Maintaining Box Braids

**naturalsoul** · 12-28-2009, 07:18 AM

Bumping for all those on the Box Braid Challenge

**jaydago** · 12-28-2009, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by blackbeauty398

I don't use a stocking cap cause I can't rinse the dandruff flakes out properly when I wore one. So experiment with that. I normally wash my hair once a week then either I put world of curls or qhemets aohc and ohhb on it. Helps keeps my ends soft. For my scalp, I apply vatika oil to keep the flakes at bay.
Now, normally I can leave my braids in for a month or so without any locing whatsoever but your hair
may be different. It's okay to use conditioner when your hair is in braids too. Another important thing is to expect frizz. It's going to happen, no way to prevent it and it's okay.

HTH

How in the world do you get the braides to be so close to the scalp and look clean like this? I can't do it to save my life!

**brooklynrunz** · 01-05-2010, 01:45 AM

i have a hard time leaving my box braids for more than 2 weeks...bc day 2 looks so frizzy. Ive mixed my shea butter with some ecco sytling gel (in the white container) with some other oils (castor, carrot, grapeseed) and hope that they won't look so bad. Seriously...how do u ladies get urs to last so long? what products do u use as you braid?

**brooklynrunz** · 01-06-2010, 03:03 AM

I'm a kinda natural girl that gets bored with protective styles very easily despite the time it takes me to do them. lol. I was on this bunning kick until I realized: 1. my hair didnt effectively cover the donut and it was actually peaking through the bun (how embarassing!) 2. my hair was super dry. the solution: I braided the roots of my hair super small and twisted the ends! this allows me to style my hair in multiple ways because they are so small AND when I get bored of them I can do a twist out. I LOVE NATURAL HAIR! (Hopefuly this style will keep my hands out of my hair and my ends protected from the frigid cold

**HunnyLuv82** · 01-07-2010, 02:19 AM

The most daily maintenence I do for my box braids is to moisturize my scalp with a liquid oil, spray them with a leave in conditioner, rub the conditioner into my braids and scalp, and then spray with an oil sheen. To clean I either dab witch hazel on my scalp and apply tea tree oil or I just spray warm water on my hair, dab the condish on my scalp, and wash it out.

**tlwnurse** · 02-08-2010, 03:05 PM

i just put in a set of box braids again. im wanting them to last a long time. is there anny reason why after a few weeks i couldnt redo a section ata time? thus redoing my whole head and making them last several months. i would like for them to last until may. Is there anyone that does this?

**youwillrise** · 02-08-2010, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by tlwnurse

i just put in a set of box braids again. im wanting them to last a long time. is there anny reason why after a few weeks i couldnt redo a section ata time? thus redoing my whole head and making them last several months. i would like for them to last until may. Is there anyone that does this?

hmm. this seems like an idea i could rock with. haha. it would surely make things easier as far as styling goes. although, some people say that keeping the same sections can cause stress to the hair?

**tlwnurse** · 02-08-2010, 10:50 PM

Thanks ywr,
So a better option would be to take down a few and do a new part?

How exactly would it stress the hair?

**Kayin** · 02-09-2010, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by tlwnurse

i just put in a set of box braids again. im wanting them to last a long time. is there anny reason why after a few weeks i couldnt redo a section ata time? thus redoing my whole head and making them last several months. i would like for them to last until may. Is there anyone that does this?

I redo sections of my hair when it's in box braids, usually when they start to look fuzzy. Last night I redid the front and side box braids and I will hopefully move on to the mid section tonight. I have never maintained the same parts over several months though.

**blackbeauty398** · 02-19-2010, 02:44 AM

Sorry, been MIA for a while.

Also, sometimes the best time to dust your ends is while they are in box braids. Please don't let the frizz discourage you because it's going to happen. What I've read that some people do is wash their hair and apply a light gel, like IC Fantasia with Sparklelites or aloe vera gel, smooth it over the hair then tie it down with a scarf to dry.

tlwnurse: You can just do it in sections. Just that it may not look consistent. Like the front would be neater while the back is frizzier until you get to it BUT it is an easier way to redo the hair rather than taking it all down.