Dear ladies, here are some tips which could help you save a lot of time from the saloon by maintaining your braids for a longer period.

1. Protect your hair at night.

Always wear a scarf or bonnet when you go to bed, it is best to make sure that the scarf is made out of silk or satin. The smooth texture of satin or silk will prevent your braids from crimping. This also prevents the roots of your hair from drying out when you sleep. If you are the type that doesn’t like using headscarves at all, then place a satin pillowcase over your pillow for a similar kind of protection.

2. Keep your scalp moist.

It is advisable to apply moisture to your scalp at least two to three times a week using a leave-in conditioner. This act will help prevent the hair from drying out and breaking eventually. Moisture is one of the things your hair needs, so make sure to spritz your hair often with a water-based solution that also has natural oils such as coconut oil.

3. Wash your braids if possible

If your braids are the type that can be washed, you could wash them once every two weeks or a month. The build-up of sweat and products used for the hair cause damage to it hence it’s important to wash your braids if it is possible to do so.

Redo edges to maintain the freshness of the hair.

Mostly, after a few weeks, the roots of your hair begin to grow out causing the need to change your braids again. Instead of rebraiding your entire hair, you can just reinstall the braids along your hairline. After you take out the braids along your edges, carefully detangle and deep condition before reinstalling your braids again.

5. Don’t keep the braids for too long

Protective styling is meant to be short-term. It is advisable not to keep your hair for too long as this could stretch the hair, damage it, and eventually cause breakages.