Braid hairstyles are adorable and sensual and are fast growing a popular trend for celebs like Jessica Alba as well as for commoners. From classic French braids and side braids, many braid hairstyles look great and are easy to do. One such popular braid is the Box braids. This type of braid includes the use of hair extensions and is pretty successful with the African American community, as well as various other women. It is one of the widely used and ever-lasting braid hairstyles, but it can also be a little time-consuming.
Box braids can give you the bohemian, chic look you’ve always desired and make keeping your hair day-to-day much simpler. Getting professional box braids done at a salon can be pricey, but you can produce this hairstyle at home. To get beautiful box braids, you can simply add synthetic hair to your natural hair patiently.
Embrace the glamour in you with the stylish Box Braids
How to Do Box Braids
{A} Preparing Your Hair for the Box Braiding
1. Shampoo and condition your hair. Start by rinsing your hair with your regular shampoo in the bath or shower. After this, use a moisturizing conditioner to prevent any sort of frizziness once your hair is all dried.
In case your hair is really dry or frizzy, you can try a leave-in conditioner, it will keep your hair hydrated. Even if you are going to use hair extensions for the braids, you should shampoo and condition your hair as this will secure the hair extensions attach correctly to your natural hair.2. Detangle your hair with a comb. Allow your hair to dry if you have thin and straight hair thoroughly. Gently remove any tangles or knots with the help of a plastic wide-tooth comb. Begin combing your hair at the tips, and work your way upward the strand, lightly removing tangles and knots as you go. Do not pull or tug at your hair too firm, as you do not want to tear or tear your hair. Try to eliminate as many knots as you can so your hair is simple to braid.
3. If your hair is very curly just blow dry it straight. Apply a heat protectant gel or sprinkle to your hair before you blow dry it. To blow-dry your hair in sections, use a brush. This will enable the hair to be straight and flat. This can allow your hair parting for the braids, a simpler job, especially if you have very curly hair. Before you straighten your hair, make sure to apply a heat protectant.
4. Snip the ends of your hair if they are dry or broken. If you have tips that feel dry when you rub them or look dull and crimped, you may trim them thoroughly. Trimming the ends can help to check fuzziness at the edges of the braid and retain the braids secured in for a prolonged period.
If you are using synthetic hair to create the box braids, trimming the ends is especially significant as synthetic hair serves to attach better to clean, fresh ends.
5. With a wide-tooth comb, part your hair into 4 box-shaped sections. Create 4 sections by parting your hair down the center from your temples to your neck, then from ear to ear. Part the first section you tend to work on and make sure the sections are equally divided, with a pure straight line at the roots, creating a box shape. To keep the remaining 3 sections out of the way, use 3 large hair clips.
Make sure your hair is equally distributed between the individual sections. You may require to do the bits in front of a mirror to get a real sense of their shape.
6. Apply hydrating gel or lotion to the ends of your hair to stop frizz. Use your hands to run a tiny amount of hydrating gel or lotion on the ends of your hair, brushing in the gel well. This will help to keep the edges of your hair moist, decrease dryness, and make it accessible for the synthetic hair to mingle in with your natural hair.
Look for hydrating gel or cream that include argan oil, and coconut oil usually are good options.
7. With the pointed end of a rat tail comb, part your hair into a 1 inch (2.5 cm) section. Taking the sharp end of the comb run it through 1 of the front parts that you made earlier in your hair. Take out half inches section of hair above your ear if you are doing short to medium-sized braids. If you are planning to create large box braids, then section out 2 inches of hair.
Be certain of the fact that the part above the section of hair is straight. You can use the end of the comb to sweep away any wavy parts, so the part is straight and clean.
The rest of the hair should be tied back in the section so that it does not come in the way.
{B} Parting the Synthetic Hair into natural hair
1. You will need around 6-8 packs of hair extensions if you want to have thick and long braids. It is suggested to buy the synthetic hair, instead of going for human hair, if you are using it just to make box braids. This is because it will remain frizz free. If you want short and thin box braids, then you might buy lesser number of hair extension packs. Go for the once which are soft and synthetic, either buy it online or from a local shop.
2. Take 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of synthetic hair. Hole the hair extensions between your fingers loosely, then make 3 sections out of it. Keep one section of the hair extensions between your middle finger and first finger. Now pull the next section and hold it between your ring finger and middle finger below the first section. Hold the third section between your ring finger and pinkie finger below the second section. Keep the sections equal.
3. Remove ⅓ of the hair. Set it aside, as you will not be using it to form the braid. You can use it later when you make new sections of hair for your braids.
4. Form a loop with the remaining hair. Now hold one section of hair and place it over the remaining section of hair, like interlocking them forming a loop. While doing this, keep in mind that one section should have more hair than the other section. The 2 pieces of hair should create a loose loop, where the smaller section hangs over, the bigger section.
{C} Process of Attaching the Synthetic Hair
1. Over your natural hair at the roots Place the synthetic hair. Then, hold the synthetic hair at the middle section with your pointer finger and thumb and put it over your actual hair right at the roots. Keep the synthetic hair in place with your fingers, tracing up the synthetic hair with your natural hair.
2. Allow your real hair to fall in the middle section of the synthetic hair. You should have 3 strands of hair, 1 strand in the middle and 2 strands on the outside. Your natural hair should fall beneath the synthetic hair in the middle section.
