Courtney Henry · Follow
Published in · 6 min read · Mar 14, 2021
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When it comes to black girl hair there is often a fine line between protective stylings and damaging ones.
What on the gram looks like #trending and #flawless can in reality be heavy and harmful.
Much like the Black women’s place in society, it is no coincidence that we have the only hair type that even needs protecting. Afro hair is rumored to be coarse and “hard to manage” but we at BHM know it to be quite delicate and soft when nourished and protected.
Image Activist Michaela Angela Davis sums it up beautifully in the November 2020 issue of Allure Magazine…
The hair of Black women can be viewed as a metaphor for our identity and position in society. Our hair is complex, dynamic, historically mistreated, woefully underrepresented, and misunderstood. It has often had to code-switch and shape-shift to survive, be accepted, trusted, or adored. It is also the site of ingenious artistry, inspiration, and innovations of almost mythical proportions. It is in the hair where much of the “Black girl magic” you hear about is stored.
When we take care of our hair we are radically protecting the collective self.
While a lot of styles require extensions which is a fabulous way to play and innovate. The truth is it can sometimes lead to increased hair breakage, itchy scalps, and weakened edges.
The following list gives solid options to protect your natural hair without extensions while promising impeccable style no matter the length.
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
Besides being both ancestral and afro-futurist at the same time, this style has the added benefit of being a trusted way to retain maximum moisture. While you want to start the process with damp to dry hair, be encouraged to deep condition before and add in a thicker leave-in particularly to the ends. Twisting and “knotting” the hair after acts as a natural sealant to lock in all of the juicy product and moisture you took the time to add to your Afro kinks and curls before. So that when you take them out? Shine and curl definition for days.
Check out our Founder & 4C Queen, Nnenna Umelloh as she unravels her Bantu knots from an overnight deep conditioning treatment and preps for a video shoot.
Brief History:
Bantu Knots are a pre-slavery protective style that has been dated back to the original Bantu tribe of the Zulu people of South Africa. This protective styling can be done on all types of Afro curls and have the aftereffect of naturally curling and stretching the hair at the same time.
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
The beauty of cornrows — named after the rows of corn that black folks were forced to labor upon during slavery — is that they can be styled as simple or as complex as you wish. And *BONUS* happens to work beautifully on the natural hair of both men and women.
To be clear, cornrows like all Black styles, do predate slavery. According to Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture, by Emma Dabiri, they are known as “irun didi” among the Yoruba people of Western Africa. Cornrows can be simple enough to slip a wig over, they can incorporate geometric and mazelike patterns, or they can be the foundation for more braids. Since they are so easy to care for, they’re often considered the most low-maintenance of protective styles. 1
Brief History:
Michaela Angela Davis writes, “the depictions of women in cornrows have been found in Stone Age paintings in Northern Africa dating back to 3000 B.C. Many women of African descent have thick, tightly-coiled hair, divinely designed to shield our brains from the heat of the sun.”
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
Two-strand twists are a great protective style without extensions because you can still get a lot of wear out of them like any style with extensions. Depending on your liking (and if you take the time to wrap your hair at night) they can last a few days or several weeks. Depending on the length of the hair, twists can vary in how big or small, plenty or few are parted into the hair.
Like Bantu Knots, this is another classic moisture holding style since the optimum way to twist is to use a creamy leave-in conditioner and sealant. All stylists emphasize that adding a sealant (a thicker cream, usually without water) to the ends of your twist out is crucial in how your hair will curl when unraveled.
Added Benefits:
+This style works well on both men and women.
+The twist out is just as appealing as the twists themselves. Hair is left moisturized and extra curly.
+You can also combine these twists with other protective styles like puffs and even cornrows.
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
While two-strand twists hang down toward the neck, a flat twist uses a similar technique attached directly to the scalp. Think of it like a braided cornrow but twisting the hair instead. This style is wonderfully diverse because the shapes and patterns you can make are endless. Twisting horizontally across the hemisphere of the head is possible and often trending with this particular style.
Some even prefer flat twists instead of your more traditional braiding style because there is slightly less “pulling” at the hair than with cornrows, although you still get the benefit of stretching the hair too. Although the style does not last as long as a two-strand twist — with proper care probably a week — the benefits are really seen when taking the twists out.
This low manipulation style is best done when the hair is wet so that it can set better and is known for promoting healthy hair growth.
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
A classic and elegant protective style, the halo crown is essentially a type of flat twist that forms around the front of your hair like a crown or halo. This style is preferred because the rest of the hair can remain detangled and simply protected within the “halo” itself.
While almost all of these styles can be done with extensions added it is 100% possible to complete this style with shorter hair too.
The thickness of Afro hair provides dimension and volume even when styled “down” creating a perfect frame for the face and a beautiful way to show off the strength and shine of natural hair.
Culturally, braids were done to showcase unbridled femininity and youth.
Why this natural hair protective style is great…
For our adventurous Naturalistas, the braided mohawk is an awesome example of not compromising style for protection. While cornrows on the sides of the head allow you to stretch and lengthen this part of the hair — which in some people can sometimes be the slower-growing sections — it simultaneously allows the rest of your curls to breathe and be free. Having only a limited part of your hair out can also make conditioning and detangling easier.
Healthy hair is a function of mental health, wellness, and excellent hair care products.
We provide all three.
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