I had so much fun learning more about braiding today. Braids were one of the first things I ever learned to do on hair and it’s something I still am so fascinated and mesmerized by.

I love how Brad isn’t afraid to say “black people”. I always feel uncomfortable when white people are so uncomfortable with saying black. And it offends me when people refer to all black people as African America. So hats off to you Brad.

I appreciate the fact that he doesn’t pretend to know what he’s talking about. Thanks for the respect given to the black community regarding our hair-it’s important.

Dipping the hair into boiling hot water helps seal the ends, so the hair doesn’t become unbraided. Also, the foam is a mousse to help flyaways to stay down.

As a professional braider, I often forget to appreciate the beauty because we see this in our culture day in and day out all around us. This was so refreshing to see other beauties execute these styles so effortlessly. "Hair Engineer" is a perfect term for braiders. Thanks for highlighting these talented, beautiful women. 😍

Doing hair or getting hair done is such a HUGE nurturing and bonding experience in the black community. There has to be some real TRUST between you and the other person, because you can’t just let anybody put their hands in your head! That’s why it’s hard to for most of us to go to a stylist who doesn’t really know about our hair. We’re giving you more than just a few hours. We’re giving you the 2+ years of hard work and growth it took to get to bra strap length, the pride, love, and self-esteem that goes into the uniqueness of our crown, and the connection and friendship reminiscent of some of our earliest and most important relationships. Most people only know the one small part of it but I swear black hair is a WHOLE LOVE LANGUAGE!!!! You really have to care for someone to sit and press/braid/ relax someone’s hair. My earliest and most vivid memories are of my mother pressing my hair in front of the stove on Easter, My stepmother braiding my hair and having to sleep propped up cuz my scalp hurt, and my aunt doing my relaxers. And of course me prepping my mother’s hair to be washed. Those are the times where you have your heart to hearts, you work through your struggles, and you’re reminded how much you’re loved. When my father passed in 2016 everything was a complete blur. The only thing I really remember is my little sister being 9 months pregnant and doing my big chop and sew-in before Daddy’s funeral while my other two sisters and stepmother sat and bonded with us. I love that you are learning methods of haircare that are important/relevant to us. Please remember what we’re giving you when we sit in your chair. Especially if we come back! You were already invited to the cookout but then we might even let you bring something 😉.

As black women in America we are taught from an early age that “our hair is our crown and glory” so we take it seriously. My 96 year old Grandmother has never cut her hair. Thank you, Brad for highlighting our hair culture in such a respectful manner.

Hey Brad! Black girl with braids here. The boiling water is actually to seal off the ends of the braids so they don’t like unbraid.

Can we take a moment to notice that the woman who did the tiny box braid, did it to HERSELF!!!!! How did she do the back!?!? PS The end result was soooo flattering on her. PPS It was so fun watching Brand’s jaw drop during this video🤣🤣🤣

as a black girl, whenever I get knotless box braids done like every three month, and sitting down for like 6-8hrs, it is definitely worth it.

Brad: “how do your fingers not cramp up” My Hands: *falling off my wrists and walking away*

My mom was a hair dresser for years and she developed arthritis in her hands from all the years of box braids. So yes brad, our hands do cramp up when we braid. But we push through until we can’t braid anymore lol

It’s truly an art form. There is one woman I trust with my hair (I’m biracial) and watching her work on myself and other clients is like watching an artist paint.

dipping the braids in boiling water actually seals them so they can last longer and not come undone while also making them not look frizzy!

I was hosted by a family in Spain for the school year, many years ago. I told my host that I was going to get my hair braided, but I didn’t think to tell her how long it took. It was so long ago that I didn’t have a cell phone. They were looking for me in hospitals. Utter panic!

Black person here! I’m gonna answer some questions! “Does it hurt?” No actually! If you get it done with the right person, you’ll be just fine. Sometimes it hurts for a bit, but your scalp gets used to it pretty quick. “Is it heavy?” No! Well, depending on the type of hair you use. Certain hairs are especially sought after because they’re light, some others are heavier. “Do your fingers hurt?” Not really, if you’re used to it, no. But like anything, the more you do it, the more you get used to it! I recommend looking up black hair types sometime! It can help on giving some insight into the black hair community! There are different kinds like 4C, 2B, and so on so forth. They are determined by hair characteristics like shrinkage, coil tightness, texture, stuff like that. Don’t be afraid to ask questions! (And yes, it’s extremely common to weave in color, bands, beads, accessories, and make your braids extremely long.) Hope this was helpful! :D

Brad is reacting the same was my bf did when he saw me installing my faux locs. I love the appreciation non black men have for black hair. My bf was so impressed and I’m laughing because it’s so easy. I’ve don’t it for years. I even parted my own hair and the parts are perfect. Oh and my hair is maybe a little less than 2 inches so he was seriously impressed that I made such small precise locs.

