Natural hair is not for the faint of heart. There are good days when your hair is shiny and cute, and there are not so good days when your hair doesn’t want to cooperate. Those are the days you just have to pull it up in a ponytail, or if your hair doesn’t fit in a ponytail (been there before, literally just left) you just have to put on a headband, pat it down, and hope for the best. Moral of the story, natural hair is not the easiest to handle, but it is possible. It really helps when you have a set of go-to hairstyles that work well for your hair . It helps make it easier to not get so discouraged when it comes to our hair. Before we get into some of the styles you can try, it is important to note that not all styles work for everyone. Of course, this is something you already know, but it is important to keep in mind so that you don’t get so easily discouraged if a style doesn’t work out.
- Flexi Rod Set
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Flexi rod sets are not only for your weaves or when your hair is blown out; you can do them when your hair is in its natural state! Flexi rods are a great tool to use when you want defined curls. They are also a great alternative to using heat to curl your hair. Putting in the flexi rods is something that will take some time along with the process of making sure your hair is moisturized and equipped with the products that will help produce the best results. According to Allure’s “How to Use Flexi-Rods- Expert Tips”, when you use flexi rods it is best to wash your hair so that there is no build up of product on your hair. Allure also says that you should make sure to pay attention to the rod size, because the rod size determines what definition of curl you will have. If you’re interested in tutorials, here are two tutorials on techniques for flexi rod sets: https://www.youtube.com/watch and https://www.youtube.com/watch.
- Bantu Knots
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Bantu knots? And some hoops? That is definitely a look. You can wear bantu knots as they are or you can take them down and have a curly set. Bantu knots are a protective style that, according to Ebena, last an average of 1 week. You should make sure that your hair is moisturized. When you do bantu knots, you should avoid twisting your hair too tight, and while a little wetness is fine, I would not recommend that you do them when your hair is completely wet. Also, if you are planning to wear them out in public rather than taking them down, you should tie your hair up with a silk scarf or silk bonnet so that it doesn’t get frizzy. Here’s a tutorial for doing bantu knots as a protective style: https://www.youtube.com/watch, and here’s a tutorial for doing a bantu knot out: https://www.youtube.com/watch.
- Twaid Out
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A twaid is a braid and a twist in one. In order to do a twaid, you would start by braiding the hair, and once you get to the middle, you would twist the rest of the way down. You would repeat this process for every section of hair. You could leave these in overnight and then take them down the next day. Twaid outs help to elongate the hair while giving it curl as well. If you’re not sure how the twaid out is done, check out this tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch.
- Three Strand Twist or Twist Out
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A three strand twist is not just a braid; it’s a twist with three strands of hair going in the same direction. Here’s how to do them: https://www.youtube.com/watch. Three strand twist outs are actually known to be less frizzy and produce more defined curls. They give you the benefit of a braid out and a twist out.
- Pineapple
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According to Naturally Curly, “Pineappling is a technique for preserving your curls while you sleep, for your best second and third day hair and beyond.” The pineapple will help you not to have to worry as much when it comes to your styles lasting. You can just pull your curls up and go to sleep without having to braid it or twist it. There are different ways to pineapple your hair, but here are two of them https://www.youtube.com/.
There are many styles and tricks out there that make having natural hair a little easier and even fun. Even if none of the styles worked for you, there is one out there that will, so keep looking and try to stay encouraged!