How many braids can you find in this picture?

[Denebi]

~~~~~~~~~
ETA: Correct number of braids is 112! Guessed correctly by Tracionera
Just for Kerri: 112 = 3 * 42 - 42 / 3. There's beauty in it, isn't it? ;)

I have a new game for all interested:
Tell me what style you want to see made with 112 braids and I will do my best to show it!
~~~~~~~~~

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/ShgJN6gPscI/AAAAAAAABzQ/V8TyXsFEwDI/s400/DSCF1509.JPG

This is my hairstyle for today! And most probably for the next three months. I prefer it wearing like this:

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/ShgJNBKUvQI/AAAAAAAABzg/3q4D93093Dk/s400/DSCF1504.JPG

I'm just so excited and wanted to share this :cheese:

[lilalong]

Wow! It looks great. I this all your own hair?

[Heidi_234]

It probably feels fantastic on the skin. How do you plan to wash though? Or you're going NW for a while?

[Denebi]

lilalong, most of it is fake hair, unfortunately I do not have as much hair on my head :?
Heidi, I'm not sure how often I will wash it. I'll see how it feels in a couple of days. Most probably I'm going to do a gentle scalp wash then, only. Or I try NW for a while :D

[enfys]

Wow that looks great!

I could never cope with that, I tried once. How long did it take to do?

And no, I am *not* counting the braids.

[freznow]

I'm going to guess... 50?

It looks amazing! :blossom:

[Fethenwen]

lilalong, most of it is fake hair, unfortunately I do not have as much hair on my head :?
Heidi, I'm not sure how often I will wash it. I'll see how it feels in a couple of days. Most probably I'm going to do a gentle scalp wash then, only. Or I try NW for a while :D
Wow, that's a nice way to get fuller hair. It looks really good, I like the color also.

[Bunnyhare]

That looks so cool! How long did it take? did you do that to yourself?!? How fun..

[natt i nord]

Uhh, Denebi, you don't want to come over and do this to me? :D It looks great.

Sadly I'm too stupid to braid those things the right way. I don't get the braids begin right at the scalp.

[Sasha_S]

It looks fab! I did this to my OH's 2" long hair last year, gave him braids down to his waist took 8 hours but it looks fantastic.
I don't envy you the dreaded itchies though :( They're the worst! I often used to wear braids like that and I found it really pulled my hair, I'm getting red scalp bumps just thinking about it! lol :)
x

[Jessikinz]

That looks amazing. I did this to my hair for the summer fair about 6 years ago with APL hair. I wish my hair had been that length, I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

Now how many braids are there? haha.

[Spiffyhink]

That's really cute! I've always admired hairstyles like that, but ouuuuuch! I don't think I'd have the patience or tolerance to do that with my hair. How do they add the extensions, do you just braid them in at the ends when you run out of your own hair? (I've never used extensions or anything like that before)

[Drynwhyl]

Oh, they are gorgeous! ^^
I did those on my hair last summer, I probably will this year too. (well, if I lose my begginers double-chin by then :P)

[Iolanthe]

Wow! Looks beautiful.

[Ryanne]

It looks amazing! Very cool braids.

[AngelInDisguise]

Denebi, simply: wow!


And that length! Is this your "real" hair at that length? I think a haven't seen you for ages then.

[Denebi]

First of all, I have to admit that I did not do it myself :o
I was in a hair studio specialized for rastas. It was done by an African lady with pretty fast fingers (wow! That was amazing!). She had her two little daughters with her (the younger one about two to three years old, the older one first year grammar school, and both incredibly cute!) and it was all very relaxed and homey.

She started braiding each braid very tight to my scalp (and it still pulls at my hair a lot, but that will be better soon), and added the fake hair right from the beginning. The fake hair has to be longer than the real hair, because the ends of the braids are sealed with fire or hot water, and you do not want to have this done with your real hair!

But my real hair isn't that much shorter, which is already a bit problematic. She warned me not to cut the braids anymore (what you do, to get a blunt hemline braided to the ends), because I'm running the risk of cutting my own hair then!

The other customers at the studio were amazed at how long my real hair already is (wow, I din't realize ;) ) even the braider's first comment about my hair was: "Oh, that's long!"

Thanks for all your nice comments :flower:

Btw: it's more than 50 :) You may still take part in the game and guess!

