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Getting Neat Straight Cornrows
Do you have a problem with frizzy, uneven, sloppy looking cornrows? You can improve your style dramatically by following a few simple rules and using the right tools. Read on...
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Your Tools
Every braider should have the right supplies in their kit. You don't have to spend alot of money on fancy products. Everything you need is available at most discount beauty supply stores, or can be made at home.
Your basic set should include:
a rat tailed comb
hair wax and/or flex gel (not the hard stuff)
and hair serum or pure cosmetic grade argan oil
a spray bottle with clean water
Hair serum or argan oil and water work together to soften the hair and smooth the cuticle, the hair's outer layer. This is important when you have a client who has damaged hair, as it will make it easier to part, style, and comb through. Damaged and unevenly lengthed hair are the main culprits in frizzy cornrows.
Gel or hair wax helps to hold the style in place, but it also prevents fly away hairs. During styling, it also prevents you from pulling the hair too hard, which could lead to further damage or hair loss.
A rat tailed comb is one that has a long, pointed end. This is crucial for precision parting. Be careful which one you get though. The best of them have a blunt metal rod or a conical plastic end.
The Rules
#1. Style the hair while it is damp and lightly oiled or with serum.
If you do it dry, the grooves in your fingerprints will catch the cells of the hair's cuticle, and both rub them the wrong way at times and pull the hair harder than you should. Traction alopecia, hair loss because of pulling, is one of the most common reasons for hair loss at the scalp level. Pulling of the hair shaft itself, and the constant tension that will result from dry cornrows is the reason for hair breakage, which leads to more frizz the next time you style it.
It may feel more difficult the first few times you try it, but you will get used to it. There are some people who even wear latex gloves while styling the hair of people with overly sensitive scalps.
It is precise braiding and proper product use that makes an enduring and safe cornrowed style, not tension.
#2. Remember the shape of the head and hairline, and the gradual thickenning while planning your style.
The most neat and precise looking styles are never planned as if it is possible to have all of the rows the exact same width all over the head. Keep this in mind during planning. Also remember that as you go along and take up more and more hair, the braid itself will become thicker as you go.
#3. Take your time.
Try not to be rushed, and take regular breaks every half hour or so. Trying to hurry is never a good idea with cornrowing, any more than it is with crosstitch, knitting, or quilting.
It is a craft, and you will get the best results if you plan ahead, clear your schedule, and approach the head fresh and rested every time.
I hope this article has been helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to visit the site and contact me.
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