Definition of Protective Styles

[Prettypsych]

Hi ladies,

I wonder what "protective style" means to everyone. Initially, whenever I saw someone refer to it I thought of the old Wannakee definition (where the goal is to keep the hair protected from environmental elements that could break it. So, she advocated keeping it off the shoulders or from rubbing on clothes and keeping a scarf/head covering on when outside to protect from wind/sun damage). BTW- Cathy Howse refuted this. She believes, based on Wannakee's view, protective styles aren't necessary, which is evidenced by her wearing her hair out regularly.

Recently, though, I see people referring to styles that allow for low mani or don't require heat to be applied as "protective styling". This makes sense to me, too. But I was wondering what everyone thought about this. If it is confusing, maybe we should create a new word to identify one type from the other!

 

[wheezy807]

Hi ladies,

I wonder what "protective style" means to everyone. Initially, whenever I saw someone refer to it I thought of the old Wannakee definition (where the goal is to keep the hair protected from environmental elements that could break it. So, she advocated keeping it off the shoulders or from rubbing on clothes and keeping a scarf/head covering on when outside to protect from wind/sun damage). BTW- Cathy Howse refuted this. She believes, based on Wannakee's view, protective styles aren't necessary, which is evidenced by her wearing her hair out regularly.

Recently, though, I see people referring to styles that allow for low mani or don't require heat to be applied as "protective styling". This makes sense to me, too. But I was wondering what everyone thought about this. If it is confusing, maybe we should create a new word to identify one type from the other!

Most of the time it's referred to as a low maintenance protective style. But yes i agree with Wanakees definition.

 

[LovinLocks]

Couldn't change my vote; however, after reading I was reminded of Wanakee's pamphlet and actually that is how I'd always viewed the terminology based upon her writing now that I think of it.

 

[Jas123]

any style that protects the hair... mainly the ends... i guess you could include how the hair is handled i.e. low manipulation & low heat.

 

[TLC1020]

Any style that protects hair from rubbing against your clothes and the environment. I only use buns as my protective style

 

[JustKiya]

Wanakee's hair looks/looked better than Cathy's too, is all I'mma say.

I consider low manipulation/low contact styles as protective. Protective styling and using heat regularly seems - backwards to me, but of course, I think that heat is more damaging than most people do, so that's just me.

 

[Prettypsych]

I consider low manipulation/low contact styles as protective. Protective styling and using heat regularly seems - backwards to me, but of course, I think that heat is more damaging than most people do, so that's just me.

You're absolutely right, JustKiya. Maybe this is the reason clarification is good. I guess for a newbie, bunning your hair after flatironing it each morning to make it lay would be counterproductive.

So, is it just any action that protect your ends- whether it's protecting it from the environment or techniques that damage hair, as Jas 123 noted?

 

[Kari107]

I think a protective style is a style that protects your hair from the elements and your clothing without putting too much stress on the hair.

 

[anon123]

I think most people use the term as something that hides the ends of your hair from the elements and rubbing against stuff. I admit to using it rather loosely as anything that keeps my hair from getting tangled. So I'll call a defined twist out a protective style because it doesn't cause any more tangles than twists, even though most people would consider twists a protective style but not the twist out. Actually, I don't know why since I really can't see how my ends are any more protected in twists than twist outs.

 

[Andy1979]

The first time I heard the term it was on Wanakee's website and it was mainly protecting the ends from clothes AND the air. She stated that air is the main thing that damages your hair so seem's like the only option would be buns and french rolls....however, I find that as long as I keep my hair off my clothes and coat the ends in an oil after moisturizing every day, my hair stays healthy

Side note: Cathy Howse's hair does not look healthy to me, and I personally prefer short healthy hair to hair that is long and see through at the ends, so I take her hair advice with a grain of salt (Please excuse me if it seems like I'm hating

 

[dcprdiva]

I prefer a common sense to "protective styling." It is obvious (at least to me) that "air" doesn't do anything to my hair. I mean really. If "air" did anything to my hair, I think that I would be bald - because "air" is everywhere... I don't really protective style - but I do pin my hair up quite frequently - because I just do.

I read Wanakee and Cathy and I don't think Cathy's hair looks that great either. That no trimming thing she advocates may be going to far. There are a ton of people on this board w/better looking ponytails.

I'm not trying to be mean in my post - I just don't get Wanakee.

 

[cutiebe2]

The first time I heard the term it was on Wanakee's website and it was mainly protecting the ends from clothes AND the air. She stated that air is the main thing that damages your hair so seem's like the only option would be buns and french rolls....however, I find that as long as I keep my hair off my clothes and coat the ends in an oil after moisturizing every day, my hair stays healthy

I agree with Wanakee. I didn't even realize that I was following her method. Last year I did protective styles, but I go to school in New England and it gets COLD (colder than NYC/NJ). My hair did not grow as much as it had the year before. This year I am wearing a half wig. When I am not wearing a half I wear a scarf on my head. The air (depending on your location) is a consideration.

It is obvious (at least to me) that "air" doesn't do anything to my hair. I mean really. If "air" did anything to my hair, I think that I would be bald - because "air" is everywhere... I don't really protective style - but I do pin my hair up quite frequently - because I just do.

I think Wanakee mean harsh air and wind. -4 degree wind/air will do something to your air. During the summer I don't think air applies. But in cold or harsh weather areas it does

 

[Hot40]

I was wondering the same thing since my hair is not long enough to bun yet???

