Photo:@wynnejean
In case you haven't noticed, there is a growing interest in using human hair for hairbox braids. Could be the result of these dreamersZoe Kravitz boho box braidswhich are a staple on countless Pinterest boards, or maybe it's the increased focus on sustainability and eco-friendly hair choices. Whatever your motivation, we're here to give you everything you need to know about braiding human hair, if it's right for you, and how best to use it for box braids or other braided styles , which you might consider.
Real hair vs artificial hair
For the uninitiated or the curious, human hair is just that: hair that comes from humans (mainly women in East India and other parts of Asia) rather than being made in a lab from synthetic fibers (kanekalon).
1. Human hair is lighter and looks more natural.
The most popular reason some choose to braid human hair is for a more natural look without the added weight that traditional synthetic fibers can carry.
2. No chemicals
Chemicals are used in the manufacture of synthetic hair fibers and some people are allergic to these chemicals. Human hair, on the other hand, contains no chemicals, which is another reason why some prefer synthetic hair.
3. Human hair lasts longer
As you can imagine, human hair looks like real hair and lasts much longer than kanekalon fibers.
4. More styling options
It can also be bleached and tinted in multiple colors and heat styled. actually theburn testThis way you can find out if the hair you bought is actually human (trust us, there are a lot of fake products out there). If you burn a strand of hair and it slowly burns and smells like rubber and produces black smoke, I hate to tell you, but it's not real. Human hair burns almost instantly.
While there are many good reasons you might want to use human hair, there are some downsides as well. Check out the pros and cons of using human hair below.
Photo:@victoriamajule
The pros and cons of braiding human hair
- It looks more natural, has a silkier texture.
- It can be reused and can last anywhere from 6 months to two years depending on care.
- It does not remove moisture from the hair.
- It can be dyed and bleached in many colors.
- Can be curled or straightened with heat styling tools.
- It can get expensive, with some brands costing up to $100 per pack.
- It can be more difficult to braid due to the silkier texture.
- The ends can come loose if not properly secured.
- It must not be sourced ethically from third world countries.
- It cannot merge with your own texture.
- Not all stylists braid human hair because of its tendency to fall apart. Check with your stylist before booking.
human hair types
There are two types of human hair:remy indioand yaki (or yaky). Remy hair is considered the best in its class in terms of quality. It comes from a single donor (human) with all hairs going in the same direction and the cuticle is intact. The result is a natural look that's soft to the touch, with no tangles, tangles, or tangles. Because it is human hair, Remy hair can be dyed, cut and heat styled and can last up to two years with care.
Yaki, on the other hand, comes from different donors and looks less fancy. Looks like loose or natural hair; but not a smooth or straight bone.
Use:If you want the best of both worlds, some brands sell blends of 100% human braided human hair and a premium quality synthetic fiber blend.
Photo:@wynnejean
where can i buy real hair braids
Braided human hair is available at virtually every local beauty store, as well as online. When buying hair, be sure to look out for bulky hair, which means you're buying human hair that isn't sewn into a weft (aka a band) for what it's going to be used for.weavings.
You can choose straight voluminous hair, wavy voluminous hair or curly voluminous hair. It just depends on the look you want. Some human hair brands we love are:
- Shake-N-Go 100% Virgin Human in Bulk—The latest series from Shake-N-Go is great for goddess braids and faux locs. Two packs should be enough for a full head as there is a lot of hair in each pack. Available styles include:
- Afro Kinky Bulk 12″
- 18″ Deep-Wave-Volumen
- Super Wave Bulk 18″
- Janet Collection Indian Remy Bulk wet and wavy— Voluminous wet and wavy hair; It starts straight and becomes wavy when immersed in water.
- Milky Way Super voluminous human hair- Great for freestyle micro box braids and holds up really well between washes and curls stay intact.
Alternatively, if you have 100% human hair bands lying around, simply cut the weft and create your own bundle.
How to braid human hair
Before you start braiding, you should wash and condition your own natural hair and extensions first. You want your hair to be in its best condition before committing to a hairstyle that you will likely keep for several weeks. (Check out oursofficial guidelinesfor the preparation, installation and maintenance of protection types).
When doing a style like box braids, not many people go easy with human hair. They start with synthetic hair and then add human hair for silkier ends.If you want to try it yourself orDiscuss the different braiding techniques with your natural stylist, the following videos are a good place to start as they show the popular practice of braiding with regular kanekalon hair first. This is done for a better hold when the person's natural texture is thicker than silky human hair. Then the human hair is fed after several passes until the full braid is finished.
Anderssynthetic braided fur, which can be dipped in hot water to set the ends in place will make human hair much silkier again, so a popular way to seal the ends is to use nail glue (yes, nail glue) to prevent unraveling.
Another option is to simply knot the ends as shown in this video (skip to the 4:03 mark).
Once the ends are sealed, if you bought hair with deep or loose waves, you can dampen the ends to activate the curls and then apply hair mousse. If you have straight hair, you can leave it as it is or style it with heat tools.
If you prefer to use human hair throughout, consider making small sections and using some sort of cream or edge control, such as a cream. B. Shine Jam to help hair braid as shown in this video:
Finally, if you want to add cross-country flights, do the following:
Care and Maintenance
Before applying protective hairstyles, make sure you give your hair some time to recover from the last hairstyle and that there are no signs of hair loss. Box braids typically last around 4-6 weeks, and with the added benefit of using human hair, they can last even longer.Proper care and maintenanceHowever; (especially keeping your scalp clean and your hair moisturized) should be your top priority to prevent the development of scalp disorders. Here's a full review tooHow to wash your box braids. And don't forget the golden rule for black hair: sleep in a silk scarf at night and your hair will grow fine!