Just like many other women, I like wearing protective hairstyles during the cold season. Even if I like my hair, sometimes I don't want to deal with it. And a protective style offers me the perfect opportunity to have a break while being pretty. I decided to share with you, based on my experience, my tips on how to make sure your hairstyle is a protective one.
Before the style
Ensure your hair and scalp are clean and ready to receive the protective style. Before every protective style I like to wash and condition my hair first. Healthy hair comes from the scalp, so make sure it's free from any buil-up. I personally prefer using a hydrating mask before and a protein mask after I took down my style.
I prefer working on stretched hair. You can decide to use heat or not. The threading method is a great heatless way to stretch your hair.But,if you choose to blow dry your hair, please don’t forget your heat protectant; your hair will thank you. I always make sure my hair is moisturized underneath the extensions. I moisturize before blow-drying and apply a little oil afterwards to seal in the moisture and nourish my hair.
A lot of people are allergic to braiding extensions. Make sure you aren't one of them. If it's the case, try cleaning your extensions with some apple cider vinegar before using them. Even if this is a good tip, it doesn’t work for everyone unfortunately. In that case, there are a lot of styles you can do with your own natural hair that will be as beautiful.
During the style
It is at this stage mainly that many hairstyles turn out not to be protective in reality. They are either too tight or too heavy which literally causes hair loss. So, be very careful when doing your hair and select your hairdresser with great care. I don't think your goal is to end up with traction alopecia. Prioritize hairstyles like knotless braids and twists which, in addition to looking natural, eliminate a lot of the pulling on your scalp.
While I wear my braids I continue to take care of my hair, mainly my scalp. I moisturize the roots once a week with a moisturizing spray. I love Bask and Bloom's Hy-Fresh, it's a moisturizing spray made from a mixture of liquid, moisturizer and oil. An all in one product that is very light and leaves no residue on the scalp. Then, I apply an oil to nourish my roots even more and I take the opportunity to do a good head massage to stimulate blood circulation in my scalp. Once a week is enough for me, it avoids an excessive accumulation of product which will only clog the pores of my scalp. And healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp. I only wash my hair if I keep my extensions longer than three weeks. But do as you like, depending on how sensitive your scalp is and how quickly you develop dandruff.
After the style
Take the time to properly remove your hairstyle to avoid easily avoidable breakage. Be even more attentive and careful if you have faux-locs. The number of people who have cut their own hair by undoing their faux locs is too frequent. For a smooth detangling process, use a detangling product such as a leave-in conditioner, or a conditioner with water to undo the knots and facilitate detangling. It's normal if there is more hair in your detangling tool than usual because dead hair has accumulated over several days or even weeks. Washing my hair after a protective hairstyle is non-negotiable for me. I like the fact of having my hair back and being able to pamper it. I usually do 2 or more shampoos as needed and follow with a protein mask to restore strength and vitality to my hair. And I finish by hydrating them well.
And you, how do you take care of your hair for a protective hairstyle?
