Pro braider's process for creating protective hairstyles

Shatoyia Vanderhorst, who goes by Vandy, is a professional braider and content creator based in Texas, USA. She specialises in protective styles for natural hair, and frequently requested styles include box braids, knotless braids, twists, locs, crochets and cornrows.

READ MORE: Channel you inner Sho Madjozi and braid your own hair at home - 5 easy styles to try

Here is her prep process when braiding:

She preps the hair extension she will be using on a spool rack the night before her appointment. When the client arrives, she starts by washing, conditioning and detangling the hair. If heat is used, Vandy opts for the Revlon one-step paddle dryer then she adds moisturisers and natural oils.

She uses a feed-in technique to add hair extensions near the root of the hair then seals the ends, sets the client's roots and finalises the look. Vandy can finish a box braid style in three hours. 

Her pro tips for trying new styles are to practice without products first, practice with different coloured hair to see the difference between the natural and extension hair and test with different brands of extensions.  You can find more of her tips on her YouTube page, Vandy Vanity.

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