What are Knotless Braids and How to do Them

What are knotless braids?

This type of braids are traditional three-strand braids but instead of having a knot at the roots, the braids involve the addition of braiding hair to the natural hair as you go along the braid, a technique called “feed-in braid”.

What is the point of knotless braids?

They offer natural-looking, tension-free hair that can be styled just the way you want as soon as you finish braiding.

Traditional Box Braids vs. Knotless

Pros and cons of knotless braids and traditional box braids.

Pros:

1. They have little to no tension on the hair.
2. Looks natural.
3. Blends in better with the roots.

Cons:

1. They last shorter than traditional box braids because of hair growth.
2. High maintenance to limit the frizz.
3. Hair edges will start to look crooked and curly.
4. Costs more.

Pros of traditional box braids:

1. Less maintenance.
2. Lasts long.
3. Edges will continue to look sleek.
4. Cheaper to do.

Cons of traditional box braids:

1. They cause damage to the hair.
2. Might cause baldness.
3. Tension and pain.

What are the different sizes?

• Small knotless braids: Lasts longer than medium- and jumbo-sized braids.
• Medium knotless braids: Fewer braids than small-sized braids. Lasts a little bit less than small-sized braids.
• Jumbo knotless braids: Few braids. Stays on for 2 weeks.

How to do knotless braids:

Step 1: Divide your hair into sections

The braiding is done by dividing your hair into three sections and braiding each section separately.

Step 2: Create parts

After dividing your hair into three sections, create equal parts of hair to start each braid.

Step 3: Start with the braids

Split each part into three strands and start weaving. Once you’ve reached a length that looks good for you to add a braiding hair strand, add some, and continue to work your way down until you have reached the end.

Step 4: Repeat

Repeat step 3 for each part until you have a head full of braids!

How do I prepare my hair for braiding?

1. Wash or deep cleanse your hair. This step is the most important, skipping it will cause an unbearable itch and dandruff, which no one wants to have.
2. Apply conditioner, because the hair needs the most moisture it can get before braiding as the braids will stay on for weeks.
3. Brush and detangle your hair strands. Start with tangle-free hair.
4. Blow-dry to ease and speed the braiding process.
5. Add leave-in conditioner while weaving. Not only does this add moisture to your hair, but it also makes the hair strands slip and easy to work with.

How do I care for my knotless braids?

1. Remove scalp buildup regularly.

It is really important to keep your scalp clean. Remove scalp buildup at least once a week to maintain a clean and healthy scalp. Here is my article on ways to remove scalp buildup.

2. Moisturize your hair and scalp.

Moisturizing your hair while weaving is not enough. You need to moisturize your hair and scalp once a week. You can apply oil.

3. Protect your braids.

Wear a silk scarf or bonnet at night to keep your braids intact and protected from frizz.

4. Be gentle.

Be gentle with your braids. Rubbing the braids will cause them to unravel and frizz.

How do I wash my knotless braids?

While washing your knotless braids, you should take your time and be gentle.

You’d want to gently wash each part on its own, working in a downward motion to avoid any frizz.

The more often you wash your hair, the more prone it is to frizz. It is recommended to wash your hair once or twice a month, but if you have an oily scalp or dandruff, you may want to wash your hair three times a month.

How long do knotless braids last?

It is recommended to keep the braids for less than two months.

Why?

As more time passes on the knotless braids, the hair around the roots becomes frizzier and would require more touchups. That’s because the natural hair around the roots is exposed.

This hairstyle depends on each person’s type and texture of hair. People with quicker hair growth might notice that frizzy hair is appearing sooner.

How do I remove my knotless braids?

Removing can take a long time. But when it’s time, it is time!

You should work your way from bottom to top, loosening the braids as you work your way up, using a tail comb.

Some of the different knotless braids hairstyles:

1. Knotless braids with beads. Adding beads to the bottom of your braids will look awesome! You can use a hair beader tool to easily add the beads. Remember that the first bead you add to the beader will be the last in the bottom of your braid.
2. Knotless braids with curly ends. Leave a little bit of hair at the end of your braids, wrap your braids on a heatless hair curler, and dip them in hot water for a couple of minutes then dry them off with a towel.
3. Knotless braids bun. Easily twist your braided hair into a bun. No pain or tension.
4. Ombre knotless braids. Weave different shades of the same color, or even different colors, into the braids to achieve an Ombre look!