Yarn Braids- Pros and Cons

I have installed yarn braids two more times since this last post. I love the look and it's probably one of my favorite protective styles thus far.

I have decided to come up with a Pros and Cons list for anyone thinking about trying the style. 



Pros

• Inexpensive - One pack of  Jumbo Yarn cost $5.98. For me, this was good for about two installations. A regular size pack of yarn cost $1.98 which I used as a highlight(red highlights) and this lasted two installations as well. 
• Natural Looking - Compared to box braids with synthetic hair, I feel as yarn braids look much more natural. They aren't as shiny and the texture feels more "real".  Many people think these look like locs and I can see why. 
• Easy to work with - Once you cut the yarn and decide how many pieces you want to braid with, braiding is so easy because of the natural separation. If you know how to braid then this will come easy to you.
• Unique - Nowadays, you don't see too many people with yarn braids. They were very popular a few years ago, but with the influx of faux locs and kinky twists styles, yarn braids aren't as popular anymore. This is a good thing because your hair wont look like everyone else's. 
• Lightweight - For the amount of yarn I used, these are surprisingly lightweight. So you can get the "thick" look without straining your neck. The only time these feel heavy is when I wet my hair, but after squeezing the water out, it's not that bad. 
• Hair Stays Moisturized- The material of the yarn makes it easy for water/moisturizer to penetrate the strands. Whenever I take the yarn out, my natural hair is always moisturized and soft. 
• No itch- As you know, with most synthetic fibers the chemicals used on them can cause our scalp to itch like crazy. This is where the ACV rinse can come in handy. But with the yarn, I have never gotten that itch and it has never irritated my scalp. 
• Multiple Color Options- There are so many different colors of yarn. Blue, green, purple, red, brown, yellow....you get the point. There are so many colors to choose from so you'll never get bored.  

Cons  

• Time Consuming - Yarn braids are a 3-step process. Each step took some time but depending on how fast you work, it may not be that bad.  This last go around took me 8 hours total. That is the same time it takes me to do regular box braids, but longer than kinky twists(takes about 5-6 hours) . 

1.  Cutting the yarn - 1 hour 
2.  Braiding the yarn into your hair - 4- 7 hours 
3.  Burning the ends - 1 hour 

• Burning the ends- Burning the ends of the braids was a daunting task for me. I used a candle, which made things easier. But wax would get on the hair sometimes, the braids had a burnt smell to them at first and my fingers hurt from forming the ends(after blowing out the fire). I'm also not a huge fan of the burnt ends look. I tried boiling them, which didn't work at all. Also just cutting the ends didn't look at great. 
• Lint - Just like cotton and other fabric clothing can attract lint, so can the yarn braids. I don't get much, but it happens sometimes. So, I just run a lint brush through my hair at times and it's no longer an issue. 
• Take Down Time - Compared to twists, these take a long time to take out. I would say about twice the amount of time. So just pop on a movie or two, get comfortable and expect to spend at LEAST 2-4 hours taking the yarn braids out.

The pros definitely outweigh the cons for me which is why I continue to do this style. If you want to read more about how I did them, check out this post. 

What's your favorite protective style?