PROTECTIVE STYLING FOR NATURAL HAIR 101

WHAT IS A PROTECTIVE STYLE

Is called a protective style by the natural hair community, any hairstyle where your hair ends are tucked away from any factor that could damage it (manipulation, environment) to retain length as your scalp hair grows

Some examples of protective styling are the cornrows, the roll and tuck, the bun, braids in general, etc.

WHAT PROTECTIVE STYLING IS NOT

Protective styling is different from low manipulation styling. Finger coils, for instance, are low manipulation but not protective. While there are some hairstyles who are both protective and low manipulation, low manipulation and protective styling are different.

IS YOUR PROTECTIVE STYLING REALLY WORKING?

Your hair cannot be breaking, tangling and falling if your hair was on PROTECTIVE styling. However, it happens to several women with natural hair after protective styling. Others do not handle their protective styles appropriately. In the following posts, we will consider some dos and donts of protective styling

FIRST – MOISTURE
Your hair always needs moisture whether in protective style or not. Make sure you protective style clean and moisturized hair and continue moisturizing your hair while protective styling. If not, your hair will be dry, which will cause breakage.

SECOND – SEAL THE MOISTURE

Put aside water, you need to use oils to lock the moisture in your hair. You cannot achieve any length retention without moisture retention.

THIRD- TIGHT HAIRSTYLES

Although some people like to set their hair very tight, it is not recommended for effective protective styling. Tension on the hair causes the scalp to be irritated and to fall. You can achieve beautiful styles WITHOUT tightening your hair.

Bun

FOURTH- LENGTH & MAINTENANCE OF THE STYLE

You surely do not protective style to grow a wild flora in your head. Therefore, make sure you regularly clean your hair and you keep your hair for 6-8 weeks to the maximum. Otherwise, your hair will be matted and tangled which will cause it to break. If you really want to protect your hair, keept it clean and don’t overkeep it.

KWAFI PWOTEKTRIS KI PWOFITE CHEVE W

Jodiya nou pral pale de penyen ki pwoteje cheve.

KISA KWAFI PWOTEKTRIS YE?

Nan kominote medam ak cheve natirèl, se yon penyen ki pwoteje cheve a pou l pa domaje. Pwent cheve w tache oswa pa deyo e nan kek ka, cheve pa w pa deyo tou. Medam yo fe penyen sa yo pou yo bay cheve yo repo, pou yo pa manipilel anpil, pou evite cheve yo domaje toutpandan rasin nan kontinye pouse, le konsa yap maksimize longè cheve yo.

Kèk egzanp penyen ki pwoteje cheve gen ladan ti kouri, chou ki gen bouda poul, chiyon, crochet braids, alonj, ti très ki tache ak tout lot penyen kote pwent cheve a ak ko a pwoteje.

KISA YON KWAFI PWOTEKTRIS PA YE?

Yon penyen ki pou pwoteje cheve w pa yon penyen ki fe w pa manipile cheve w. Se de bagay ki diferan. Se sak fe, yon moun ki penyen pwent peny fe yon penyen ki fel pa manipile cheve l anpil men li pa yon penyen ki pwoteje chevel. Gen kek penyen ki ni pwoteje cheve, ni fe w pa manipile cheve w anpil men kwafi pwotektris PA kwafi ki gen ti kras manipilasyon

ESKE STIL W FE POU KI PWOTEJE CHEVE W LA FE SA VRE

Penyen pou pwoteje cheve w ta dwe fe cheve w pi bel, pi ansante epi pouse pi vit. Epoutan, anpil moun ki fe stil sa yo we cheve yo pa pouse, genyen ki vin gen alopesi, cheve yo mare, tchake. Osnon, genyen ki telman fe yon seri move jes ak cheve yo ou mande tet yo eske vreman vre penyen yo fe a se pou yo pwoteje cheve yo? Nou pral pale de kek bagay nou ta dwe konsidere le nou di nou ap fe yon penyen pou pwoteje cheve nou

PREMYE BAGAY – IDRATASYON

Si w pa idrate cheve w anvan w fe kwafi pwotektris la, pandan ou kite l nan kwafi pwotektris la, penyen w nan pap pwoteje cheve w. Yap sèk epi pa etone cheve w pral tonbe. Fè swen pou w netwaye epi idrate chevew anvan w fè penyen an, pandan cheve w nan penyen an, pa neglije itilize ti vaporizatèw ak dlo ladan. Penyen an poukol pap al fe yon mirak pou kenbe cheve w bel epi ansante. Fok cheve w pa sispann manje pandan li nan penyen an.

DEZYEM BAGAY – SELE IDRATASYON AN

Nou tout konnen si nou annik flite dlo nan cheve nou, nan yon moman anko, l’ap retounen sèk. Depi l retounen sek, cheve a pral domaje donk li pap pwofite de repo w ba li a. Le w fin flite dlo nan cheve w, itilize yon luil pou w sele idratasyon an ladan yo. Cheve sek= cheve kase.

TWAZYEM BAGAY – PENYEN SERE

Anpil nan nou kwè nan penyen sere, gen kek ki di se sak montre yo djanm. Gen lot ki pa we tet li bel sil pa penyen sere. Penyen sere se bagay kap irite po tet ou, rache cheve w epi ki gendwa baw alopesi oswa lot pwoblem anko. Pa sere tet paw, pa sere tet lot moun, pa kite moun sere tet ou!

