Crochet braids are my favorite go-to protective style. They are easy to do and (most importantly for braids) easy to take out. Also, individuals with practically any length hair can wear them. Bonus: they take less than half the time to put in than traditional box braids, micros, or Senegalese. Plus, you can try a variety of styles with crochet.
What are crochet braids?
Crochet braids are not to be confused with tree braids, which take a little longer to put in. Basically, your hair is in cornrows, braided all the way back. If your hair is long, your ends are tacked up. There are two basic options after this process is done. 1) You may choose to crochet synthetic/human hair bulk hair through your cornrows or 2) crochet pre-braided strands (essentially can have the same effect as micros or Senegalese under this option). Using a crochet pin, which can be purchased at any beauty supply store for less than $3 (typically around $1.99), you crochet individual strands through the cornrows. The entire process should take between 3 - 5 hours. Obviously, the slower you are at braiding cornrows, the slower the entire process.
How long do crochet braids last?
Crochet braids can last anywhere from 4 - 6 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows. My hair grows fairly quick so if I use pre-braided strands I will take them out after 4 weeks. However, if I use bulk hair, especially a type that is pretty close in texture and style to my natural hair, the new growth is less noticeable and I will leave it in for the full 6 weeks.
Below is the finished product using Freetress Water Wave bulk hair in colors 1B and 30. To achieve this look you will need about 2 - 3 packs of 28" or 26" cut in half. As you can see below, my natural hair is about as wispy and curly as the synthetic.
What are crochet braids?
Crochet braids are not to be confused with tree braids, which take a little longer to put in. Basically, your hair is in cornrows, braided all the way back. If your hair is long, your ends are tacked up. There are two basic options after this process is done. 1) You may choose to crochet synthetic/human hair bulk hair through your cornrows or 2) crochet pre-braided strands (essentially can have the same effect as micros or Senegalese under this option). Using a crochet pin, which can be purchased at any beauty supply store for less than $3 (typically around $1.99), you crochet individual strands through the cornrows. The entire process should take between 3 - 5 hours. Obviously, the slower you are at braiding cornrows, the slower the entire process.
How long do crochet braids last?
Crochet braids can last anywhere from 4 - 6 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows. My hair grows fairly quick so if I use pre-braided strands I will take them out after 4 weeks. However, if I use bulk hair, especially a type that is pretty close in texture and style to my natural hair, the new growth is less noticeable and I will leave it in for the full 6 weeks.
Below is the finished product using Freetress Water Wave bulk hair in colors 1B and 30. To achieve this look you will need about 2 - 3 packs of 28" or 26" cut in half. As you can see below, my natural hair is about as wispy and curly as the synthetic.
(taken 1 week after braids were put in)
If synthetic bulk hair is used, daily hair care is essential in order to prevent dryness and fraying. For the style above, I used a daily leave-in moisturizer (both a cream and a spray) to keep the curls lustrous and bouncy. For my scalp, I used coconut oil every other day--just follow the natural tracks of the cornrows. To prevent itch, I used Shea Moisture African Black Soap Dandruff & Dry Scalp Elixir (pictured below). This combination worked pretty well as it did not create a lot of buildup and I could go two weeks without washing my hair.
I followed my regular shampoo and conditioning regimen when I did wash my hair, with the exception of blow drying. You can get crochet braids wet at anytime, and they dry fairly rapidly--just keep in mind that your real hair cornrowed underneath will take a little longer to dry. To speed up the process, you may use a handheld blow dryer with a comb attachment to get some hot air directly to the cornrows.
Below is are the braids right before I took them out:
(At week 6)
Taking Crochet Braids Out
One of the more attractive features of crochet braids is that it is a cinch to take out. Literally. All you have to do is grab a pair of scissors and cut. No, really, it is that simple. You know exactly where your hair is--it's in CORNROWS!!!! So all you have to do is cut all the synthetic hair off and start undoing your cornrows. Voila! No fuss, no muss. It should take you well under an hour to finish as long as you didn't make your cornrows too thin (I usually have only 12 cornrows across my head).
If there's information I left out about crochet braids that you would like to know, let me know and I will update the post.
