African American Natural Hairstyles

"The way we talk- the way we walk, sing, dance, pray, laugh, eat, make love, and finally and most important, the way we look, make up our cultural heritage. There is nothing like it or equal to it, it stands alone in comparison to other cultures. It is uniquely, beautifully and personally ours and no one can emulate it." -Barbara Ann Teer

African American natural hairstyles are not just about your personal style but are also a reflection of a culture and heritage. Most African Americans have varying hair textures which range from straight to being tightly curled. However straight, long hair is a rarity, and so for achieving the the hairstyles suited for it, most people resort to heat or chemical straightening. Although it does make hair more easily manageable, straightening your hair has some really ugly side effects. The damage done to the hair due to straightening techniques, renders them limp and lifeless. Also, chemically treated hair is increasingly prone to breakage. Natural black hairstyles on the other hand display the beauty and the texture of black hair in their own way. In fact the natural curly pattern of African American hair allows it to be styled in various ways. So from the cool Afros to the amazing hair braiding designs, African Americans hairstyles provide you the versatility to try different things and always look good doing it!

Natural Hairstyles for African Americans

Afro Hairstyle: This natural black hairstyle allows the hair to be extended out from the head in the form of a halo or a ball. You can sport a center or a side parting to add a twist to the style. Colors also add a fresh look to this basic African American hairstyle that was once considered the fashion trend during the 1970s. The longer afro hair can be bound into one or more ponytails called afro puffs. These hairstyles highlight the kinky, billowy nature of untouched natural African American hair.

Zulu Knots: Natural black hair can be sectioned off into five or six large sections and then braided and twisted into the extremely cool Zulu knots. This hairstyle is not only trendy and playful, but also keeps the hair neat and tidy for a longer period of time.

Hair Braiding: Hair braiding designs and styles is a great way to manage curly, frizzy hair. These natural African American hairstyles are said to have been handed down through the generations, some even originating as far back as 3,500 B.C. in Egypt. Since then this hairstyle has been reinvented by the African Americans and become a fashion statement throughout the world. The practice of braiding involves taking three sections of hair and interweaving them to create plaits. However, over the years this simple braiding style has taken on countless incarnations and styles. Read more about the different braid hairstyles. Let's take a look at some of the most common and popular hair braiding styles:

• Cornrow Braids: Cornrows braid styles are created by braiding the hair close to the scalp using an underhanded upward motion to create continuous raised rows. While most of them are created in simple straight rows, funkier geometric designs are quite popular as well. Check out the different types of cornrow designs.
• Micro Braids: This is to add volume and texture to natural black hair. For micro braids, extremely thin hair can be seamlessly added to braids, being similar to the result the cornrow achieves.
• Braided Updos: Longer braid hairstyles can be twisted into amazing styles for an elegant look at weddings or proms.

Dreadlocks: Locks or dreadlocks are heavy matted coils of hair, which form by themselves by eventually fusing together to form a single dread. In addition to the natural way of getting this rope like effect there are several artificial methods of achieving dreadlocks. These include techniques like dread perms, twisting and back combing. For information refer to dreadlocks.

Twist Hairstyles: Twist African American hairstyles are made by washing the hair and then dividing it into two sections. These sections are twisted and allowed to dry under a hairdryer. A type of twist hairstyle that allows natural African American hair to be styled in delicately intricate, and well designed patterns of circles, semicircles, wavy or straight rows is the flat twist hairstyle. This is formed by combining two sections of hair in a special braiding technique with the braids tight against the scalp and then styling it. The double or two strand twist are also a hot favorite.

While choosing any one of these African American natural hairstyles make sure that you choose one that suits your face and personality. After all sticking with your beautiful natural curls allows you to embrace the African American heritage and all its beauty.