Hair is a serious matter for black women. No matter how fussy or laid-back some of us are about our appearance, as soon the temperature rises, like clockwork, we start looking for easy protective hairstyles to limit the amount of time we spend on our hair — and more time having fun. As the name implies, protective hairstyles are a convenient way to protect your natural hair from constant manipulation, as it's safely tucked away and left alone for days or weeks at a time. Plus, when done properly in a way that's not pulling at one's edges, they can even aid in hair growth since you're not yanking or tugging at your hair constantly, leaving it to flourish freely.
While there are well-loved hairstyles that hold a special place in the black community, everyone gets bored at some point doing the same thing over and over. Deciding what to do next with your mane can be overwhelming and quite difficult when the options are seemingly endless. Here, we've compiled some unique protective hairstyles to inspire your look this summer.
This classic '90s style is one of the easiest protective 'dos to maintain during the summer and it can be styled in multiple ways. Instead of doing them in your natural hair color, change it up by opting for braiding hair in an unconventional color like purple — as pictured on songstress Justine Skye. As for maintenance, make sure to cleanse your scalp biweekly and redo the braids after six to eight weeks of wear.
Jumbo braids frame the face beautifully. Here, New York creative Micaéla Verrelien puts her own twist on the beloved style by intertwining some colored bobby pins in a criss-cross pattern in the front of her hair. They perk up her overall aesthetic and add a cheerful flair.
Wigs are incredibly versatile and give you the chance to try out all kinds of hairstyles without manipulating or touching your own hair. Whether you wear them regularly or you're a wig novice, consider getting one in an eye-catching style like this curly one on Micaéla so you can give your natural hair a well-needed break and let it grow unhindered.
Not all protective hairstyles require you to add faux hair to your own. Case in point: this classy updo by naturalista Jasmine Winters. Part your hair on the side to create two flat twists and brush the rest of your hair up into a high puff. For extra definition, you can braid the top of the puff for a couple of hours and then take them out for some loosely-defined curls.
