I love to protective style! It’s a quick and easy way to give my hair and I a much-needed break. However, I learned early on that the cost of protective styling can add up pretty quickly. Here is how I protective style on a budget:
1. 6-8 Weeks
I get bored with my hair very quickly- even when it is in a protective style. Most protective styles, like braids, or crochet braids, or sew-ins, can safely be left in for 6-8 weeks.
However, I would usually only leave the style in for 4 weeks. Now, I push the styles to the max and leave them in for 8 weeks. I want to make sure I’m getting my money’s worth and want to lengthen the time between installs, which ultimately means saving more money!
2. Do it yourself
I used to think that I had zero talent when it came to doing my hair myself. However, once I didn’t have a choice but to do it myself, was when I learned that it wasn’t as daunting as it seemed.
YouTube can be very useful, as well as simple Google searches. When you do your protective styles yourself you’re cutting the cost by not paying someone else to do it for you, so it leaves room in the budget for experimenting and trial and error.
3. Keep it simple
I used to think that protective style solely meant: box braids and sew-ins. However, braiding your hair in two french twists Sunday night and then leaving that in all week is also a protective style! Recently that’s been my go to protective style.
4. Phone a friend
We all have those friends who can do amazing styles, so utilize them! One of my best friends installed Havanna Twists in my hair for me, and even though she offered to do it for free, I still gave her some cash, and it still ended up being a steal.
5. Work for free styles or discounts
This one may be a long shot, but it worked for me. I simply asked my stylist if she would give me a discount for promoting for her. By promoting, that simply entailed posting pictures of my styles on Instagram and referring friends.
How do you save money on your protective styles?
