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Ask any beauty maven with textured, natural tresses; the benefits of protective styling are endless. From shielding your strands from environmental exposure to eliminating daily over-manipulation, it’s no surprise that protective styles reign supreme year-round. That said, all protective styles are not the same. Depending on your hair type, style of choice, and installation technique, some styles can do more harm than good. So, it’s no surprise that the debate about the effectiveness of protective styling persists. As a result, low-maintenance protective styles have become a popular go-to.

The idea of low-maintenance protective styles is simple—tension-free looks that can go the distance. Unfortunately, published hairstylist Jachelle Whiting shares that some styles require extensive daily styling, which can cause breakage down the road. In fact, some beauty mavens rely on heat styling tools for blend-ability purposes despite the risk to their hair health. Thankfully, many low-maintenance protective styles help you lock in moisture and minimize knots and tangles on your natural tresses.

Now that you have the intel on the perks of opting for low-maintenance looks, it’s time to explore your best options. Jachelle is giving us the rundown on various styles that prioritize protection without sacrificing style. Here are five low-maintenance protective styles—from wigs to braided looks—worth adding to your hairstyle list.