It's so weird when you grew up with this your entire life, but is so foreign to other people

African braiding is more than just a hairstyle it is an art and therapy

As a black person its so nice that people are appreciating our culture. the best part about braiding is when they put the gel in the parting that is the art. But anyway they all did super good in that video ❤❤

Hey Brad, just braided my own hair, it doesn’t hurt if you are doing it to yourself (because you can know your own pain threshold) but if someone else does it it tends to be tighter because they can’t know how it feels for you! People don’t often do tiny or micro braids because it’s time consuming to put in and even more time consuming to take out! It looks amazing but imagine undoing it all 😂😂😂

It’s interesting seeing braids from a newbie’s perspective lol. I live in Africa and this is our daily lives… from students to bankers to lawyers to judges to politicians - ALL women get braids here. For professionalism, only black or dark brown braids are done, without any accessories, but for holidays or vacations, or uni students, that’s when people add rainbow colours and beads and stuff. That’s why I never understood American companies and institutions just straight up banning braids as “unprofessional” like no.

Braid day is when you catch up on ALL of the movies you've missed in the last few months. It's pretty relaxing, actually.

I thought i was the only straight haired peep that liked to watch kinky hair style videos just for the fun of it. I’m talking like braids, the bantu knots, the cleaning, the products, the haircutting, etc etc etc. Its just so nice. Especially the box braids. They are definitely my favorite thing to watch and i have no idea why. All the girls ive ever seen with box braids are just MWAH. Its so pretty and you can do so much with it still in the braids. You can make them into buns and pony tails. And the accessories???? The little beads and the hair cuffs? The way you can braid some ribbons in there too? Guys i know im ranting but i have to say it. ITS SO BEAUTIFUL GOTDAMN

The foaming mousse is to keep the fly aways and the baby hairs down to keep it looking fresher for a longer period of time

"She's just mixed up her own color of hair with three different colors y'all are genius". A lot of people want to copy a lot of styles created by Black hairstylists but won't give them the credit for it. Thank you, Brad, for giving that recognition.

Braids don't HAVE to hurt! The best braiders I've ever had were the most skillful and their braids were very comfortable.

Watching this while I take down my old box braids in preparation for getting a new set tomorrow 😅 it definitely takes a LOT of time and effort but it’s worth it because it makes me feel beautiful and in touch with my culture. Plus I haven’t done any chemical straightening of my hair in over 10 years and I’ve had so much growth and health in my hair since! Thank you for appreciating the art of black hair, Brad ❤

This is the first time in my LIFE that I have ever seen or heard my culture appreciated and examined in this manner. So many speak over, change, steal our creations. Thank u for respecting us enough to reflect honestly!

The “setting mousse” is used to help with extra frizz and flyaways on the braids (roots and mids). And then there’s other mousses that help refresh and detox the braids on wash day. But most people just use the mousse because it feels fresh and nice on the scalp 😂

I love how captivated Brad is with our culture. We grew up doing this without giving it a second thought. It's so normal to us. Growing up, my sister and I would only braid our hair during our break from school. Sometimes it'd take up to 2 days. We'd just braid the perimeter and leave the center, keeping it in a bun until it was completed.

I actually just recently finished my first attempt at boho braids and it took me 10 hours. My whole life I’ve always braided my own hair, my mom and I used to sit together when I was much younger so that’s how I learned but this video is giving me more of an appreciation for this skill

I’ve been getting my hair braided for all my life, and my aunt is even a hairdresser who does my hair and teaches me some things from time to time. But even though that’s the case, my jaw was STILL DROPPED throughout this video. The tiny braids, the dedication, the precision, and the sleekness, bro it’s just amazing. Especially referring to the 1 inch hair video, that specific one was inspiring to me bc I’ve been thinking about cutting my hair, but was worried about not being able to get it braided until it grew out. But after seeing how good those braids look, now I know it just takes skill. Truly mesmerizing

The mousse/foam is to lay down the scraggly hairs that she cut away. You usually take the tissue paper wraps and wrap the hair and blow dry or sit under a dryer for about 20 minutes.

