Gabrielle Union Makes the Braid Take

By Gabi Thorne

I love braids as much as the next Black person, but the take-down process is nothing short of a particularly steamy, grueling day in hell. While I look like the literal physical representation of "oop jumpscare" when uninstalling my braids, somehow, someway Gabrielle Union is a portrait of effortless beauty while removing her own braided hairstyle.

On June 1, Union posted a short clip showing how she takes care of her hair after removing her braids using products from her own hair-care line Flawless by Gabrielle Union. "That's how you can tell how much it grew because you can see all the grays. Welcome to old age kids," she says while applying and rubbing the Scalp Soothing Tonic into her hair and scalp.

Right after, we get a short cameo from her adorable daughter Kaavia James Wade. "Look at your curls," Wade says as she runs her hands through her mom's hair. Then the video transitions to the next clip showing Union in a white robe with her presumably freshly washed hair. "Ooh it's the slip for me," she says as she rubs the 5 Butter Miracle Masque through her hair before using a hair steamer for 45 minutes, and then rinsing it out.

After that, we get another view of Union in her white robe, which also happens to have her monogram in cursive letters, as she proceeds to the next and seemingly final step of the process. She appears in the frame holding a big container with a white label that says 5 Butter Miracle Leave-In Conditioner. "I had to use the damn sample because my family done stole from me," she shares before adding it to her hair. She finishes the video in a white tank top and underwear with her cute, combed-out, freshly washed Afro.

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I don't know what magic Union possesses but she makes it look so easy to uninstall braids — if only I could relate.

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