How I Cross Wrap My Relaxed Hair

I stink at wrapping my hair the traditional way. I always have and it seems like I always will. I've watched several videos, read many posts, and have had stylists walk me through it multiple times. Despite all of that help, I can't get my hair to wrap smoothly or stay in place. So imagine my great joy when I discovered cross wrapping.

Related read: 9 Weeks Post Relaxer: First Time Trying a Black Tea Rinse

I came across cross wrapping by reading some other relaxed hair blogs. One of those bloggers also had trouble with doing a traditional wrap so she started cross wrapping. This got my attention because I could relate. Another blogger noticed her hair thinning on the side she wrapped her hair when using a traditional wrap. This made her switch to cross wrapping.

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What is cross wrapping?

So what is cross wrapping you may ask? It's an alternative to the traditional way of wrapping your hair. Instead of wrapping all your hair across your head, the hair is parted down the middle and each half is wrapped around the back of the head in opposite directions. This allows your hair to lie in a more natural position.

What are the benefits of cross wrapping?

The benefits of cross-wrapping include

• It's easier than regular wrapping
• It straightens out kinks, bends, and dents that can sometimes result from updos
• The hair isn't being pulled or manipulated against its growth pattern
• Less tension is placed on ends and edges
• A comb or brush isn't needed 
• Hair doesn't end up looking really flat the next day

Related read: Why Use Non-penetrating Natural Oils On Your Relaxed Hair

What are the disadvantages of cross wrapping?

The key disadvantage of cross-wrapping is

• Repeatedly parting the hair in the middle can cause some tension and breakage in the area

How do I cross wrap my hair?

To start I gather the items I use to cross wrap my hair

1. Comb to fully detangle my hair
2. Bobby pins, hairpins, or hair clips to hold my hair in place
3. Satin scarf or hair wrap to wrap my hair

If I feel my hair is feeling dry and needs a moisture boost I’ll use a leave-in conditioner and natural oil to moisturize and seal my hair.

Now for how I actually do the cross wrap:

1. Detangle

I moisten my hair and detangle first with my fingers. Then I finish up with my comb.

2. Part my hair

Using my fingers I part my hair down the middle of my head making two pigtails.

3. Pin one side one up

I take one side and pin it up on the opposite side of your head. Secure with a hairpin or two.

4. Pin the other side up

I take the other side and secure it to your head with a hairpin.

5. Tie on satin scarf/wrap

I take the satin scarf and wrap it around my head. Then I  secure it tightly, but not too tight, so it stays on at night.

6. Remove hairpins

I do this so they don’t leave any dents or kinks in my hair. Plus I can avoid the potential of them digging into my scalp while I sleep.

What's been your experience with cross wrapping?