Thank you to my brother Malik for the photography!

Hey guys, I'm back with another post and this time it's featuring my friend Mariel! I've been meaning to share her hair with you guys for a while, as when she's not wearing her sassy braids she has a beautiful, soft curly afro (and I'm pretty sure I'll feature her again when she removes her braids).

I thought a post centered around braids would benefit those of you who wear them as protective styles or who are thinking about installing them. Hopefully Mariel can shed some light on her braid maintenance practices, so let's pick her brain!


What braiding hair do you use?
Xpression Kanekalon hair, I've tried a few brands now, but Xpressions is the longest and softest out of them all, you get a lot more in each pack!

Are you using the braids as a protective style to help you reach your goals?
Yes, at first I had braids put in for my holiday as a low maintenance style, but after seeing the growth I achieved I've kept them in for the winter, when my hair usually gets quite brittle and dry from exposure to wind, rain and my nemesis - central heating!

What's your long-term hair goal?
The same as you, Aicha! Armpit length hair! Currently my hair is at about my jawline when curly, and shoulders when stretched and straightened. I'd love to get to armpit length hair with my curls, though I think this is a long way away...

How do you keep your style looking so neat?
I struggle with this a lot! After some advice from online groups I now wash the braiding hair in apple cider vinegar and water before installation, and run coconut oil through it once it's dry. At night I put the braids into a big chunky flat twist or braid at the back of my head and wear a silk scarf on my crown and another one wrapped around the ends of the hair to prevent the braids rubbing on my pillowcase. I also use Dr Miracle's Gentle Braid Relief Spray on my braids for shine, and a mix of black castor oil and rosemary, tea tree, and peppermint essential oils as a scalp treatment once a week.

How long do you keep the braids in, and do you let your hair rest between installs?
I keep them in for about 6 weeks, and definitely give my hair a break! I usually let my hair rest for at least 3 weeks, as my scalp needs time to recover from the weight of braids. They don't feel that heavy when in, but when I remove them I always notice how much lighter I feel!

Do you do any special treatments to your hair after uninstalling the braids?
I swear by Lush's "Roots" treatment on my scalp after removing my braids. The product build up and the inevitable strain on my roots and scalp mean I need a deep conditioner that also lifts build up, and this is perfect for it. I also henna my hair using Lush's Caca Noir if I think my hair is feeling thin or has been bleached in the sunshine, as this darkens the ends but also leaves my hair feeling fuller and softer. I also do homemade hot oil treatments with olive oil, black castor oil, and rosemary essential oil to regain softness.

How do you look after your natural hair while it's in this protective style?
Other than using my black castor oil scalp treatment, I rub coconut oil down the lengths of my braids when I feel they're getting a bit fluffy or dry. If they're very dry (as they where when I was on holiday) I'll do a deep conditioning treatment, but it's quite hard to thoroughly wash this out with braids in, so I tend to only do this in extreme situations.
Lastly, what do you do to get your edges so slayed?
Haha thank you! In the mornings I use an old toothbrush to apply styling gel or shea butter to them, and slowly flick them away from the centre of my face. Then I tightly wrap a scarf over them to set them and stop them curling up too much. They usually stay flat until the mid afternoon, which, in my office with its nutty central heating, is a blessing!

A big thanks to Mariel for sharing her advice on braid maintenance.

You can check out Mariel's Instagram if you would like to see more of her. Oh, and who's with me for signing a petition to get her to create her own hair blog?