Tips for Keeping a Protective Style Looking Fresh

Guest writer: Arnita Champion

Have you never wondered how to keep your protective hairstyles “protected” while having it last as long as possible? Here's a few tips and tricks.

Protective hairstyles are indeed ‘heaven-sent’ but they can look like they went through A LOT after the first two months if you don’t take care of them.  

Sometimes we tend to forget that our protective hairstyles need to be protected as well. Just like our natural hair, braids or locs can get matted, tangled, dull and even smelly after the first two months. Have you ever experienced the above? Many have.

PROTECTIVE STYLE TIPS

TIP #1: 

On my washday, I start by cornrowing my faux locs all the way to the end. I wash my hair in the shower instead of the sink, so it takes the weight and pressure of my wet locs off of my neck, and it allows the shampoo and conditioner to flow all the way to the ends of my locs.

• When I wash my cornrowed locs, my scalp is exposed so that I can “get into it” with my shampoo and conditioner.  I pay attention to saturating my locs by squeezing the products into my locs and gently sliding my hand down my locs so that the product is evenly distributed. 
• Keep in mind that when you rinse your product out, make sure to put the shower head on full stream assuring all of your product is out of my locs. 
• Also use a leave-in conditioner. However, I still rinse out some of the leave-in just to make sure it doesn't look like dried lotion in between my locs. That is not a good look.
• Washing my faux locs while in cornrows protects my faux locs from fraying, tangling or getting matted.  

TIP #2:

After washing my locs I saturate them from top to bottom with a foam styling mousse. This lays down those “wild flyaways”.  

TIP #3:

For the finale, I drizzle and massage Donnas Recipe Strength Hair Oil on my scalp between my cornrows. This is a must! Honeyyy, your scalp and hair is going to love you for it!

TIP #4:

After washing your locs, while your hair is still in cornrows, sit outside and let the Vitamin D from the sun get into your exposed scalp. Vitamin D from the sun plays a vital role in the creation of new hair follicles. Our hair follicles are the tiny pores from which new hairs grow. New hair follicles help your hair maintain its thickness and prevent existing hair from falling out prematurely. 

TIP #5:

Another way I preserve my faux locs  is to wear them in different up-do hairstyles. Styles like pony-tails, buns and even hair wraps and scarves. By doing so the ‘wear and tear’ on the ends of my locs is minimal. 

TIP #6:

As a personal trainer and pro-athlete, I am very active, so keeping my faux locs looking marvelous and not matted is key. When I workout I sweat a lot, and I am often on the floor executing a lot of mat-exercises. Seeing that my locs are long, I pin them in buns so that dust and dirt particles can’t easily get into my hair. Once I’ve finished my workout, I lightly spritz my scalp and locs with a mixture of warm water/witch-hazel and let them air dry.

The beauty of the cornrows is that you can rock your cornrows for about a week if you can tie them down at night with a scarf. 

 Quick recap:

*Wash your locs in Cornrows on Wash Day

*Wash your hair in the shower instead of the sink

*Saturate your locs with shampoo and conditioner from top to bottom

*Use your Favorite styling mousse

*Use Donnas Recipe at least 2-3 times per week especially on wash day.

*Try to air-dry or sun dry your locs to get that Vitamin D on your scalp

*After you workout, lightly spritz your scalp and locs with rose water and warm water

*To protect the ends of your locs, wear “up-do” styles or head-wraps and scarves

*Tie your cornrows up so you can rock them for at least a week. 

There you have it…my tips that will allow you to rock your faux locs for a while! Try them and see if it does the same for you. 

Guest writer: Arnita Champion (Content creator and Professional Fitness Trainer)

IG: @beachamp_ifbbpro