Protect & Serve: Preparing Your Hair for Protective Styles in 3 Simplified Steps
Whether it’s summer, fall, vacation time in the winter, or just time for a new look — protective styles are always highly anticipated. From beauty supply store runs to scrolling for inspo, the prep starts long before the install. No matter the weather, or style, healthy hair is the top priority — and I have easy tips that will make sure your hair flourishes before and after your style.
Whether it’s “protecting” your hair from your humid or frigid climate, wanting the convenience of not worrying about your hair while you have the vacation of your life, or just wanting a new style for the sake of switching it up (let us live!). A lot of our go-to’s are braids, twists, or faux locs for the summer, and picking the right color, hair, and stylist is all we think about when prepping, but there’s more. Making sure your hair is ready for them is way more important than getting the style. Yes, you read that correctly; it’s more important, hear me out! Imagine a few months from now, you sit down, get comfortable, you have your scissors and trash bag, your favorite show is on, and you start taking down your braids — an hour passes, and you take a break to check your progress. Then, your heart sinks because you can already see the damage to your natural hair. I promise that is not the situation you want to be in; trust me, been there, done that!
Please note that this post includes affiliate links. Which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase – at no extra cost to you
Now, how can you prep your hair for protective styles? It’s actually simple and I broke it down in 3 steps:
- Cleanse:
You want your hair to start with a fresh and clean canvas; it all starts with shampoo. Shampoo allows buildup, oil, dirt, dandruff, and all the things our hair catches while out and about to be removed. When your hair is clean, no matter what style you’re going for, it’s able to take in water, which it needs to be hydrated. Starting any style, whether it be braids, a wash n go, or a silk press, with a good shampoo will hydrate your hair instantly by allowing water to get into the strands. During this step, it’s important to not only shampoo your scalp but the lengths of your hair as well.
Use your favorite moisturizing shampoo to cleanse and care for your strands. If you need recommendations, I swear by Innersense Hydrating Cream Hairbath for my coarse strands; Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo is amazing and a great alternative when I don’t have the coins for Innersense! If you tend to use a lot of heavy creams, butters, or oils in your routine, I suggest first starting with a clarifying shampoo, like The Doux’s BREAKDOWN Clarifying Shampoo, and then following up with the moisturizing shampoo.
2. Condition/Deep Condition:
As important as shampooing your hair is, conditioning your curls after is nonnegotiable. In scientific terms, the conditioning/deep conditioning step seals and flattens the hair cuticle back and acts as a barrier, keeping your hair from getting dry and brittle. In other words, conditioning your hair is like moisturizing your body after a shower. No one wants dry and brittle hair, especially going into a protective style; otherwise, what’s the point?
Depending on the condition of your hair, you will have to decide if you should use a regular conditioner or a deep conditioner. For example, if you use heat tools often or swim, I highly recommend using a moisturizing deep conditioner instead of a regular rinse-out. Though my hair is healthy and maintained often, I personally opt for a deep conditioner to be on the safe side. Now, if you think you need a protein treatment or a heavy protein-based deep conditioner, maybe sit this round of protective styles out.
Whether you’re reaching for a rinse-out or deep conditioner, make sure to apply it to saturated hair and use this time to detangle thoroughly, taking advantage of the slip from the product. If you’ve decided to deep condition and you’re not pressed for time, add a plastic cap and sit under the dryer to give yourself the salon treatment. Grab your favorite conditioner and give your hair a little TLC. I typically go in with Innersense Hydrating Cream Conditioner or Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner. When my hair needs extra love, I immediately run to Mizani Moisture Fusion Intense Hair Mask or Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep Conditioning Hair Mask.
3. Blow Out:
Most protective styles call for your hair to be somewhat stretched for easier installation; this doesn’t mean your hair has to be bone straight or pressed, and if anyone is requesting you do this, please run! A simple blowout will suffice and allow your hair to easily glide through your stylist’s fingers, (or your own if you’re a DIY girlie, and in this economy—I I don’t blame you!).
