Crochet Hair: Nami Locs

 

I literally had to back up and do a double take when I saw these locs in the beauty supply store.

The Nami Locs look like my own Sisterlocks.  I was blown away. I never thought that I would find faux locs that looked like my own texture. This crochet hair would happily serve as Loc extensions for a special occasion.  The brand is Laude & Co.  I feel that they would be too heavy to complete a full head of crochet braids based on the amount to make sure the roots get enough coverage. This is just my opinion.

Crochet braids 101 for 2020

River Locs 14" Crochet braids by Benita Blocker

Crochet braids are my number one recommendation for those needing a change from their usual natural hair routine.

Passion Twists/Bomb Twists Crochet braids by Benita Blocker.

I highly recommend removal after four to seven weeks since you can not shampoo the crochet braids. Going months can cause your braids to dreadlock especially if you are sweating a lot. Removal gets more and more difficult after seven weeks.

Crochet braids updo by Benita Blocker.

Crochet Braids (Valley Wave) by Benita Blocker.

I customize each client with a braiding pattern based on how they want to wear their look.

Want thicker hair? Check out these Don'ts!

2019 Picture Update

I am constantly being asked about making hair thicker.  In previous articles that I posted on this blog, I mentioned consuming Matcha Green Tea for nutritional value as well as allowing the scalp, a living organ, to breathe.

So how about the Don'ts that I feel may be causing some thinning:

• The Ponytail
• The Crochet Braiding Hair
• The Protective Styling (Wigs and Weaves)

The Ponytail

So you have formed that perfect Ponytail that has been preserved for a week or more -  Then when I finally undo that ponytail holder, sometimes an odor permeates with the ponytail release.  This means the ponytail looked cute, but your scalp could not breathe.  Therefore long term suffocating the scalp is going to cause thinning.  Loose ponytails or Loose updos may not look polished, but they are healthier.


The Crochet Braiding Hair

I love the Crochet Braiding services, but most of the hair is not human and does not allow a lot of air to get through to the scalp.  It can be very hot. Less hair installed is better than a thick head of hair.  8inch human crochet hair is now available for those allergic to the other blends out there.  Consider mohawk and short styles.


Protective Styling
Wigs or Weaves, if you can not get to your scalp, then air may not be able to get to it.  This restriction can cause thinning.  So rethink your breathability versus the style.  Maybe consider more special occasion wig/weave wearing.

Crochet Braids: Braiding Tips!

Crochet Braids by Benita Blocker using Caribbean Corkscrew Curl.

Caribbean Corkscrew Curl hair is easy to separate and grab.  However, it can be quick to frizz.

Two of these packs go a long way. 

I try to custom braid based on the desired final crochet braid style.

Crochet Braids by Benita Blocker using Freetress Water Wave hair. (full 4 packs)

I recommend highly textured braiding hair for those with silky natural hair or relaxed hair.  I recommend silky braiding hair for those who have coarser natural hair.  The coarser natural hair can have thick cornrows as a base and interlock silky braiding hair through both halves of the thick cornrows.

Silky braiding hair may match relaxed hair but it may slip out.  That is why I recommend opposite textures of what you are working with. Thinner hair need more cornrows and some circular braiding patterns as a foundation.

If the braiding hair frizzes, then you can double strand twist in the areas that need taming. 2 to 5 packs should be plenty of braiding hair for one head.

The final cut of the crochet braids make it look most natural.

Crochet Braids using Cork Screw Curly Hair

Crochet Braids by Benita Blocker.

Asymmetric Bob Cut by Benita Blocker.

The longer side.

We used a little over 3 packs of the Cork Screw 18" hair to obtain the volume and fullness of this look.

Crochet braids talk: Jamaican Bounce versus Caribbean Bounce

Crochet braids by Benita Blocker using Jamaican Bounce Curl. Colors: #350 and #2

"Hot Water Set" Possible was pictured prominently on the Jamaican Bounce Curl packaging label.  I will explain more about this at the end of this article.

Crochet braids by Benita Blocker using Beauty2bar.com Caribbean Bounce Curl. Color: #4/30

I believe the Caribbean Bounce Curl is exclusive to the beauty2bar website; however, the Jamaican Bounce Curl is definitely a twin sister.  The curl diameters look the same to me.  

Both were prone to frizz with the least wrong move.  The Caribbean Bounce Curl was easier to twirl to get the frizz under control. I did not "hot water" pre-set, but both of these curl patterns may benefit from a dip in the hot water before crochet interlocking them.  Of course, if the client is bringing their crochet hair with them, then the service will be prolonged to just hot water set the hair.

Both curly textures require a hair bonnet to keep curls under control.  I plan to experiment on a few pieces to see how they each hot water set without perm rods.  I will add a comment to this article referencing my findings.

YouTube channel and brand ambassador Sadora Paris brought spotlight to the Caribbean Bounce Curl; however, on her most recent "Teal Ombre" YouTube video she used Kanekalon Straight hair and hot water set on purple flexi-rods to achieve her own DIY spiral curled crochet interlocking hair.  I can only assume that she may have encountered too much frizz too soon with the Caribbean Bounce Curl or the website sold out of the Caribbean Bounce Curl.   You can see the Do-It-Yourself hot water spiral curls technique at the 2:02 minute mark. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/dVa6cCe8zMk

Bohemian Braid Look: Crochet braids on Relaxed hair

Crochet braid service and cut by Benita Blocker

My client was only around 6 weeks post relaxer. She wanted pre-summer workout hair so we decided on crochet braids.

We used mostly color 1b with some color 2 for natural highlighting.  It looks like it's growing from her head right?

