Hits & Misses: Vixen Crochet Braids

Hello there,

After 5 weeks of having my last protective style in, I took them out and installed another set of crochet braids in - this time using a vixen crochet braid technique. I learned this style from Mary K on YouTube (click here for the technique), where the hair is parted in four sections and canerowed/cornrowed into a beehive style. The hair is then crocheted and can be worn in a series of styles and which makes it more natural looking when parted and styled. Here's a picture of how it looks:

(Source: Goog;e images)

In the link above, Mary K uses Kanekalon "braid" hair, crochets the hair in, blow dries and flat irons the hair, then flat irons her leave out (the section that meets in the middle in the diagram), and everything blends flawlessly. 

So anything nice and simple, mi inna it.

And I attempted it.

Didn't work out so well.

Gibbie wasn't going to flat iron her natural hair . She also cannot canerow/cornrow well. so she asked a friend to do the braid pattern and used a Kanekalon braid hair that has a more natural look to it called "Nappy Annie". 

The results? HORRIBLE.

The leave out was too much.

The hair had too much sheen, would not blend with my natural hair, barely curled and would not maintain that curl.

It was no bueno. It had to go.

I did the style that date mainly because I had an outing to go to and now it didn't turn out well. After panicking and trying every possible way to make the style work, I finally came up with this:

I'm grateful no one did a close up lol.

On Monday, I cut the hair out, bought regular kanekalon hair, crocheted it in, braided the hair into about 6 sections and dipped it in hot water.

By Monday evening, it looked something like this:

and on Friday:

I was unable to fix the middle how I wanted it, but it was fairly decent.

Call me the fixer lol.

I think I've figured out my mistake with this install (my natural hair is not long enough/shrinks too much for a vixen crochet style) so next time around I'll be doing a partial leave out (just the front). 

All in all, I'll be taking this style out shortly. It was originally installed last week but I doubt it will be in for long. It was still good to try something new and I'll be doing another (adjusted) crochet braid style soon.

UPDATE: Today I was feeling a little better about this style. This morning I wore the style out after hot-watering 4 braids and twisting the leave out (my natural hair). I took this picture 5 minutes ago:

Not looking too shabby and the blending of both hair types looks good to me! Lol. I'm redoing this style (with some tweaks here and there) soon and I'm adjusting my previous comment as to how long I'll keep this style in - it's going to be around a little longer than I initially thought. I don't mind it that much anymore! Cheers and have a good one! 

Be well,

Gibbie

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HOTW Fail! :(

Now, I attribute my Hair of the Week initiative to Abbi N's HOTW posts and it's what I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. She has some nice and simple styles on her blog but being the bush girl (I work outdoors) I am, those styles won't fly with me. More importantly, they simply won't stay in my hair because it's so short. The past 2 weeks there's an oldie but goodie I've resurrected which has been doing wonders for my hair..and that is..Perm Rods! Yes! I roll those babies up after putting in my moisturising solution and the next day I look like Shirley Temple! Rave reviews from all at the office and I like seeing them in my hair :)

But..

*plays violin*   ..field day came around and, coupled with the torrential rain that struck (and of course I was outside working), every drop of rain that fell dampened my hopes of maintaining my weekly style leaving my hair soaked and curls gone. 

I'm taking action. I'm finishing this week with what wasn't the protective style I started out with but another I'm going to end it with. I have an idea in mind and, successful or not I'll post pictures.

Sidenote

Needless to say, I loved the rain and for the most part slowly walked around it like I was 5. I did not get sick :)

Have a good evening, all! Lata!

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