ADVANCED NATURAL HAIR TECHNIQUES : PROTECTIVE STYLE SERIES 1

Protecting you're curls and Kinks

Going natural can be a major step for most women. Many times once we get that glorious mane we want to do everything in our power to optimize its health and protect it's growth. This is where protective styles come in super handy. Protective styles are ones that don’t . Wearing the hair in a protective style requires that the ends, the oldest and most fragile part of the, are usually tucked away and sealed with some kind of moisturizer  Some ladies will prefer to stay close to rocking fully natural hair protective hair styles ( like bantu knots, twists/twist outs, braid/braid outs, buns... all on their own hair)and even unpicked afros , while other push the envelope and add in add on to get beautiful tresses ( like full sew ins, long braids, phony pony's, heck some even use wigs as a protective style). I say whatever floats your boat do IT in the name of protecting YOUR beautiful natural hair.
     This series seeks to teach advanced techniques of hair styling to protect the growth of your natural hair. Our first edition will cover techniques using your very own natural hair. A person should be able to take from this article how to bantu knot their hair, how to use a good moisturizing base to keep a healthy un picked afro/or defined curl pattern, and finally utilizing braiding or twisting your own hair to recreate a simple french roll that can be taken down later as a twist/braid out for longer natural hair. LET'S BEGIN!!!

NOTE: For all protective styling options start with clean well moisturized hair .
SEE Toolkit for Healthy hair sucess
AND How to make your own natural hair conditioner

Protective Style 1 BANTU KNOTS

First begin with well moisturized clean hair  and part as desired as explained in " Twisting methods Part 1 the parts".
 Now proceed to two strand twist your hair with one of the parts as explained in
"Twisiting Methods Part 2".
Once you have one twist , begin to twist the single twist until you have tension in it and wrap it around itself in a circular coil . Do this until you have just enough left to tuck the end into the newly formed knot. For more secuity some may add a small black rubber band or bobby pin at the base. Repeat throughout entire head. BANTU FOR YOU now DONE!!:) After a couple weeks you can unravel your style to create beautiful curly waves as a second hair style. This style may last up to 6 weeks if protected by a satin bonnet or scarf.   For all you visual peeps here's a video of what I'm talking about.;)

Protective Style 2 Wash, Well Moisturize, and GO AFRO

This may be one of the easiest protective hair styles to do but also very useful. Sometime picking/combing/teasing. or roller setting that fro can do some serious damage over time . The best thing in this instance may be to wash and conditioner your hair and leave it be. You can opt to make your own hair gel to define some of the curls a little but thats it:) The best way to protect your hair is to leave it alone:) See vid below on making your own natural hair gel.

Protective Hair Style 3

First see How to Two strand twist natural hair
or How to braid natural hair

Now here's a fabulous video tutorial on how to do a simple french roll as a protective style for longer natural hair. After a couple weeks you can unravel either style to have a second beautiful style of wavy curly natural hair.

note: This style can be done with individual twists or braids:)

vid 2 example of twist out:)!!

Well WHEW!!! This is just a sample of protective hair styles that can be done without extensions:) More to come. Look out for part 2 of our protective hair series where we add that add on right on !!:) See you guys soon!!


By M Kyles of Kyles Natural