 

[LushLox]

Wanakee's hair looks/looked better than Cathy's too, is all I'mma say.

I consider low manipulation/low contact styles as protective. Protective styling and using heat regularly seems - backwards to me, but of course, I think that heat is more damaging than most people do, so that's just me.

Cathy's response to this, because someone did pull her up about this, was that Wanakee has a different hair type 3a, or something, so assumingly Cathy felt Wanakee's hair grows faster due to the fact that the texture is different - although I think she denied saying this. In any case, I agree her hair does not look aesthetically pleasing at all. She should probably just go ahead and trim her ends, bless...

Yeah I always thought that protective styles were about bunning hair, but some people say that twist outs/braid outs or flexi rods amount to the same thing. Odd though because the ends of the hair are still exposed!

 

[SimpleKomplexity]

Te honly "true" protective style to me are loose buns. Rollersets bantus, braids all allow the hair to be exposed to weather or dry out and not get the moisture it needs. With a bun you can take it down moisturize it without much manipulation and put it back up. I agree with Wanakkees definition

 

[Prettypsych]

Hey everyone,

I came across one of sistaslick's articles about protective styling (BTW: her articles are great. If you haven't had the opportunity to read any, I encourage you to do so!) It really synthesized all of what you all said (a howse-wanakee-lhcf hybrid view, lol.

Perhaps we can clarify our reggies when writing about them. i know it will be helpful to newbies... For instance write protective styling (complete), protective styling (low mani), or protective styling (heat).

Here is her article. Happy reading!!

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/289170/protective_styling_for_optimal_hair.html?cat=69

 

[Prettypsych]

Cathy's response to this, because someone did pull her up about this, was that Wanakee has a different hair type 3a, or something, so assumingly Cathy felt Wanakee's hair grows faster due to the fact that the texture is different - although I think she denied saying this. In any case, I agree her hair does not look aesthetically pleasing at all. She should probably just go ahead and trim her ends, bless...

Yeah I always thought that protective styles were about bunning hair, but some people say that twist outs/braid outs or flexi rods amount to the same thing. Odd though because the ends of the hair are still exposed!

I also think that Howse wanted to prove to everyone that you did not have to trim your ends to make it grow. Some people fail to retain their length b/c they have been told over and over again (by their stylists and everyone) that they need to trim perfectly healthy hair to make it grow faster. Instead these women were "trimming" their progress! So, as evidenced by Howse--we all know that trimming is not necessary to make hair grow!

 

[LushLox]

I also think that Howse wanted to prove to everyone that you did not have to trim your ends to make it grow. Some people fail to retain their length b/c they have been told over and over again (by their stylists and everyone) that they need to trim perfectly health hair to make it grow faster. Instead these women were "trimming" their progress! So, as evidenced by Howse--we all know that trimming is not necessary to make hair grow!

Oh I subscribe to this theory too, it's just that I would prefer to have healthy looking ends as opposed to rough looking ends with split ends just for the sake of retaining length. I knew Cathy was trying to prove a point as she has always made this very clear.

 

[HoneyA]

I read that a protective style was a style that kept your hair off your shoulders and from rubbing against your clothes and protected it from the elements thereby retaining moisture and minimising breakage. So that's the reason why I wear my hair in PS. PS do help with my lo mani too though.

 

[nichole21]

I think its a style that allows for low manipulation and protects your ends from rubbing on other things... atleast thats my goal when protective styling!

 

[tiffers]

A style that keeps your ends hidden and protected

Ponytails aren't protective styles because your ends are still exposed

Rollersets, twistouts, etc are low mani because you don't have to manipulate your hair as much as you normally would. But when people wear these styles, their hair is down. Since the ends are not protected, it's not a protective style

 

[Nicole1976]

I just had to say that Kari107 your hair is what I dream of!!!!

Okay back onto the subject.

for me a Bun = Protective Style.

Of course their are many variations but I prefer the Bun

 

[ScorpionQueen]

A protective style to me is anything that keeps the ends hidden.

 

[skatergurljubulee]

I chose all of the above. CH... well, she thinks she's the beginning and ending of all things black hair care. It's great that her hair is long, but I want my ends to continiue to not be see-through, and... her book/ not protective styling won't work for me.

 

[Jaxhair]

Interesting thread too... subscribing.

 

[Carrie A]

Many naturals use the term protective styling as styles that keep you from having to manipulate the hair a lot because excessive tangling may lead to breakage like Mwedi says. I originally saw it as protection of the ends like in Wanakee's pamphlet. Since starting on the hair boards I have a broader definition. Any method that leads to low manipulation of the hair and protects the ends against friction.

 

[ShaniKeys]

I voted for low mani and no rubbing on clothes

 

[fivetimestwo]

The first time I heard the term it was on Wanakee's website and it was mainly protecting the ends from clothes AND the air. She stated that air is the main thing that damages your hair so seem's like the only option would be buns and french rolls....however, I find that as long as I keep my hair off my clothes and coat the ends in an oil after moisturizing every day, my hair stays healthy

Side note: Cathy Howse's hair does not look healthy to me, and I personally prefer short healthy hair to hair that is long and see through at the ends, so I take her hair advice with a grain of salt (Please excuse me if it seems like I'm hating

ITA with the bolded

 

[darlingdiva]

My definition of a protective style is any style in which your ends are hidden.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I picked all of the above because to me a PS has to do all of those things. That's why I keep my hair hidden all the time. I probably will until my hair reaches a length I can put it in a bun.