NATURAL HAIR PROTECTIVE STYLING

By Ruth

Hey loves,

As previously stated in our last post, today I will share with you a bit about protective style and also reply to some of the questions people have been asking.

What is a protective style?

A protective style is a style that protects the ends of your hair.

The idea is to reduce the damage daily maintenance with heating and styling products can do to natural hair. Protective styling can be with or without extensions. Talk about cornrows, bantu knots, flat twits, box braids, low bubble braid pony tails, wigs, faux locs and the list goes on.

Why protective styling?

1. Length retention and hair growth. As simple as that sounds. Protective styling keeps your hair shielded from manipulation, too much heat, wind and cold temperatures which may cause breakage and split ends.

2. Improves your look: Depending on the type of hairstyle you choose

3. Save you time: Time to do your makeup and dress up.

My protective styles

When I started my natural hair journey, I got my hair accustomed to braids, and weaves. Sometimes I would get flat twists and take them down after a week only to find myself in braids again.

The first protective style I got was a weave. I stayed with it for about three weeks and then later changed to box braids which I had consecutively for a while.

In September last year, I had temporary locs up until November. They were light on my head and I could easily moisturize my hair. The beauty about moisturizing locs lies in the afro kinky they use. It is able to absorb and hold water for a longer time than other types of synthetic hair.

For the two months I had them, I was relieved of the time other hairstyles took to create and the untangling of my hair in other styles. The only appointment I did in two months was one that required taking the extensions down.

I also noticed tremendous change in my hair as my hairline picked up growth. Naturally I have issues with my edges and box braids and weaves literally worsen the situation. For that reason, three weeks ago, I made the decision to stop getting braids and weaves. Which went well at first until I started until I saw Willow Smith’s locs on pinterest. That was when I decided to get extenstions.

Temporary faux locs

My locs were done by a brilliant loctitan by the name Marcus Magasso. He owns a salon just behind 99 shop here in Lilongwe. I met Marcus through a friend who happens to be one of his frequent customers. The whole process takes approximately four hours and the charges depend on the length and size of the locs you want.

The hair is kinky to resemble afro hair and I can keep them for a year plus with constant mending after

growth of my hair roots.
My protective styling challenge:
So several people have been asking how long I plan to keep my locs for. I must say this is one tough question considering my habit of changing hairstyles every three weeks lol. Let me just say I accept the challenge to keep them for eight months God willing. I hope to make them longer next month and probably colour the tips to make them more appealing.
In the eight months of protective styling I will:

• Be patient
• Moisturize my hair daily
• Condition and shampoo my hair
• Cover my hair at night
• Hot oil treatments
• Inversion method
• Drink a lot of water