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Black Hair Care:
How To Take Care Of Cornrows
Cornrows and braids are one of those
timeless styles that have crossed all gender and ethnic
gaps. In fact, nothing is more beautiful than heedful of
intricate braids and rows and no two styles are exactly
alike. That is why more and more people are choosing to
express themselves and their individual style through
braiding and rowing.
But as with all styles,
cornrows come with their own special challenges and
problems. One of the most obvious problems associated
with any ...
Hair, hairstyle, beauty, fashion
Cornrows and braids are one of those timeless styles
that have crossed all gender and ethnic gaps. In fact,
nothing is more beautiful than heedful of intricate
braids and rows and no two styles are exactly alike.
That is why more and more people are choosing to express
themselves and their individual style through braiding
and rowing.
But as with all styles, cornrows
come with their own special challenges and problems. One
of the most obvious problems associated with any tight
braiding technique is breakage. While black hair has
fewer tendencies to break than Caucasian hair, it can
still take a great deal of abuse if the braids are not
done and cared for properly. In addition to breakage,
you can also experience dull, frizzy and dry hair as a
result of wearing cornrows or braids.
To avoid
all of these drawbacks and to keep your braids looking
shiny and neat, follow the following care tips:
•
Choose your artist wisely – As with any artistic field,
braiders come in many levels of expertise. Be sure to
choose one that has been in the business for a good
while. Also, ask to see sample photos of the stylist’s
work. This will give you a good idea about their level
of expertise.
• Grow hair to proper length - In
order to get a good braid, your stylist has to have
enough hair to work with. A good rule of thumb to follow
on length is 10cm for straight hair and a minimum of 5
cm for curly hair.
• Cleanse without disrupting –
Granted, shampooing your hair with all of those rows and
braids is not an easy task. To clean down to the scalp
without disrupting your style you can use a shower
massager or dental water pick.
• Wrap to prevent
frizz and breakage – When you’re sleeping, your hair
comes into constant contact with your pillow and your
movements cause friction and tension to be applied to
your braids. This can result in fly away hair, frizz and
breakage. To avoid this simply wrap your head with a do
rag or cloth before sleeping.
• Keep salon
appointments – If your braid artist tells you to get a
trim every 6 weeks, do so. And if he or she tells you to
get your braids redone within a certain time frame, be
sure that you do. This will help keep your braids
looking neat and fresh.
Hair Accessories:
When And How To Use Them
In the 80s, the hair accessory was
invaluable. Almost every style involved some sort of
accessory or embellishment to really set it off. Today,
hair accessories not a part of everyday style and care
should be taken as to when and how to use them so that
you will not look dated.
With that said, there
are some occasions that scream for accessories: Work,
social occasions and formal events may all have you
searching for the perfect accessory to set off your
look. While differ...
Hair, hairstyle, beauty,
fashion
In the 80s, the hair accessory was
invaluable. Almost every style involved some sort of
accessory or embellishment to really set it off. Today,
hair accessories not a part of everyday style and care
should be taken as to when and how to use them so that
you will not look dated.
With that said, there
are some occasions that scream for accessories: Work,
social occasions and formal events may all have you
searching for the perfect accessory to set off your
look. While different occasions will call for different
hair accessories, a good rule of thumb to follow is to
choose the sedate accessory over one that could not go
unnoticed in a crowd of a few hundred or a few thousand.
While choosing the right one can be tricky, there
are a few pointers that you can follow to help you pick
the perfect hair accessories to complete your look. Here
are just a few:
• Work. In many work situations,
you will likely have to wear your hair up. No matter if
your type of employment requires it or you simply like
to change your look now and then, wearing your hair up
calls for the right accessory to do the job. The number
one rule to finding the right embellishments for work is
to avoid banana clips at all costs. I mean, who still
makes these things? Apparently they’re making money at
it or they wouldn’t still be producing these torture
devices of the 80s. Don’t further their cause: stop
buying this accessory. The second rule is to choose
accessories that closely match your hair color or that
blend nicely with it. Matching a hair clip to your
clothes is only cute when you are 5-years-old. What you
choose will depend largely on your length of hair and
how you like to wear your hair up. For French twists,
choose hair accessories that resemble over-sized hair
clips. Simply twist and clip.
