Hairstyles for Naturally Curly Hair

Naturally curly hair is quite unique as compared to other types of hair. Styling curly hair is mainly about reducing frizz and defining the curls. Some people fret over the frizz and the wilderness that comes with curly hair but if maintained carefully, they can be the most striking feature of one's personality! They also tend to give a flirty look, for which today's youngsters are crazy. Hairstyling has picked up speed and today we have numerous popular hairstyles to choose from. Prominent Hollywood stars, like Sacha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell, are perfect examples of those who have successfully tried innovative hairstyles for curly hair.

The curly hairstyle is not new. It can be traced to about 30,000 years ago, when Venus of Willendorf was carved out with a braided hairstyle. Afro style, braids, dreadlocks, cornrows and long or short curly hair are some of the most famous curly hairstyles of today. Let's check out some of them.

Afro style: One of the most popular hairstyles for African Americans is the afro style. Although it was popularized in the sixties and the seventies, its origin dates back to the early Egyptian times. This hairstyle does not come naturally; rather, having very curly hair is one of its prerequisites. It is a hairstyle in which the hair extends out from the head like a halo or a cloud.

Hair Braids: Braid, also called a plait, is another very common and popular African American style of plaiting hair. Sections of hair are interlaced together and sported by children and adults. There are many styles of braids such as box braids, cornrows, French braid, Dutch braid (inverted French braid), etc. This hairstyle can be sported in school proms, weddings and also as a casual hairstyle.

Dreadlocks: Dreadlocks, also known as locks or dreads, give your hair, a matted look. For this hairstyle, hair are let to grow naturally, without combing or conditioning for a long period of time. Later, the hair strands are interlocked by various methods like backcombing and hand rolling, to bring about a matted look. This style was popularized by Bob Marley in the seventies and lately by Lenny Kravitz.

Cornrows: This hairstyle was most recently sported by David Beckham who popularized it. This hairstyle has been there for long, but was first seen in Africa. This is a form of hair braid that needs little care or maintenance. For this style, the hair is plaited into a series of French braid-like locks, close to the scalp, which run down the back of the neck. As the name suggests, they look like straight lines but can also be given various geometrical shapes and curves. There are many different forms of cornrows for men to choose from.

Tips for Styling Curly Hair
Curly hair is generally dry. This type of hair lacks moisture, so it is very important keep it moisturized. When we shampoo, we strip our scalp of anything good that has reached the hair shafts. In short, we dehydrate them. Hence a good moisturizing shampoo works wonders for curly hair.

Also, the best way to do curly hair is to style them while they are wet. By using shampoos and styling creams, one can avoid dryness and frizz. To avoid frizz, one should not use blowers, as they further devoid the scalp of moisture. Daily shampooing is a strict no-no; instead, curly hair should be washed every 2-3 days with a good moisturizing shampoo and conditioned with a moisturizing conditioner.

Curly hairstyles generally suit faces that are oval, diamond, oblong or square-shaped. These hairstyles are attention grabbers and moreover, sensual and cute. So, if you have naturally curly hair, embrace their true nature and enjoy the attention.