Since most of us are spending much of our time in the house nowadays, this may be the perfect time to try a protective style. Don’t get me wrong, I love wearing my hair out in a twist out or wash n go sometimes, but for me, those styles require a lot of daily TLC that I don’t see the need for, since I’m just sitting around the house for most of the day.
Protective styles are low maintenance and pretty long-lasting, so you can still look your best each day without having to put in any unnecessary effort. And on top of that, protective styles are perfect for women in college because they save so much time, freeing you up to take care of the hundred other things on your to-do list. I’ve tried three different styles so far this semester, and here’s what I loved and didn’t like so much about each one:
1. Knotless Box Braids
This is the style that I started the semester with. I loved these braids because out of all three styles, this one lasted the longest. This style was also super easy to maintain. Once a week I moisturized my hair and added gel on top to lay any fly aways down. At night, I just tied it up with a scarf and bonnet while I slept to keep the braids looking fresh for as long as possible. The best part about this protective style is that if it’s done right, it really protects your hair. I was so surprised by how soft and moisturized my hair felt when I finally took the braids down. The only downside to these box braids was the amount of time it took to braid my hair. It took me nearly two whole days to finish! My arms were way tired by the end, but I’d say it was definitely worth it.
2. Jumbo Senegalese Twists
As soon as I saw a YouTube tutorial featuring this style, I knew I had to try this one next. The best part about these twists was how absolutely beautiful they were. Unlike the braids, twists have a softer, more effortless look to them that frames the face very well. I used braiding hair that was fairly long, and I think it was the extra length that made them look even better. The one problem I had with these twists is that it only lasted me a week or so before it started to look a little frizzy. I had to retwist the front to freshen up the style a bit, but once I did that, I was able to stretch it out for another week. Other than that, this style caused me no trouble. It’s pretty, keeps your hair moisturized, and doesn’t require an excessive amount of maintenance. I will be wearing this style again for sure!
3. Mini Twists
Out of all three styles, this one has definitely been my favorite recently. Compared to the other two, this style takes the least amount of time to do. On average, I probably spend an hour and a half to two hours styling my hair this way–which is not bad, compared to the two full days I spent on the box braids (sheesh!). I also like this one because it is the easiest to maintain and refresh. Although these twists lose their freshness and moisture around the fifth day or so, since there is no braiding hair involved, it’s super easy to just moisturize and retwist my hair if need be.
All in all, I have loved wearing all three styles and I can’t wait to find even more styles to try!