Curly Hair Diverse Care: 2 Styles for Anytime of the Year

Hair has become a quarter-time job for me – creating living art, a piece of artwork that is created with tenderness and love, admired for several weeks before being washed away to start the process over again. 

Love is in the hair.  

I’m excited to share these 2 hairstyles that are similar and use some of the same techniques. These styles have become staples in our regular hairstyle rotation.

These 2 styles start with clean hair. The process of taking out the style and washing it is often a 2-4-hour process, here are more details about our washing routines. These styles take about 8-10 hours and start with the same main part lines.

Initial Part Lines

Laying the initial part line is an important first step. Accurate and sharp part lines can make a simple style look sharp, defined and professional.  With some practice and persistence great symmetric part lines are achievable

This style starts with a headband part and a center part, equally distributing 4 sections. This is a step that sounds easy but takes a long time. The initial part lines are important to the style get them a good as you can. Look closely where your part lines cross that will be the center of the style.   

These pictures lay out which part lines to start with Red, Blue, then Green. 

Cornrow, braid, or twist each section starting at the center 

A New Twist on an Old Style

In this style you start the same way. Complete all the sections except one.  I then took one section and did a different design.  This is what I chose but you could do anything.  

Finishing Touches:

I finish these styles in two different ways with beads or sew in. 

• Its easy to add bead to each strand and offers a sharp fun look, I like to get my daughter involved by choosing bead colors and helping to load beaders. 
• I also like to take the twist the hair together into a halo twist some large gauge thread and a darning needle and just sew the two tails together.

Detangling Tip:

• Have patience while detangling it takes time, getting to rough or aggressive with any brush or comb can damage the hair. We do primarily finger detangling. This approach is more comfortable for our daughter and protects the hair from damage and split ends.
• Use a good detangle or leave in conditioner that offers plenty of slip to the hair. There are a variety of products on the market.

Pro Tips

• Frequently switching part lines is good for the hair, allowing for healthy hair and scalp.  So having a variety of style is good for the hair. 
• Sketch out your design. Each style starts with a vision, if not I waste precious time trying to figure out what I’m going to do. Nothing more anxiety producing than a clean head of hair, a kid watching TV and no plan.
• Schedule hairstyles into your family calendar – This has become more important now that my kids are in school and have more activities. At 7 years old our daughter doesn’t want to go to school with unfinished styles.
• Plan out some ways to make halfway finished styles look purposeful and finished. A good example of this is with a headband part starting with the hair in the back. Then the front portion of the hair can be in two Afro puffs. The style is cute, fashionable, and easy to install and take out to continue work on your more detailed vision.
• Have the right equipment and products – Plan for the products, items, and tools that you will need to complete your style.

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