Can any curlies crown braid their hair?

[CurlyCap]

If so, show off!

This is my next big milestone in terms of Updo Awesome.

However, I'm wondering how it would look on curly hair. Does it need to be brushed out first? Braided while wet or super damp?

Share what you know and post lots of pretty pictures. :D

[spirals]

I did a half-up crown on dry hair yesterday. It's a bit tricky 'cause it wants to tangle. It was messy, though--sectioning not even. I need more practice. A half-up crown with curls looks angelic.

[CurlyCap]

double post.

[CurlyCap]

A half-up crown with curls looks angelic.

That's what I was thinking. My thoughts were that if the hair was braided while still wet and then the hair was allowed to naturally curl as it dried, around the braid. Some rewetting/coddling may be necessary, but I think it might be worth it.

The thing is, for practicing the braid, it seems you would be working against time, with the hair drying and curling as a newbie tries to make her way around her head.

My saving grace when English braiding is that the sections are large enough and few enough that I can run my hands down each section after every throw to prevent tangling. Every time I try to crown braid, my curls end up trying to eat my fingers and I get frustrated.

[meishkamooshka]

I'd LOVE to see it done (the half up with curls). So very jealous of you curlies. My mom is a wurly, and I can crown braid her hair....I'll look for a picture.

Also, I think several curlies have attempted a crown braid (and very much succeeded) multiple times in the braid picture thread!

Examples (scroll down a bit):

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45350&page=268
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45350&page=261

[DarkCurls]

Hey, there's a pic of me there. :p

*cough* I can do the basic circle-around motion... the fact that it curls doesn't seem to be a problem. Having some issues with the neatness of it all, but that's because I lack coordination, not because I'm curly. :D

[RedheadMistress]

- I can crown braid my hair, I alwys do it and then end up doing a more simple do to go out, because I don't like how my face looks with crown braid . . but it's simple enough with my curly hair.

I used to hate All up-do's and now I like putting hair up with hairstick, buns so I'm hoping one day to like the crown braid.. might actually try it again tomorrow but also wear lipstick, then I might like it !

[spirals]

I wear red lipstick--well, occasionally pink--to work every day. No braids, though--no time.

[brave]

I wonder if maybe a crown rope braid would be faster to do and help you work against your drying time? Going off the pictures meishka linked it should be amazing in your hair.

[DarkCurls]

I wonder if maybe a crown rope braid would be faster to do and help you work against your drying time? Going off the pictures meishka linked it should be amazing in your hair.

I don't know about the drying time... I crown braid on dry hair.
But yeah, it's faster.

[JellyBene]

I have straight hair but I know it can be done! I did a crown braid for a friend of mine with very curly hair for graduation and it turned out great. I did it on damp hair, freshly conditioned to eliminate any tangle snapping.

[LadyKate]

I did a crown braid recently on a friend with very curly hair. I was working with dry hair as well, we were at a reenactment event and had been camping, so no showers. I knew better than to brush her hair, but I finger combed, and did all the sectioning just gently by hand. I can crown braid my own hair as well, but I don't have the same level of curl... I'm definitely not straight, and really even past what I would call wavy, but my curls are softer, not a real tight, defined curl.

[Mya]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=2221182&postcount=46

I brush my hair, but just because it's not extremely curly. You may want to finger comb it with wet hands (it fights the frizz more than helping you with the braid). As a curly it may be a bit more difficult to pick strands because of tangling, but I'm not sure it's not a straight hair problem too.

[ariesfairies]

I just tried to do it... and my arms got drop dead sore before I even reached my opposite ear :laugh:

[hairhair]

How long does hair have to be to crowd braid? I love the crown rope braids! :D Mine is APL and thick.

[Helix]

What a coinky dink. I've recently started using a crown braid to stretch my little sister's hair on wash days. She's a fine, 4a curly and twists get fuzzy really quickly on her so I'm trying something that won't take as long to do. Eventually, she'll learn to do it on herself.

Her hair's about APL but she gets crazy shrinkage like me, so I find it best to braid her hair while it's still a little wet.

This was my first attempt at a crown/dutch braid on her hair so it may look a little bogus but it did what it was supposed to - stretched her hair enough to put in a twisted bun the next day:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/racheru/crownbraid.jpg

[meishkamooshka]

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/racheru/crownbraid.jpg


I actually think it looks amazing! You did very well! I'm glad it's worked for her, too!

[CurlyCap]

I'd LOVE to see it done (the half up with curls). So very jealous of you curlies. My mom is a wurly, and I can crown braid her hair....I'll look for a picture.

Also, I think several curlies have attempted a crown braid (and very much succeeded) multiple times in the braid picture thread!

Examples (scroll down a bit):

http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45350&page=268
http://www.forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45350&page=261

:( Your links both bring me to page 73 of the thread, to the very last posts. Is there another way to see "268" and "261"? I tried looking for those post #s as well, but they weren't curly crown braids either.

[Helix]

I actually think it looks amazing! You did very well! I'm glad it's worked for her, too!

Aw thanks, meishkamooshka! Hope I can get to your level of braiding skill someday :)

[CurlyCap]

What a coinky dink. I've recently started using a crown braid to stretch my little sister's hair on wash days. She's a fine, 4a curly and twists get fuzzy really quickly on her so I'm trying something that won't take as long to do. Eventually, she'll learn to do it on herself.

Her hair's about APL but she gets crazy shrinkage like me, so I find it best to braid her hair while it's still a little wet.

This was my first attempt at a crown/dutch braid on her hair so it may look a little bogus but it did what it was supposed to - stretched her hair enough to put in a twisted bun the next day:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y97/racheru/crownbraid.jpg

Fantastic!

[meishkamooshka]

CurlyCap, let me see what I can do! Be back shortly!

