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If you know anything about natural hair, you’ve probably heard of protective styles. I’ve even mentioned them in my 10 Rules All Naturals Should Follow and my 10 Tips for Transitioning to Natural Hair posts. And besides being cute and different, I also like protective styles because they have helped me maintain the health of my natural hair. How, you ask? Well, in this post, I’m telling you everything you need to know about protective styles.
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What are protective styles?
Protective styles are hairstyles that don’t require frequent manipulation and restyling. They also protect the hair from weather and friction. These styles can be done with just your hair or with hair added in. They range from box braids to Marley twists to wigs to crochet braids, and so much more! And not only can they protect your hair and help you retain length, they also come in handy when you are sick of your natural hair or want a new look.
How do protective styles grow natural hair?
Well, protective styles don’t actually help your hair grow faster, but they seem like they do. Why? Because they help with length retention. Keeping your hair tucked away and manipulating it less frequently helps prevent breakage. Thus, it looks like your hair is growing faster. But, if not done correctly, protective styles can do more harm than good. This is why I’m writing this post. NOT ALL PROTECTIVE STYLES ARE ACTUALLY PROTECTING YOUR HAIR! But, here are 11 ways to make sure you’re protective styling correctly. With these tips, you can definitely use protective styling to your healthy natural hair routine.
11 Tips for Protective Styling
This is why you’re here, right? Here are my 11 tips for protective styling. These are all of the things I do to make sure my hair is truly protected and healthy.
Prep your hair beforehand.
Before installing your protective style, you have to make sure your hair is prepared. First, make sure you have washed your hair and scalp thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo. With most protective styles, you will not be washing your hair as often as you usually do, so make sure you are starting with a clean canvas. Next, deep condition your hair. If it is a style that requires heat, I recommend a protein deep conditioner. But if not, a moisturizing deep conditioner will do. For tips on how to deep condition natural hair, check out this post. After washing and deep conditioning, use a leave-in or moisturizer to make sure your hair stays hydrated while in your style. And lastly, stretch your hair. I like to use a blow dryer, but there are many heatless ways to stretch natural hair as well. After these few steps, you are ready to get started!
Don’t do really tight styles.
The days are over for taking Ibuprofen before getting a style installed! That ain’t right! I refuse to lose my edges over a hairstyle, and you should, too. But in all seriousness, if a style feels too tight or like it’s pulling, STOP! And if a stylist tells you that it’s supposed to feel that way, stop going to them! If a style is supposed to protect your hair, it will not hurt your scalp. Trust me! ❤
Don’t install heavy styles.
Just like tight styles, heavy styles can cause unnecessary tension and breakage. So, if a style feels heavy or like it’s pulling, take it out immediately! We don’t need that kind of negativity in our lives.
Don’t overuse heat.
This tip is more for protective styles that require leave out, such as weaves and extensions. Oftentimes, the hair that is braided down or put away is protected, but the leave out gets heat damage. The rule I follow is not to use heat more than once a week. If a style requires more than that, I say “leave it alone”. Not only can overuse of heat cause heat damage (limp, dry strands and loss of curl pattern), but it can also cause breakage, and we don’t want that.
Don’t overdo edges.
I’ve said it before in this post, and I’ll say it again: don’t style your edges every day! Edges are finer and more sensitive than the rest of our hair, so they cannot and should not be over-manipulated. And if the style is already tight in the front…sis…just no. It’s 2021. We are leaving bald headed edges in the past. PROTECT YA EDGES AT ALL COSTS!
Take care of your scalp.
There is a huge misconception that you can just leave your hair and scalp alone while in a protective style, and this is just not true. Taking care of your scalp is just as important when protective styling! Thus, it is important to keep your scalp clean and moisturized while in the style. This is why I personally do not like styles where I can’t get to my scalp–it is the foundation of hair growth. I like to keep my scalp oiled during protective styles and wash it occasionally with diluted shampoo. If you can go longer without washing, by all means, do so! But, the scalp needs to stay looking and smelling fresh.
Keep moisturizing your hair.
When retaining and growing hair, moisture is key. And even in protective styles, hair still needs to be moisturized. I recommend using a spray leave-in (like this one) or aloe vera juice a few times a week. Also, keeping your hair moisturized will make the take-down process so much easier!
Protect your hair at night.
I mention this tip in all of my natural hair posts! I never go to sleep without a satin bonnet, scarf, scrunchie, or pillowcase. Even in a protective style, friction from pillows and sheets is not good. It can cause dryness and breakage, and it can also cause your style to look frizzy and old faster. And you don’t wanna waste your time and money, do you? So protect your hair at night, girl!
Don’t keep the style in too long.
One mistake that people make with protective styling is leaving the style in for too long. Each style has its own time limit, and so does each person. For example, because of my scalp, I only keep box braids in for 4-6 weeks, but my mom can leave hers in for months with no problems. You just have to know yourself. The reason I warn against leaving a style in too long is because it can cause tangling, dryness, and breakage. To avoid this, just monitor your hair. Is it easily tangled? Does it have a smell? Do you see buildup at the roots? Is it growing out to the point that it feels like it’s pulling on your real hair? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it’s time to take down the protective style.
Be gentle with the take down process.
You have to be gentle when taking down a protective style, and don’t rush the process. A lot of styles, like weaves, crochet braids, and box braids, sometimes require cutting the fake hair out. PLEASE be careful if you do this! I personally cut way beyond the length of my actual hair just to be safe. Or if you’re not sure, have someone you trust help you. Another take down tip is to detangle along the way. When I was a loose natural, I would keep a spray bottle, conditioner, and a Tangle Teezer close to me while taking down a style because my hair would have tangles in it from being tucked away for so long! So, be careful, be gentle, and take your time. This would be the perfect time to binge-watch that show you’re behind on!
Give your hair a break between styles.
My last tip is to wait between protective styles. Why? Because you need time to give your hair some TLC and examine it. Do you need a trim? A protein treatment? An ACV rinse? If you keep going from protective style to protective style, you may miss some of these things. Also, constantly getting high tension hairstyles like cornrows or box braids can cause breakage because the hair is overly pulled or parted in the same way. Now, some people recommend a week between protective styles, but I recommend 4-6 weeks or longer. This should give you enough time to examine your hair and cater to what it needs.
Well, that is everything you need to know about protective styles! They are fun, beautiful, and offer a new look, but they can also cause more harm than good if you’re not careful. Did I miss anything? Add it to the comments! And tell me, what is your go-to protective style?
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