3. With the synthetic hair, braid your natural hair in. Hold fixed to the middle section and give below to 1 of the outside sections. Take some hair out from the exterior section to the middle. Then, reach below again and pull hair from the other outer section to the middle. This is the origin of the braid, with your real hair tightly mixed into the synthetic hair. Start your braid tight near the scalp so that it will look different.
4. Ensure the edge of the braid with a hair elastic, if needed. Choose thick synthetic hair, that way you won’t be needing any hair elastic to hold the braid tip, as it will stay as it is on its own. But in case of fine or thin hair, you need to use a hair elastic to keep the braid in place.
5. Braid every section one at a time, taking pauses as required. Work section by section, parting a small, uniform section of your natural hair. Then, section the synthetic hair and attach it to your real hair to braid it in. It may take some hours to do your whole head in box braids so take breaks between each section, or as required.
6. Once you have braided your entire head, trim off any flyaways with scissors. Use scissors to eliminate any flyaways at the edges.
7. To seal them, dip the edges of the braids in hot water. Stream boiling water in a bowl and set each braid from the midsection to the ends in the water. It will eliminate any kind of frizziness or flyaways on the braids, and will also hold braids and prevent them from expanding.
{D} Caring for box braids
1. Cover your braids with a silk or satin scarf at night to prevent frizziness. Tie the scarf encompassing your braids at the scalp. You can loosely pin the braids up before wrapping the scarf, if your braids are longer than the scarf itself, dramatically cutting them while you sleep, or leave the ends revealed
2. Pat a wet cloth with witch hazel and rub down the braids one at a time. This way, they stay fresh without having to get too wet in the shower or bath. Box braids can feel particularly heavy when wet and are inclined to frizziness when they are immersed in water.
3. Wash your scalp with shampoo and water to stop itchiness. Exposing your scalp divide the braid into sections and secure with pins or clip them. Wash your scalp 1 section at a time, being cautious not to get water on the braids.
4. Massage essential oils into your scalp once a week to keep it moisturized. Coconut oil, shea butter, and almond oil good options. Using clean fingers or a cotton pad or ball, or rub a plentiful dollop of oil over your scalp in sections. Try to incorporate as much of your scalp as potential without getting any oil onto your braids.
5. Take the braids out within 2 months to prevent hair breakage. Box braids usually last for one to two months, but even if they still look glorious past that point, take them out, so your hair stays healthy. Keeping your hair braided for too long can cause it to break away from the scalp, starting to a long-term injury to your hairline and your scalp.
Use your fingers to lightly unwind the braids from the point where the synthetic hair connects to your real hair. When taking your braids down, avoid using a fine-tooth comb as this can guide to cuts and tears in your hair.
Ask friends or relatives to assist with the unbraiding design to cut down the time and energy required. Throw away the extensions once you have eliminated them. Wait 3-4 weeks to put new box braids in so your hair can grow.How to Wash your Box Braids
People might get confused with box braids and micro-braids or cornrows, but they are three-strand braids created separately on smaller sections of hair. You won’t see any French braiding in them which will be close to the scalp like cornrows–instead, they hang more as loose, actual hair would. To keep your box braids and retain them healthy, carefully wash them once a month with diluted shampoo and conditioner. Make sure to hydrate after washing and revive some moisture to the hair with a natural oil and leave-in conditioner.
{A} Choose a clarifying shampoo
{B} Using Conditioner
Select a hydrating conditioner.
Firmly braided styles can dry up the dampness in your hair and make the scalp tingling, so it’s necessary to use a conditioner that will replace that moisture. While looking for a conditioner, look for easily hydrating elements such as shea butter and aloe. Mix the same amount of water and conditioner in a spray bottle or applicator. After pouring the conditioner and water into the bottle, close it and shake the ingredients collectively. Keep shaking until they blend into a milky liquid. Pour or spray the mix over the scalp and braids in the shower. Completely and evenly cover all of your hair with the diluted conditioner. Let the conditioner sit for 5-10 minutes. Stay in the shower while the conditioner sets. This will repair the moisture to your hair and give your hair a much hydrated look. Rinse the conditioner out completely in the shower. Let the water wash through your hair going by individual sections. Knead your roots with your fingertips to eliminate any excess conditioner from the scalp.{C} Drying your hair is crucial in hair care regime
{D} Always check whether your hair is hydrated
How to Style Box Braids
Well, it’s not that difficult as it may look. You have to just consider each box braid just like your strands which you want to use to create a style. These box braids can be used to make a twist, a bun, or you can even weave them to make a larger braid in any way you like.
{1} Mohawk Twists or Bun
{2} Various other Styles
Form larger braids. Braid them together and secure with a hair band.
Add a curl. Attach flexible rods or perm rods to the ends of your braids. Dip them in warm water for just a minute and then dry with a towel gently. When you will release the ends you will not be able to take your eyes from the new curls or waves.
{3} The spreadsheet Braid
{4} The intricate basket box braid
This is an intense style. From left and right sides bring braids over the top of your head, taking alternating braids. At the center to make a basket weave pattern divide the braids over each other.
{5} Create a ponytail up-do
At the back of your hair, bring the braids together and tie it in a ponytail. Making a bun around the ponytail’s base, wrap the unused braids around the bottom of the ponytail.
With these various tips, you can put a lovely box braid hairstyle that can steal all the limelight and make you look all gorgeous and pretty. Get on and be the ultimate style diva.