Michelle O’Connor and Tippi Shorter are two hair stylists redefining protective style and natural hair maintenance. NaturallyCurly’s editor, Desiree Johnson, chatted with the two powerhouses to discuss protecting your tresses while rocking protective styles, the importance of wash days, and tackling texture hair stigmas in society.
Protective Styling and Wash Days
When wearing braids, twists, and bantu knots, it’s essential to make sure you maintain a consistent regimen for a healthy scalp. Shorter recommended “shampoo-less scalp cleansers” like ACV and Sea Breeze to replenish the scalp. Scalp and hair education have influenced hair lovers. Also, protective-style wearers are curious about retaining their strands while exfoliating their crowns. O’Connor suggested not pushing rocking protective style like box braids for more than six to eight weeks.
“You have to wash your hair. That’s the bottom line,” O’Connor emphasized. “Unfortunately, we shy away from that because we know it’s a process of start to finish, but really think about what’s underneath and not covered up at the expense of your scalp being degraded.”
Shorter reiterated that there’s no need to worry about shedding hair after your takedown, as our hair naturally sheds daily.
Benefits of Protective Styling For Textured Hair
As the heat rises, we overmanipulate our tresses for a sleeker look. O’Connor recommends protective styling, which gives our delicate hair a break. Everyday styles like ponytails break our strands; however, simple styles rest textured hair. Shorter reacted to the audience and explained that being part of the “braided bunch” negates heat and environmental damage. O’Connor loves the “braided baldie,” a popular braid trend created by stylist and IG User Tookiedidit, which she says is a celebration of our hair.
Preventing Dryness And Breakage
O’Connor instructs that water is our hydration source and that we must utilize it in every aspect of our bodies. Since water vaporizes our hair, another component needs to be added to the moisture. She recommends Matrix’s Food For Soft line, packed with hyaluronic acid to hold moisture within the scalp. Shorter added Mizani’s Wonder Crown, a clarifying cleanser perfect for protective styles.
Texturism and Society’s Beauty Standard on Natural Hair
The influx of beauty trends overwhelms our timeline, making it challenging to stick to a particular hairstyle. O’Connor believes these styles may be at the expense of embracing natural hair. She encourages treating these trends as a want, not a necessity.
“If you want to wear a lace front, braids, a braided bob— it should be an accessory, something you have fun with but not at the cost of your own hair.” Social media is a stepping stone in self-reflecting and representing your beauty; however, it can be a terror to hairstylists. O’Connor acknowledges that texturism is a forced ideology made to rethink society’s beauty standards, but stylists like herself and Shorter highlight different textures for representation.
“You are seeing beautiful women with type 4C hair being elevated and put on billboards and skimming through magazines. and you’re seeing their hair being celebrated, she said.” “That is how we play our role in making sure that we’re advocating for models that have all textures, even in positions or styles that the person leading the shoot might not be comfortable with.”
Though Shorter had a love-hate relationship with influencers, she applauded how they take up space to advocate for their texture and take “artistic control” in narrating their hair journey despite their textures.
These leaders in textured hair made momentous points in scalp care, proper protective styles, and accepting your curls and coils despite societal trends.
