Braids Care: Synthetic Hair, Real Talk

Synthetic braiding hair has been all over the headlines this year, and a lot of the coverage has left people confused about what’s actually in the hair and what the real risks are. In this episode, we unpack the headlines and share the clear, practical information you need to feel informed and at ease.

We’re joined by polymer chemist and inventor Ashley Davis, who explains how synthetic hair is made, what to pay attention to when choosing better quality options, and why prepping the hair before install can make a big difference. Together we get into facts, myths and the practical steps that help keep styles comfortable and confidence high.

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00:00 Introduction
01:04 About Those Scary Headlines
04:41 What’s Really in Synthetic Hair
06:17 Expert Insights With Ashley Davis
20:31 Identifying Higher Quality Hair
24:32 Preparing Braiding Hair for Use
25:27 Final Thoughts

✨ Connect with Ashley:
Follow on Instagram:   / simplyash_xoxo  
Follow on LinkedIn:   / ashleyndavis1  

🔗 Connect with The Tight Curls Project:
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🤿 Dive into the science:
Wong M. Is synthetic braiding hair giving people cancer? Breaking down Consumer Reports’ tests. Lab Muffin Beauty Science. March 27, 2025. Accessed November 1, 2025. https://labmuffin.com/is-synthetic-br...
Auguste, D., & Miller, S. L. (2020). Volatile Organic Compound Emissions From Heated Synthetic Hair: A Pilot Study. Environmental Health Insights. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles...
Dangerous chemicals in braiding hair?. BeautySciComm. April 13, 2025. Accessed November 15, 2025. https://beautyscicomm.com/dangerous-c...