I'm a mixed individual, and I recently had some BEAUTIFUL tribal braids done they went down to around my butt but I loved them so much. I've always hated my hair and my family has always made me straighten it, but recently they've been okay with braids. I say there for 6.5 hours but it was so worth it. the head does hurt after wards personally for me for about a day or two. I love black hair culture and I can't wait to get it redone.

I appreciate your learning and appreciating the artistry it takes in braiding our hair. We learn at an early age and many have mastered it to perfection.

I really appreciate how inclusive your content always is, things like this really helps to demystify Black hair! Also, your fingers definitely cramp up when you braid! I usually take at least 2 days when I do my own, lol! Also your head definitely hurts after, especially if you are tender headed or you braid too tight. Also the hot water is actually used to seal the ends so they don't unravel and you can braid the braids, or use rollers then dip them in hot water to make it wavy/curly permanently. The hair is usually polyester or kanekalon - to make it fall naturally you can either buy it pre-stretched or diy. And yes, colour mixing is an art! (you can also dye the hair with alcohol and acrylic ink) Also if you have trouble doing the back on your own head, it helps to start the braid upside down, by first twisting your own hair so that it falls correctly.

We as braiders are definitely unappreciated as stylists. People love having their hair like this but don’t want to pay what we charge. I’m glad you love it brad!! Now you try it!!! Please show us!!

The foam is for any extra stray hairs that are missed when dusting with the shears. Also to keep frizz down for the first few weeks

I so love this dude, his reactions are priceless and genuine.

Brad reacted to Lil ole me 🙈☺️❤️ feeling honored af!

Oh my god, as a white girl, I spend 5 minutes trying to french braid my hair and my arms start burning from being in such an uncomfortable position for so long. That second and third girls doing the back of their heads in those teeny tiny braids is INSANE. So much respect for girls doing their OWN BOX BRAIDS. I mean respect to everyone who does them, but to do them on your own head is such another level. I don't know how you even have arms anymore

This was so much fun watching BRAIDERS STAND UP 🙌🏽 handcrafted braiding is so soothing and overall protective I love my career

I really enjoyed this video and I feel so much respect was paid to the art form of braiding from such an amazing and humble artist himself! I was looking for videos to braid my daughter’s hair and this video popped up and it was such a treat!

African, African-American and Carribbean women are the best braiders. The hairstyles are fabulous and intricate.

in nigeria we call tiny braids like that million braids no regular person can sit at home and do it themselves you need at least 3 people to finish in a day

I truly appreciate how you’re not being ignorant or just disrespectful and genuinely curious or just amazed , I love it! ❤

The foam is ACTUALLY A SETTING FOAM. IT WILL MAKE SURE THE CUT FLYAWAYS ARE SOFTER AND BLEND IN BETWEEN THE PLAIT PATTERNS IF U PUT UNDER DRYER FOR A FEE MINUTES IT WILL SET BETTER.

I worked in a kindergarten where there was this one black girl, and everyday her mum would make a super neat and unique hairstyle on her... And I kid you not... It was so damn beautiful.... Black ppl are the ROYALTY of hair... I have mad respect for their dedication and attention to detail! Also when I was like 10, my dad dated this black woman who was so kind that she made one, just one tiny braid, in my hair. And I remember I walked around feeling it. Like I loved that one braid with my entire heart.

He is excited to learn about black hair and values the cultural significance of it. He doesn't try to tell black ppl how to do their hair and is willing to ask questions and be curious. We stan the supportive behavior 👏🏽 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

9:23 yeah it actually does hurt especially when your a kid but after you grow up you learn to hold in the pain. and after the hair is done yes it will kinda hurt for a bit because its tight (like firmly braided to your hair, kinda pulling) but after about a day or 3 its should be better. if its not then go see your hairdresser because it may be too tight

Lol I love how Brad is really interested in learning about our community 💖 we appreciate you and the recognition 🥰 it’s all love over here💓

Anyone else remember when micro braids were so popular in the 90's/early 2000's???

