Those of us with afro-textured locks know their beauty but also their burden. We are blessed with beautiful thick, dense curls and coils that can be coiffed into tons of amazing styles, but the very nature of hair with tight curl patterns means more chances for breakage and often times extra care needs to be taken to keep our curls, strong, healthy and lustrous.

Now we’ve officially entered the summer months many of us are eagerly anticipating road trips, vacations, BBQs and pool parties. Although it’s undeniable that afro hair looks beautiful in any style, when it comes to protection, not all styles are created equal. Although straightened afro hair is undeniably a chic, sleek look, any frequent manipulation to your hair can be damaging.  

Have no fear, however! Try any one of the rocking protective styles below, so you can have peace of mind whether you’re on vacation, camping, or heading to a kick-ass pool party, that your hair is happy and healthy this summer.

Box Braids

If you’re looking for a cute, low maintenance and versatile style, look no further than box braids. As well as adding some length to your hair, it’s a great opportunity to give your natural hair a break and protect it from damage whilst it grows.

Bantu Knots

via instagram.com/naturaliconbeauty

Fashion always repeats itself, the popular 90s Bantu knots are back and have been super popular these days. Bantu knots are done by sectioning the hair and then twisting the individual sections into these cute, tiny knots. This style works great for any hair type, relaxed or natural!

Faux Locs

via instagram.com/brwnbeautiii

If you love the look of locs but are a little scared of the commitment, faux locs could be your ideal option. Faux locs have become one of the fastest growing trends for protective styles, unlike braids faux locs tend to look better as they age, so there’s a lot less pressure to maintain that salon fresh look.

Marley Twists

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Box braids, gorgeous as they are, are hardly a quick and easy style. If you’re someone who can’t bear sitting in the stylist’s chair for hours on end, thicker braided Marley Twists could be your new favourite go-to!

Clip-Ins

via www.curlyandwild.co.uk

Clip-ins are another fast, simple and versatile protective styling method. With clip-ins, the options really are endless. You can get them to match a variety of different hair textures. They can be styled in many ways, such as ponytails or half-up half-down dos and different to braids and weave, clip-ins can be easily inserted, readjusted and removed. This adaptability allows you easily maintain your natural hair and scalp too.

Flat Twists

Flat twists are a fantastic protective style; they are quick and easy to do, and are especially great for beginners who may struggle a bit with cornrows, as they only require two sections of hair. Flat twists work great on relaxed or natural hair and you can easily adjust the style to your liking by adjusting your parting.

Cornrows

via instagram.com/vernonfrancois

Cornrows also called canerows, come in an endless amount of different styles. With cornrows the hair is closely braided and secured against the scalp, making it a great protective style; as it takes a lot for it for lose its shape. You can style them in simple, sleek lines or get crazy and creative with some funky geometric patterns and designs. 

Hopefully you’ve gotten some inspiration from this amazing selection of protective styles, so you can rest assured your hair will be taken care of and you have one less thing to worry about as you enjoy yourself this summer!