Black Hairstyles For Women With Natural Black Hair

More black women are embracing their natural hair, abandoning relaxers that chemically straighten their hair for natural black hairstyles that embrace their culture, heritage and their curly and kinky roots.

Although no firm numbers exist, anecdotal evidence suggest that natural black hair and hair styles are more than just a fad; it's a changing shift in the way that black women wear their hair.

Black hair is a $10 billion industry, according to industry figures. The sale of black hair products that cater to natural hair and black hair is growing, at the same time that relaxer sales are slipping.

Since 2009, the sale of hair relaxers that straighten the hair with the use of chemicals have dropped 12 percent, according to Mintel, a Chicago-based market research firm. But, while natural hair is on the rise, many Black women seek more information about styles and Black hair care practices for their chemical-free tresses.

As more black women embrace black hair care and styling of natural hair, there is a renewed interest in natural black hairstyles. Often, the stying tools, techniques and products that worked when their hair was chemically straightened either don't work or must be modified to accomodate their chemical-free tresses.

As a result black hairstyles and black hair care practices must be modified to fit the needs of natural hair.

Here are a few popular styles and how to create them.

Twist outs: This style takes advantage of naturals' curl patterns. Using a leave-in conditioner, styler or hair butter (shea butter, etc), this style is achieved by damping, wetting and twisting the hair. Once the hair is dry, it is untwisted and a curl pattern often results.

Twist and curl: This style is similar to a twist out, but the hair is twisted and the ends are curled using rollers or perm rods. A twist and curl often works better than a twist out because the ends are curled, making it a highly versatile style.

Wash and Go: Using a styler, conditioner or gel, the term "wash and go" isn't literal. Though, the hair is usually wet or damped and a styler is applied to enhance the hair's natural curl pattern. It is one of the more popular natural styles because of its versatility. A wash and go style, when protected at night, can often last several days with just a remisting of water and/or product.

Updo: This is a rescue style that many naturals turn to when a style doesn't give them the rescue they like. Using bobbypins or a headband, the hair is gathered and secured into a bun. It's a perfect style for any occassion.

Puffs: A puff is another go-to style for many naturals because of its relative ease. A puff is nothing but loose hair pulled back into a ponytail. The puff of loose hair can be styled several ways, with a bang, without a bang, in a headbad or in a ponytail.

Sets: Freshly washed hair is a prime candidate for setting with perm rods and other rollers. Usually, the hair is dripping wet, a setting lotion or holiding agent is applied, rollers are put on, and the hair is dried. The best results are when hair is dried with heat, instead of air.

Twists: Many naturals desire protective styles that nurture their care. Black hair is typically dry, and many naturals favor styles like twists -- which involve twisting two and three strands of hair around in each other in a pattern that's similar to braiding -- because they protect the hair. Twists are a popular style because the hair can be twisted as a style or during washing.

Braids: Another protective style that many naturals use to maintain their hair. Braids involve intricately twisting three strands of hair around each other.l

Flat iron: Some naturals use heating tools such as pressing combs and flati irons to straighten their hair. Depending upon the amount of heat used, naturally curly hair can become as straight as it would with a perm. It's imporant to point out that even though heating tools are used to achieve straight hair styles, the hair is not processed adn therefore it is only a temporary look. Typically, straight kinky hair will revert back to curly if water is used.

Bun: A common style for many naturals is the updo. Using this style, a variety of style methods can be used, such as wash and go and even twist outs. The only difference is that the hair is pulled up into a loose or tight bun.

No matter the style, there is more versatility when styling natural black hair.