Protective styles are more than just a fashion statement; they are an essential part of hair care for many Black women. Protective hairstyles are the best way to maintain hair health, prevent damage, and promote growth by minimizing manipulation and protecting the ends of the hair. It’s easy to get confused on exactly which protective style works the best for you, so let's dive into the world of protective styles, their benefits, and we’ll give you some excellent tips on how to maintain your extensions.
What Are Protective Styles?
Protective styles are usually hairstyles that protect the ends of the hair from damage and reduce the need for daily styling. Popular styles like braids, twist, wigs, and hair extensions tuck the ends of your hair away and reduce exposure to environmental stressors and most importantly, they can drastically reduce the amount of heat you place on your natural hair.
Why we love Protective Styles
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Length Retention: By reducing breakage and split ends, protective styles help retain hair length.
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Low Maintenance: Protective styles are perfect for women who are constantly on the go. These styles often require less daily manipulation, saving time and reducing the risk of damage.
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Versatility: Protective styles offer a wide range of options, allowing for creativity and personal expression. With a protective style, switching your hairstyle is an effortless, easy task!
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Protection from Elements: Protective styles shield your natural hair from harsh weather conditions, pollution, and physical stress. They are the ultimate… protection!
Popular Protective Styles
Box Braids: Individual plaits that are parted in square-shaped sections. They are versatile, durable, and can be styled in various ways.
- Twists: Created by twisting two strands of hair together. They can be worn long or short and are relatively easy to install and remove.
- Wigs and Weaves: Offer the ultimate protection by completely covering the natural hair. They allow for diverse styling without affecting the natural hair.
- Yes Curl Extensions: Hair extensions designed to blend seamlessly with natural curls from 3C–4C. They provide instant volume and length while allowing easy access to your natural hair for moisturizing, cleansing, and maintaining a healthy growth routine.
Tips for Maintaining Protective Styles
- Moisturize Regularly: Keep your hair hydrated by applying a leave-in conditioner or moisturizing spray. This prevents dryness and breakage.
- Cleanse Gently: Use a diluted shampoo or moisturizing shampoo to clean your scalp without disrupting the style. Avoid heavy products that can cause buildup.
- Protect at Night: Wear a CurlH20 silk scarf or use a CurlH20 silk pillowcase to reduce friction and preserve the style.
- Avoid Over-Tightening: Ensure that the style is not too tight to prevent tension on the scalp and edges, which can lead to traction alopecia.
- Give Your Hair Breaks: Alternate between protective styles and give your hair time to breathe to avoid stress and damage.
Take these tips into consideration:
- Don’t leave the extensions in your hair past eight weeks for a sew-in and tape-in extensions.
- Clip-in hair extensions are meant to be removed daily.
- Be careful with pulling on the extensions during the detangling process.
- Get extensions that closely match your natural curl pattern so you don’t have to use direct heat on your hair to smooth it and straighten it.
Here’s a few favorites we recommend:
Influance Rosemary spray,
Influance Rosemary Shampoo,
Influance Coconut Milk Shampoo
Influance Coconut Milk Conditioner (I retail these.)
…And if you like a good leave-in conditioner I love the Influence Honey Almond leave-in conditioner
Weekly maintenance routine (shampoo, condition, additional moisturizer).
Remember ladies, regardless of the type of protective style you chose, It is VERY important that you continue with regularly cleansing your hair. Limit the use of oils unless they are prescribed by your dermatologist for your scalp. You don’t want anything that’s going to trap dirt on the hair while you have extensions, or the biggest thing inhibit moisture to your hair..
To wrap it up…
Protective styles are a wonderful way for us as Black women to embrace our natural beauty while ensuring that our hair remains healthy and strong! By choosing styles that suit our busy lifestyles and taking the necessary steps to maintain our hair, we can truly enjoy the benefits of protective styles while expressing their unique sense of style.
When you're ready, we’d love for you to check out YES CURLS! as an option for your next protective style!
At Yes Curls, we celebrate and enhance the natural beauty of black women's curls. We are your go-to destination for beautiful curly hair extensions
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