How I Prepare My Natural Hair For Protective Styling

The most important tool in my arsenal ,when it comes to growing my natural hair, is protective styling! When I was new to all things natural hair I thought all I had to do was wash and stretch my hair then go to the salon to have it braided. This was not giving me the results I had hoped for, however. My hair would be dry and brittle when I took it down and it didn't seem to be doing my hair any good. At this point I thought that maybe protective styling was just not for me.

This all changed when I realized I was going about my routine all wrong. How can I expect my hair to be soft and moisturized when I take out the braids when it wasn't that when I did them? I had to moisturize my hair the same way I would when I am doing a twist out or wash and go.

I started experimenting on my hair to find what routine left my hair the most supple when I take down the braids after a month and one shampoo. This is what I found:

Clarifying Shampoo

I start out by washing my hair with a clarifying shampoo since I will only wash it again two weeks into wearing my braids. I tend to use a sulfate shampoo for this but if you can find a sulfate free clarifying shampoo then use that.

Condition and Detangle

Right now my conditioner of choice is Aunt Jackie's Moisturising and Softening Conditioner. It is free from all the harmful and drying ingredients a natural fears and is quite affordable. I use a generous amount to give my hair good slip and then I start detangling with my fingers, a wide tooth comb and a Denman style brush, depending on what the knot requires. Then I rinse.

Deep Condition

I deep condition using my favorite brand Dr. Miracles' Deep Conditioner and then I put a plastic cap on my head which I wrap with a towel to trap heat. I keep this on for an hour then rinse it off. I have been a fan of Dr. Miracles since it landed in South Africa but it is becoming scarce in my routine because it is becoming harder to find as of late. I really hope they are not phasing it out. I adore this deep conditioner because I can really see the difference in my hair after using it. It leaves my hair soft, shiny, flexible and moisturized. Not to mention the smell and their signature "Feel It" sensation. I love it all!

Curling custard

Although I won't be wearing my hair out I still apply Aunt Jackie's Curl La La Curling Custard. I love the moisture it delivers to my hair. It does not cause build up and has natural ingredients that I don't minding having in my hair for an extended time.

Hair Lotion

The hair lotion's serves as the Cream in this LCO (Liquid, Cream, Oil) method I am following. It adds deep conditions while also trapping the previous layer of moisture. Right now I am using Afri Ture's Moisturising Hair Lotion but I am on the hunt for one that is paraben and silicon free. It does however have many nourishing ingredients like olive, argan and coconut oils. 

 

Oil

I follow all this up with an oil to seal all the moisture I have just put into my hair. I use my life-long favorite Amla Oil but you are free to use any oil of your choosing. Everyone's hair has their preferred oil.

Oil Scalp

Since I will wait two weeks to wash my hair I oil my scalp with coconut oil and a few drops of tea tree essential oil. Both are antibacterial and stimulate hair growth. The coconut oil will also moisturize your scalp.

Twist

Lastly I section my hair into 4 twist to allow them to dry over night. All that product takes a while to dry so you should do it the day before you plan on doing whatever protective style you choose, although when I am doing a bun I just tie it up into the type of bun I want and let it dry like that. Yes I consider buns protective styles, they are the easiest and I guarantee you will see hair growth from it.

So there you have it. This is how I prepare my natural hair for protective styles to leave it moisturized for weeks. It has completely changed my relationship with protective styles and has helped me get the best out of them.

I hope this has been a helpful article. Next I hope to post how I grew my natural hair to waist, and now almost, hip length. If you're interested in that please leave a comment down below, along with any questions you might have.