I love using a little bit of leave-in for slip and extra detangling before adding my heat protectant. Mizani 25 Benefit Miracle Milk Leave-In is my favorite because it’s a leave-in, detangler, and heat protectant all in one, but any leave-in will do. Next, be sure to add a good heat protectant, and please, not an oil you will literally fry your hair. May my brittle, heat-damaged hair that led to my 3rd big chop four years ago be your warning! A silicone-based heat protectant like CHI 44 Iron Guard or Silk Infusion Serum works best.
You don’t just want to dry your hair; you need to stretch it to prepare for your style. A blow-dryer with a comb attachment works the best and is quicker, but if you just have a hand held dryer with no attachment, use a good brush. Regardless, prepare for a nice arm workout.
Now that your hair is prepped and primed, you are ready for your protective style. Whether you are doing it yourself or going to a professional, make sure you stretch, have your snacks or DoorDash order ready, turn on your favorite show, podcast, or audiobook, and prepare for a long but so worth it ride. Before you know it, you will be serving in your fresh boho knotless!
If you need more options on the product recommendations, below you will find my full list for all price points and budgets. I will also include my affiliate links if you’d like to purchase from there to show JAGD support. If not, just search these products online or in-store to purchase!
Catch you in the next entry, xoxo 💋
Product Recommendations:
Shampoos:
- Innersense Hydrating Cream Hairbath Shampoo: https://amzn.to/45wSKUP
- Redken All Soft Shampoo: https://amzn.to/4eqDwmD
- Design Essentials Almond Avocado Shampoo: https://amzn.to/4kTGaDM
- The Doux LADIES FIRST Honey Shampoo: https://amzn.to/4nllWom
- Camille Rose Curl Love Moisturizing Shampoo: https://amzn.to/3TAxIx9
- TGIN Moisture Rich Sulfate Free Shampoo: https://amzn.to/3HUTF7F
- Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo: https://amzn.to/44dmUdf
- Aussie Miracle Curls Shampoo: https://amzn.to/4kUqYGD
- The Doux BREAKDOWN Clarifying Shampoo: https://amzn.to/43W6wPz
- Kinky Curly Come Clean Natural Moisturizing Shampoo:https://amzn.to/3ZFxs3G
- Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo: https://amzn.to/45CQQlI
Conditioners:
- Innersense Hydrating Cream Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4kZ22ha
- Redken All Soft Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4ljPq40
- Camille Rose Moroccan Pear Hair Conditioner: https://amzn.to/45CT7gK
- TGIN Honey Miracle Hair Mask: https://amzn.to/4egRtnb
- Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner: https://amzn.to/40fmxOe
- Aussie Miracle Curls Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4kUqYGD
- Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4lcUbfu
- Mizani Moisture Fusion Intense Hair Moisturizing Mask: https://amzn.to/3ZKL11F
- Camille Rose Algae Renew Deep Condition Mask: https://amzn.to/4k3alak
Leave In Conditioners:
- Mizani 25 Benefit Milk Leave In Conditioner: https://amzn.to/3G1aNbp
- As I Am Leave-In Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4k7XEvd
- The Doux FRESH TO DEF Curl Refresher Spray: https://amzn.to/4lj7Qlp
- Mielle Organics Pomegranate & Honey Leave-In Conditioner: https://amzn.to/43Vdq7J
- The Doux DEAR MAMA Moisture Milk: https://amzn.to/4lpo0tD
Heat Protectants:
- Olaplex No.9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum: https://amzn.to/3ZJPdil
- Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil: https://amzn.to/40cxboY
- Redken Quick Blowout Heat Protectant Spray: https://amzn.to/3TAqpWe
- CHI 44 Iron Guard: https://amzn.to/4k0ORuL
- CHI Silk Infusion Serum: https://amzn.to/4lnzca1
- L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Slay Pre-Iron Spray: https://amzn.to/4nloVx4
- The Doux O.P.P. ONE PASS-PRESS Heat Protectant Spray: https://amzn.to/3T7bnr4
- The Doux JUST GLAZE Silkening Fluid: https://amzn.to/4ecZUzK
Blow Dryers:
- Conair Curl Collective Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryer: https://amzn.to/4lnF6YQ
- Kiss Pro Tourmaline Ceramic Hair Dryer: https://amzn.to/4nern8j
- Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer: https://amzn.to/3TAkMaD
- Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer: https://amzn.to/4ek3Hvh