[kdaniels8811]

More than 50? Wow. The patience to do that work - and have it done. Either way, it looks FANTASTIC! I love the style and see why you do. Very pretty!

[Johanna64]

65??
It's really beautiful!! :)

[Denebi]

65 is still not enough... it's more!

[Sasha_S]

I'm gonna guess at around 175 :)
x

[Kerri]

I'm guessing 84, which is 2 times 42, which in turn is the answer to everything. Therefore 84 must be right!

The braids are awesome! :inlove: I hope you will show us some of the hairstyles you will do with these braids!

Kerri.

[mwedzi]

I've had braids many times, though never that long. I already know it's way more than 65! My guess would be more like 150-200. I don't think I've ever had less than 90-100.

I'm really curious about your hair type with braided extensions? Have you had them before? How long do they last on 1b hair? Do you have a washing strategy to help keep them from slipping? How do you plan to moisturize your hair with the braids in?

They look really nice, by the way.

[Yedda]

very lovely.:flower:

[natt i nord]

I say 90 braids :D

[patience]

That looks very pretty. I wanted to do my hair like that, but never was brave enough.

My guess... 145.

[WritingPrincess]

How did you tie them off? When I did similar braids for a week, I used the tiny rubber bands you can get at Walgreens. When I took them out, I realized that I now have rampant splits around the spots I'd tied off at. I'm still S&Ding them out, almost a year later (mostly because I am not very thorough with S&Ding). I don't want that to happen to your beautiful hair, On the upside, it is a fun hairstyle for a while.
P.S. 100?

[Sasha_S]

How did you tie them off? When I did similar braids for a week, I used the tiny rubber bands you can get at Walgreens. When I took them out, I realized that I now have rampant splits around the spots I'd tied off at. I'm still S&Ding them out, almost a year later (mostly because I am not very thorough with S&Ding). I don't want that to happen to your beautiful hair, On the upside, it is a fun hairstyle for a while.
P.S. 100?

The trick with these, is to make them longer than your real hair, so whichever sealing method is used doesn't hurt your real hair :)
x

[Denebi]

The trick with these, is to make them longer than your real hair, so whichever sealing method is used doesn't hurt your real hair :)
x

Exactly! We are getting nearer... 100 is not enough, 145 is too much!

[Kerri]

By my infallible logic, that seems to miraculously have, um, failed at my first guess, this should be 126 = 3 * 42 braids. Now what do I win?

- Kerri ;)

[Denebi]

Of course, your logic is infallible, Kerri, but you missed a term in your formula... So unfortunately, your result is too much. However, you're on the right track, using the right numbers...

[Kaamos]

Wow Denebi, it looks great!! :D
My guess: 116 braids....

[Drynwhyl]

Do you have a washing strategy to help keep them from slipping? How do you plan to moisturize your hair with the braids in?


My advice is, wash with your standard shampoo (best diluted, so it's easier to wash out), and mix some conditioner and water in a spray bottle and use that after washing. You can slightly oil the ends, too. I did this on mine, and they were fine. But it may be different on artificial hair, I don't know :D

[Sasha_S]

Ohhh, 145 too much? I'm surprised!
Erm... 122?
I've gotta know now! ;D
x

[AnneAdeline]

Looks great! Have you tried other styles with them? I'd love to see how different styles look with braids.
130?

[ShoshanUhura]

124? Stunning braids! I'm almost tempted to to that style again on myself - but it will take soooo long!

[Denebi]

The nearest guess so far: 116! Very close...

Drynwhyl, thanks for your advice, I'm going to try this (as soon as I feel the need for washing)...

I tried a French braid today, it was monstrous. But I will show some more updos, promised!
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/ShnD6mzZN9I/AAAAAAAAB0E/UD0GoXmDgns/s400/DSCF1521.JPG

The thickness of the braid is... ridiculous ;) I'm going to experiment a lot, this will be fun!

[patience]

That braid is great!!! Love it!

[AnneAdeline]

Wow! That is one braid. Have you measured your new circumference with the braids?

[windinherhair]

Those are some beautiful braids! :)

[mwedzi]

My advice is, wash with your standard shampoo (best diluted, so it's easier to wash out), and mix some conditioner and water in a spray bottle and use that after washing. You can slightly oil the ends, too. I did this on mine, and they were fine. But it may be different on artificial hair, I don't know :D

How long did you keep your natural hair braids in?

