Protective styling is a somewhat low-maintenance way to keep your hair healthy and strong without having to maintain it daily. I am by no means a hair expert, but my favorite way to wear my hair when I’m going on vacation is in some sort of protective style. What that means is, I don’t have to put heat on my hair or even really touch my natural hair, which helps it grow!
For my Cabo trip I got braids! But I have worn various styles throughout the years. My go-to style is a sew-in, but I’ve also dabbled in wigs just recently. I love that I can change it up and keep my natural hair protected.
Below are some examples of braids I’ve done in the past, as well as some styles that you may not have known were a protective style! I rarely straighten my natural hair anymore because I’d rather not put heat on it when I can wear a protective style to achieve the look I’m going for.
Braids:
I normally wear braids before going to a beach vacation where I will be doing a lot of swimming or water activities. My favorite style is jumbo box braids with a diamond part. They last about 2-3 weeks for me when I get them for a vacation, but I imagine they’d last a little longer if I got them and wasn’t swimming every day.
Sew-In:
I have worn sew-ins for about 4 years now. I started wearing them when I moved to Houston and the humidity literally made it impossible to keep my hair styled for any period of time. If straightened my hair and then walked outside, I had a “afro poof” within minutes! I was always anti hair extensions, mainly because I was unsure of what they were and if they’d look natural on me, but I found a great hair stylist and took the plunge. Nearly every photo of me on Instagram features this type of hair style! I can curl it, cut it, color it … you name it! … and my natural hair remains untouched.
Wigs:
This protective style is a new one for me. I was at my hair salon in Dallas and I complimented my stylists hair because it looked SO good! And she was like “it’s a wig!” My mind was blown and I was instantly intrigued. So what did I do? I went to the beauty supply and bought my first wig. You can do so much these days with a wig, you can even have them custom made. A few of my recent pictures are of me wearing a wig.
I go for subtle looks that are pretty close to how I normally wear my hair, however, protective styling is another way to try out a new hair color or hair cut without having to cut your own hair. While this technique is primarily seen in women of color, anyone and everyone can do it! Try it out and send me your photos! As I discover more ways to protective style my hair, I will definitely share.
XO – Steph
