Designed to give your hair a chance to rest, when done properly protective styles are considered beneficial. This is because they’re low manipulation (you’re not messing with your hair every day) and also work to protect your hair from daily stressors (heat-related breakage, cold temps that sap moisture, and lazy hair care behavior that can sabotage your healthy hair progress). So, if this is your first time hearing the phrase “crochet braids,” get ready for this friendly deep dive into a popular natural hair protective style. Instead, your hair is braided down into flat plaits or cornrows. Then, with the use of a crochet or latch hook, loose extension hair (either synthetic or human hair depending on your styling goals) is fed around a section of your cornrow and looped. Then the extension is braided just like you would with a box braid. The process is repeated until you finish your whole head or whichever portion of your hair you wish to crochet. As with any other protective style, be sure to continue caring for your hair beneath the crochets, and avoid hanging on to a style for too long. Unlike traditional box braid installations, crochet styles usually shouldn’t be worn for more than a month maximum. But if you’re ready for a switch-up, the possibilities are endless with crochet braids. And if you need tips on keeping your hair hydrated, here’s mbg’s full guide to hair moisture.