I just wondered how she'd address slipping. This doesn't happen with your own hair. It's when the braided artificial hair may slip from the root of your own hair. I just imagined for type 1 hair, it would be harder to keep it from slipping. I wonder how long people with type 1 hair can keep in braided extensions.

Some people put a pantyhose on their scalp and around the braided hair and wash with diluted shampoo to keep the movement to a minimum during washing, I've heard.

[Wavelength]

Now that's a braid! :bigeyes:

Our family used to visit the Caribbean every year when I was growing up, and sometimes the women of the islands would offer to cornrow your hair in a similar style. We used to see tourists sitting on the beach getting their hair braided. Although they didn't use extensions to tie it off -- usually beads and a little tinfoil. I never got it done myself because I had short hair when I was a kid.

My guess is... 115?

[longhairedfairy]

Oooh! That's really pretty, especially the second one. It looks so elegant!

[Zindell]

It looks great! My guess is 100 braids. :D

[Denebi]

115 is very close! Still not the correct number ;) It's more than 100....

[suffer-cait]

Wow! I've done my hair in braids before, but they were no where near as thick! Though I took them out after two days cause the top of my head turned into this giant frizz mess. How do others avoid this problem? Maybe it's just my hair type.
My guess is 117

[natt i nord]

120 braids?


This French braid looks great :D Please, try a rope braid and put it into an rose bun... I'm sure this will look great, but be careful you can still move your head then :D ;)

[Denebi]

I'm not sure about the frizz (nothing on my head so far), but the braider recommended using birch hair tonic on the scalp and oil for the braids. I sprayed a mixture of catnip tea, oil and aloe vera on my head and on the braids the last two days, maybe that helped already keeping it all in good shape. I have to see, how this develops over time.

117 is too much! :) And 120 even more ;)

[MimiKeki]

Oh wow, it's so beautiful Denebi. I also had this done 2 years ago, exactly that length (with synthetic hair). I have been wondering whether to get it again this year too. Seeing your pictures really makes me want it done again!
About the washing, I would just go under the shower and massage my scalp a little.
When the braids came out about 3 months later, my natural hair was saturated in my own scalp oils. It worked WONDERS on the condition of my hair, and I had never seen it so healthy.

That's it. I want it again!

[Tracionera]

114?

I had braids like these done when I was in high school. My three friends from Zimbabwe spent about 14 hours braiding and we used 13 bags of extensions! I think that I was counting in the 200's.

I left them in for about 5 months, I think, and when I took them out, my hair was MUCH thinner and there was a lot of breakage :(, which I've finally, after 5 years, grown out. Mind you, I didn't know how to properly care for my hair then, let alone braids, and several hot oil treatments would have helped out. I washed my braids once each week.

I would love to get them again because I really liked how they looked and how thick they were, but I'm afraid that I would find my hair to be stressed and broken when it came time to take them out. Has anyone else found this to happen? Perhaps it's my hair type or the fact that there were 13 bags of fake hair worked into mine, producing braids that had less of my own hair than extension hair.

On a side note, a really neat thing you can do to change them up is give them a permanent wave or crimp. Simply braid, twist or rag sections of the braids together, and pour hot water over them. The plastic in the extension will hold the shape. If you want the braids to be straight again, simply immerse all of them in hot water again. The hotter the water, the tighter the crimp, but keep in mind that hot water isn't very good for you natural hair.

[Sasha_S]

Ok, 107? :D Your new siggie is fab, by the way :)
x

[Speckla]

111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116? lol.

[GlassEyes]

That looks really freaking cool. xD I keep getting told I should do that to my hair when it's longer, but I keep saying no...maybe I should rethink that...

Though I just get it because anyone who's black with long hair MUST have braids if they're a guy, otherwise they're ugly. *glare*

You should get a root shooter and just wash that way. It's how I would've washed my cornrows had I thought of it. Keeps the length from getting fuzzy. D<

[Darkhorse1]

I had my hair corn rowed when I was about 10 or 11. I only kept it in a few days--it itched horridly at my scalp and was very impractical for my active lifestyle. My parents were livid when I took it out--they wanted to get a photo of me. Ugh! I hated it. Our house keeper was jamaican and did it in 2 and a half hours. My hair was shorter then, and I was growing it out (it was maybe midback) and I loved feeling it creeping down my back. The corn rows took up so much length. Taking them out was a huge pain!

