Why half wigs have become my protective style of choice

Outre Yasmine                            Vanessa Express LaFasta

If you've even bothered to glance at my blog post lately you're well aware of the You Grow Girl hair growth challenge and December's mini challenge which happens to be protective styling for thirty days.  I've sang the benefits of protective styling on several previous blog post and just when you thought you'd had enough let me reiterate the benefits to you once again. Protective styling ensures your hair and particularly your precious ends are tucked and protected. Also it protects the hair from day to day manipulation from brushing, combing, flat irons, etc. Finally, protective styling allows for better moisture retention.

If your goal is to grow long hair protective styling definitely needs to be utilized in your regimen. I personally tend to increase my protective styling when my texlaxed hair is in the middle of or towards the end of a stretch between touch ups. Also, due to the dry air indoors and cold air outside I also increase my protective styling in the winter months. As I've progressed through my hair journey I can honestly say I've tried a majority of the styles available to me and I find myself returning over and over again to half wigs as my protective style of choice. I love the versatility of changing my look and I also appreciate that a good half wig often closely resembles a flexirod or braid out hairstyle. Finally, for beginner wig wearers, curly or wavy wigs are an easy way to experiment with blending your own hair for a more natural look.

I recently ordered two more wigs to add to my collection, not only because I'm committed to the 30 days of protective styling challenge but also because I want to give my hair a fighting chance in recovering from the set back I experienced after the passing of my father. My hair was damaged by being neglected for weeks on end, in a high bun, in the dead of winter. My recipe to remedy the damage includes deep conditioning, castor oil, moisture and of course protective styling.  In addition to the versatility offered by half wigs here's a few of the reasons I'm loving half wigs right now.

1. Have you ever had a sew in or braid install before that you HAD to get out or you'd lose your mind? Please don't tell me I'm the only one that's gone crazy with a pair of scissors in order to get to my real hair because you can't tolerate one more day with that weave in your head. Well with wigs I remove them every night, I can apply my moisturizing spray and castor oil to my scalp. I don't have that annoying, impossible itch that's trapped beneath a track I can't reach or that feeling of an itchy, foreign object sitting on my head. It gives me access to my hair and that's important to me.
2. I where my hair in cornrows underneath my wig minus a small section of leave out in the front. With that said wearing a half wig allows me to take down my cornrows every couple of weeks and perform a proper pre-poo, shampoo and deep conditioning session. After that my hair goes right back into cornrows having only been down long enough to get some much needed TLC.
3. Lets face it, no matter how good I've become at protective styling when I go out on the town with my husband or to a special event, half wigs often allow me to continue my commitment to protective style without sacrificing my overall look. Don't get me wrong, a haute high bun is classic and versatile as well as a host of other protective styles but sometimes you just want that extra umph!
4. Finally, I don't have to touch up my style in between workouts. I can spray my hair down with my little water & aloe mixture, apply my Jamaican Black Castor oil and tie it down for the night, with the cornrows in tact. All I have to care for is about a half inch of leave out and that's easy as pie!

Outre Tammy one of my favorites

Now as much as I love a good wig I also have a few personal "don'ts" that I practice when wearing a wig, they include:

1. I avoid or remove that little comb in the front and back of wig units. I simply place the wig on my head and add bobby pins along the perimeter and center to keep it in place. I don't dare dig that comb into my hair, it just seems like a recipe for damaged edges. We've all seen what tugging and pulling can do to those precious edges so I just avoid that little feature all together.
2. I remove it nightly and often over the weekend. When I'm lounging around the house with the hubs I tie a cute silk scarf on my head to the side or in a chic top knot and keep it moving. A well tied scarf can really elevate your look and if it's done right you won't look your donning a bonnet for bed. Finally, if we decide to go out on the town I can just toss on my 'do and I'm ready to go!
3. I don't wear a wig cap, it feels like it's drying and personally it's very irritating to me. I've been told they cause damage but I haven't seen any real proof of that, it's just my preference not to wear a cap.
4. Don't pop a wig onto your head straight out the bag. Cut the wig to match your face or have it cut if your not comfortable. Also, find a wig that closely resembles your hair texture. If it's too shiny apply a small bit of cornstarch to dull that "wiggy" shine. Play with the unit and where it in the house a couple of days before venturing out in public with it.
5. Finally, if your wearing a half wig it's probably only good for a week or two, let it go! They typically are less than $30 which is the cost of a salon visit. Don't hold on for dear life to a wig that's seen better days, it's a terrible sight.

In a nutshell, a good wig can look great and keep you from getting stuck in a protective style rut. It allows me to access my hair and scalp and not feel trapped in a permanent protective style like braids or sew in weave. Finally, just like a bra, I remove that bad boy at night and breath a sigh of relief. It's versatile, fun and easy to care for. If you find one you love buy two, trust me it won't go to waste. Did I forget to mention they're perfect for bad hair days. For a change of pace or an easy way to begin protective styling invest in half wig and have some fun!

What will be your protective style of choice for the December mini challenge?