Taking your little one to get a protective style can be a fun and adventurous experience. However, there are a few steps to take before you go hands-off for the next month or two. Don’t worry; we’ve made it easy to follow with a curated selection of kid-friendly products. From hair prep to aftercare, here are a few products, tools, and accessories to ensure your child has the best home or salon experience.
Preparing The Hair:
Image Source: @tj.blake1
We all know the preparation process is very important to help achieve long-term success with a protective style, especially with children’s tender and sensitive scalps. Regardless of your hair texture, you want to ensure you are properly washing and detangling their coils, waves, and curls for a seamless styling experience.
1. Alikay Naturals CoWash Me Cleansing Conditioner
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ Alikay Naturals
Use Alikay Naturals’ CoWash Me Cleansing Conditioner to cleanse and condition simultaneously. The two-in-one product is sulfate-free, designed for all hair types, and easy to get through wash day in a breeze.
2. Oyin Handmade Oh My Glide! Prestyling Detangler
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ Oyin Handmade
Eliminate knots and tangles with the Oh My Glide! Prestyling detangler from Oyin Handmade. This quick-slip formula is enriched with avocado oil and organic aloe vera juice and is best used before styling braids, twists, and protective hairdos.
3. Malkia Essentials Vegan Hair Moisturizer
Source: Amazon/ Malkia Essentials
It’s essential to moisturize before any protective style. Made with organic butters and oils, Malkia Essentials Vegan Hair Moisturizer promotes healthy hair growth, prevents dryness, and repairs brittle/damaged hair. It’s lightweight with a fresh lavender scent, residue-free, and can be used daily.
Tools:
Image Source: @_wowzzerz
The great thing about protective styles is that there is no shortage of tools to detangle and brush out their tiny coils, curls, and waves. Whether you want to slick down your edges or blow out your hair for your protective style, each tool is excellent to keep on hand with your little one.
4. Camille Rose Tangle-Less Texture Hair Brush
Source: Camille Rose
Brush through stubborn tangles while minimizing breakage and snagging with the Tangle-Less Texture Hair Brush during the detangling process. The wide bristle-like teeth can glide through even the most tangled hair textures.
5. Donna Double-Sided Boar Bristle Styling Brush
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ Donna
Smooth, detangle, and style your child’s hair with The Donna Double-Sided Styling Brush. This brush is designed to help reduce frizz and stimulate the scalp while detangling the hair in preparation for styling.
6. REVLON One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler
Source: Amazon/ REVLON
Stretching the hair became ten times easier with REVLON’s One-Step Hair Dryer and Styler. The large paddle brush reduces styling time and helps detangle, dry, and smooth hair easily.
Accessories:
Image Source: @beyonce.millasia
What better way to liven up a protective style than with fun accessories like beads, bows, and barrettes? These can help enhance the style with fun colors, patterns, and designs your child will love.
7. Eden Hair Braiding Plastic Beads
Source: Walmart/ Eden
Add hair beads to hold the hairstyle in place for a playful finish. The Eden Hair Braiding Plastic Beads include an assortment of bead colors, from transparent to solid.
8. GOODY Trend Ponytailers Pearl Tie Twin Bead Ponytailers
Source: Amazon/ GOODY
Add some pizazz to your child’s hair with these adorable ponytailers from GOODY. Pop it on a low ponytail, bun, or pigtails.
9. Camryn’s BFF Hair Barrettes
Source: Target/ Camryn’s BFF
These easy-to-apply barrettes effortlessly secure twists and braids to create a fun and whimsical look for every style. Camryn’s BFF Barrettes are made with durability and function in mind; grab a pack!
Aftercare:
Between all the time and effort put into any protective style, you want to ensure it will hold. We love twist outs, braids, and Bantu knots, but you always want to seal the deal with a product that can reduce frizz and flyaways.
10. tgin Honey Whip Hydrating Mousse
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ tgin
To finish the style, add a few pumps of a hydrating mousse! Not only does it set the overall look in place, but it also fights frizz, smoothes, and adds a light shine.
11. Design Essentials Scalp & Skin Care AntiItch & Tension Relief with Tea Tree & Aloe
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ Design Essentials
Moisturize, calm, and soothe your child’s dry, itchy, sore, and irritated scalp with Design Essentials antiItch and tension relief oil. It’s the best solution to soothe the scalp while promoting growth and healthy hair.
12. SwirlyCurly Black Velvet Bonnet
Source: Shop Naturally Curly/ SwirlyCurly
Plop a bonnet on your child’s head to ensure their protective style stands the test of time. The SwirlyCurly Black Velvet Bonnet has adjustable sizes to fit every head perfectly with zero slippage.
Which of these products do you plan to try for your little one’s protective style? Let us know in the comments!