KATRIYEM BAGAY – KONBYEN TAN LI RETE/NETWAYAJ

Gen moun ki panse yon kwafi pwotektris se yon tatwaj! Apre 6-8 semèn, li LE pou w defèt penyen an, fè swen pou chevew, kite l pran yon ti lè ANVAN w rekomanse kwafi pwotektris. Gen lot ki bliye tet yo ki pa lave tet yo pandan yo ak penyen an. Nonselman cheve yo ap soufri le konsa, men figi w tou: paske tet ou sal, pral sou zorye kote figi w ye epi ba w bouton! Le w resi retire penyen an, cheve w ap telman mare, wap retire yon bel pouf le w resi fin demele yo. Gen yon JAN pou w jere kwafi pwotekris.

Nou swete ti konsèy sa yo ap pèmèt w jere penyen pou w pwoteje cheve w yo pi byen.

Annie Christine Emilcar

Afro Alice

Preventing & Treating Thin Edges – The Causes, Dos & Donts

We decided to share Sabrina Perkins‘ tips in her article about avoiding and treating thin edges with you all because we’ve noticed how frequent it is for Haitian natural women to have thin edges.

We will go over the causes of thin edges, the dos and donts.

Here is a list of possible causes of thinning edges: perm, weave, aging, pregnancy, postpartum, surgery, hypothyroidism, permanent illness like iron deficiency, scalp conditions, improper food intake and excessive styling of hair.

The does to avoid and treat thin edges
– Massage the hair scalp to increase blood circulation as blood flow brings nutrients and oxygen to the scalp, which aid in growth.
-Oil massage the hair with growth oils like castor oil, rosemary oil, Vitamin E oil, Avocado oil, coconut oil, etc.
– Avoid the edges when applying makeup or skin care products
– Sleep on a satin or silk pillowcase or with a satin or silk bonnet to retain moisture in your hair and avoid hair breakage

The donts for fuller edges
– Don’t wear tight hairstyles
– Don’t use glues, adhesives and wig caps (they prevent your scalp from breathing)
– Don’t use tight satin bonnets
– Don’t use brushes and edge control gels. Leave your edges alone.

Annie Christine Emilcar

Afro Alice

The Current Most Trendy African Hairstyles

As a natural hair enthusiast, I keep a close eye on the evoluating world of natural hair and afro textured styles and based on my observation during the past three months or so, below are the current trendiest hairstyles in the natural hair community.

1- Faux Locks

Faux locs are protective styles performed with yarn or marley bulk hair or regular kanekalon hair to achieve dread locks. They are great options for people who want to try the dread look without having to actually lock their hair and people who are thinking about locking their hair and rock them as the “trial look”.  Whether your hair is permed, texturized or natural, you can wear faux locks.  The look became even more known when Disney Star,  Zendaya Coleman, wore faux locks to the latest Oscars and sparked one fashion critic who insinuated prejudices about her look.

Faux locs bun

Faux locs on curly hair

2- Crochet Braids

Crochet braids are protective styling performed on flat twisted or cornrowed hair where a latchhook is used to insert the braid under the braided hair to create the do.  They are great transitioning styles. They are a great alternative for people who want to wear another hair color without coloring their own hair and they work great to achieve fuller hairstyles.

Kay Afro Alice Natural Hair Salon

3- Havana Twists

Havana twists are medium-sized or big chunky senegalese twists created with Marley bulk hair or any  full afro textured braiding hair. They look great, do not take time to do and take down.

Havana bun

Havana twist

4- Ombré Hair Coloring 

The Ombré hair coloring is applying color gradually to your hair ends.  It looks better on medium to long hair. You dye your ends with a brush that gradually distribute the color with different highlights.

Which one of these looks have you already tried?

Annie

Afro Alice

Kay Afro Alice

4- FAQs about Individual/Box Braids

Individual/Box braids‘ trend is coming back.  You probably want to put some on.  I hereby answer some questions you may have about braids.

1-      How much time does it take to complete individual/box braids?

It all depends on the size, the length of your braid.  In general, it takes from 6 to 8 hours to complete waist-length Hershey’s-chocolate-bite-size braids.  Mine actually took six (6) hours.

My Individual Braids- Waist Length

2-      For how long can someone keep her braids on?

It is recommended that you keep your hair in braids not for more than six (6) weeks.  But, I have seen people keeping them for longer.

3-      How to maintain your own hair while in braids?

Dry shampoo once per week and do a full shampoo then condition with a cap covering the braids every three to four weeks.  From my own experience, I would suggest that you dilute the shampoo.

Daily spritz with water and one or more of your favorite oils and seal with any hair butter/moisturizing cream or oil of your choice.

Bag your hair before going to bed so that your roots can keep the moisture and your braids their beauty.

Picture from http://www.blackwomenbeautycentral.com

4-      How does someone prepare her hair before braiding?

Drink plenty of water to keep your hair hydrated.  Wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove all residues.  Apply moisturizing shampoo and deep conditioning treatment or a hot oil treatment.  Get your hair cut to remove all damaged or split ends.

If you have further questions, please send at afroalice@yahoo.com or post on our Facebook page Afro Alice.

References: www.dailyglow.com / www.safarihairbraiding.com