Brad Mondo: Dipping the ends of braid extensions in hot water actually helps to seal the braid extensions so they never frazzled and don't become undone. 😊. Love watching all your videos Brad Mondo. I also have my hair done in box braids. 😊👍🏾. Love you Brad. Peace, love and kindness to you. ✌🏾❤️🤗😊💜🙏🏾

The foam actually conditions & lays the natural hair flyaways , as well as stimulates the scalp :)

I know this is from over a year ago, but I feel like I can finally appreciate the signs of someone who has found their career path. When you truly love what you do and are right for the field, you are able to not only appreciate other people's craftsmanship, but you get excited about learning as well. It's the real difference between doing and making, and I think the way Brad gets excited about other people being experts in different areas of his own field is a statement of that.

There's something so soothing and beautiful about watching people braiding their hair. The effort and time that goes into styling their hair is amazing. Gorgeous.

The biggest reason most women don’t go for micro braids or tiny braids, is because not only is it time consuming but it’s damaging to the hair and the take down is terribly long

i love brad so much, i love how he’s so interested in learning different cultures, it’s so cool ❤️.

I love the respect you show for box braids, thank you so much for making this video

So the thing is Brad, these styles can stay in for weeks. A full day of braiding for a month without touching it. Also the texture in our hair helps the braids stay in. When you do it on straight hair they have to be unbelievably tight.

My mom used to braid mine and my 3 other siblings' hair, and her hands DEFINITELY used to cramp up. She used to have to dip them in ice water to reduce swelling every like 5 or 6 hours of braiding

Brad’s reaction at 6:05 is everything 💕

I really appreciate how you’re channel focuses on different types of hairstyles from different cultures. ❤️

As a black woman, I can say that I really appreciate your acknowledgement and appreciation black hair and wanting to learn more about styles that we do! Also, the mousse is done to set the natural hair so it doesn't frizz (and is usually wrapped up with styling strips to mold it), and the boiling water is indeed to set the ends of the synthetic hair.

We dip the braids in hot water to seal the ends so the braids don’t unravel and come undone. And braiding hair can be synthetic or human or a mix. And mousse is used to lay down fly away hairs on the braids from the braiding hair. The gel helps our natural hair blend better with the braiding hair and keeps our natural hair slick so there aren’t any fly aways. So we try to minimize fly away hairs with gel, scissors, and mousse. And no braids don’t hurt. If they hurt then the braider braided too tight which can actually pull our hair out. U can tell if braids are too tight if u start to see white bumps around the parts.

Lmao even the dog looked confused/shook 13:10

Black people who braid hair like this are true artists.

The look in your eyes when you realized she has to take them out and re braid them to get a fresher look. Priceless. 😭😭😂😂

I love that Brad is genuinely interested in Black hair. As a hairdresser it’s so important to have knowledge about ALL hair types !

WOW, I'm amazed at how precise and talented these people are.

I am at work and seeing your reactions to how we braid is amazing because now you understand the pain and time we have to go through.........AMAZING

The first black girl I met was a friend of my older sister. She came over for a sleepover and her braids blew me away. In hindsight, I hope little 7 year old me didnt make her uncomfortable because I know I just stared at her at dinner. She was the prettiest girl I had ever seen and to this day, I can't help but look at how beautiful black women are. Its just astonishing

The moment you realised we had to take off the entire braid to braid it back again 🤣 thank you Brad for this video, for showcasing our hair and skills ✨

I loved this video, just seeing the gworls braiding brings a comfort to my soul. Also, Brads willingness to watch and learn and showing the utmost respect makes for enjoyable viewing

I love watching these videos to relax me. The talent and patience that these braiders have, IS CRAZY. Also, I agree with Brad, they seem like they’d be painful to get, but then again…maybe they are used it. Pretty incredible regardless

I already love how Brad celebrates black culture, but seeing his reaction to this particular subject, where we can't even rock our culture at work, or school, etc...(sighs) thank you Brad, and these ladies did phenomenally!

We dedicate the time because the style lasts for multiple months depending on the maintenance. So it’s worth it. But I’ve definitely taken a PTO day to braid my hair 😂😂😂😂

I've never seen anyone demonstrate the added in hair so clearly. Thank you!

Brad, you were so shocked and amazed. LOL, I thought it was adorable. Thank you for highlighting hairstyles from my culture in a good way. I appreciate the respect and admiration.

“After 100s of years of braiding the black hair follicle becomes a little stronger...” no, Brad it still hurts 😭😂 Love the video!!

