Protect Your Hair With Style

It's sunny but very windy here where I live today. The wind put my mind to just one of the reasons that protective hairstyles are important for longer hair.

Many people with long hair wear it down all of the time, because they like it that way.  I like to wear my hair down too, but wearing hair loose exposes longer hair to additional friction against one's clothes, being whipped by wind, and other wear and tear.

If you plan on growing your hair to mid-back or longer, it's a good idea to learn some easy protective hairstyles to wear not only most of the time, but especially when you're out in the elements.

We've all experienced those beautiful car rides in lovely weather, when the wind whips through our hair.  It feels good, but in the end, there are a mess of tangles left in the hair, which can lead to breakage. 

Then there are the more delicate areas of the hair.  First of all, the ends are delicate and more fragile than the rest of the hair, as the ends are the oldest and have been exposed to the environment for longer.  When you think about it, hair that doesn't yet quite graze the shoulder is already two years old at the very ends.  On average, every six inches of growth beyond that represents another year.

So we must protect those ends from too much wear and tear.

Secondly, the top part of the hair that grows around the crown is also more fragile than the rest of the hair.  We call this part of the hair the "canopy".  It's the part of the hair that you use if you make a half-up hairstyle.  It is the hair that is constantly exposed to sun and breezes if you're outdoors, and once again, it's the longest and therefore the oldest portion of your hair.

So we must protect the canopy as much as possible.

There are several ways in which you can contain and protect your hair that are quick and easy.

One way women have been protecting their hair for millennia is by wearing a simple, single braid.  It's easy to do, keeps the hair out of the way, and is protective.  If you don't like the idea of the braid rubbing against your clothes, you can wear a flipped braid as shown in my entry of April 26th, 2010.

Half-up hairstyles are perfect for when you want to still want to show your length but want to protect the fragile canopy hair.  You can wear a half-up bun or braid of just about any style you like, and it will help protect the hair that has most been exposed to friction and the elements.

Updos are among the most protective hairstyles of all, and I recommend wearing them most of the time, if possible.

Even when hair is at shoulder length, it's not too soon to start doing protective styles.  At shoulder length you may not be able to do a bun in your hair, but you will be able to make a French Twist, a Peacock Twist or a Gibson Tuck.  This is also a great time to learn how to French Braid, if you don't already know how to do so.  You can see examples of all of those styles in the Updos Gallery and the Braids Gallery on my website.

Half-ups can be done at any length as well, and are a wonderful way of not only protecting your hair, but of trying out updos that your hair may be too short for.  See my Half-Ups Gallery for ideas.

I will eventually be giving instructions here on how to do most of the hairstyles shown on my website.


Now of course there will be times when you're going out that you really want to wear your hair down and loose, and that's fine.  We all want to enjoy wearing our hair down from time to time. That's one of the reasons many of us want to grow it long.

Nevertheless, if you wear protective hairstyles most of the time, it will pay off with great rewards in the long run, giving you the freedom to wear your healthier-looking hair down for an afternoon or an evening out and even the occasional windy car ride.  And everyone knows; you're never too old for that occasional windy car ride.

Putting Your Hair To Bed

Unless you sleep like Lily Munster, you likely move around a lot while sleeping, and the friction that your rubbing against your pillow puts a lot of wear and tear on your hair.  There are some steps you can take to prevent this, and no matter how short your hair might be right now, it's not too soon to start protecting your hair at night.  Remember that whatever hair you have now will be one, two or three years old if you're planning on growing it long.  Proper care now will help your hair to be healthier down the road.


Pillowcases can be hard on hair.  To minimize friction, I suggest silk pillowcases, satin silk pillowcases or if your budget does not allow, then a regular satin pillowcase will do just fine.  Satin pillowcases are not terribly expensive and are much worth the price.


Also, bedtime is a very good time to apply oil to your hair.  What I like to do is to put a few drops of jojoba oil on my detangled hair from the ears down.  Then I brush with a boar bristle brush to evenly distribute the oil.  Also, sometimes I like to do a deep oiling.  That entails using a large amount of the oil of your choice.  I usually use extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or coconut oil for deep oil soaks. 


Some people use satin sleep caps.  Personally, I move around to much to ever be able to keep a sleep cap on, and frankly I don't think I'd feel comfortable wearing one, but for those of you who have a lot of damage, or whose hair is fragile, it's a good idea.


How you wear your hair to bed can also help to reduce wear.  When my hair is too short to bun, I like to use double braids or a single braid as a bedtime hairstyle.

At the length my hair is now, my favourite bedtime 'do is a bun placed right on top of my head and held with a satin scrunchie.  This style is extremely comfortable, as well as being functional and secure. Also, when I take my hair out of the bun in the morning, I have a bit of extra volume, and also, I have no tangles!


So think about protecting your hair at nigh time.  It takes almost no time at all, but the rewards can be great.

Here is a photo of my hair deeply oiled and in my sleep bun. 

Beautiful Quiet Spring Sunday

Well, it was pretty quiet until a black squirrel started making all kinds of noise on the deck. I thought it was a crow, it was so loud.

Anyway, lots of sunshine and it finally feels as though spring is really here.

I did do my deep moisture treatment with 1 part honey and 2 parts conditioner today. My hair isn't completely dry yet, but I can really feel the difference. Nice and silky smooth again.

As a timesaver, instead of rinsing my hair prior to applying the moisture treatment, I thoroughly dampened my hair with a spray bottle of distilled water. When I got into the shower I added a bit of water, worked the conditioner with my fingertips and then put my hair up in a clip while I did my remaining showerly duties. I then rinsed my hair for about 3 minutes and finished of with a mild apple cider vinegar rinse. I use just a few tablespoons of ACV in a pitcher of water. It not only gets rid of the excess conditioner, but restores the natural acid mantle of the scalp. It also tends to close the cuticle of the hair, thus creating more shine.

I also cut my bangs. I think that I may have cut off about 1/8 of an inch too much, but that will take care of itself in about a week.

I think tomorrow I'll post a hairstyle photo here and add it to my website. I don't know yet what style I'm going to do, but I think I'll do a half-updo. Half-ups are a great way to protect the top layers of the hair (or the canopy) from damage. They're also a great way to do updos that your hair is too short for.

For example, at the moment I can't do a Figure 8 bun at my current length, but I can do a figure 8 half-up style. I love going through the various phases of growth and seeing what hairstyles do and don't work.

Well, it Sunday, it's a beautiful day, all is right with the world and that's about all I have to say for today.