[AprilElf]

Your braids look fabulous, Denebi! :thumbsup: Can't wait to see more of the different styles you do with them. Hope you have lots of fun with this different look. :D

[Aditi]

Totally Fabulous, i used to do this type of hairstyle when i was in school but it took hours for doing little braids.

[Garnet66]

Your braids look awesome. I had this done a few years ago. My hair was fairly short so they started to slip. And the itching was so bad that I took it out after only two days. Probably because I had no clue as to how to care for them. I liked the look of them though. Sounds like you're doing great with yours so far.

[Denebi]

MimiKeki, just do it! Can't wait to see the pics :) Thanks for your advice...
Sasha_S, thanks, it's my first siggie pic!
Speckla, you're cheating! ;) One of your guesses was correct... it's not 114!
GlassEyes, if you feel like it, just do it! (And show the pics! :eyebrows:) You're on LHC, so I'm quite sure your hair is not ugly, braided or unbraided ;)
AprilElf, I think I'm going to start a new game, the updo wish list. Tell me what hairstyle you want to see with my braids, and I'm trying to do it and show the pic :)
Garnet66, not that much itching so far, I'll hope it stays like that. Fingers crossed! I did not wash so far, but put some birch hair tonic on my scalp and sprayed catnip-oil-aloe-vera on the braids. It still looks good.

Thank you all for your nice comments and suggestions, that makes it even more fun. :flower:

[redneckprincess]

How pretty I would LOVE to have mine like that but its too short and I dont know anyone who can do that ♥ looks good on you though ♥

[mwedzi]

114?

I would love to get them again because I really liked how they looked and how thick they were, but I'm afraid that I would find my hair to be stressed and broken when it came time to take them out. Has anyone else found this to happen? Perhaps it's my hair type or the fact that there were 13 bags of fake hair worked into mine, producing braids that had less of my own hair than extension hair.


13 bags?! :eek: Yeah, I'd definitely say that used too much fake hair. Ideally, the extension hair in each braid shouldn't be thicker than your own hair.

[Tracionera]

13 bags?! :eek: Yeah, I'd definitely say that used too much fake hair. Ideally, the extension hair in each braid shouldn't be thicker than your own hair.

I should have did a bit of research before having them put in! It would have saved several years of growth from some severe breakage.

So, do you think that if less extension hair would have been used my hair would have come out healthier in the end?

[Drynwhyl]

How long did you keep your natural hair braids in?


I took them out after a week, as I wanted the huuge poofy hair for a night out, but they could have easily lasted at least 2 more weeks. Maybe even longer if I had got them done profesionally, I braided them by myself (you can see a pic in my album).

[jeno]

Looking good!
I guess it's 145 braids. I have had braids like that too (pic in my album!) and I had them in for three weeks. I went from 2 inches of my own hair to BSL and it was heavy... I got headaches and the ends destroyed several sweaters. But I liked them!

[Snowblood]

Wow, looks great on you and must took hours until it was finished! However it was totally worth it.
I guess 111, because I it´s a cool number of braids.. :D

[Tracionera]

Has anyone guessed 113?

[Denebi]

111 and 113 are both wrong... and both sooo close! ;)

[viking_quest]

If 115 is really close and 117 is too much then it should be 116. Right?

Looking at this thread makes my scalp itch. I don't think I could wear multibraids, my scalp would itch so much.

[Carolyn]

I have no idea how many braids but I just want to say that is a gorgeous style. Have fun with it :)

[Tracionera]

How about 112?

[Denebi]

Congratulations, Tracionera, 112 is correct!
Viking_quest, it's a bit itchy right now, but still endurable. I think I can cope with it...

[LittleOrca]

Its beautiful, real or fake or both! :D

[LovingLife]

Beautious french braid!!

[Tracionera]

Congratulations, Tracionera, 112 is correct!
Viking_quest, it's a bit itchy right now, but still endurable. I think I can cope with it...

:D Yay!

I wonder if an apple cider vinegar rinse would help with the itchiness?

