Protective styles for short hair

So I'm tired of seeing the stringy relaxed ends everytime I comb but I live in the arctic, or as some of you know it, Canada. I'd love to cut my hair but I just need hairstyles. I've heard twists arnt really protective styles as your ends are still unprotected. I'd love a few style how- tos and mayb even pics but that's being greedy. If I do cut I'll have between 5 and 6 inches of hair. So help me ladies please

I think twists are a protective style. It depends on what you are protecting your hair from. If you are protecting it from styling it every day, twists are good. The hair is also bunched up together in a twist so it holds more moisture; not so much cold air gets to the inside. I think this stuff about protecting the ends is about not letting the ends brush our collars or clothes that can snag them. so if you only have five or six inches, then twisted up, your ends probably won't touch your shoulders anyway.

why don't you try twists now, before you cut, to see how your hair feels with them, and if you like how they look? you can roll the twists on regular rollers so they don't loook fat on top and thin on bottom. i think it's easier to do protective styles, like buns, with longer hair, so i'm not sure that i'd cut in winter. that's actually something i'm wondering about lately too though!

Thnx happycurly that helped alot and I have tried twists and I love how the natural part looks

Hello @naturallychelsea, have you considered Nikki's chunky twist styles?

naturallychelsea wrote:So I'm tired of seeing the stringy relaxed ends everytime I comb but I live in the arctic, or as some of you know it, Canada. I'd love to cut my hair but I just need hairstyles. I've heard twists arnt really protective styles as your ends are still unprotected. I'd love a few style how- tos and mayb even pics but that's being greedy. If I do cut I'll have between 5 and 6 inches of hair. So help me ladies please

I've started doing twists on my 4c hair and I'm loving it. Still trying out products for hold vs. dryness on my overnight twistouts. Twists/twistouts hold your hair strands together with moisturizing creams or butters. It's not like a BAA where your hair is subject to tangling and exposed to the elements. If your hair isn't being combed every day, the twist style could be considered protective.

My hair is 4-5 inches long, definitely 4c and ultra coily - so the twistout is an ideal (cute) hairstyle for my hairtype.

Design essentials has nice instructional pdfs, http://www.designessentials.com/Natural/Style%20Guide.aspx

Are you able to purchase the Essence November Hot Hair Issue (With Miss Thang Monica on the cover?) It had a whole lot of thumbnails and interesting articles. http://www.essence.com/magazine/monica_cover_video_essence_fall_2010_special_hair_issue.php

Here is a list of products I've tried.

Miss Jessie's stretch silkening - I've had this for more than a year and I throw it back in my "loser" bin each time because I spent too much on it to throw it away.

Sheamoisture Coconut/Hibiscus Milk and smoothie were too moisturizing and my twistout poufed the next day. Love their moisture though.

Garnier fructis cream gel left it too hard, but I will reconsider it for wet roller sets.

Cantu leave in smelled heavenly and kept it soft -it poufed a bit, but gave 3 day hair. It's what I'm using now.

Another lady recommended using aloe vera gel and Giovanni leave in. Haven't tried that because the cantu's been in rotation now.

HTH

Thnx woah that was a lot of really good info and I will definately be book marking that design essentials page. Also, if I do cut I will definately try twists and twist outs. Right now I have flat twists in my hair for a flat twist out towmorrow so we'll see how it goes.

Your avatar pix looks like the "finger curls" style will work for your hair. You may have to put mini perm rods on the relaxed ends. http://www.sallybeauty.com/Perm-Rods-Mini/SBS-292545,default,pd.html?cm_vc=SEARCH

Almost makes me want to cut my hair to try all of the styles