Hair braiding - care and appearance

[peg2001]

I can picture what people are talking about when they discuss a "full head of cornrows." However, what does a half-head look like?!? Also, someone took the time to describe a hairband-style braid but I just can't picture it. Does anyone have pictures that they can share with me? I'm a mother of 2 little girls who will probably want braids.

Finally, and I really apologize if this sounds ignorant, if you leave the braids in for several days, do you just shampoo and rinse as usual without taking out the braids?

 

[kplatt]

Sorry I don't have pictures, but think of the "headband style" as starting from the hairline and going toward the back of the head. The hair will be confined in braids about the same amount of coverage as a headband worn far back. Then from the top of the head the hair will fall freely. Think of Bo Derek with braids only halfway back! You can shampoo and rinse gently.

IMHO the women on Castaway Cay did a better job than the women on the Magic...

Karen
Wonder 11/01
Magic 3/02
Wonder 11/02

 

[Jobro2]

Remember to apply sunscreen on the exposed scalp areas, as it will burn very quickly! I used Q-tips to apply suntan lotion on my DD head between the braids and it worked very well.

 

[tkd lisa]

If I was good at this, I'd post a link, but I'm not. On the trip report page, there is a report posted by Kearbey. It links you off to his page with his family's trip on the Magic. He has two really cute little girls, who got the headband style braids on Castaway Cay (that was before they offered them on the ship). If you go to the 5th or 6th day of the trip, you start seeing pictures. The best way I can describe them is a set of cornrows going back from the forehead to about the crown. The rest of the hair is loose down the back. The "full head" appears to mean that the hair is cornrowed down the back of the head to the end of the hair (think Bo Derek in "10").

According to other people's posts, you gently wash them, but don't condition them.


We haven't gone yet, but here's our plan (just in case you care). We're doing the headband style. I bought the clear plastic hair bands at a drug store for the braider to put in. They are supposed to do less damage to the hair. I also bought a silky type of hair covering for her to sleep in. I got it near the African American hair supplies in Wal Mart. I plan to leave them in for at least a couple of weeks, maybe as long as a month??

 

[peg2001]

Thank you! You descriptions helped me to understand what to expect from the braiding. I was also able to find the trip report with the pictures of those 2 adorable little girls after their braiding.

I appreciate the tips on care as well.

 

[DOOGIERUNNER]

We had our DD's whole head braided last summer in St. Martin. The braids stayed in two weeks, if you're careful and gentle with washing. We paid $1/braid. I would have been better off to negotiate up front for the whole head. We paid around $60. There were folks who got by for $40.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Ok, I've seen all the posts about using a q-tip to apply sunscreen or using the spray on kind. Doesn't that make the hair really nasty? I meanl, even with shampoo, I don't think you'd be removing that stuff from the hair. Also, how exactly do you shampoo and condition in order to keep the braids in for the maximum amount of time?

 

[pmgreene]

Negotiate price and number of braids up-front!! If they won't do it for your price go to the next lady.

My DD6 had 10 of the "full braids" (basically it was TIGHTLY frenchbraided on her head and then braided to the bottom of the strand with the beads at the end. The rest of her hair hung freely) and we tried to shampoo her hair and it worked OK. The lady put a very think type of gel in her hair when she started braiding and that was tough to get out. Yes, the sunscreen did stay in her hair and after a while looked dirty but you have to put it on or a very painful sunburn will occur. She kept hers in for about 10 days, long enough to finish the cruise and wear to school a few days. From watching her and others I can guess that it is a painful process because the lady pulls the hair so tightly.

HAVE FUN!