Protective Styling

Protective Styling!


Okay let's discuss my FAVORITE topic!!


I happen to love protective styling! I love my natural hair and I love to wear it out but I also want to keep it protected and avoid breakage and stuff! 


What is protective styling?
Any style you have in your hair where your natural hair is covered or styled in a way where you don't 'tamper' with it daily can be a protective style. Protective styling is just a fancy way to say, "I'm covering my hair for a month or so 'cause I wanna be lazy!" LOL! Protective styling can come in the form of extensions, weaves, braids (w/ or w/o extensions), etc. 


I am a huge fan of protective styling partially because of my job and partially because I love the thrill I get seeing all of the growth after about a month or so of not touching my hair. I usually have my hair in braids for a month or so and I wear it out for a weekend and then it's back in braids. 


**Sidebar** Even when my hair was permed I liked the idea of having it weaved for a month!!


I have tried three different styles since I've done my B/C...


Afro Kinky Braids

A 60-second cap

Kanakelon Rope Twists

Protective Styling can be a blessing and a curse! You have to be sure to keep your hair moisturized! We natural girls know that water and oil are our best friends. When you have your hair in a protective style be sure to keep your spray bottles close and handy! Give your thirsty hair a spritz or two every morning and evening! And the great thing about it is natural hair is so much ore fun than relaxed hair because you can do that do it. If you had relaxed hair and a weave, water would be your enemy!!! Your hair would be starving!!! Think about it!


Also, when getting your hair braided or plait, ensure the stylist doesn't pull your hair too tight! I know a lot of stylists just LOVE to catch all of the baby hair in the front and back but just ask them to leave that out. This type of tugging at that strand can cause MAJOR DAMAGE! Those hairs pull out from the follicle and can lead to ball spots and we don't want that! Last time my hair was braided in those rope twists in the third picture, I took those things out so fast!! I just couldn't bear to see my strands crying out for release any longer! I only kept them in for about a month...I didn't feel like I got my money's worth but I am glad I still have my 'sides'!


I've gotten a lot of criticism from different people, with relaxed hair, saying, "Oh you must not like your natural hair because you always have it braided." And crazy stuff like that. However, that couldn't be further from the truth! I LOVE MY NATURAL HAIR!! Therefore, I love protecting it in a hairstyle!! Catch my drift?? Maybe they're just jealous, who knows? Who cares? Def not NIK SHAZETTE!!


Live.Laugh.Love
Nik -- Muahhh <3