Protective Style 101: The Chignon

I have been surfing my normal hair forums and every now and then I will see some women refer to their protective style as a braid out or a bantu knot out. These are NOT protective styles in my opinion. Those are considered no heat styles and a healthier way to style hair. However a real protective styles allow you to wear your hair in a way where you have the hair ends out of sight, and they are protected. They are not rubbing against your clothes or coming in contact with other environmental elements that may harm it such as wind, sun, and the drying air. So I decided to start posting ideas for healthy protective ways to style you hair. First up is the Chignon.


 A chignon, pronounced "sheen-yon,” is a popular type of bun style. The word “chignon” comes from the French phrase “chignon du cou,” which means nape of the neck. Chignons are generally achieved by pinning the hair into a knot at the nape of the neck, but there are many different variations of the style. This style is simple and very ideal for daily wear. Its a great way to keep your ends protected and tucked away from exposure to open air. This will help in retaining your length. Remember to moisturize and seal the ends first and do not start the pony tail too tight. You want to ensure you are not putting too much tension on your nape which is very sensitive to breaking. Dont be afraid to experiment with styling your chignon in new creative ways. Those with shorter hair can also create these styles using hair pieces or even wrap you braided extensions in a chignon.

Below is quick how to video on the basic chignon style

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