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Home • Protective Styles

How I Keep My Type 4 Natural Hair Healthy Underneath A Wig

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How I Keep My Type 4 Natural Hair Healthy Underneath A Wig
By Jascmeen Bush · Updated August 8, 2016
If you are not properly caring for your hair while protective styling with wigs, I hate to break it to you–but you’re not protecting much of anything.

It is easy to forget about our natural hair when we’re enjoying all the convenience of wearing a wig over it.

However, neglecting our fragile texture will only result in breakage and stunted growth. I use three methods to care for my hair underneath my wigs.

1. Create large, chunky braids.

As a starting point, I braid my hair in chunky braids when I know I’m about to get nice and cozy with a wig that week. I prefer large braids that are easy to remove over a typical beehive pattern. Since I usually wear some sort of large kinky ‘fro, I don’t have to worry about them lying flat.

2. Apply a leave-in conditioner over the braids.

The easiest way to condition your braids is with your go-to leave-in conditioner. Mine happens to be the Cantu Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream. I slather it over my braids, put a little extra on the ends and that’s about it.

Another easy way to moisturize braids is with a leave-in conditioning spray like Dark and Lovely Au Naturale Moisture L.O.C. Super Quench Leave-In Spray. It works well to condition and revitalize your scalp. Bonus: the mist is just a refreshing feeling after wearing a hot wig all day. This product is on the lightweight side so it works best on normal to fine density hair.

3. Oil your scalp every night.

Article continues after video.

I like to use a color applicator bottle so that I can apply the oil directly to my scalp. I massage it for a bit, then apply my conditioner to my braids and ends every night before bed. Oiling your scalp and moisturizing your ends is a fool-proof recipe to get well-conditioned hair. In addition, it will let your hair grow and thrive while in any protective style.

Watch how I do it

I walk you through my wig routine with a few other tips and tidbits. Have you worn a wig as a protective style before? Give me a thumbs up and let me know!

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Here’s how I create a soft Bantu knot-out (that only LOOKS like it could be a wig”>.

Here’s a quick tutorial on How to Avoid a Bantu Knot Fail.

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