New cornrow and braid combination style

This weekend was time for a new style. After looking on the Internet for inspiration, A actually decided to draw me a picture of what she wanted! This style wasn't exactly what she drew, but she was happy nonetheless. I am hoping this style lasts for a minimum of 2 weeks, but with a swimming competition and extra training this week, I have a feeling it's going to get frizzy quite easily. Let's wait and see! 

This is my first post where I actually took pictures of the process of making this style. I was going to do a video, but we had a PJ day on Sunday and well, I wasn't going to video myself in my PJ's! So you will have to make do with pictures instead!! 

First step - Washing

I have tried so many different shampoo and conditioner types on A's hair. Spent a small fortune and to be honest, the best one I have found so far is Herbal Essences 'Hello Hydration'. It smells amazing and leaves A's hair very moist and smooth. If you want a high street price, I would recommend trying this. 

This is A's hair immediately after washing, still very wet. Isn't it GORGEOUS!! 

Second step - Parting / Sectioning

A requested a half up / half down hairstyle so I decided to do some simple box style braids on the bottom half of her hair. I parted her hair like this, and added braids. I can't believe how long her hair is now! Her braids go half way down her back! Because I braid her hair when it is wet, when it dries it curls around itself as you can see from some of the middle braids which I did first. 

For the sides, I wanted to get the braids out of her face so I cornrowed the first part of the braid and let it fall behind her ear. 

Third Step - Cornrows 

A wanted the front of her hair up, so I cornrowed into the middle of her head, starting from one side and working my way to the other side. I didn't make the cornrows too small, as I started this style quite late in the day and wanted to make sure I finished before bed time! Here she is half way through! I kind of like this look!! 

Finished Style 

I added a pretty floral hair bobble because A likes that sort of thing! At some point next week, when the style is looking a bit messy, I will pull all the braids into a bun and add a larger flower!

Little Diva!

A has entered what I like to refer to as 'Divahood'!! She started Streetdance last year and now wants the clothing (and hair) to go with her new style!!!

Her current hairstyle is black and red extensions! She's loving the long hair but swimming and extensions are not the best combination so I don't think this hairstyle will last for very long. It's only been in for 2 weeks and it's getting frizzy. I resorted to using elastics at the end of the extensions to keep them in longer which I don't really like, but at least that works!! A is happy anyway, and that is the main thing!! 

Naturally Curly

On very special occasions, A wears her hair down. I absolutely LOVE her hair in its natural curly glory but unfortunately, by the end of the day it never looks like it does in the photographs!

I use a few products at the moment to keep her hair as tamed as possible.

I love Kinky Curly Curling Custard which you comb through the hair when the hair is completely wet and leave to air dry. The air drying takes all day though! A sleeps with a sleep hat on and her hair is usually still looking good the next day. It does however require a lot of detangling after a couple of days free! 

Box Braids

I love doing box braids on A's hair because of the versatility of the style.

A loves having box braids because she can wear her hair "down". If her hair is loose, it doesn't fall down her back, but sticks straight out!

I normally braid around 100 braids into her hair when I am doing box braids. Sometimes I create half moon shaped parts but I also like straight lines with a part down the middle and across from ear to ear. This means she can wear the braids in various different styles including:

Loose 
Two ponytails either side of her head 
Half up, half down 
All up 
Two cornrows down each side of her head
One large cornrow 
Two buns on either side of her head
One bun at the base of her neck 
High messy bun

And that isn't the whole list!

Box braids also stay in for around 6 weeks. By the end of the 6 weeks A usually wears the box braids pulled up into a messy bun on the crown of her head with a flower clip in the side.

The final thing I love about box braids (am I selling them enough?!) is that A doesn't need any clips, beads or elastics on the ends of her hair. When I get to the end of the braid, I finger twist the ends to curl the hairs around each other and the curls cling together keeping the braid secured. When she goes swimming, I make sure I braid all the braids together in either one or two cornrows to ensure the ends do not come undone.

Mowhawk style Cornrows

I would LOVE to do a Frohawk on A's hair, but I think it is too long and I know for a fact that it wouldn't last for more than one day looking good. Day 2 would look like she's run through 25 hedges backwards!

This cornrow style is an adaptation of a Frohawk (basically, completing the cornrows and then braiding them altogether to create one large cornrow). She had a HUGE number of compliments from this hairstyle!

Cornrows

A is a very busy girl, dancing, swimming, running around with her friends, so cornrows are a great way of getting her hair out of her face and tied up.

This is a style that I do quite often on A because it doesn't take long and it lasts for a week looking tidy and sometimes I can stretch it to two weeks depending on her activities the previous week.

Back to school Cornrows

This September, A requested "nice cornrows" for her back to school style! Well, that was an interesting challenge! I spent a bit of time looking at examples on the Internet and finally came up with a design that I liked which I then tweaked a little bit for A's hair.

She loved it and got lots of compliments from her teachers!

Box Braids

When A was younger, she really did not like to sit still for a very long period of time. When I first started doing her hair I would climb into the bath with her! Luckily, that stage didn't last very long and we moved into the living room to watch TV! I used to sit her in her high chair (which had a very useful table attached) and she would watch a couple of episodes of Dora the Explorer whilst munching on snacks.

I soon realised that the longer it took to do her hair, the longer it stayed in and she also realised that meant she didn't have to have her hair done as frequently so we were both happy!

When I first started doing box braids she was about 2 1/2 and would sit for an hour to let me do them.

Braids

A and I love experimenting with part lines and creating interested braid patterns. We like this style which consists of large triangles.

The clips at the ends of her braids I ordered off the Internet from America. I can't remember the website but I will edit this post and add the details if I can remember!

Twist Out

I just love twist outs! I wish my hair did what A's does!

When I twist A's hair, I usually leave it in around 3 or 4 days. Her hair is so soft, if I leave it any longer the twists just don't hold. I am in the process of experimenting with different styling products to see if there is a better one to hold her twists in longer. If you have any suggestions, please comment below.

The twist out normally looks good on A for another 3 to 4 days depending what she does during the day and if she has swimming. If there is a special occasion, I will work back 5 days and ensure her twists are put in then for day one of the twist out to be the special occasion!