Protective Style/Regimen help please. Looking for low manipulation styles

[GraceJones]

I want to do a really low manipulation style that I can keep for 8 weeks but still look nice and presentable. I usually wear box braids or cornrows with extension hair. I can usually stretch those to maybe 6 weeks. I like to wash my hair every 3 weeks because I have dandruff. The problem is, when you wash with box braids it tends to ruin the style so I feel like I need to take them out. Also, I feel like the braiders are taking my edges.


My hair grows supper slow. I want to be able to touch my hair as little as possible.

I was thinking about buying a wig perhaps, and just being cornrowed underneath and washing every two weeks. Funds are low so I don't think I can buy a wig right now.


Right now, I've been wearing a bubble ponytail made from some braiding hair. It looks like this.

Regimen:

4c natural below shoulder almost to APL

Wash every 2 weeks with Head & Shoulders Royal Oils Sulfate Free Scalp Care Shampoo Itch Relief with Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar
DC with Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner Natural Honey, Babassu and Sage
Leave-in Mielle Organics Curl Smoothie with Pomegranate and Honey, Moisturizing Curl Cream for Curly Hair


I usually braid in sections and air dry. I try to braid it at night every so often so I can get a nice stretch. If not, my hair tends to shrink and not give me a nice bun.

Does anybody have any other ideas for a cute, neat, low manipulations style that don't require a lot of tugging or pulling?

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I don't know how long your hair is, and I wish I had better suggestions. All I think of is either crochet braids or mini braids with your own hair.

 

[GraceJones]

I don't know how long your hair is, and I wish I had better suggestions. All I think of is either crochet braids or mini braids with your own hair.

I posted above between SL and APL. I'm right above APL

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

I posted above between SL and APL. I'm right above APL

Ooh sorry honey bunch, my eyes must’ve skipped that part. But yeah the crochet braids, or maybe faux locs? Faux locs usually look more realistic the longer you have them in. You just have to be careful of the takedown process.

 

[GraceJones]

Ooh sorry honey bunch, my eyes must’ve skipped that part. But yeah the crochet braids, or maybe faux locs? Faux locs usually look more realistic the longer you have them in. You just have to be careful of the takedown process.

I used to have faux locs and the takedown process messed me up. I cut my hair twice because I couldn't see where I was cutting. Which faux locs do you recommend? I had butterfly locs and the roots looked bad after a while. I also had crochet locs and they also looked bad after about 6 weeks.

Maybe a kinky curly wig would be better.

 

[Dare~to~Dream]

I've watched some videos on YouTube of folks doing mini-twists or mini-braids and leaving them in for u to 2 months at a time. No extra hair is added and they are just twisting or braiding their own hair in small sections. I've seen where they wash and condition the twists and moisturize as needed; they might re-do some of the twists or braids in the front or perimeter of their head to keep it looking nice until they take all of them down. This might be an option.

 

[Napp]

If funds are low but you still want a wig I would recommend wearing a synthetic half wig. They are really cheap and you can wear them with a head band or leave a little hair out to blend. You can also look into headband wigs from amazon. Short wigs are cheaper too is you don't mind that. I also like wearing buns and ponytails and washing my hair every 1-2 weeks depending on how busy i am. They are very easy to maintain for me.

 

[GraceJones]

If funds are low but you still want a wig I would recommend wearing a synthetic half wig. They are really cheap and you can wear them with a head band or leave a little hair out to blend. You can also look into headband wigs from amazon. Short wigs are cheaper too is you don't mind that. I also like wearing buns and ponytails and washing my hair every 1-2 weeks depending on how busy i am. They are very easy to maintain for me.

Omg synthetic wigs and headband wigs look so cheap to me. I feel like I shouldnt be able to tell that you have a wig. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Napp]

Omg synthetic wigs and headband wigs look so cheap to me. I feel like I shouldnt be able to tell that you have a wig. Do you have any suggestions?

i use thin headbands or fold over the headband and that makes them look better to me. but if you don't like them don't wear them. just wear a bun or add a ponytail for some razzle dazzle

 

[Lylddlebit]

I am a fan of styled braids that transition into other styles. For example, the style in the op can be cornrows braided into a ponytail with individual braids in the ponytail part for at least 2 weeks, if you tie it down well....A few weeks later you can make the braided ponytail a bubble ponytail, a few weeks later it can be a braidout and the last week before you wash it you can slick it back into a ponytail and the old braided-braidout hair will have really good texture for the bubble ponytail. If you are game, you may enjoy styles that transition from one to another every few weeks with minimal manipulation before wash day comes. Basically, you will lean into the natural wear that triggers a small tweak into a new style. Typically, if you want something to not touch at all for 8 weeks, structured styles will do that job well. Styles like mini braids like some folks suggested, individuals or even updos that are frozen into place(wigs and weave have structured hair underneath) all work pretty well.

 

[ItsMeLilLucky]

Omg synthetic wigs and headband wigs look so cheap to me. I feel like I shouldnt be able to tell that you have a wig. Do you have any suggestions?

Curly synthetic wigs look better the older they get to me