Finally got my braids in - Protective Styling Continues!

Finally! After weeks of sticking my fingers in my hair, 2 protective style fails and an intense bout of twice weekly conditioning; my tresses have finally been put away in my favorite protective style of all time - braids!!! Yay!

For about 3 weeks leading up to this time, I switched up my regimen a little - deep conditioning my hair about twice a week and  since I didn't want to shampoo till I was ready to braid; I would pre poo overnight with my oil of choice (Njoy on scalp and coconut/brahmi oil on hair) and  in the morning, I'd slather on deep conditioner to my hair, cover with a plastic cap and then use my heating cap for about 30 mins to an hour. I'd then rinse the deep conditioner out, co wash, apply my oil mix to damp hair ( coconut oil, Olive oil, Avocado oil, Castor oil, Jojoba Oil and Rose hip seed oil) and then follow up with either my Kimmaytube mix or just the Kinky Curly Knot Today leave in conditioner.

I normally use this with my Rhassoul Clay wash mix but it's packed full with so much goodness, I decided to add some to my oil mix for daily use.

I was wearing a wig in this period so my hair was always in about 7  or so plaits and in the evening I'd oil the length of my hair with my oil mix. Using the LOC method (Liquid, Oil, Conditioner layered in the hair in that order) on my wash days actually helped me retain moisture in my hair for longer! So all I had to do in the days following was just oil my hair for added strength without having to remoisturize. It's definitely something I'm going to incorporate again when I take down my braids.

So when I was ready to get the braids in, I clarified my hair, did a light protein treatment and got a moisture based deep conditioning treatment to fortify my strands and prepare them for the period they will be kept tied up in synthetic hair, dried then moisturized and sealed.

On the day I was going to get my braids in, I moisturized again,  using my KL's Shea Butter mix this time as the sealant ensuring my ends got a lot of butter on them to keep them strong and breakage free.

I used 3 packs of Expression hair in color 2 and even though I know in a few days my hair will begin to show through the synthetic hair, I love it!!!  I also made sure that the thickness of each braid was no smaller than the width of a pencil - anything thinner and I'd risk getting breakage for sure.

This is going to be on for the next 2 months Lord willing. At some point, I may redo the edges to keep it looking neat and tidy but I'm just happy I get to keep my hair away from my roving fingers lol.


Till my next post

xoxo