We’ve talked about protective styling, the do’s + don’ts and how to prepare your natural hair before installing your protective style.

Another topic that I think is important to touch on is how to maintain your protective style.

Remember, protective styles vary from braids, to weaves, crochet braids, faux locs, etc…In this post, we will focus on 3 categories, based on the type of style:

Let’s start with the first category: Braids –  Kinky or Senegalese Twists – Marley Twists.

Can you tell what they have in common?

These styles are installed my interlacing 2-3 strands of extension hair (the brand and type of choice) to create a style with the length of your choosing.

That is the common factor of braids, kinky twists and marley twists.

How do you maintain your hair while wearing these styles?

Fairly simple:

1. Remember not to pull on the braids/twists too hard if you want to style them to into an up-do or halfway up, especially the braids/twists installed in the front.

2. When I wear braids, I spray my scalp with Shea Moisture’s Coconut and Hibiscus Hold and Shine Moisture Mist and their 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil Daily Hydration Finishing Oil Serum, every morning. This is to prevent my scalp from drying up and to provide my hair with moisture. I also spray the mist directly on the braids to nourish my natural hair.

3. You can also promote growth by massaging your scalp with some castor oil, my favorite (I know I’ve mentioned it a 100 times) Tropic Isle Living’s Jamaican Black Castor Oil. I recommend doing this at night so that it gives the scent time to diminish.

Tip: While rocking your braids, if at any point you notice that your edges are getting really loose and literally holding on to dear life on the braid, TAKE THAT BRAID DOWN!

Next up is the Faux Locs and Goddess Locs category.

These styles are installing by starting with braiding your hair, which is then wrapped into a single loc with marley hair to create the loc at the length of your choice.

What I like about locs is that the look can be created 2 ways: very tight or very loose, which is more natural.

If I were you, I would go for the looser look to prevent breakage from tightness.

How do you maintain your hair while wearing these styles?

Simple as well: you can apply #2 and #3 as the first category.

Last but not least, the Weaves and Crochet Braids category.

These styles are a great alternative for protective styling and properly the best, especially crochet braids, which provides maximum protection.

These styles are installed by braiding your natural hair into cornrows. The weave is sown onto the cornrow. The crochet braids are individually installed with a crochet stick onto the cornrows.

How do your maintain your hair while wearing these styles?

You can apply options #2 and #3 above, focusing on your scalp since your hair is in cornrows.

I hope that you find my suggestions and tips helpful.

If you have some you’d like to share, comment below!