Need Help With A ( Sort Of) Protective Style

Every year I think I'll formulate some new way to avoid flat ironing my hair in the warmer seasons. Then when spring comes it all fails lol. So I'm starting early this year . I could simply skip flat ironing but I have so much heat damage that my hair looks like crap in it's natural state.
This is what I have in mind. I wanted to do clip ins but instead of doing it the normal way leaving all the hair loose and attaching the clips between the hair, I wanted to do it as if I was doing a sew in. ( I refuse to get even a partial sew in because I need full access to my hair and scalp) meaning secure most of my hair except for the top and make it flat enough so that I can just clip the clip ins to the secured hair. Then just style the leave out. So its like a sew in only I can remove it whenever I want.

I've watched YT video after video and whenever I try the techniques, the secured hair is much too bulky to even consider. I've tried pin curling, braiding, and twisting. No matter what I do it's bulky. My hair is around mbl and when not flat ironed it's quite thick so I can't figure out how to get it flat enough so it doesn't feel like a pillow lol.
Do I have to learn to do cornrows?? Is there any other option?

 

Buns are the best to me. They're quick and simple and look very nice.

 

If you want a fuller look grab you some hair that looks like yours

I LOVE BUNS! Endless compliments...

 

Thanks @AdoraAdora24 but I wanted a style that allows me to wear my hair down
I want to be able to completely hide most of my hair and just use the clip ins as "my hair" like a sew in but without the commitment.
I just am trying to figure out a way to obscure my hair and have it be flat but without cornrowing...

 

You are gonna have to get a sew in. Clip ins aren’t a protective style. I wouldn’t wear those daily.

 

Oh I see, I thought that I could do this once with natural hair clip-ins but it did not work because I was too scared to part my hair enough to do small flat twists.
For my, hair parting is over manipulation. But you could try small flat twists. But those metal clips thought... that is something to think about.

 

Have you tried pinning down two flat halo braids in the back? Or two twists? Similar to this:



Sorry I don't know why the pic won't resize.

 

I did try something like this albeit sloppier lol but it felt too bulky

 

Darn! I was hoping that would help.

 

The way you can get your hair flat without cornrowing would be by doing smedium sized box braids 1in x 1in or 1.5inx1.5in, braided very tightly down the length to keep it as compact as possible, ideally, you would latch hook the ends of the braids into the roots of the braids on the opposite side of your head to keep them tucked away but if you dont know how to do that you could just tuck it under.

I think the best style for what you're trying to accomplish would actually be halfwigs, clip-ins are not very protective.

But really to transition away from heat considering that you already have quite a bit of length, I think the easiest thing would be to do braidouts and twistouts on wet hair and then wear those textured styles while the heat damaged portions grow out. If you learned to do cornrows and flat twists you could get very pretty sets with a consistent wavy texture.

 

@Autumn~Tint~Of~Gold

Are you trying to hide all of your hair except the top? Have you considered just a human hair half wig?

 

I agree!

 

I saw this and thought of you @Autumn~Tint~Of~Gold is this similar to what you are trying to do

 

How about clipping the clip ins to a wig cap and wearing that instead of clipping them to your roots?

 

I have considered half wigs but idk why i didn't pursue it.
I'll have to do more research on it.

But even with a half wig how would i secure the hair i'm covering and make it nice and flat?

 

Thank you.
That was actually my last ditch idea that I'll try in a few days. Just making some small ordinary braids.
I will have to research half wigs.
My braidouts always look absolutely terrible esp at the ends :shudder: . I am just not good at it. It's something I really need to practice.

 

would this still allow me to have the top of my head out?

 

Yes this is just about exactly what I mean! But the way she did it, it must be feeling like she has a big pillow at the back of her head under the tracks
I do not want that!

 

Hmm I guess it wouldn't unless they make half-wig caps or something. I'm not the most familiar with wigs and weaves lol

 

I believe it would.