When I opted to wear a protective style, there were several factors that influenced my decision. First, I wanted to make sure my hair was protected and I did not want excessive stress placed on my strands. Second, whatever style I chose, it needed to be fairly low maintenance. After all, what would be the point of doing a long term protective style that I was constantly going to have to mess with! Last but not least, I wanted a style that was cute and could mimic my actual hair. I found that kinky twists fit all of these requirements and so far, have lasted quite well without having to retouch!
Through my experience wearing a protective style these past few weeks, I have noted a few pros and cons that I think will be helpful in your decision on whether or not to take on kinky twists. Let’s start with positives first.
The Benefits
- Low Maintenance: I have been able to cut my morning routine by 20-30 minutes simply from rocking this style. Not to mention, getting ready to go out has been a breeze! Not having to figure out how to wear my hair allows me more time to focus on finding the right outfit and doing my makeup.
- Long Lasting: When done and maintained well, kinky twists can last at least 4 weeks, but I’m aiming for 6-8 weeks with a touch up of my edges. How’s that for a return on the initial investment of 16 hours?
- Natural-looking: These twists compliment my own natural style and I’ve received lots of compliments. In fact, I’ve had people ask if it’s all my hair — that’s how natural they look.
The Drawbacks
Despite the wonderful aspects of this style, there have been a few drawbacks as well and I wouldn’t be fair of me not to disclose those. They’re not completely deal breakers in my opinion, but it definitely requires an adjustment period.
- Installation Time: This is probably the number one inconvenience I found with this style. For me, as a novice braider, it took 16 hours for me to complete my entire head. If you go to a professional it could take half that amount of time, but it will come with a steep price tag too. If you have the time and the patience, I’d still recommend doing it yourself. That’s the only way to get better!
- Bulky: Using the kinky (Marley”> braid hair, it took eight bags of hair to cover my entire head. At times it’s uncomfortable to sleep or to pull my hair all up in a ponytail without feeling the full weight of the hair. This is one area I know I can improve upon the next time I attempt this style. Splitting the pre-sectioned hair in half, or using a different type of hair completely, will cut down on the bulkiness of this style.
- Limited style options: This is a combination of the bulkiness and length of the hair. I chose to keep the full length of the hair, while some people choose to cut the hair in half. For me, the sheer bulkiness of the hair limits the styling options to half up/half down or all down styles, but that’s fine with me. Limited style options means you can master the styles you CAN do quickly and efficiently.
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Final Thoughts
All in all, the positives have significantly outweighed the shortcomings of the kinky twist protective style. It’s not necessarily a style for everyone, but it can meet your needs if you’re looking for a style that’s simple and natural looking. There are many protective style options out there. You just have to find one that works for you and the look you’re going for. Happy styling!
Have you tried kinky twists? What has your experience been?
