Carolyn J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How I Use Beachwaver Braid Balm For Braids + Waves
I love using heat free ways to style my hair as much as possible. If you heat style your hair every day and are finding your hair is becoming dry, brittle and just doesn’t look good, you may want to try some heat free hair styling methods too!
I love using a braid balm for smoother texture
One way I love to add curl and texture to my hair without heat is by braiding my hair. I like to leave the braids in for one day, then the next day I take out the braids to experience lovely waves. One way I make my braids look better and make my waves last is by using Beachwaver Braid Balm. Read on to learn how I use Beachwaver Braid Balm for braids and waves.
I use hair claw clips when braiding my hair
So, let me preface this article by saying a braid balm is not necessary to achieve beautiful wavy hair after taking braids out of your hair. I have experimented with not using a braid balm on my braids, and my hair still looks good, however, a braid balm makes it look and feel BETTER. My braids always seemed to have flyway’s and didn’t quite hold as well without using a balm. The waves the next day always seemed to be slightly frizzy too.
Beachwaver braid balm does help with flyaways
Once I started using a braid balm, my braids looked smoother, the frizz around my face was no longer an issue and they held together better. One of my rubber bands even broke right before I went to bed one night, and my braid didn’t immediately start to unravel. The braid balm seemed to have enough grip to hold the braid while I found a new band to secure my braid.
The balm also smells like a pina colada. They call the scent “Bondi Beach Day”, which to me smells pineapple-y, coco-nutty and summery. Bondi Beach Day is described as being vanilla and coconut, which is mostly accurate to my nose.
I used a twisted headband to style my braids
With using the braid balm, my waves from the braids no longer appear frizzy and the balm helps them last more than a day for me. My hair is aging and tends to be on the dry side and the balm makes it look shiny and hydrated.
I’ve used a hair mousse to help hold my natural waves, but the braid balm is an all-in-one hair foam for the braids and waves, so it’s nice to not have to have a second product on hand. What I like best about Beachwaver’s Braid Balm is that it doesn’t leave my hair crunchy. It makes it soft and smooth.
My sweater is from Temu
According to the Beachwaver website, their braid balm is cruelty free, vegan, sulfate free (won’t strip your hair color), it’s contained in a sustainable bio-plastic bottle which is recyclable, and it can make your hair stronger. They claim it’s an innovative foam prep made with HIx, which is meant to strengthen your hair each time you use it.
Another fun way to make your hair gorgeous is to add hair tinsel. Try my one minute video tutorial below or via my YouTube channel @carolynjbraden:
I have been trying to use more products that help my aging and color treated hair not break off, and am glad this product works to help prevent these hair issues.
I married 70s and 80s styles for this look
Here’s my braid balm process. Keep in mind I have 2B hair texture, meaning I have very big loose wave hair texture naturally. I have read reviews of many other hair texture types (fine hair, thick hair, different curl patterns) that have used this braid balm successfully too, and it is recommended by Beachwaver for all hair types. I do think this balm would work extremely well for fine hair types, as I know fine hair doesn’t hold braids as well as other hair types.
Braid balm can be used on dry hair too
For Braids:
I wash my hair at night and allow it to dry overnight while I sleep. The next morning, I use a fine mist spray bottle to mist enough water all over my hair to dampen it. You do not have to dampen your hair to use the balm. I only do it to help me braid my hair a bit easier. I pump a few pumps of Beachwaver’s hair balm into my hands and smooth it all over my hair. I use a Tangle Teezer hair brush to brush through my strands and then I start braiding.
For this hair and product experiment, I divided my hair down the center into two sections. I French braided one side, then the other. I use more braid balm to smooth the frizz and flyway’s around my face, and I smooth a little over my braids too. I wear my braids for a full day, then sleep on them and take them out the next morning.
My waves are virtually frizz free with using the balm
For Waves:
After I take my braids out the next morning, I do not brush them out. I let them naturally fall and relax while I do my makeup. Then I add a bit of Not Your Mother’s Plump for Joy dry shampoo at the roots to absorb any oils on my scalp. I use my fingers to fluff up the hair around my scalp, and help dissolve any residual dry shampoo.
I then pump a bit of the braid balm into my hands and smooth it over my waves. I’ve also used the braid balm to smooth over curls when I’ve used a hair curling iron to curl my hair too. It really does smooth a wave or a curl and, in my opinion, makes it hold better even without using hair spray.
My waves held for an entire day with the braid balm
Some reviewers of this product claimed it made their hands too sticky. I did not find this to be an issue for me. Others said this is “just a mousse” and I didn’t really think that is the case either. I experimented with Paul Mitchell’s Sculpting Foam, and it does work to hold my natural curls in place without braiding, but as a braid balm, I felt it was a little too heavy. It is a much thicker consistency than the Beachwaver Braid Balm. BBB is much lighter.
Overall, I see myself using a braid balm every time I create braids now. There are other braid balms and foams on the market, and while they may work well, I have only tested Beachwaver’s Braid Balm as well as the Paul Mitchell’s Sculpting Foam. I’ll continue using the BBB for my braids and next day waves, and will use the Paul Mitchell foam when simply trying to enhance my natural waves without braids.
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Carolyn J. (C.J.) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.