Hair Braids of The Bahamas
By Kate M. D�Imperio
Beautiful seas of blues and greens, soft and sparkling white sand and sun that beats down, tempting a tan on one�s exposed parts... these things are just a few signature traits of an unforgettable island vacation.
Relaxing by the poolside, enjoying the surf and sipping cocktails make a great start to a relaxing getaway from reality. Many will strive for the perfect golden glow while others may lather white limbs in coconut-scented sunblock. Perhaps the most common souvenir taken home from a week or two�s stay in the Caribbean is a new hairstyle!
Many women and some men choose to don the tiny braids that often reveal their most recent escape from corporate life. Braided hairstyles are common in a number of other tropical locations, including Jamaica and countless other island destinations.
Offers to braid one�s hair may be plentiful, depending on the time of day and location of the vacation. Women skilled in many styles of creative braiding may wander the beaches in search of their next clients, asking all those whom they pass if they would care for some braids.
In Nassau, the going rate per braid capped at about $3. Vacationers could request as few or as many braids as they wished, in a number of fashions. Those offering the braids often were willing to negotiate on the price in order to secure more business for themselves, so the cost of having one�s entire head braided may not be relative to having a few single braids done.
Once the number of desired braids has been determined, one should then select the braiding style. Common styles seen in The Bahamas include dozens of straight micro-braids - woven from roots to ends, cornrows fastened with beads at the crown, and cornrows ending in long braids.
Beads or tiny seashells may adorn braids and cornrows in the desired colors of the wearer. Popular styles seen this February consisted of cornrows ending at the crown in two alternating colors and long, micro-braids fastened off with a few beads on each one.
Some important hair and scalp care is necessary for those donning the stylish braids.
Dabbing a bit of sunblock on the scalp is critical to preventing sunburn.
When shampooing, wearers of the braids should not shampoo the braids directly, but rather the scalp, allowing the suds to soak down the braids.
To keep braids in great condition longer, a light coat of conditioner on each one should do just the trick.
When removing braids, the best method involves coating braids with conditioner and gently unraveling them one by one. A warm shower with normal shampoo and conditioner products should restore hair to its usual texture and appearance.