Olaplex has amassed a loyal following because of its seemingly magical ability to smooth, soften, and strengthen damaged hair. But at $30 for 3.3 ounces, it’s not the most budget-friendly product on the market. Not to worry, though, because TikTok clued us into an easy, inexpensive hack to DIY our Olaplex at home.
Combine flaxseed and water in a pot. The more flaxseed you use, the thicker the gel will be. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. When it reaches the consistency of egg whites, use a cheesecloth to strain the mixture into a container. Mix in a few drops of mielle organics Rice Water Split End Therapy, The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density, CAMILLE ROSE Rejuva-Drops Grow Back Serum. Apply the mixture to hair and leave on for at least 10 minutes. Keep the gel in the fridge for about a week for continued use.
If your knotless braids are old and you’re wondering how to refresh them and make them look new again without having to redo them then, this is for you.
Advertisements
In this episode of hair, beauty influencer Lee shares tips for reviving old knotless braids to look brand new.
She wrote:
It is very important to maintain your braids to make sure they last, are clean, and look fresh. Here is my routine on how to maintain knotless braids (small, large, or jumbo braids!)
Check out the video here:
Here’s what you need:
Mousse
A bowl of water or a spray bottle with water in it
Cotton pads
Edge control
Hair oil – it can be jojoba oil, tea tree, it’s really up to you
Leave-in conditioner
Gel
Mini hair clips/pins are optional
Advertisements
How -To
Grab a cotton pad and lightly saturate it with water. Then use the saturated cotton pad to clean along the lines of your box braids. This will help remove any build-up from products used originally and dirt.
After you have cleaned all the lines, mix your water with some leave-in conditioner and hair oil. Then spray this on your hair roots and massage in. Once this is done, tie the hair down so the natural heat from your scalp can work its magic and your hair follicles can soak them up for about 20 minutes.
Apply some gel around the braid sweeping the hair towards the braid. Neatly making the parts clear and new again. You can secure it with a mini hair clip/pin if needed.
When you’re all done, apply some edge control to your edges to sleek them down. Grab your mousse bottle and apply a generous amount to flatten any flyaway and finish off with hair spray.
You can choose to tie the hair down for a few minutes after this to further secure it, but that’s about it.
When you’re done, your hair will look brand new and will last for a few more weeks. Go ahead and add something extra with beads, twists – your choice!
Advertisements
For those of us who like to watch hair tutorials to get it right, here are more how to refresh your box braids video below.
With the imminence of hot weather right around the corner, you’re likely swapping for cooler sheets and breezy clothes. You’re preoccupied with the important changes that will make summer not only easier, but bearable. The last thing you’re probably debating is a big hair change. In 2022, we get that a big hair change isn’t going to solve your problems; we’ve evolved past that as a society (or at least, once we all hit the mid-20s). But that’s precisely how these trending summer hair colors were developed. They’re subtle, chill, and very “that girl.”
Advertisements
Beyond a low-maintenance haircut, a new take on your hair color can make you feel like you just stepped onto a runway… even if you’re just commuting to the office in the morning. If you’re lusting after a new look (or just want to see what all the hype is about), these hair colors will give you hella inspiration at your next salon appointment.
We discussed “expensive brunette” heavily in the winter and early spring, but this summer, it’s coming around again for the blondes. What is “expensive blonde,” you ask? Unlike the icy, platinum blondes and balayage that have us in a chokehold all of the 2010s, expensive blonde is all about a blonde that looks truly natural and subtle. It usually contains a lot of really fine highlights throughout that add dimension in a soft way. It’s typically more on the neutral to golden side, which is a sharp shift from the white blondes we all were partial to years ago. Blonde is getting a refresh, and I, for one, am stoked about it.
In 2022, everyone’s going red (us included!). You’ll be hard-pressed to find a celeb who hasn’t taken it for a test drive. Kendall Jenner, Sydney Sweeney, Zendaya, SZA—it’s everywhere. Luckily, there are tons of different red tones you can try depending on your skin tone and your current hair color. Blondes can make the easy shift to strawberry (like Sweeney did), while a brunette can add extra warmth and brightness with a cherry red or copper.
In summer, we usually look forward to golden, sunshine tones in our hair. But in 2022, the grungier, the better—even in our hair color. Mushroom brown isn’t the first wave of a ’90s hair color revival (we mean, “expensive brunette” was practically made by the ’90s supermodel), but it nods in a very different direction than we’ve seen previously. It’s grungy and lived-in, thanks to those cool, grey tones. It’s perfect for someone who’s looking for a color they can easily transition to fall and winter instead of having to change up their hair tone once the seasons change.
If there’s any color trend getting us excited right now, it’s rose gold. While it’s bright and different from your usual blonde-brunette-redhead, it still somehow looks natural and subtle when paired with a shadow root. If there’s anyone who can show us how chic it is, it’s Hailey Bieber, who just rocked this color on the cover of Allure this spring.
