick on me, asking if I would like some apple juice etc etc. Doesnt help that I dont drink or do things that a lot of typical 23 yr olds do. I love disneyland and watch cartoons regularly, if I wasnt tattooed it would be way worse. I just want to appear older and long braids accomplish that for me!

I'm really sorry to hear that. I was not aware that California has a curfew law and I can't understand why anyone would harass a person just because they are a teenager or look like a teen. :flower: But if long braids make you happy then that's all that matters. Happy growing!

[rosebridget]

What do you guys think about wearing two braids down? I really like wearing them, but for some reason I always undo them and make one braid instead if I'm heading out :p

https://s26.postimg.org/w4dej8wsp/17505615_10158317001805109_1151957210_n.jpg

this is how I often wear my hair...and how my hair is right now actually! I love having pigtail braids, I think they look super cute.

[- Lizzy -]

Im trying to do more braids. I have a few points where it sticks out at times (even though I don't have layers) and I hate that. Im kind of at an awkward length in terms of hairstyles. I feel like anywhere from apl to mbl can be hard for hairstyles because its like not long but not short. I hope someday to have a braid down my back!

[lucid]

lithostoic, Rebeccalaurenxx, anisia, Aphra and rosebridget: Thank you so much guys, I really appreciate all the feedback and nice comments! I will definitively start wearing them more :D I just think I need to step out of my comfort zone a bit. I'm so used to just wearing my hair down or in a single braid, that everything else feels a bit strange, especially out in public. Yesterday, I wore milk maid braids, and I loved them - first time wearing my hair up, it was a nice change. And I have worn a paranda a couple of times. So I'm starting to expand my hair style options a bit - which is fun :)




Im trying to do more braids. I have a few points where it sticks out at times (even though I don't have layers) and I hate that. Im kind of at an awkward length in terms of hairstyles. I feel like anywhere from apl to mbl can be hard for hairstyles because its like not long but not short. I hope someday to have a braid down my back!

You can try wetting your hair just a bit when braiding, or adding a leave in conditioner or oil. I have started doing this if I have points where my hair sticks out, and it really helps. I just take a bit on my hand when braiding, and add more as I go as needed. I use water mostly, and my regular watered down conditioner if I want it to hold longer. Yesterday I tried oils, and it worked really well.

[littlestarface]

I'm back to crown braids lol I could not live without it, my hair is such a pain in the a$$ without crown braid. I checked it wasn't breakage but it was a bumpy odd feeling when being held to long with an amish pin so now I take out the amish pin at night and just leave it in for the day.

[Simsy]

The work braids have been modified slightly. I'm now lace French braiding the front sections down to just past the ear and braiding in the opposite back section so I only have 2 braids around my head. I have also swapped the bobby pins on the ends for a pair of spin pins; one on each braid. So far, it's holding up well. I still need multiple bobby pins to make sure the sides and top don't move around, but I'm hoping to get my hands on some mini spin pins to start swapping bobbies with. They should work, it's mostly finding the pins to start with.

Has anyone ever used straight pins in milk maid braids? Amish hair pins? I finally found a set and I'm wondering how they hold up for securing braids in position.

[littlestarface]

The work braids have been modified slightly. I'm now lace French braiding the front sections down to just past the ear and braiding in the opposite back section so I only have 2 braids around my head. I have also swapped the bobby pins on the ends for a pair of spin pins; one on each braid. So far, it's holding up well. I still need multiple bobby pins to make sure the sides and top don't move around, but I'm hoping to get my hands on some mini spin pins to start swapping bobbies with. They should work, it's mostly finding the pins to start with.

Has anyone ever used straight pins in milk maid braids? Amish hair pins? I finally found a set and I'm wondering how they hold up for securing braids in position.

When I do the fake crown two braids that wrap around amish pins hold them pretty good but I need like 6 of them instead of my usual 1 in a crown braid. Amish pins are great in braided buns, you just need 1 pin for each wrap around so I need about 7 of them for the one bun but it stays all day and I clean very vigorously at home, always bending over, looking up sweeping mopping etc..

If you can get them I say get them asap

[Simsy]

When I do the fake crown two braids that wrap around amish pins hold them pretty good but I need like 6 of them instead of my usual 1 in a crown braid. Amish pins are great in braided buns, you just need 1 pin for each wrap around so I need about 7 of them for the one bun but it stays all day and I clean very vigorously at home, always bending over, looking up sweeping mopping etc..