I cut 5 or more inches off for this look.  I also had to double anchor the base of the crochet braids because of the slip of this Bohemian braid texture. It is made of fiber exclusively developed to resemble the touch and feel of human hair.  This fiber can only be curled at 350 - 400 degrees Fahrenheit. It does NOT have Kanekalon nor Toyokalon written on the pack.  So it is just an exclusive fiber.   We used 2.5 packs for this style as well as a custom braiding pattern for a natural fall based on her head shape.

New Naturalon Fiber content in Havana Mamba Twist

100% Naturalon has replaced the 100% Kanekalon fiber in the "Janet Collection" Havana Mambo Twist.

I did not find anything about this new fiber change on the Internet.  BeautyPlus Trading Company, Inc. is the parent company.  Made in Indonesia. Same SKU number.

The Naturalon/Toyokalon package also has "Handmade" on it.

I look forward to feedback on whether anyone has noticed in changes in how the Havana Mambo Twist continue to hold up. 

The only thing that possibly stood out to me was that the new fiber may slide more at the interlocked root. If this is the case, then the hair will try to undo itself if not reinforced.

I will update as I get more feedback on this change.

The Three Universal Hair Categories and 2016 Trend Analysis

There are three ways to describe hair universally:

• Loose natural
• Locked natural
• Permed (Permanently relaxed or Permanently curled)

Loose natural hair can be thermally straightened to look like a relaxer or it can be worn in its natural state.

As far as wigs go, they have become as common as lipstick in 2016.  With people changing hair length and haircolor on a daily basis, "wig shopping" has been the new "girls outing."

Blame it on the weather!  Blame on people wanting a look that they were not born with.

You can now wear any curl pattern that you desire through the use of the crochet braiding process in about two hours. Corkscrew coils?  No problem.  Romance Curls? No problem.

2016 Hair, especially "Black hair" has floored me.  I tell new customers that I actually service more hair than I do weave so that they know that my specialty is "haircare."

All the weaves.  All of the uniform sew-in's. All of the wigs. My head has been spinning lately.  I often ask myself - will the trend to wear your own hair come back any time soon?

The barbers must be seeing an increase in women with short afros. What happened to mens' demand for long hair?

More and more people have found hair partners, and they maintain each other's hair at home.  YouTube tutorials are cutting out the hairdressing profession.  We are going back to the time before Madame C. J. Walker started beauty salons.

Surprisingly, going to the hair salon, now means washing, conditioning, and blowdrying BEFORE you get to the salon to get the sew-in, crochet braids, or individual braids.

Natural hair practitioners can now provide almost the same hair services as cosmetologists in North Carolina.  Cosmetologists are also licensed for esthetics and nails as backup plans.

Is the hair extension/wig industry recession-proof?  Will all the protective styling mania end anytime soon?

Feel free to comment.  This article is more about you the audience than me the hair professional. Inquiring minds want to know.  Will the commercial hair demand ever peak out?

Customized Crochet Braids by Benita Blocker

Crochet Braids service by Benita Blocker.

I started out with a custom braiding pattern,  and I strategically added 1 pack of color 30 hair to the 3.5 packs of color 1b hair to give her a hightlighted final finish.

She wanted the off black color as the dominant color throughout the head.

I also cut the final style into this look.

12" Havana Mambo Twist  were used to create this look.

Crochet Braids: New Tools Review

My new crochet braids tools:  1) Fusion hook (small latch hook) and 2) Hair Threader.  Those with ultra curly/kinky hair benefit from the thinner tools.  Those with shorter relaxed hair desiring crochet braids will also benefit from these thinner tools.

The popular latch hook pictured on the left seems too bulky to use on people with relaxed hair.  I used the Sisterlock tool on a prior crochet braid client, but I felt that I needed a closure latch on the Sisterlock hook tool.  So the Fusion hook tool is perfect because it is less bulky, and it is a latch hook tool.

The fusion (latch) hook can be purchased from Sally's Beauty Supply.

The bulk hair and braid hair options are expanding.  I have seen everything from Romance curls to Corkscrew curls.

Crochet Braids: 22 inch Deep Twist on Relaxed Hair

Crochet Braid installation and hairstyling by Benita Blocker

My client wanted a center part as well as an option to wear a side part.  I custom designed her front cornrow pattern to accommodate this request.

She also had soft, fine, relaxed hair.  I placed a lot of small cornrows in her hair to make sure the braids could withstand tool manipulation.

I used my Sisterlocks hook tool instead of a latch hook because I felt the latch hook would loosen up the small cornrows too much.

The Freetress Deep Twist hair needs boiling water to prevent it from voluminizing too quickly.  I dipped the rods at the final finish because the client brought the hair, but in the future, I would pre-dip this deep twist hair in advance of the crochet braid install.

This hair is a very silky yet textured hair. The silkiness of it encourages a lot of movement in the latching of it.  I highly reccommend using double/triple latching to prevent the hair from working its way a loose by itself.

My client wanted a flat look where "less is more." We were excited about her new look!

Crochet Braids on Relaxed hair by Benita Blocker

Crochet Braids using Mamba Havana Twists by Benita Blocker.

My client has relaxed hair.  The braiding pattern was inspired by youtuber Sadora Paris.

Using one 24" twist cut in half, I filled the first track in the bang area.

One 24" twist expands quite a bit.

This is about 7 Twists cut in half.  So 14 pieces.  This is a sideview of the client.  3 packs of the 24" hair will be more than enough for this medium length look. The brand of the hair is Janet.

After cutting the twists for shape, we tried the side part look.

I then cut the bang area for a flatter look. Please remember that going from a relaxed straight look to a highly textured look is mindblowing.  It can take a few minutes or even a few days to get used to the new look.