Golden tones of blonde have been swirling around the last couple of years (largely thanks to the influencer, Matilda Djerf), but “buttery blonde” is a fresh take. It’s a bit darker than the blonde we’re used to, and it has lots of dimension through lowlights instead of highlights. This warm color somehow always looks natural and might even make people believe you were born blonde (we won’t tell anyone the truth!).
A warm, caramel brunette dream doesn’t get any more summertime. It’s like you drenched your hair in honey. You can go for a balayage to keep this low-maintenance or bring the brightness up to your roots to frame your face. Issa Rae has tons of extra dimensions in her curls that make this hair color look extra glam. To get a similar look, ask your hairstylist for lots of babylights throughout.
For brunettes who don’t want to add lightness but are looking for a change for summer, you can’t go wrong with adding a touch of warmth to a chocolate brown shade. This looks like your hair just got a natural boost from being in the sunshine, and it’ll pair beautifully with all the bright summer clothes in your wardrobe (per Selena Gomez’s bright green above).
Advertisements
And what’s even better, you might be able to get this at home with an at-home toner or hair gloss to save a little money.
For the early adopters, this trend is about to blow up in a major way, so now’s the time to prepare yourself. The early aughts are in everything beauty, fashion, and pop culture (hi, Bennifer!), so it was only time we started nodding in that direction for hair color. If you’re worried this will make you look like you’re 13 again, trust us: hair colorists in 2022 aren’t about making you look like you just stepped out of a middle school dance. Instead, they’ll add bigger highlights throughout your hair up to the root. Think of it like you dumped a whole bottle of Sun-In on your hair—that’s the vibe.
Remember how fun it was to play around with temporary tattoos as a kid? All you needed was a pile of stick-on tats, a little water, and boom, your arm was decorated with roses and stars. On TikTok,… More
Did you know avocados are a natural detangler? That’s why they’re the star of this DIY avocado hair mask. The mask requires only three other ingredients (all-natural, ofc), which are good for our hair: lemon… More
Olaplex has amassed a loyal following because of its seemingly magical ability to smooth, soften, and strengthen damaged hair. But at $30 for 3.3 ounces, it’s not the most budget-friendly product on the market. Not… More
Knotless braids are the rave in today’s hair fashion even though knotless braids have been around since the 2000s.Celebrities like Beyonce, Zendaya, Jhene Aiko, Kelly Rowland, and Keke Palmer, to mention a few, have all rocked this particular hairstyle in all its glory. Traditional box braids are beautiful, but they also demand high maintenance. With knotless braids, there is no such thing: they’re easy to style as well as maintain.
Knotless braids are your typical box braids but without the traditional knot that is started at the base or root of the hair. Unlike traditional braids, which typically add extensions at the root, knotless braids begin with your natural hair and then extensions are fed in further down the braid.
Because knotless braids do not begin with a knot, there’s very little tension on the scalp, thereby lessening the soreness that braids usually have, thereby allowing you to leave the salon headache-free. It’ll prevent tension bumps that occur when the hair follicle is inflamed, which causes a red sore to arise! Another major benefit of knotless braids is that you can style your hair and sleep comfortably straight after the appointment, without any pain!
They Serve as Protective Styles: If you want to take a break from styling your hair while still protecting it, knotless braids are the right choice.
They Are Painless: As I have mentioned before, traditional box braids require a tight hold on the hair roots which causes pain. Knotless braids do not require a tight grip and, as such, are painless.
A Natural Look: Because of how they’re installed, knotless braids give a seamless natural look.
They Are Low Maintenance Styles: Knotless braids only require that you oil your scalp/hair roots at least every three days to prevent dryness.
They Last Long: You can keep them in your hair for as long as you want. However, I advise that you only keep them in, for 4 – 8 weeks.
They’re Easy to Take Out: All you need to do is snip out with scissors where your hair stops on the extension and then begin to loosen the braids.
No Tangles/Knots in Your Hair Afterward: Since knotless braids do not start at the base of your hair, they don’t leave it all tangled up at the roots. So, you don’t lose much hair when you’re taking them out. Hey, there’s a reason they’re called “knotless”. In all, knotless braids don’t damage the hair.
allow me to retain all my new growth and protect the older parts of my hair.
enables me to moisturize my hair and scalp without issue, and cleanse and care for my scalp.
Possibly the only downside of having knotless braids is they don’t necessarily last as long as other braids tend to – four to six weeks. Hair Stylist explains that the longer you leave them in, the more hair damage can occur if they’re not taken care of properly, or if the braids are heavier. It is always a great idea with any hairstyle to give your natural hair a break. If you are someone who braids your hair back-to-back, this can eventually take a toll on your strands and cause breakage or damage
It’s important to take care of them with oils and nightly wrapping.
Another thing to keep in mind is knotless braids take longer to install than other braiding techniques as you’re consistently stopping to add extra hair.
You may love braids but don’t want to add extensions to your hair because of certain reasons best known to you. However, you can still rock braids on your head as though you braided them into your hair. How? Get a braided wig! Braided wigs are easy to wear, and the fun part is you can take them off and put them back on whenever you want! The best part? No one will even notice!
Do you like knotless braids? Ready to join the knotless box braid gang? Let us know in the comments below.
