Hair is an important part of the Black community. It can bind Black people of various ethnicities together, from African, to Caribbean, to American. From the afro to the box braid, natural hair is a symbol of self-empowerment and activism. Over the years, Black hair care and African American beauty represent survival, strength and perseverance. It is a part of who we are, yet can be a struggle to take care of. Personally, it has always been hard to embrace my natural curls when I could not even braid it properly. With Black History Month coming to an end, women who have trouble maintaining natural hair or women who are transitioning to a natural look deserve a base to start learning how to style their hair on their own, with five simple styles for Black hair.

1.High Puff

One of the simplest hairstyles for natural hair, this look is cute, fun and versatile. Take your smoothing brush and gather all of your hair to the top of your head and tie off with a ponytail holder. This style is perfect for creating different looks, as it is easy to adjust. You can add a hairband, a scarf, pull a few curls free or add twists to the front or sides. 

2.Space Buns

These buns are so cute and work on a wide variety of hair types and lengths. Part your hair down the center with a rat tail comb and separate your sections into two ponytail holders. Take one side and brush it to the top, wrap your ponytail around once, pulling your hair all the way through, and then again, pulling your hair halfway through. Repeat on the other side. You can use gel to smooth your hair back and style your edges for a sleek, chic look, or you can simply brush it, leaving a few strands out, for a messy-cute style.

3.High Puff with Curly Bang

Take your hair and part off a small section towards the front. Pull the rest of your hair up into a loose, messy puff,leaving your bangs out. 

4.The Pineapple

One of my personal favorites, this hairstyle is simple to do and perfect to sleep in. Gather your hair up into a high ponytail bringing it as close to your forehead as possible so your curls sit at the very top of your head. Use your smoothing brush and your desired amount of hair gel, brush away your flyaway hairs and tie off with a ponytail holder. 

5.The Wash and Go Method

This method is one of the most well-known and easiest styles to accomplish. There are multiple different methods to achieve this look and it all depends on what works best for you and your hair.

• Rake and Shake Method – Raking product through your curls and holding the ends while shaking.
• Shingling – Using your fingers to manually define each curl unit as they natural fall.
• Praying Hands Method – Distributing product onto your curls by using the palm of your hands in a praying motion.
• Scrunching – Applying product to your hair and encouraging the curl by scrunching from the ends toward the roots.

This technique will give you beautiful, well-defined curls that are easy to style or just leave down.

Hair is very important in the Black community. From the little girl getting her hair done by her mother, grandmother or auntie, to the camaraderie of barbershop visits to get the perfect cut, hair unites us. It is a huge part of our culture, who we are, and how we identify ourselves. Everyone’s hair journey looks a little different and not everyone styles themselves the same way but hair styling, in all forms, represents freedom and value. Everyone deserves the chance to learn different ways to do their hair. While these looks may not be the most extravagant styles, they are a great place to start, build up your own unique style and own your natural curls.

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Hi, I’m Grace Avery, the Editor In Chief of A Magazine. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we get support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.