Wearing a protective style can work wonders for the health of your hair. If done and maintained correctly, protective styles promote growth and ward off breakage and hair loss.
With benefits like that, we want to be able to stretch out our protective styles for weeks, or even months.
And lucky for all of us, it’s very possible! Here are 3 tips to get the most out of your long-term protective style.
Even with a protective style don’t skip washing.
Box braids and twists are hands down the most popular protective styles, and understandably so! They give your hair a break, are versatile in style, and can be worn for months with only a few touch-ups.
It’s fair to say that they are the perfect protective style if you’re looking for convenience. What convenience shouldn’t make us do, however, is neglect taking care of our real hair underneath.
Your hair may be completely braided or twisted into extensions, but your roots are not. In fact, product buildup and dirt tend to hang around your scalp and roots the most when you’re protective styling. This leads to things like frizz, loosened extensions, and irritation, or itching.
To combat this, wash your twists or braids every few weeks. The method is pretty simple—all you really have to do is gently lather your scalp and roots and then rinse.
Oat Protein and Henna Deep Cleanse Shampoo is a good option because it removes impurities using a blend of natural botanicals and protein.
It’s also free of all the harmful ingredients that would dry out or damage your hair, so it’s genuinely a worry-free shampoo option.
Take care of your scalp.
Along with cleansing your hair and scalp while protective styling, you should make sure you’re moisturizing it as well.
Whether you’re wearing Marley twists or keeping your hair braided down and wearing wigs, you should always find a way to treat your scalp with a spritz or oil at least a couple times a week.
The Scalp and Skin Care Anti-Itch & Tension Relief Oil are my favorite go-to! It’s a perfect blend of tea tree oil and aloe that works to soothe and stimulate the scalp all at once.
This is a great combination if you struggle with the itchiness between washes. It also promotes healthy hair growth, so it’s ideal for those of you who are protective styling for the purpose of growth and length retention, as well.
Keep your look fresh with touch-ups.
Frizz and dullness are bound to happen the longer you wear your protective style and covering your hair every night will work for the most part, but will only do so much!
When you’re not ready to take your hair out of the style or are in-between styles, try doing your own touch-ups! Trust me, a little oil and edge control will take you a long way.
The argan-oil infused Intense Shine Oil Mist, in particular, will give your hair that natural luster you only get the first few days of a fresh style.
For the nape of your neck and edges, try the Honey & Shea Edge Tamer. Like the oil mist, the edge tamer adds a nice natural shine but also lays down any frizz with a soft hold and no unwanted residue. Using both products together is truly the holy grail of touch-ups!
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