The First Few Days
- Leave your style alone for the first 24 to 48 hours. Avoid pulling, tight ponytails and heavy accessories while your scalp settles.
- A little tightness on the first day is normal. If your braids are so tight that you have pain, bumps, swelling or a headache, contact us right away, within 48 hours, so we can loosen them.
- Sleep on a satin pillowcase or wear a satin scarf or bonnet from the first night.
Washing
- Wash your hair every 2 to 3 weeks, or sooner if your scalp feels itchy or heavy with product.
- Use a diluted, sulfate-free shampoo. Focus on the scalp with your fingertips, and let the suds run down the length of the braids instead of scrubbing them.
- Rinse very well. Leftover shampoo causes flaking and itching.
- Squeeze the water out gently and let your hair air-dry fully, or use a hooded dryer on low. Damp braids left to dry slowly can smell musty and can cause mildew.
Scalp and Moisture
- Keep your scalp and your own hair moisturised with a light oil or leave-in spray, a few times a week. Too much heavy cream or gel builds up and makes braids fuzzy.
- Use only a small amount of edge control, and wash it out. It should never be stiff or flaky.
- Drink water and eat well: healthy hair grows from the inside.
Night and Daily Care
- Tie your braids loosely up in a satin scarf or bonnet each night, or sleep on satin. This cuts frizz and lets your style last longer.
- Wear updos and ponytails loose, and change the position often so the same spot is not under stress.
- Do not pick or pull at flyaways. A light mousse and a satin scarf are kinder than a lot of pulling.
Sweat, Swimming and Heat
- After a workout or a lot of sweat, let your scalp dry and refresh it with a light spray, or rinse gently.
- Rinse chlorine or salt water out soon after swimming, and let your hair dry fully.
- Keep hot tools away from synthetic hair: it can melt or frizz.
How Long Your Style Lasts
- As a general guide: box braids and knotless braids, 6 to 8 weeks; twists, 4 to 6 weeks; cornrows, 2 to 4 weeks; locs upkeep, every 4 to 6 weeks; butterfly and faux locs, 6 to 8 weeks. Your braider will give you a time for your own hair.
- New growth shows as your style ages. Leaving a style in longer than advised makes take down harder and can damage your own hair.
- Many clients rebook 6 to 8 weeks after a braided style. You can book your next appointment any time.
Taking Your Style Down
- Please let us take it down (from $50, add it when you book), or take it down carefully yourself with a conditioner and a wide-tooth comb.
- Never cut through braids close to your scalp, and do not rush: shed hair is normal, but pulling at tangles breaks your own hair.
- Wash, deep condition and detangle before your next style, and give your hair a short rest if you can.
Touch-Ups and Adjustments
- If something is not right, contact us within 48 hours of your service and we will adjust it where we can.
- A touch-up of edges and new growth is a separate service (from $65). It is a good idea when your edges start to look loose but you are not ready for a new style.
- If we suggested reinforcing your style to make it last longer and you chose not to, later repairs are charged as repairs. The agreement explains this.
For Children
- Keep children's styles a little looser and check the scalp often. Children move a lot, so re-tie their bonnet at night.
- Avoid pulling and heavy accessories. Wash gently every 2 to 3 weeks, and rinse well.
When to Contact Us or a Doctor
- Contact us if you have pain, tight spots, bumps, a lot of itching, redness, flaking that will not go away, or thinning at the edges.
- See a doctor if you have swelling, pus, fever, severe pain or an allergic reaction such as a rash that spreads or trouble breathing (call emergency services for the last one).
This guidance is not medical advice. If you have severe pain, swelling, fever or an allergic reaction, see a doctor.
