Is Protective Styling Breaking Your Bank? - 4 Ways I Cut My Costs

Protective styling in general can get costly depending on the type of styles you like to wear. In my natural hair journey, I learned that my hair loves to be left alone, and protective styling coupled with good hair care has led to great length retention.

Where I live it costs around $250-$450 to have box braids done and if the hairdresser works from home it can be just slightly cheaper price but if it’s in a salon, forget it!

Due to these high costs, once people have a style installed they try and keep it for longer to try and get their money’s worth which can be harmful to your real hair.

With that said how can you cut down the cost? Here is what I did:

Learn and keep learning

As a transitioning style, I used to do kinky* twists. I did it myself the first time but it didn’t come out great because it was my first time installing them.

I made the extensions* a bit too thin and ended up with no volume. Also, the type of hair I had used was so thin I realized I should have used more extensions* to create the volume I wanted.

Do not be afraid to ask questions

I decided to get my next install done at a hairdresser so that I could ask questions. I asked her questions regarding the type of hair to use and discussed everything that went wrong with my first style.

She explained everything to me, it cost me $250 but I was happy. I got my hair done and enough information to perfect it the next time I do it myself.

Keep your eyes open

When the hairdresser was doing my hair I watched what she was doing through the mirror. I saw how she did it and at home when I would loose a twist I would put it back myself. By the time I took the style out I had mastered the technique.

Look for students studying to be a stylist

Students will do your protective styles at a fraction of the cost but look for the ones who are probably more advanced into the course.

How do you cut the cost of protective styling?