Caring for your Braids

• Your style can last from 1 week to 3 months according to the technique and your maintenance and grooming.

• The term "braids" can include many types of techniques such as Singles, Cornrows, Flat Twists, etc.

• For styles that can be shampooed, dilute your formula first. This prevents your scalp from drying out and prevents a dull film from forming on your braids.

• When shampooing, you may massage your scalp with your fingertips. Use a small comb between the braids, stroking from side to side, to clean thoroughly.

• Shampooing twice per month should be sufficient unless you swim, itch or sweat profusely.
  
  Some times a full shampoo will destroy a style or alter it completely.  In this case, we recommend a  Dry Shampoo.   A dry shampoo may be achieved by using a damp cloth to cleanse the scalp.  Take a damp cloth and go through the partings in your hair, wiping your scalp with the damp cloth thoroughly.  Repeat this procedure for several rounds.  Rinse the cloth out with soap and water with each round.  Then using an astringent ( Sea Breeze, Witch Hazel, or diluted Tea Tree Oil ) place one of these items on the cloth and go through the scalp again.  Then oil the scalp with any one of Hair Culture - Braids & Natural Hair' specially formulated hair oils.  This will refresh your scalp in the event that you can not have a full shampoo.  We also offer this service in the salon if you prefer a professional to do this job for you.

• Liquid oils are best because they penetrate the scalp, giving it moisture and stimulation. Ask about our selection of handmade, natural liquid oils.

• For close to the scalp styles like cornrows, when your braids become fuzzy you can give them a fresh look by dampening your hair, brushing it in the direction that the braids flow and tying it with a scarf until the hair dries. Groom braids by brushing them with a soft brush to avoid snagging.

• We highly recommend that you return to the salon for regular maintenance services. These services include touch-ups (the hair line braids are removed and re-braided) for long term braid styles. Touch-ups prevent hairline breakage. A touch-up also refreshes your braid style and prolongs the life of the hair style.

• For Cornrow styles, cover the hair with a silk scarf when sleeping, changing clothes and under your shower cap. Large Cornrow styles, such as Goddess braids and Cherokee braids, should not be shampooed.

• Most braided styles can last 3 months and remain attractive. However, after that time, your hair may begin to loc. Combing out the locs can cause damage, therefore it is advisable that you always remove all braided styles after 3 months. We may be able to unloc your hair, however this service requires an additional fee.

Locs

• Good News! Hair Culture - Braids & Natural Hair is here to service your Locs, regardless of their condition. For Starter Locs, we offer the palm rolling method. The Palm Rolling method, the foundation technique used for all loc maintenance, is a technique of rolling each individual section. This process enables your locs to grow uniformly in both length and width.

• For longer lengths (5" or more) and hard to Loc hair (straighter textures) we recommend a 2 Strand Twist. This method is two pieces of hair twisted together very much like Senegalese Twists. This style can stay in for up to 3 months before Locing. It's a great way to try the loc look if you're uncertain about Locing. For maintenance, we suggest coming into the salon every 4-6 weeks for palm rolling.

• If you have already started your Locs we can help you maintain them. We offer you the basics as well as specialty treatments including: shampoo, conditioner, hot oil, henna, scalp treatments, manicuring and clipping, joining together of weak locs, herbal rinses, etc.

• Allow us to pamper your locs so that they will grow healthy, thick, and lush.