Crochet Braids : The Good, The Bad and The Not So Great

After diamonds, crochet braids are an African girl’s best friend. Faux locs, Mambo Braids, Senegalese Twists, Marley braids…Crochet braids have taken the world by storm. Everyone wants to get in on the action, and it’s not hard to see why.

Senegalese Twists, Darling Kenya

The only thing better than grandma’s food at Christmas dinner is crochet braids that are light as air. Gone are the days when we used to walk around with twenty-pound braids on our heads. Thank you hair extension gods. Also, crochet braids take just one or two hours to complete.

Faux Locs Crochet braids, Darling Kenya

There are two methods to style your crochet braids:

1. Braiding the hair into cornrows then crocheting the braids onto the cornrows.
2. Braiding the hair into two or three strand twists then incorporating the individual twists into the crochet braids.

Whichever method of crochet you use, there are things you should and should not do.

The Good ( Do’s)

To have your crochet braid styles looking perfect, make sure you do the following:

1. Buy a good amount of braids so that your whole head is covered. Ideally, four to six packs is the safest. If you buy too little, you’ll end up with spaces and people will be able to see your scalp and the cornrows. Not a good look!
2. Scalp care: Ensure you care for your scalp beneath the cornrows to prevent dryness and flaking. Do this by using olive oil, coconut oil or a Braid Spray.
3. Reuse the braids: I used to throw away my crochet braids after their first use. No more. You can actually wash and get a few more uses out of them.

The Bad (Don’t’s)

Avoid having cornrows that are too large or too small. I learnt this the hard way when I went to a London (Greenwich) Salon where the hair stylist plaited some really large cornrows on my head. She then proceeded to crochet faux locs that were way too small for the cornrow. I just wanted to quit public life and live out my days in the Essex countryside recovering from the disaster. So, I ended up looking like this:

Woe is me ☹

If your cornrows are too small, you will need to buy many more packets…Which will cost you a pretty penny especially since crochet braids are pricier than normal braids.

Also, avoid creating large front parts that will reveal a distinction between your hair and the crochet braids.

THE NOT SO GREAT

The ease with which they’re done, the ease with which you can take them down. The versatility is also out of this world. However, they have a downside too. If you use the cornrow method, they tend to give you an unnatural part at the front which is a dead giveaway that you’re wearing crochet braids. Another con is that if you’re using the crochet method of two-strand twists, your hair starts to peek through the braid as time goes by. Especially if your hair and the braids are two different colours.  But that’s about it when it comes to negatives of using crochet braids. Personally, I am a believer and a convert who will never go back to regular braids.

To get into more detail, we have jotted down The Pros And Cons Of Protective Styling. See what works for you.