Hey Boo Thangs! Have you been following me over on the Book (that's cool slang for Facebook for you old fogeys)? If you answered No, what are you waiting for (Yes that was my idea of a shameless plug). For those of you who are following me then you may know that I stuck to my word (Read here to refresh your memory) and tried out a protective style recently. Now my intentions were to go with Box Braids for my first round of protective styling but after Pinterest stalking hair boards for months I decided to try out the Marley twists instead. I had my twists installed back in February and took them out a month later. Like any new hair style you try, figuring out what works and what doesn’t is always the name of the game. Here are a few things that worked for me while maintaining my Marley Twists.
1. I opted for lighter oils like almond oil, Jojoba oil and Coconut oil when moisturizing. Heavier oils tend to cause a residue when my hair are in braids so going with these lighter choices were a go.
2. I made sure to Deep Condition with a protein treatment before install and after take down. Your hair will go through lots of wear and tear with extension styles and it could potentially weaken your hair. A protein treatment can help with restoring and maintaining the strength of your hair.
3. I skipped on gels and heavy pomades when styling my edges. Like heavier oils, gels and pomades can cause residue in your hair after frequent use. It can also cause matting which can lead to a great loss of hair.
4. I made sure to limit my style to less than two months. As I've learned from past experiences keeping extension styles in longer than two months can turn into a nightmare when it comes time to take out your style. Having in a style longer than two months increases your chances of matting and tangles.
5. Don't be afraid to incorporate essential oils into your regimen. I made a easy DIY hair spritzer with water and peppermint oil for moisture and to combat my itchy scalp I used tea tree oil.
What are some of your tips for maintaining your protective styles?
