With warmer weather just around the corner, having the perfect protective hairstyle to fit spring and summer vibes all while protecting your hair is essential.
Protecting your hair is very important, especially during the summer if you plan on going swimming a lot. One style that I find effective is braids as they reduce the amount of hair care needed after a swim. Additionally, having your hair done in the heat and humidity of the summer can help maintain moisture in your natural hair while also preventing breakage and minimizing the amount of manipulation the hair goes through.
Throughout the years, I have had various styles during the summer and spring, and these styles have been my absolute favorites. All of the styles are amazing for protecting your hair and look amazing as well. While each style has its own unique characterization, they never fail to bring the perfect spring and summer vibes.
My favorite braids—perfect for spring and summer—are the bohemian/goddess braids. This style is really easy to maintain and looks great: The braids are normally knotless braids with loose curls, which is the style’s main characteristic. When maintained correctly, these braids can last up to eight weeks. Despite looking gorgeous, the curls require a bit of extra care to maintain as they can tangle and snag frequently. While keeping the curls from tangling together can be a little frustrating, they can typically be fixed by just adding a suitable mousse to the braids and curls. The curls are a personal favorite despite needing to spend more time on keeping them well-kept, but it’s worth it for the flowy vibe that elevates any outfit.
Another style that I have had is knotless braids with French curls at the end. While I have only gotten this style once, I enjoyed it a lot. However, the sheer price of this style was enough to make me double-take. These protective braids are one of my favorites that I have had just because of how pretty the big French curls at the bottom were. Similar to the bohemian/goddess braids, they can last up to eight weeks with proper maintenance and care. This style is really beautiful, and I feel like the large French curls give off an air elegance and make the braids themselves feel luscious and full.
While only having this style of braids done once as well, I loved the vibe and look of Butterfly Locs. The only downside that I faced with this style is that they sometimes scrunched up and taking them out was a nightmare that seemed to have lasted forever. The style itself, though, is absolutely adorable and gives a sort of messy but cute loc look that has the potential to last longer than normal braids. The braids, with proper care, can last from eight to 12 weeks, which is a pretty good length of time for a protective style.
Out of all of the styles that I’ve tried, loved, and mentioned, the bohemian/goddess braids will always be my top choice just because of how practical they are and easy to care for regardless of the curls. Despite my bias towards the bohemian/goddess braids, I definitely think each style has its own unique vibe and characteristic fit to an occasion, and they are definitely worth a try at some point. All of the styles are perfect for maintaining natural hair during the summer and saving you time from the long natural hair care process this summer.