Here's some info from this (http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/natural-hair-care-product.html) website:


The acids and enzymes in ACV kill the "bottle bacillus", a bacteria that is one of the causes for many scalp and hair conditions such as dandruff, itchy scalp, hair loss and often baldness.The bacteria clogs hair follicles allowing dry crusts to form that itch and flake.

For a simple home treatment for dandruff and itchy scalp, apply full strength ACV to the scalp, rub in, and leave on for a half hour to an hour before washing your hair.

For an extra strength natural hair care product, apple cider vinegar can be infused with herbs such as stinging nettle, southernwood, goosegrass, plantain and burdock root all of which help prevent dandruff on their own. Tea tree oil is another excellent natural anti-dandruff ingredient, which can be added.

[Denebi]

Thanks, Tracionera! I'll give the ACV rinse a try, definitely. Right now I'm using jojoba oil to calm down my scalp a little, and it does help, but the itchiness comes back. The rinse might be the right thing then. Still, it's not that bad that I have to open the braids... phew :)

[Denebi]

Ah yes, natt i nord had a wish I want to satisfy... a rose bun! Unfortunately, my circumference is too big to do a rose bun with all my braids, but I did a half up, and that's the result:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/Sh__afcW9lI/AAAAAAAAB0k/xxL8gUyywaM/s512/DSCF1524.JPG

This is an XXL flexi (not on their website, but you can order it nevertheless :D ). Yes, it's huge... Imagine my attempt with all the braids.... :thud: (<- I need one that falls over backwards!)

[angelthadiva]

Very cool do!

Every few years, I will torture myself by having this done...It takes hours and hours. A few years ago, it took about 24 hours, and we did it in 3 sittings.

The first time I did it, we added faux hair to mine, but seriously, I had enough to do it with my own...I doubt very much they sell hair in a length I'd need to do it this way anymore...

I maintained micro (mini) boxed braids by wrapping it up nightly. Adding braid spray to it daily and RARELY washed it. I would get it wet in the shower from time to time, but never really washed it...This lasted for close to 3 months.

[natt i nord]

Whoa, this is a bun! :eek:
very beautiful :)

I want this too... but the price is a bit too high for my little student's property :(

[Tracionera]

Thanks, Tracionera! I'll give the ACV rinse a try, definitely. Right now I'm using jojoba oil to calm down my scalp a little, and it does help, but the itchiness comes back. The rinse might be the right thing then. Still, it's not that bad that I have to open the braids... phew :)

You're welcome!

[Denebi]

Ever wondered how a cascading crown looks like with little braids on your head? Here's the answer:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/SjOXX6duZzI/AAAAAAAAB3A/jV1-xdQp8Jc/s400/DSCF1562.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/SjOXYB8x19I/AAAAAAAAB3E/tx1OzR61gIU/s400/DSCF1563.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_tY1hGv3U2vU/SjOXYZgPdAI/AAAAAAAAB3I/2ht2Xt9ILrQ/s400/DSCF1567.JPG

The ends are sticking out, but apart from that, I like the style!

[Phalaenopsis]

Beautiful! Did you do the cascade yourself? I'm jealous, I'm still not able to do that one.

[Denebi]

Yes I did it myself. I did a dutch lacebraid and only added one small braid each time, otherwise it's going to be a huge monster after only a few bumps.

[JamieLeigh]

Awesome cascade!! I can't even do that without braids! :o

[lesbia]

That's exactly what I want! next summer I wish I had braids like these...they're amazing!! o.o

[redneckprincess]

Looks lovely!!
I'm thinking about getting this done, so I have questions

How long did it last?
What was the cost of having it done?
How long did it take?
How did you wash?
Did it cause any damage?
Was your hair surprisingly longer when removed?
Why didn't they braid to the ends?


I hope you are still around to answer these questions

[Wanderer09]

Ooh, beautiful braids! As for style suggestions, maybe a herringbone braid? That would be cool to see. :)

My scalp would hate me if I did braids like these and left them in for more than a day, but I've always wanted to.

[Aquamarine]

Holy Moly!:thud: Amazing!! You did them yourself??!!

[OtiggerificO]

Those, are absolutely gorgeous!

[error]

Wow i just bookmarked this thread I love this hairstyle i want it so bad now!

[Toadstool]

So beautiful! I've been longing to have this done but there is nowhere round here that does it.