1. Braiding & Braid Extensions
Ch#18

2. Braiding Roots
This art form can require an enormous investment of time with some elaborate styles taking up to an entire day to complete. In some African tribes styles of braiding signified a person’s social status within the community.

3. Natural Hairstyling
Using no chemicals, dyes, and does not alter the natural curl or coil pattern of the hair
Braided hair designs can last up to three months with 6 to 8 weeks being preferable
Giving clients a through and detailed consultation including analyzing the hair is the best way to avoid misunderstandings

4. Hair Analysis Diameter – coarse, medium or fine
Feel – oily, dry, hard, soft, smooth, wiry
Wave pattern / coil configuration – straight, wavy, spiral, loop
Density – thick or thin
Condition – damage, breakage
Length – can style be executed properly
Scalp health – any disease / disorder

5. Twisting
Overlapping two strands to form a candy cane effect

6. Weaving
Interweaving a weft or faux hair with natural hair (wrapping and locking)

7. Natural Hairstyling License / Lockticians / Braider’s license
Some states offer these licenses , NJ does NOT
These stylists CANNOT perform chemical services

8. Boar Bristle Brush
Best for stimulating the scalp as well as removing dirt and lint

9. Square Paddle Brush
Good for releasing tangles and preventing breakage in fragile hair

10. Vent Brush
Speeds up blow drying

11. Wide Tooth Comb
Removes tangles

12. Double Tooth Comb
Separates the hair; great for detangling wet curly hair

13. Tail Comb
Excellent for sectioning & opening and removing braids

14. Finishing Comb
AKA cutting comb

15. Pick
Useful for separating and lifting textured hair

16. Blow Dryer w/ Pick Nozzle Diffuser
Pick Nozzle – loosens the curl pattern as it dries (use care because it can cause frizz)
Diffuser – dries hair w/o disturbing the finished look and does not dehydrate the hair

17. 5” Scissors
Creating shapes and finished look &/or cutting bangs

18. Long Clips
Used for separating hair into sections and keep flat

19. Butterfly slips
Used to separate hair into sections

20. Hood Dryer
Used to remove excess moisture

21. Small rubber bands
Used to secure the ends

22. Extension Fibers
Human Hair , Kanekalon, Nylon or Rayon Synthetic, Yar, Lin or Yak

23. Hackle
Board of fine upright nails through which human hair extensions are combed. They are used for detangling or blending colors and highlights

24. Drawing Board
Flat leather pads with very close fine teeth that sandwich human hair extensions. The pads are weighted down with books, allowing a specific amount of hair to be extracted without loosening and disturbing the rest of the hair during the braiding process

25. Human Hair Most expensive The majority is imported from Asia
The most expensive is imported from Europe

26. Kanekalon Manufactured, synthetic fiber of excellent quality
Some are heat resistant
Some are made for braided styles
Some mimic human hair
Durability – holds up from shampooing and styling

27. Nylon / Rayon Synthetic
Less expensive than many other synthetics
Drawbacks:
1.These fibers have been known to cut or break the surrounding natural hair
2.Melt from high heat such as blow dryer

28. Yarn Available in many colors
Does not reflect light / gives a matte finish
May expand during shampooing but it will not slip from the base

29. Lin Wool fiber imported from Africa has a matte finish
Only comes in black and brown
Comes on a roll and can be cut to any length
Cotton like fabric is very flammable

30. Yak
Strong fiber from the domestic Ox found in the mountains of Tibet and Central Asia
Mixing human hair with yak hair helps to remove the manufactured shine

31. Wet vs. Dry Hair
In general it is best to braid curly hair when it is dry
If curly hair is braided wet it will shrink and recoil when dry which creates pulling and scalp tension which in turn leads to breakage or hair loss called Traction Alopecia
Straight / resistant hair is best braided slightly damp or coated with a pomade to make it more pliable

32. Visible Braid
Is a three strand braid created with and under hand technique (aka plaiting) in which the left section goes under the middle strand, then the right section goes under the middle strand. Technique used for cornrowing (aka canerowing)

33. Invisible or Inverted (French) Braid
Is a three strand braid produced with an overhand technique in which the first side section goes over the middle one then the other side section does over the middle strand

34. Rope Braid
Created with two strands that are twisted around each other

35. Fishtail Braid
Simple two strand braid in which hair is picked up from the sides and added to the strands as they are crossed over each other

36. Single Braids (Box Braids)
Free-hanging braids, with or without extensions, that can be executed using either and underhand or overhand technique

37. Locs
Separate networks of curly textured hair that have been intertwined and meshed together
Hair locks in several slow phases that can take from 6 months to a year
Phase 1 – hair is soft and coiled into spiral configurations. The coils is smooth and the end is open. The coil has a shine or glossy texture
Phase 2 – Prelock – Hair begins to interlace and mesh. The separate units begin to puff up and expand in size. The units are no longer glossy or smooth
Phase 3 – Sprouting – A bulb can be felt at the end of each loc. Interlacing continues
Phase 4 – Growing – Hair begins to regain length. Loc may still be frizzy, but also solid in some areas
Phase 5 – Maturation – Locs are closed at the ends, dense and dull and do not reflect light

38. 3 basic methods of locking
The Comb Technique- placing the comb at the base of the scalp with a rotating motion, spiraling the hair into a curl – offers tight coil and is excellent on short hair
The Palm Roll – gentlest on the hair and works through all the stages. Place styling product on hair subsections and in between the palms of your hands than roll in a clockwise and counterclockwise motion as you move down the coil
Braids or extensions – effective way to start locs. After several weeks the braid will grow away from the scalp, at which time the palm roll method can be used to cultivate the new growth to form the loc