Braid Hair Products?

[CherryFrizz]

When you braid, do you use any hair products? Any tricks to keep a braid looking neat?

I have fluffy 2a fine hair, and I'm clueless about how to keep it from escaping braids!

[cjk]

One of the terms we use around here is Houdini hair. It can escape anything. What you're describing is braid shred.

Many of us braid hair that's a little bit dirty, a few days after washing. Dry shampoo can also give a bit of grit.

I know some styles will use conditioner or even hair grease, and I have braided my own hair using La looks gel.

My hair still shreds.

A lot of it is just trial and error. Finding what works for you, specifically.

[CherryFrizz]

Thanks cjk. Yes, it is a bit Houdini-like. The problem isn't so much that the braid itself is shredded - but that the hair pops out the top of the braid.

After an hour or so in an English braid, many short hairs will slide out. It rather looks like I have a chin length bob with a braid hanging out from underneath. I have had people, upon seeing me in a braid, do a double-take and ask if I chopped my hair!

You may be on to something with less clean hair. With this whole coronavirus thing, I have been feeling a need to wash my hair more often. Very clean hair may be contributing to the slip.

[cjk]

I have curly hair. Because of that I have a constant Halo of frizz.

It's actually kind of pretty when I'm backlit. Really does look like a Halo.

But when lit normally I just look fuzzy.

My only solution so far is smaller braids, and more of them. One of my favorite styles to do is a twin Dutch braid, a little bit asymmetrical because it works well with my hairline. But the two braids, closer to my edges obviously, contain the shorter hairs with some degree of effectiveness.

[AutobotsAttack]

When you braid, do you use any hair products? Any tricks to keep a braid looking neat?

I have fluffy 2a fine hair, and I'm clueless about how to keep it from escaping braids!

I think you’d be interested in products that are often used for Locs, Cornrows, and/or kinky twists.

There’s everything from braiding jams, jellies, loc butters, you name it.
Here’s a few brands I use mostly for when I do cornrows or to keep my twists in place:
•Shea Moisture Loc and Braid Butter
•Ampro Shine and Jam Conditioning Gel
•Curl Peace Grip Glaze
•Sulfur 8 Loc and Twist (This is more of a beeswax consistency. A bit on the heavier side)
•Design Essentials Platinum Control Gel
•Carols Daughter Loc Butter Shaping Pomade
•Obia Naturals Twist Whip Butter
•Urban Hydration Curl Jelly
•Puffy Hold Me Down Baby Gelle (that is the actual name of the product lol)
• Pantene Gold Series Triple Care Braid Cream

These are just a few products I’m the most familiar with.

Concerning Technique, try to keep the products about an inch or two from the roots, and apply it on the outer canopy of your hair. Don’t worry about trying to get the product to seep into the inner layers towards the top of your head. It’ll kind of act like a sturdy umbrella or sorts once the product has a chance to settle into the hair, so that the more wispy hairs stay contained. Apply product as far down as you’re wishing to get the wispies under control.

I have type 4 very fine hair, so I definitely feel ya on the finer hairs that like to float around. Less is more concerning us fine haired folks, because it’s easy to go from sleek and contained to straight up weighed down. Most of the products I listed are a bit on the thicker side concerning consistency, so I usually will put a little bit of product on my hand, spray some water on my other hand and rub my hands together to kind of thin out the product.

I’m not really a fan of hair sprays or freezing sprays though. So I can’t really offer any tips as far as what I mentioned. Hopefully this helps.

[Laurab]

I always get a lot of little bits sticking out of my braid, but I credit that to the layers in my hair. Here's hoping they stop popping out when my hair is long enough.

[CopperButterfly]

I know what you are talking about, I have the same problem. I can't really wear braids down for very long without that happening. I do feel like a Dutch braid works better for longer, but the only thing that really works for me is to pin my braids up onto my head one way or another.

[CherryFrizz]

I think you’d be interested in products that are often used for Locs, Cornrows, and/or kinky twists.

There’s everything from braiding jams, jellies, loc butters, you name it.
Here’s a few brands I use mostly for when I do cornrows or to keep my twists in place:
•Shea Moisture Loc and Braid Butter
•Ampro Shine and Jam Conditioning Gel
•Curl Peace Grip Glaze
•Sulfur 8 Loc and Twist (This is more of a beeswax consistency. A bit on the heavier side)
•Design Essentials Platinum Control Gel
•Carols Daughter Loc Butter Shaping Pomade
•Obia Naturals Twist Whip Butter
•Urban Hydration Curl Jelly
•Puffy Hold Me Down Baby Gelle (that is the actual name of the product lol)
• Pantene Gold Series Triple Care Braid Cream

These are just a few products I’m the most familiar with.

Concerning Technique, try to keep the products about an inch or two from the roots, and apply it on the outer canopy of your hair. Don’t worry about trying to get the product to seep into the inner layers towards the top of your head. It’ll kind of act like a sturdy umbrella or sorts once the product has a chance to settle into the hair, so that the more wispy hairs stay contained. Apply product as far down as you’re wishing to get the wispies under control.

I have type 4 very fine hair, so I definitely feel ya on the finer hairs that like to float around. Less is more concerning us fine haired folks, because it’s easy to go from sleek and contained to straight up weighed down. Most of the products I listed are a bit on the thicker side concerning consistency, so I usually will put a little bit of product on my hand, spray some water on my other hand and rub my hands together to kind of thin out the product.

I’m not really a fan of hair sprays or freezing sprays though. So I can’t really offer any tips as far as what I mentioned. Hopefully this helps.

Thank you AutobotsAttack!

I think you're right about the products needing to be on the thicker side. I hadn't considered that, since, with fine hair, I tend towards lightweight products. But, once fine hair is braided, you don’t really need to worry about it being weighed down.

And, I appreciate the technique description. I'm a complete newbie when it comes to product application. I'll give it a shot.