First Time Feed In Braids! : Trigger Warning Included

Hey all! On  my birthday (July 28^th woo!) , I got a protective style for my week long cruise. Because who wants to do their hair on vacation? I wanted something quick and easy, so I got the fairly popular style of 6 feed in/goddess braids with small braids in between.

There was much deliberation about whether I should get them straight back or to the side, but after lovingly being told more than once that my head is too big (how rude) I got them to the side.

This style took about one hour to complete. I could’ve maybe done this style myself but the parting wouldn’t have been this nice and neat. Two packs of additional hair were used for length and thickness. The braids come down to the bottom of my back, and I asked she not add too much hair so they wouldn’t look too big and bulky. I loved them immediately! They were pretty tight for three days after having them done, then they loosened up. To preserve this style at night I used my silk scarf and that’s about it! Now here comes the trigger warning. Please do not scroll any further is you are a natural hair nazi or you like to shame lazy naturals!

Trigger warning.

Now everyone find your pearls because you’re about to clutch them. This was my first time going to this salon but as most styles, this style was done on freshly washed and blow dried hair.

However, there is NO product in my hair. Again I repeat there is NO product in my hair.

There is only a small amount of ecostyler gel she used to make the braids look sleek. She also blow dried my hair without any heat protectant. I was shook, in a bad way! I could have said something about the heat protectant but I didn’t want her to use something that would make my hair too heavy or sticky when it came time to braid. I regret not speaking up about her not putting any product in my hair, at least an oil or a light moisturizing cream. She had already come late, and I figured her doing it her own way would make the process go faster. I always feel weird about speaking up in hair salons because I rarely ever go, and I figure I came here for their services so let me let them work. Can anyone relate? Now I know that is not always the best attitude to have.

I really want to keep these braids in for two more weeks but I  know shouldn’t. My hair is probably very dry and the lower half of my hair did get wet a couple times in saltwater. When I was younger my mother would always rush to wash chlorine and salt water  out of my hair , so I’ve been trained to believe if I don’t wash it out immediately it will fall out. However on vacation I rinsed my hair in the shower and that’s it. Honestly speaking, I don’t care!  I plan on rinsing my hair again using a small amount of shampoo, a small amount of conditioner and proceed to keep these braids in. My scalp has giving me issues with dryness but that usually happens to me when I have a protective style in (this issue needs a whole post itself, trust me!). The braids themselves don’t look all that messy and this vacation from doing my hair has been glorious. OK? It also doesn’t hurt that I really really like them as a fun summer hairstyle.  I will give you all an update after I take them down in a few weeks!

Otherwise I greatly enjoyed my birthday! Hoping my new year will bring great blessings and opportunities!