Dealing with your hair in the summertime is probably in my top five most annoying things when it comes to beauty maintenance.
Especially now that my hair is longer, I often find that I am sweating and I do not want to feel bothered. However, the picking and prodding, especially as someone who has a very sensitive scalp, is a no-go in my book all year round. So, if you also have thick or texturized hair, and you’re trying to figure out how to keep your hair manageable in the summertime, here are a few of my tips.
How to style natural hair: First, play around with hair accessories.
They are super simple to use, and almost immediately brighten or heighten any outfit that you have on. I have done something as simple as wearing a pretty basic top, but pairing it with a really funky print skirt scarf. Once I throw my hair up in a high ponytail, I simply wrap the scarf around my ponytail holder and I’m ready to go. It makes the look appear a lot more thought-out. And honestly, it’s a trend that you see everywhere, especially in luxury. Seriously, look at the resort runway collections, and you will immediately see the same things: Wide brim hats, oversized sunglasses, chunky jewelry, and scarves. Scarves are the easiest accessory to incorporate in a variety of ways, so I personally believe that a scarf is a good investment no matter the cost. Sure, you can go and buy a $300 scarf from Gucci and wear it in a multitude of ways. But you can also head to your local thrift store and buy one for $5.
There are a lot of fast fashion retailers that also offer scarves in a multitude of colors. So you’re really not limited to one thing or even one style. You can get scarves in a single print in a single color. Or you can go for a bit more color and exuberance with different textures and also different styles. The great thing about a scarf is that you can wear it on your head, you can tie it around your neck, you can use it as arm candy, and you can also tie it around your purse or bag for an extra statement.
Scarves are definitely where it’s at. And I like to use my not only to heighten my ponytail but also to wrap around my edges at night. Now everyone knows that Black girls need silk scarves. They protect our edges, they preserve hydration. And ultimately, they’re just one of those beauty accessories that has so many benefits and really help you out. That being said, you can always tie it around your hair when you head to bed, or even when you step out. Gone are the days where we are afraid to wear scarves around our heads in public. Seriously, it looks chic.
How to style natural hair: Secondly, play with barrettes.
No, I’m not talking about the same barrettes that we played with when we were children. But there is a multitude of barrettes out on the market that keeps hair out of your face but also looks super stylish. I mean, just think about Solange Knowles and how she literally has shown the variety of what Black hair can be. All it takes is a simple Pinterest search or even Instagram hashtags search to find hundreds if not thousands of images of Black women reclaiming barrettes as their own. The great thing I like about barrettes is that you can find some no matter what hairstyle you’re trying to achieve.
Whether you’re wearing your hair up, you’re weighing down, you’re wearing to the side or you’re wearing straight back, you can use different barrettes to make sure that your hair stays in place. Now, if you are someone like me, who also has a very sensitive scalp, you can look for barrettes that look more like bobby pins so that you can angle them in a way so you’re not sticking and poking and prodding yourself.
There are tons of different styles out on the market and at different price points. The good thing is you have options.
Number three, when in doubt, go for a protective hairstyle.
You may not necessarily want to add hair, although honestly, no one is judging you if you do. But there are a lot of different options you can explore when thinking about protective hairstyles. There are Havana twists as well as knotless braids, there are two-strand twists and even butterfly locks that are super on-trend. You can try different weaves or even wigs, which allow you not only the flexibility of trying out different colors for natural hair but also lengths. I’m not gonna even lie, if my hair could fit under a wig, I would probably have a 40-inch jet black wig down to my butt.
But nonetheless, there are a lot of different ways that you can maintain and style natural hair even in the summertime. I like to take a spoolie brush and my favorite edge control, lay down my edges and tie it down with a scarf and then just twist my hair to keep it out of my face. Of course, all of this is super flexible and open to your own personal interpretation. There is no right or wrong way to style your hair. And honestly, it’s your hair so you can do whatever you want.
So those are my tips for quickly and efficiently styling your hair in the summertime. What are your tips?