[meishkamooshka]

Hopefully this works (and can send you to the original posts, too)...and hopefully these ladies don't mind that I've shared their creations on this thread! Feel free to delete if it violates any rules, mods.



I've got a spiraled crown braidish thing going today ... more as a response to 100-degree heat than anything.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t3/soggypoptart/ca5b809a.jpg

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t3/soggypoptart/ea1f3583.jpg




And today's crown braid, because I haven't given up on mastering this one. Yeah, maybe one day.
http://i47.tinypic.com/14kzlw.jpg

[meishkamooshka]

Aw thanks, meishkamooshka! Hope I can get to your level of braiding skill someday :)

You are far too kind! Thank you!:o

I'm pretty sure you've exceeded it, though. I'm a terror at crown braids. Haha!

[Helix]

Fantastic!

Thanks! I still need to work on my hand placement, but it's getting there...

[CurlyCap]

Hopefully this works (and can send you to the original posts, too)...and hopefully these ladies don't mind that I've shared their creations on this thread! Feel free to delete if it violates any rules, mods.

This went above and beyond. Thank you so much for the extra effort! :flower:

Totally worth the wait!

[meishkamooshka]

This went above and beyond. Thank you so much for the extra effort! :flower:

Totally worth the wait!


I'm glad you think so! Sorry it took awhile, and I'm sure there are more in the thread somewhere (but as you can see it's quite large, so it might take a bit of time to search)!

[Tisiloves]

How long does hair have to be to crowd braid? I love the crown rope braids! :D Mine is APL and thick.

APL-BSL is about ideal for crown braids, enough hair to plait, not so much that it tangles.

[carolinaberry]

I can do a crown braid on my daughter's curly hair. In fact, I find it much easier than doing a crown braid on my daughter with straightish-wavy hair. I will do it tomorrow and post a picture.

[longhairedleah]

I do crown braids all the time, I love them for any form of exercise! But I don't think they look any different than they would for a non-curly.

That being said, having crown braided some slippery straight hair, I would say that it's much easier to crown braid curly hair. Although I find the same for regular french braids, stays put!

I also tend to finger comb my curls apart, and then even comb comb them out, to make the braiding process easier. I often end up with a tangle at the end when I'm sectioning off a piece to add because of how I have to move my hair around to get the braid done.

I also use plenty of bobby pins for my curly "side burns" and those little curls at the nape of my neck that just look like fuzz because of being brushed through. I guess your hair wetting idea to bring out the curls would be a good idea there too....

[Katleen]

My hair isn't curly, but wavy and fairly thick. I've been practising crown braids for a while, and it seems to get better :-) The hand changing is my biggest problem, but I find it easier to start braiding just behind my ear so I can braid a large part in the same direction, if that makes sense...
I'm now just past APL in length, and I can get a crown around my head without much extra braid to tuck in...

[GRU]

I can't do it on myself.... way too much "grabbiness" when trying to separate sections, and not nearly enough fingers to hold all the parts and pieces. I can't even French Braid my own hair for this reason, and people who were at the 2011 Chicago meet will confirm that watching me even do an English braid is all kinds of hilarious.

[bunzfan]

I'm only a wavy but i can do it when hair isn't to clean works best.

[PurpleAshes]

No braid ever looks good on me :( The curls make it difficult to keep it slick and to separate sections or put them together.

[Scarlet_Heart]

As a straight/wavy gal, I never even thought about how the curlies must struggle with braids. I can't even seem to manage a crown braid myself though. Maybe I just need to find a better tutorial.

But I think updo's look a lot better on curlies so I don't feel too bad for you guys. :p

ETA: Could you possibly do it when your hair is wet and then just let it dry?

[GRU]

ETA: Could you possibly do it when your hair is wet and then just let it dry?

My hair would probably mildew before it dried, if it wasn't loose! :lol:

Seriously, like 2-3 days later it would still be damp if I had it up/braided when wet!

[CurlyCap]

No braid ever looks good on me :( The curls make it difficult to keep it slick and to separate sections or put them together.



ETA: Could you possibly do it when your hair is wet and then just let it dry?

I have to do ANY braid on WET-WITH-PRODUCT hair. Basically, I need to co-wash my hair that morning, quickly towel dry, soak with conditioner or product, and then braid. The clumps stick together enough that braiding (very quickly) is possible....but it's just so much work to do for a hairstyle most consider "simple".


My hair would probably mildew before it dried, if it wasn't loose!

Absolutely. I used to braid my hair in the day when I wanted my hair to look pretty at night (before I figured out cowashing +fingercombing + no touchie) so that I could take the braid out whenever and still have wet hair that would curl prettily. For hair that is so dry, I marvel at how long it takes my hair to dry.


I can't do it on myself.... way too much "grabbiness" when trying to separate sections, and not nearly enough fingers to hold all the parts and pieces.

This is my strangle point with crown braids. I know the hand motions, but I have to fight my hair every step of the way. And if I try it on wet hair it looks ridiculous because my hair because that's not how crown braids are usually worn.

Sigh.

I actually want a half crown lace braid, with the bottom half braided. My hair is still short enough that I can let the top half curl and it'll look like a basket holding curls. BUT I CAN'T GET MY FINGERS AND HAIR TO PLAY NICE TOGETHER. grrrrrrrr

[CurlyCap]

Hunh. So I've determined that I can do a pretty decent dutch crown braid or lace crown braid when my hair is SOAKING WET in the shower. It never dries. EVER. And it looks gross (except for the braid) because it looks...too slimey.

So I think it's the puffiness of damp or dry hair that is combating my success. Combined with the determination of my curls to hook onto one another preventing me from picking up new clumps/strands. So....any tips?

Caution to readers: My hair does not take lightly to dampening attempts after it is already dry. It's like spraying a cat. A big cat.