• Social and formal
occasions. In social and formal occasions you have a
greater opportunity to express your artsy side through
accessories. Again choose sedate pieces over garish eye
catchers. Classy pieces can be perfect for social
occasions, whereas a little sprig of flowers or
garnishment may be needed for formal occasions. Formal
occasions are the only time that is okay to match your
accessory to your clothing. But still, do not go
overboard. What attracts the eye should be the beauty of
your hair, not too-busy additions to it. If in doubt
about what accessory or how much of it to include, opt
for the simple solution: use as little as possible.
The bottom line with hair accessories is that too
much of a good thing can confuse the eye and make your
do look garish. Simple hair accessories, on the other
hand, can make a bold beauty statement that makes your
hair the talk of the office or party.
How to Braid Hair
Hair braiding is a way to style hair you
can do at home, but it does involve a learning process.
Once you know how to braid hair, you can transform your
own or someone else's hair into a cute new style in just
a few minutes. Here are some easy instructions on how to
braid hair.
how to braid hair, hairstyle
Hair braiding is a way to style hair you can do at home,
but it does involve a learning process. Once you know
how to braid hair, you can transform your own or someone
else's hair into a cute new style in just a few minutes.
Here are some easy instructions on how to braid hair.
<b>To braid another person's hair or do the
front of your own head</b>
The hair should be
clean and dry. If it is wavy or curly, you may want to
blow dry it straight first to make the braid more even.
Add some styling gel to smooth any flyaways and make the
hair more manageable. Comb the hair to remove tangles.
Divide the hair into three even sections. Place the
left section between your left index finger and thumb,
let the middle section hang free and place the right
section between your right index finger and thumb.
Hold the middle section with your right middle
finger and pull it so it passes behind the right
section. Extend your right thumb and index finger so the
right portion of hair becomes the new middle section.
Using the left middle finger, pull the middle
section behind the left section. Extend or straighten
the left index finger and thumb to move the left section
into the middle.
Shift the portion of hair
hooked in the right middle finger so it sits between the
right index finger and thumb. Repeat the process. Then
shift the portion of the hair hooked in the left middle
finger so it sits between the left index finger and
thumb.
Continue until the braid is the desired
length. For a tighter, more compact braid, pull the
middle section into a horizontal line as you move it to
the right or left. If you prefer a loose, elongated
braid, simply shift the middle section to the right or
left, letting it remain in a vertical line.
When
the braid is done, secure the end of the hair with a
covered rubber band. Add a bow or barrette as desired.
Be sure to pull the portions of hair as evenly
as possible so the tension remains consistent. If the
tension is tighter on one side, your braid will twist to
one side instead of lying flat. Avoid pulling too hard,
as this may lead to hair damage.
<b>Braiding the
back of your own hair</b>
Comb your hair before
you begin and remove any tangles. Divide the hair into
three even sections. Some people have found that if you
braid your hair when it's damp, say 30 minutes to an
hour after a shower or bath, it does not get frizzy and
is easier to work with.
Lift your left elbow to
shoulder height and make a thumbs down fist around the
left portion of hair. Do the same on the right side,
letting the middle portion lie against your spine.
Extend your left index finger and hook the right
section of hair. Pull it in front of the middle section,
letting it slip completely out of the right hand. Take
the middle section of hair with your right hand, pull it
to the right side, and then resume the thumbs down fist
position with both hands.
Extending your right
index finger, hook the far left portion of hair and let
it slip completely out of the left hand. Shift the
portion of hair in your left hand into a thumbs down
fist and then release the left index finger. Make a
thumbs down fist with your right hand and then use your
left index finger to hook the far right section.
Continue the process until the braid is complete. To
braid very long hair, you may have to free a hand to
pull the sections through. Secure the braid as it
develops by pressing your knuckles into it as you shift
your hands for the next cross. Use a covered elastic to
secure the finished braid and decorate as desired.
Experiment with using different hand positions. You
may discover a technique that works better for you.
<b>Practice leads to success</b>
The first
time you try to braid hair, it will go slowly. Practice
your technique and be patient until you know how to
braid hair. It may take some time to discover your
rhythm. Braiding will become much easier with the more
times you do it.
If you're braiding a young
child's hair, ask that she keep her head still. Give her
a hand mirror so she can watch you do the braiding. If
her hair is too thin and fine for an elastic to hold the
braid, use pipe cleaners. These come in many colors and
children usually have them readily available.
When you're learning how to braid hair, it might help to
visit a hair salon where they do braiding and watch the
stylists braid their clients' hair. Another good
practice technique is to braid the hair of a doll or
hair mannequin.