POLKWANE – Trendy Beauty Salon Owner Minkie Molepo gives us a few tips on how to keep your braids/twisted braids clean and how to maintain them this Spring.

 • Wash your braids weekly

Braids tend to build up sweat and pile up dirt when it gets hot, which can cause pores to clog and product build up. After at least two weeks of inserting braids, wash them.

To wash the braids:

• You need a growth pro-stimulating hair shampoo.
• Get an empty spray bottle where you will have to pour little water inside the empty bottle spray, then, mix a bit of the hair shampoo with the water so that it makes foam inside the bottle.

• Spray the mixture directly onto your scalp, rub with your finger-tips (not your nails) all over your scalp, section by section and all over the head, then jump in the shower, wash the hair, and let the shampoo run out to the tips of the braids.

• Once you’re done washing/rinsing the braids, mix a hair conditioner with little bit of water inside an empty bottle spray and spray the conditioner directly onto your scalp.
• Wait for about 5 – 10 minutes, then jump in the shower again and rinse the conditioner out.
• Drying your braids can get a bit tricky because they can get heavy, especially if it’s long braids. Dry well with a towel before you get out of the shower, keep the towel on your head for about 5 -10 minutes, then leave it to air dry.

Keeping your braids and scalp moist is very important, put some hair-food and moisturiser.

• Applying hair food on your scalp and braids will only take about 2 – 3 minutes to apply on your head.
• You can also use hair oil spray to apply on the braids to get that shiny look to your braids.

• Avoid using unnatural products to keep your braids moisturised.

• The most important rule for braids to remember is that you must avoid mineral oils such as plague, because most braids need to hold as much moisture as they can for that optimum look.
• Mineral oil is the key ingredient in most of the popular braid moisturisers, do not use them, use natural oils like coconut oil or almond oil instead.
• Apricot Castor Oil is also a good hair oil to use on your braids, which you can also use it to seal entire braid strands or just your ends.
• The oils are really good for scalp soothing and retaining important moisture, and if you need a non-greasy feeling moisturiser simply use a natural leave-in conditioner.

anne@nmgroup.co.za