I’d also like to add that if your mom did your hair, it was bonding time for the two of you. I miss the old days when my mom would get me some snacks and let me watch movies while she would braid my hair. The only part I hated was somehow my head magically gravitated towards the tv without my knowledge and I got plucked on the ear 😂😂

I need the full video of the young woman doing her tiny box braids because those are gorgeous! 😍

I love the fact that you have taken the time to understand and embrace the hair techniques / process of other cultures. Understanding always attract wisdom and wisdom produces love and mind renewal. PEACE

I love how excited Brad gets about black hair, like when he watched people press their hair. Also love a king that can admit he doesn't know everything about a topic

2nd girl: tiniest section ever Brad: “omg how is she even going to braid that tiny section” Every black girl having flashbacks to the pain from getting their edges braided as a child: 🥲😅 “oh no worries brad… she can braid it” Lol

As a black girl, box braids is a very very long process to get done. I always have box braids and I'm happy some people can appreciate them

These are actual works of art and I am in complete awe of the talent.😲

It’s SO sad that hairstylists don’t learn about how to take care of natural hair in cosmetology school!! Not everyone wants straight hair.

As a Braider I wish other Braiders would understand the amount of grip you lose putting gel or shine and jam at the base. The hair looks beautiful for about a week or two on Knotless braids but after the clients need a touch up. The method I recommend is ebin edge control in between parts and got2b glued hair spray at the root, shine and jam throughout the braid, dip the braids when finished, mousse and sit the client under the drier! Trust me you’ll thank me and your clients will love you for saving them money! My clients only come 4 to 6 weeks for a redo and because I save them money they tip me 30.00 to 50.00 each time! I have a consistent 27 clients who return each month

My coworker is our braider lol she does her own braids and they always look amazing!!!!! Watching her braid a client is mesmerizing 💫

The foam is hair mousse. It is really supposed to help to set the hair…. Both at the scalp and the weave. It’s as if the client was getting a roller set right… if you only set the hair with water, it’s easier for it to become frizzy and the curls won’t last. The hair mousse or foam is used for a similar purpose.

Much respect to the Black community! What can y’all not do? Sincerely, An Indigenous Admirer ❤️

Having been raised in South Africa, I grew up around loads of people who frequently got their hair braided and I've always been so in awe of the talent! I remember being at my friend's house while her grandmother was braiding her hair when we were like 7 years old, it took so long but it was such a lovely time with such a stunning end result. We all sat around and talked for hours, the sense of closeness that those women exhibited especially during that braiding day is something I'll never forget 🖤 my friend even asked her granny if she would braid my hair and the look on that lady's face 😂 "Haibo! Do you want all of her hair to fall out??? You want your friend to be bald???" Still makes me laugh to think about, all these years later! I don't really know what the purpose of this comment was other than to reminisce about something I haven't thought about in a long time, thank you for making me remember! This was such a wonderful collection of videos and I'll forever be in awe at the beauty of and the sheer amount of technique and skill behind braids, so I take my hat off to all of you braiders out there and your magical hands!! 🖤

Brad Mondo honestly made me feel like my work into my hair is appreciated. Not most people or men would understand the attention and patience that is placed into even MAINTAINING 4c hair much less going on a journey to grow it . Thank you Brad !

I love that your embracing other cultures of hair! Also the 2nd girl was dipping her hair in the boiling hot water to seal that ends!😊👍🏽

let me just say that it’s very refreshing to see someone outside the black community appreciate the art of black hair definitely made my day

the “tiny braids” are actually called micro braids and we dip them in boiling water(all sizes not just micros) because it loosen the stiffness of them so they will move swiftly and it also seals them and causes less frizz ❤️(and if we want a little curl on the ends we put curlers on the end then dip them in the hot water) knotless braids are braids that don’t require the synthetic hair to wrap around our real hair at the root, which is why the first girl braided the real hair first then added the hair, box braids, well do the opposite ❤️

I’m 2 years late but I love how respectful he is it makes me so happy to see it especially someone who never experienced having black hair or will experience it thank you for appreciating our culture and the hard ships we go through ❤

After having your scalp tugged on and pulled and stressed out it’s extremely tough of the scalp almost like a full body work out ..so essentially what the foam does is help relax and soothe your scalp after all of that work ..it helps relieve tension build up in the crown during the process 😊