Let me start by saying what everyone else has probably been thinking: Heyyyyy Summer! There’s nothing quite like this time of year, ladies. Because the heat is up, you can see everyone rocking every sort of hairstyle that there is. Our fan favorite: feed-in braids. While they’ve been on the scene for a couple of years now, it’s definitely time to really talk about this hairstyle and how you need to get some in your head ASAP.

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What are feed-in braids?

Feed-in braiding is a technique in which you give the illusion that the braids are growing right out of your head by slowly transitioning from a small braid to a thicker, longer braid. Some people have just two braids while others have a head full in different sizes. Because they’re braids, you can add accessories like thread, dread cuffs, and even beads to create different looks. If you really know what you’re doing, the possibilities are astronomical.     

What kind of Hair do you Need for Feed-In Braids?

The great thing about feed-in braids is that you don’t have to use any one type of specific hair type. While some people prefer the long, straight Kanekaelon, others prefer to use deep wave or curly. There's also pre stretched kanekaelon hair. Ultimately, it all depends on if you want your ends to be loose or not. If you do choose to have loose ends, you may do best with a curlier texture. Although it is possible that feed-in braids can be done with human hair, most stylists elect to use synthetic. 

How long will feed-in braids last?

Sadly, there is no surefire way to determine how long your feed-in braids will last in your hair. While some people can make them stretch for an entire month, others will start struggling after a week. Remember, this is a braid hairstyle that we’re talking about, so your lifestyle can greatly affect the longevity of your braids. If you’re someone who sweats a lot of their scalp and does not wrap their hair up at night, you will not have your feed-in braids for long. On the other hand, if you’re someone who is not incredibly active and sleeps with a silk bonnet on a regular, then your braids can potentially last longer.

How do I do feed-in braids?

Now that you have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into when getting feed-in braids, let’s talk a bit about how you actually put them into your head. You’ll start by separating your freshly washed hair into the sections that you want the braids to go in. This is particularly important if you’re doing larger braids. Looselty two strand twist each section to get them out of your way.

At this point, you’ll want to prep the hair that you’ll be adding to your head. Pinch off small sections of the hair and lay them down around you so that you can easily grab one small piece at a time. This is critical because you’ll lose your grip trying to let go of your brad to grab more hair. As a rule of thumb, shoot for 15-25 pieces of hair per braid. The idea is to make it look as natural as possible, so the more gradual the thickness, the better. Pluck off the hair that you’ll need for each braid or section. Make sure your ends are feathered so you won’t have a blunt drop off when you get to the bottom of your braid!

Next, you’ll need something to smooth down your hair. This is one of the most important parts if you’re trying to get that sleek look. Take one of your parted sections and add your edge control to the hair to make it lie flat—this is your sculpting phase. If you want a bit of extra shine, add a teeny bit of Shedavi Hair and Scalp Elixir.

After sculpting, you then need to start adding the hair to your head. Begin by braiding 2-3 loops (or notches or whatever you want to call them) at the crown. Wrap a piece of the weave around the top, then loop to grab the two ends in the back. Braid down 2 more, then add more hair. Keep up this routine until the hair has reached the desired thickness, then braid the hair to the ends. Repeat this same cycle of sculpting then braiding until you’ve completed your entire head. Seal the ends and then you’re good to go! If you didn’t put any oil on your hair ahead of time, drop some Shedavi Elixir to your scalp for moisture.

Have you ever had feed-in braids before? Tell us about it in the comments!