When the sun is beaming too hot over your head, you know it’s time to get experimental with your hair. And that means trying out something that looks natural, fresh, and funky. More importantly, given how draining the sun’s heat at these times can be, you need an updo that will be ready to go every other morning.
That means less hassle getting your hair ready. I mean, who wants to spend close to an hour straightening their natural curly African hair only for it to be butchered back by the radiating solar?
Not you, most likely. And that’s where these five hairstyles come in. They not only help you shine brighter during those sunny days but also ensure you’re stunning for the office or hot summer beach, with lesser hassle.
So, read on.
The TWA
When you need to cool off, you probably need less hair. And that’s the idea behind the TWA. Fully called the Teeny Weeny Afro, the TWA completely rids you of the early morning hair styling hassle while providing a hairdo that stands out both in the office or outdoors, while having fun with your friends.
Thus, you don’t need to worry about the scorching sun heating your hair and grazing it against your skin.
You can go for a tapered cut or an all-round even afro. And for the cherry on top, you can use a curl defining gel to make your natural curls stand out more.
The Messy Bun
The messy bun is your closest bet to a get-up-and-go funky summer hairdo. Suitable for all hair lengths, the messy bun just needs a mousse or styling gel, bobby pins or shoelace, and an optional bow tie or flower to top off the look.
To get this look done, all you need to do is gather your hair using a brush without combing the curls at the end of your hair. Then, use a full circle of headband or shoelace to pull the hair from the front and back to the middle.
The styling gel will keep the stray hairs in place, while the flower or bowtie will add to that final chic look.
Sky-High Ponytail
Ponytails never go out of style. And under that radiating heat, a ponytail might just be the updo you need to keep fresh and funky.
Suitable for short and medium-length curly hair, the sky-high ponytail only needs a styling gel or anti-freeze serum, elastic or scrunchie, a hair spray, and a couple of bobby pins.
All you need to do is bow all the way forward and gather your hair from the back. Use a brush or comb to ensure you get everything from the back. Then, make a very high ponytail at the crown of your head, secured with the elastic. Make sure you don’t brush the ponytail itself to preserve the curls.
If length matters to you and you don’t have very long hair, you can opt for u-part wigs, designed by EvaWigs. These natural hair wigs not only give room for versatile styling but also, with the u-part, you can expose a bit of your natural hair and use it to create the sky-high ponytail, still.
Bantu Knots
This is the summer rock star look. Bantu knots are a popular style among the African and African American communities, especially for the summer.
Suited for medium length or long hair, the Bantu knots work well for teens and youthful lasses ready for more play, less work. The style involves twisting your roots to get intricately spaced and sized hair knots.
A bit of hair gel will be necessary to help secure any stray hairs in place while creating this updo. The best thing about Bantu knots is that they not only give you a fresh, funky, and chic look but also adds hair protection from that scorching summer heat.
Fulani Braids
The Fulani braids are for the chic and experimental lass. Given the popularity of braids – despite them taking hours to make, the Fulani braids work perfectly for the summer heat thanks to their free-flowing styling and array of accessories you can add for that final sassiness.
Talking about accessories, you can never go wrong with multicolored beads hanging at the bottom of these braids.
