Curling Yarn Braids With Pipe Cleaners

Hello Beautiful People!

Today I uploaded a video on how to curl your yarn braids with pipe cleaners (video in separate post)

Here's a Step by Step play of what I did:

Products Used:

Water

[Black] Chenille Large Pipe Cleaners (100 pack)

Smooth N Shine Styling Mousse

Before I started the process, I co-washed my hair and only towel dried til' it was damp. You want your hair to be wet (but not soaking wet) when you begin curling.

Decide how big/small you want your curls to be and use the corresponding amount of braids. The less braids you curl at once, the smaller and tighter your curls will be. The more braids you use, the bigger the curl. I used about 2-4 braids per curl.

Step 1. Prepare the pipe cleaners by folding it in half. Then pinch the closed end and twist your way up to the open ends. Make sure you leave a loop at the closed end. This will prevent the curl from falling off the pipe cleaner.

Step 2: Add a dollop of mousse to the section you want to curl. This helps the yarn hold the curl better.

Step 3. Begin the curl by tightly wrapping the end of your braid(s) towards the base of the loop. Continue rolling the pipe cleaner up the length of the braid(s). **Wherever you stop rolling will be where your curls start.

Step 4. Once you reach the end, secure the curl by folding the top loose ends down and the bottom loop up.

Step 5. Repeat steps 1 - 4 on your entire head. Allow your hair to dry over night, or you can sit under a hooded dryer for a few hours.

Keep in mind that yarn is VERY absorbent and may take longer than a few hours to completely dry. For best results, keep the pipe cleaners in your hair for a week or so (this is why it helps to buy pipe cleaners that are the same color as your yarn braids)

Remove the pipe cleaners by unfolding each end, holding the curl and gently sliding the pipe cleaner out. If your curls are too tight, gently finger comb them loose.

ENJOY YOUR CURLS!!

x o x o

-A

Yarn Braids Info

Hello Beautiful People!

I recently installed my very first yarn braids and I wanted to share the experience with you all. So let's get down to it!

1. What are yarn braids?

Yarn braids are braided extensions that use yarn (yes ACTUAL yarn...like the type your grandma used to make adorable crocheted berets, scarves and mittens) in the place of human or synthetic hair.

2. What kind of yarn do I use?

The recommended brand is Red Heart and only use acrylic yarn. Cotton yarn can really suck out the moisture from your natural hair and damage it.

3. Do I need to go to a professional to install yarn braids?

NO! That's the beauty of yarn! It's much easier to work with than actual hair. However, if this is your first time ever braiding any type of extensions and you are not sure how to install them, go to a pro or trusted friend. The only downside to that is that you're shelling out extra cash.

4. How much do they cost?

A Red Heart super saver roll of yarn costs anywhere from $2 to $3 depending on where you buy it. I bought my yarn from Michael's for $2.99 a roll (I only bought 3 rolls, and used 1 1/2) but they do sell the yarn at Walmart for cheaper.

All in all, I only spent $9.00 on yarn.

5. How long do they take to install?

This was my first time installing my own braided extensions. It took me 15 hours total (split between 3 days) to finish my entire head. I work and go to school, so I couldn't really sit there for an entire day to finish in one setting. Plus, your hands will get tired and start to cramp up, so I recommend taking a break every now and then.

6. How long does my hair have to be to do this?

Let's just put it this way, I did my big chop in February, and only had about 3 - 4 1/2 inches of hair on my head. With shorter hair, be mindful to make smaller sections to braid. Larger braids will slip out easily.

7. How long can I keep them in?

I intend on keeping mine in for 3 months. This will include touching up and re-braiding any loose braids every once in a while.

8. Can I wash my hair with yarn braids installed?

Yes. You can still stick to your weekly/biweekly hair care regimen. Just be careful not to scrub too hard or pull on any of the braids so they don't become loose.

9. Can I curl yarn braids?

Yes you can, I'll make a separate more detailed post about how to do that :)

10. Anything Else I should know about these fabulous yarn braids?

One of the biggest things I can say is while yarn braids are incredibly cost-effective, like I said before...it took me 15 hours to do them. BUT, do I think it's worth it? Absolutely. Normally getting my hair done with synthetic/human hair by a professional would cost me anywhere from $130 - $170. Compared to $7 - $10 I saved ALOT of pesos.

Stay tuned for my next video on how I installed the yarn braids and my next post/ video on how I curled them!

x o x o

-A