Hey everybody!  Thanks for stopping by.  This post is all about protective styles.  Every now and then you want to give your hair a break, or you may want something a little more “low maintenance” to give yourself a break!  Everyone knows about wigs and weaves, so I’ve decided to shed a little light on some other protective styles.

Faux Locs

I got faux locs for the first time last year and loved them!  To get this look, you start with box braids and then wrap hair around the braid to give it the dread look.  They do take a while to install (about 6 hours in my experience), but I was able to keep them in for 2 months, which was well worth the 6 hours of install time upfront.  Another pro is that you have access to your scalp, so you can still wash your hair and the more your hair grows, the more natural they look.  For maintenance, I oiled my scalp about once a week, removed buildup with a wash cloth as needed, and wore a satin scarf at night.

Pros: longevity, natural look, low maintenance, lightweight (depending on what kind of hair you use), can be styled multiple ways

Cons: install time, can be taxing on edges, take down can be cumbersome

Box Braids

The tried and true summer style!  Box braids have been around for forever, and for that reason alone they deserve to be on this list.  I’ve had the long “poetic justice”, waist length style box braids, small individuals, and micros (who remembers those?! lol), just to name a few.  They’re probably the most durable protective style in my opinion, next to twists.  Install time depends on size (the bigger the braid, the less time usually), and for maintenance wear a satin scarf at night.

Pros: longevity, low maintenance, durable, can be styled multiple ways

Cons: can be taxing on edges, typically heavier than other styles (usually installed with Kanekalon hair which is heavy!)

Tip: The kind of hair determines the weight of the style, not the style itself!  So if you want a lighter style, pick a lighter kind of hair.

Cornrows

Very similar to box braids, we have the OG cornrows.  Both cornrows and box braids can be done with or without added hair, which is cool.  I always prefer to add hair not necessarily for length, but for volume and longevity.  My natural hair will frizz 10 times faster without added hair than with.  This is also a very durable protective style, and install time depends on the size.  Of course, maintain by cleansing your scalp as needed, adding moisture and oil, and wearing a satin scarf at night.

Pros: easy on the edges, durable, low maintenance

Cons: cannot be styled multiple ways, take down can be cumbersome

Buns

Believe it or not, a bun can be a protective style!  They keep your ends tucked away and require very little maintenance.  The top knot pictured has been my go-to since being natural.  I like that buns can be as neat or as messy as you’d like, which makes them easy.  You can’t mess up a messy bun!

Pros: Easy to install, short install time

Cons: can be taxing on edges if made too tight

Mini Twists

I tried these for the first time this past October and loved them!  I struggle doing braids and cornrows on my own head, so these twists were the perfect DIY style.  It did take me 4-5 hours to install because my hair is very thick.  But again, installation time is heavily dependent on the size of the twists and how much hair you have.  I wore these for 4 weeks before taking them down.  Because I did not add any hair for this style, my hair did frizz faster, so this required a little more maintenance.  I re-twisted as needed, refreshed with Shea Moisture Shine Mist and oil every other day, cleansed my scalp and edges as needed, and wore a satin scarf at night.

Pros: easy to install, can be styled multiple ways, easy on edges, easy take down

Cons: Higher maintenance, less durable, longer install time

Marley Twists

Last but not least, we have marley twists.  I like this style because it’s lightweight and very natural looking.  I’ve always done the invisible part method, which makes the added hair undetectable (there’s no knot at the root of the twist) so it looks like the hair is growing straight from my scalp.  Installation time depends on length and size of twists, mine usually take 2-3 hours.  Maintain by cleansing your scalp as needed and wearing a satin scarf at night.

Pros: Lightweight (marley braiding hair is light), easy to install, low maintenance

And that’s it!  I hope you found this post useful.  Let me know what you like, what you love, and what you’d like to see more of.  Thanks for journeying with me!