Black
is so beautiful. Like for real though? Have you seen us? Aside from our
beautiful melanin-popping skin, our hair is another glorious heritage we have.
It is intricately woven and the kinky coils, so diverse in textures and
types, are so bouncy, they add to our character and sass. However, to protect
this natural heritage and crown, we have to take care of it. This is where
protective hairstyles come in. Aside from washing, moisturizing, trimming, and
steaming your hair when necessary, you also need to think about making
hairstyles that will help maintain your black hair's health, vitality, and uniqueness. 

Protective
hairstyles, as the name implies, protect our natural hair
by hiding it from environmental pollution and daily manipulations that can
damage the hair and cause breakage. While protective styles do not necessarily
make your hair grow longer, they help retain the length of the hair as it grows,
which is very important to us, African women. The good things about protective
styles are that they are very versatile and require little effort to maintain them. They also prevent your edges from thinning and help keep
moisture in the hair.

In
this article, we will explore five protective hairstyles created
with black hair in mind. Before such exploration, we will discuss ways to
maintain your protective styles and how long you should leave your styling on.

How
To Maintain Your Protective Hairstyles

To
maintain your protective style after installation in order for it to look fresh
for a longer time, do the following:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Use a silk bonnet or scarf to cover your hair before
crashing for the night, especially if your pillowcase is made of cotton. This
is because, unlike silk, cotton strips your hair of moisture, leading it to
become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. So not covering your hair with a
silk scarf or bonnet or not using a silk pillowcase will make your protective
hairstyle old very quickly. 

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Moisturize your scalp and edges as often as possible
to prevent dryness.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; You can also use a hair mousse to bring more life to
your hair as it gets older with each passing day. Yes, no matter how you follow the
maintenance tips, your hair will get older, albeit slower. So get a mousse to
refresh your hair.

How
Long Should You Leave Your Protective Styles in For?

This
is a very important question. Protective hairstyles can be left on for a long
period, depending on the style and how you take care of it, but <a href="https://naturalhair.org/blogs/news/protective-styling-why-you-should-wear-protective-styles#:~:text=You%20may%20wonder%2C%20%E2%80%9CHow%20long,%2Dup%20you'll%20have.">based on standards</a>,
I will recommend that it should be left for up to 6 to 8 weeks and then taken
down. This is because the longer it is on, product buildups are inevitable
(which cause your hair to emit awful smells). Other things like breakage and
your hair locing up can occur which can defeat the whole purpose of wearing a
protective style. So, lose or refresh your hairstyle after this period to avoid
all these from happening. 

Now,
here are five protective hairstyles every black woman should try on their next
visit to the salon:

This
is the easiest protective hairstyle to do on your natural hair as it can be
done in the comfort of your home. All it requires is to neatly put your hair in
sections and twist the two halves of each section together from root to end
after dividing each section in half. This style is very gentle to your hair
strands as it requires little manipulation or tugging. It is also helpful in
retaining the moisture and texture of your curls. It can be made with your
natural hair or with extensions to give more volume. Your choice entirely. For
maintenance, all you need to do is spritz on some water mixed with a
leave-in-conditioner to activate the products in your strands. You can add some
character to the hair with some beads or hair cuffs —you can use both if you
want. No qualms at all.

This
is one of the most popular protective hairstyles out there. No African woman,
especially the women from Nigeria, can tell me they have never had this style
on, even as a child, as this was our mothers’ favorite while growing up. This
hair is a classic style that is braided close to the scalp in rows. It is very
versatile as it can be made in various patterns. This style can be made with
either your natural hair or with extensions. To make your cornrows look more
unique, you can style them with some beads, hair cuffs, or hair ribbons. No
crime in spicing things up😉. 

Don’t
forget to lay your baby hair with some gel when going out, to make your
cornrows look prettier and elevate your look.

This
hairstyle seems to be trendy these days as A-list Hollywood celebrities like
Ciara have been seen spotting this style. This protective style resembles the
traditional dreadlock but without the long-term commitment of actually locing
your hair. That is why it's called ‘faux’ locs, meaning fake locs. This style
involves wrapping your natural hair with extensions or crocheting in pre-made
locs extensions to your hair. This style is pretty and can be styled in various
ways like the half up half down style or bun or ponytail style. So, it can
never get boring with this hairstyle.

This
hair gives off a very old traditional African hairstyle vibe. It is a perfect
blend of sophistication and playfulness. This style involves twisting or
braiding sections of your hair into knots close to the scalp. It can be made
with your natural hair or with added extensions.&nbsp; The knots can be loosened out and the curls
wore like that, making it a very versatile hairstyle. You can decorate your
knots with chains, headbands, or hair cuffs. You can lay your edges with some
hair gel or an edge controller. Protective does not mean boring. So go ahead.
Spice things up with these styling tips. &nbsp;

These
box braids are different from conventional box braids, as braiders do not have
to form a knot to attach the extension to the scalp. Rather, they begin by
plaiting your natural hair first then add on extension. This technique helps
reduce the tension or strain on your scalp making it a perfect protective
hairstyle. It also gives the hair a seamless and neat finish. It’s no brainer
why this style has become very popular. They are solely made with extensions
and are customizable to the length and thickness of your choice. So do you and
slay your knotless box braids however you like. 

With
these styles, you can protect your hair and still look stunning and ravishing—
they are not mutually exclusive. Always remember to take care of your while in
these styles and don’t leave it on too long to maintain the health of your
natural hair and achieve the purpose of wearing a protective hairstyle. 

Go
out my dear readers and shine your black girl magic with these beautiful hairstyles.

Discover five stylish and protective hairstyles specifically designed for black hair. These hairstyles will help protect your natural hair and promote healthy growth while keeping you looking fabulous.

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