If you can get them I say get them asap

Do they work like small forks? I need up to a dozen pins to hold my braids in place so Amish pins won't be a step backwards

[littlestarface]

Do they work like small forks? I need up to a dozen pins to hold my braids in place so Amish pins won't be a step backwards

Yea but better as they are smaller and more tougher since they're like metal or whatever material they use. It uses that weaving motion to insert it. I was kinda confused when I first got mine but after practicing a few times I got it down and can use them much better now.

Just don't drop them on the ground and vacuum one up and then the vacuum spits it out and now the little fork is bent grrrr.

[MoonRabbit]

That moment when you take your hair out of sleep braids and run your fingers through it with zero tangles..Today is going to be a good day.

[vpatt]

I use mostly a french braid at bedtime.....I get pretty decent waves. So I tried 2 English braids thinking I would get double the waves....but nooo I didn't get more waves I got less. How can that be, lol? I tried 2 fish tail braids yesterday (avatar). But I don't think they made waves.

[MoonRabbit]

I use mostly a french braid at bedtime.....I get pretty decent waves. So I tried 2 English braids thinking I would get double the waves....but nooo I didn't get more waves I got less. How can that be, lol? I tried 2 fish tail braids yesterday (avatar). But I don't think they made waves.

That is weird lol. Maybe the braids were loose? I never tried fishtail braids for waves because I always end up with tangles from that style. I get the best results from double dutch on damp hair.

[Arctic]

I'm not sure if there really is an answer but I am tired of my side braid, the non-braid side of it to be exact, becomes loose and flyaway in few hours. I will start to look like my hair would have been braided into bigtails and one of them would have become loose. The only thing that helps is dutch/french braiding the non-braided side and/or back, and preferably use some hair spray after that. I am just bored with that style and my hair should be long enough for a sidebraid without dutch/french braiding the back. Part of the problem is my heavy layers.

[MoonRabbit]

Slept in an English braid down the back instead of off to one side and I quite like the results. It helped contain my growing out bangs. Usually If I do it over one shoulder the other side gets loose and my bangs fall out.

I really need to invest in a fork so I can wear a bun to bed.

[WavyWannabe]

I just figured out how to French braid and Dutch braid, after many ridiculous fails :p
My natural lazy waves usually go away two days after a wash, and braid waves stay well on my hair, and would look really good if the ends didn't look weird from being in the braid tassel (I think I'll try a paranda for this).
Braids also make my buns stay all day, whereas unbraided buns need to be redone after a few hours.
Right now my hair is braided (either down or in a bun) 4-5 days a week (I enjoy my first-day waves then braid them)

[vpatt]

If I braid at bedtime I take the tassel and only pull it half way thru the elastic on the last twist. Then there is some wave all the way to the end the next day. Example in my signature.

[WavyWannabe]

If I braid at bedtime I take the tassel and only pull it half way thru the elastic on the last twist. Then there is some wave all the way to the end the next day. Example in my signature.

I had never thought of this, but it looks like it could improve my weird "tasseled" ends ... I'm going to try it this week

[Arctic]

Some people leave a bit longer tassle, then wrap it around the braid (but I'm not sure how they secure it, I think by wrapping a ribbon around it). This makes the ends curl. Also a sponge roller or bendy stick roller on the ends would help curl the ends. Paranda is good option too (although my own ends just stick out).

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

https://s15.postimg.org/bddmi29gb/IMG_1725.png

Tried a :dutch: braid last night... it was rather hard. So its a bit of a mess...


I rather liked it as a protective style though, it didnt come loose and it was comfortable all day, are these kind of braids safe for every day?
or can doing braids like this cause more damage and less good? i like this method of braiding more than doing french braids because my length is still rather short.

[wispe]

I think braids (especially bunned or pinned up like you've done) are excellent protective styles. Especially if they aren't fiddled with throughout the day. When I bun, I usually end up redoing it multiple times due to inevitable slip, but when I braid my hair (either left down or bunned/pinned) I don't usually find myself going back in to adjust it, so I end up manipulating my hair less.

On a separate note, I learned a 7-strand braid but I definitely struggle to complete it on myself - once I get to the point where I can't braid behind my head any further and go to finish it over one shoulder I get myself really confused about the order to weave the strands. It's frustrating because I know all I need is more practice, but I don't want to overmanipulate my hair with constant braiding and unbraiding, either. :justy:

[olivetime]

I loooooove braids! My hair is short but I do crown braids quite often. Even though my tail is very very short, I wear a braid around the house and at bed time. I look forward to over the shoulder braids some day :)

[vpatt]

I'm pretty certain I'm done with trying a crown braid, sigh. For one thing it didn't even look like a braid and the end result looked like I had a hairnet on my head with odd loose bits hanging in places. Foe once I'm glad I don't know to post pictures!