If you’re interested in trying something new with your hair, summer is the perfect time for a switch. With vacations, concerts, weddings, and more coming up, this is the time to show up and show out. And, with school being out, there’s more time to try new things — meaning if you mess up in the process, you can try again. 

Hair can be a fun expression of your style, so if you’re looking for something new to try, here are some ideas that are perfect for the summer months:

FLEXI ROD CURLS

I absolutely love flexi rods! It may take a few practices to get the hang of the technique, but once you get it down, it’s a great way to switch up your curls — especially if you want to create an updo. After you’ve done your wash routine, I recommend blow-drying your hair with a diffuser for frizz-free curls. If you want an even smoother look, try applying an air-drying styling cream while your hair’s still damp. Once your hair is dry, section your hair and apply mousse throughout the section.

Then, starting from the ends, wrap your hair around the curling rods, repeat for all your hair, and finish with a quick spritz of water. Usually, I do mine at night and then finish my hair in the morning because I know it will be completely set when I take them out. When it’s time to take them out, use hair oil to avoid ruining the curls when you separate the chunkier curls. Once you apply hair oil, you’re left with a beautiful head of curls!

MINI TWISTS

Mini twists are a great protective style. It can be a little time-consuming depending on how thick and long your hair is, but they’re very simple to do. After washing and conditioning your hair, put in your favorite hair moisturizer or leave-in conditioner. If you’re looking for something new, Melanin’s Twist Elongating Style Cream is a great option to use after your moisturizer or leave-in conditioner. Then, begin parting your hair, making the sections as big or as small as you want. You can part and twist your hair as you go, or if you prefer, part your entire hair beforehand. Then, twist the pieces from each section over each other in the direction that your hair naturally curls. For smoother and more defined twists you can also add gel to your hair. If you need to, you can use rubber bands to hold the twists, but I usually just spiral curl the ends with a little gel and it holds pretty well. Once you’re done you can leave them as is or style them any way you want!

CLAW CLIP UPDO

Claw clips have made their comeback! Like many other girls with coily hair, even though I loved the look, I completely wrote off this trend because I thought there was no way I could get the clip to stay in my hair, let alone get a similar look. Well, luckily the social media girls figured it out. Start by using your favorite products to define your curls. Next, create a middle part in your hair and take out any pieces that you would want to frame your face.

Then, create three sections: A large section in the middle of your hair that you’re going to put into a high ponytail, a smaller section in the front of your hair where you did the middle part, and an even smaller section at the very back of your hair. With the front section, make sure you are happy with your middle part and then gel it down to the sides of your hair just as you would if you were doing a normal ponytail with a middle part. Once you’ve used a hair scarf to lay it down, grab the remaining hair at the back of your head, twist it up, and place the claw clip where the twisted hair meets the ponytail. This style looks so chic and it’s a perfect way to get your hair up on hot days!

If you wanna make these hairstyles even more unique, try adding other hair accessories: hairpins, headbands, hair gems, and even temporary hair dyes (or if you’re feeling bold, go for something more permanent). Ulta Beauty has so many products that you can experiment with and achieve the styles that you want, so try something new and have fun with your hair this summer!

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