LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER | LEXGO.COM LIVING SUNDAY SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2013 D3

of the hair, giving tresses a break from daily styling and encouraging hair growth.

Braids and twists are popular looks among women for defining the curl pattern, or the way curls grow on a spectrum from wavy to coily.

When it comes to nights out, the bouffant and Mohawk are styles of choice for women with longer hair. But for women who recently did the big chop, Day said, she has noticed that they are making use of scarves and other accessories to high-light their natural curls.

“There are endless possibilities for natural hair. It all depends on your mood that day,” she said.

Day lived most of her life with natural hair except for one time during her cosmetology training when she was required to relax her hair to pass the course.

“In beauty school, it wasn’t really conducive to learn about textured hair,” Day said.

Day, then 17, grew out her hair with weaves and braids, and at 28 is still wearing it natural.

Growing her natural hair was a journey, she said, urging those growing their hair to “stay strong, and stay focused. Some days you won’t want to look in a mir-ror, but know it pays off.”

BraidsBraids have become

an increasingly popular protective style among women in Kentucky, said Chindo, 37, a professional stylist at Smart Braids who has practiced the craft for years.

Braiding is a part of the culture from her upbringing in Douala, Cameroon.

“Black hair art is the way we black people manage our hair,” she said.

Hair and fashion trend-setters including Solange Knowles have inspired women to reclaim the braided look once left in the ’90s (think: Janet Jackson in the movie Poetic Justice and R&B singer Brandi).

There are several variations of braids and a sea of style possibili-ties with or without using

extension hair. Styles called box braids,

tree braids, Havana twists and Senegalese twists are among the most popular looks with extension hair this summer, Chindo said.

Women are taking them to great lengths, wearing their braids or twists down their backs or longer. How-ever, Chindo noted, long hair is not the most ideal in the summer heat.

Bouffants, oversize buns and a number of creative up-dos that get the hair off the neck can be worn to keep women cooler yet stylish.

Chindo said the creativity in hairdos is because there is no formula for making a good style with braids.

“You just need to play with your braids to bring a style from it,” she said.

As for maintenance, she suggested women wash their braids every week or two to ensure the scalp is clean and the hair is moisturized.

She recommended Sulfur 8 brand products to keep hair healthy and protected underneath braids, and oil sheen to maintain luster.

Relaxed hairDespite the rise of the

natural hair care movement,

women continue to relax, or chemically straighten, their hair.

Polk, 27, is a licensed cosmetologist at Stylin’ On Regency salon and has been practicing since 2007.

Relaxed hair dries out easily and sheds more than any other hair because of the porosity of black hair and the strength of chemical relaxers, she said.

The tendency for relaxed hair to dry and break dou-bles in the summer because of exposure to sun, saltwater and chemicals in pool water, Polk said. That threat can cause women with relaxed hair to steer clear of the swimming pool, but that’s not necessary, she said.

“Before you go into the water, spray your hair with a leave-in conditioner” to avoid breakage and drying, Polk said. The conditioner can be a simple mix of water and a favorite condi-tioner.

“What the leave-in does is it actually seals the cuticle down,” Polk said.

Sealing the cuticle, or the outermost part of the hair

shaft, prevents split ends and protects hair from breaking at the shaft.

After swimming, she said, women should wash their hair with a clarifying shampoo to get rid of salt and chemicals. To add moisture back to the hair, “co-wash,” or use a conditioner as

a cleansing agent.Polk suggested alternating

between washing and co-washing to keep hair clean and moisturized.

Anyssa Roberts: (859) 231-1409. Twitter: @heraldleader.

Anetra Polk added pin curls while styling Thomasena Grider’s relaxed hair.

PABLO ALCALÁ | palcala@herald-leader.com

Using a cool blow dyer, Melanie Day, who specializes in styling natural hair, worked on Emily Anne

Smith. Day calls the decision to have natural hair “the journey back to me.”

TESSA LIGHTY | tlighty@herald-leader.com

Anetra Polk says chemically relaxed hair can

get drier and break more in the summer.

WEAVES

From Page D1

HAIRWeaves have become an

increasingly popular way to protect hair during the summer.

To create a weave, hair is braided into corn-rows, and tracks of hair are sewn into the braids, hence the nickname “sew-in.”

“Most celebrities on the red carpet are wearing weaves or extensions,” Anetra Polk of Stylin on Regency said.

Polk advises weave wearers to use a squeeze bottle with a long spout, like the ones stylists use to apply hair color, to cleanse their hair underneath.

Polk says the trend she notices in weaves is that people are choosing lengths of 20 to 30 inches of hair.

“Find hair that blends, first and foremost,“ Polk says, adding that working within a budget and doing research also are key.

Polk suggests purchasing a

sample if available to test how the hair blends with your own hair. To ensure hair extensions are blendable, look at luster and texture.

To keep hair under the sew in healthy condition in and out of the water, Polk suggests that, before swimming, the wearer use a leave-in conditioner, which could be a simple mix of a favorite conditioner and water. Afterward, wash with a clarifying shampoo and conditioner.

“Dilute the conditioner with water and spray it down into the braids,” Polk says about applying leave-in conditioner. “As long as you keep the moisture in the hair, that is what’s going to keep the hair fresh.”

Polk says a clean scalp and clean weave can help hair growth and make your summer sew-in a lot less hassle.

ANYSSA ROBERTS

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