Jazmine Parks is one of the most notable hair professionals in the Southeast. Her speciality is Celebrity hair braiding. She continues to do hair for her community, and gives insight on braiding.
Braids are one of the oldest African-American hairstyles, and they have been popular for centuries. They come in an infinite variety of patterns, colors, length, thicknesses and textures.
In this article Jazmine covers some of the most popular types of braids: cornrows, box braids (or Dutch braids), French braids and Senegalese twists. She’ll also cover how to care for your natural hair while wearing these hairstyles.
Lastly we’ll give you some tips on how to best braid your own hair at home!
Cornrows
Cornrows are one of the most common types of braids, and so they have some special rules.
Here are three things to keep in mind:
- Cornrows should be no wider than 1 inch
- They should be woven into the natural hairline (usually a few inches from the hairline)
- Also, they need to be trimmed every 6 weeks.
Box Braids
Box braids are quite popular among black women. This is because they are fairly easy to maintain, look nice and you can make them any length or thickness that you want.
The only thing to keep in mind with box braids of any kind is that they tend to break easily when the hair is too thin, so always use a good quality hair (preferably your own!) for this style.
Box braids also need a lot of maintenance and styling products, so it’s advisable to buy an inexpensive wig while waiting for your hair to grow back after each trim!
French Braids
French braiding is another very common type of braid worn by African-American women (and others). It is very difficult to do on your own.
If you’re trying to learn how to French braid, consider hiring a professional braider for at least one of your first braids. They can show you the ropes without putting too much stress on your hair when you are still learning.
French braiding also requires a lot of products so make sure that you have some gel and hairspray handy before getting started!
Senegalese Talese Twists
Senegalese twists are very similar to box braids, but with one key difference.
While box braids are made of artificial hair that is sewn to the natural hair, Senegalese twists use 100% human hair in their construction. This makes them more expensive than box braids, but they tend to last longer and look nicer as well.
Combs and Brushes
One thing that’s important when deciding on a hairstyle is what tools you’re going to need to maintain it. There are some special combs and brushes designed specifically for black women’s hair that you should try out before buying any synthetic varieties of these items.
