Natural Hairstyles for Black Women in 2024

Natural Hairstyles for Black Women have become increasingly popular as more black women embrace their natural hair texture.

After years of harsh chemical straighteners, black women are now choosing to wear their hair in its natural state and are getting creative with stunning new styles that celebrate the versatility of textured hair.

This article explores popular natural hairstyles for black women like braid-outs, twist-outs, Bantu knots, and wash-and-gos.

We will also provide tips, tricks, and inspiration for achieving flawless styles that allow black women to fall in love with their natural tresses.

Whether voluminous Afros or defined curls and coils, natural black hair comes in a gorgeous array of textures. We’ll cover how to style the most popular textures and lengths.

What is a Natural Hairstyle?

Natural Black hair refers to wavy to kinky/coiled hair types of afro-textured hair. While on appearance this variety of hair type might seem tough but it is actually very delicate and fragile because they tend to be drier, which makes the hair prone to breakage and shedding when not properly handled.

Natural hairstyles just refer to Black hairstyles that have not been achieved by using chemical relaxers or texturizers. Even pressed hair is considered natural since it reverts back to its original glory once washed.

What are 4A, 4B, and 4C Hair?

Black hair is generally classified as 4A, 4B, and 4C hair. These classifications indicate different types of curl patterns of black hair, that can be usually very fragile, dry, and wiry. Let us take a closer look at 4A, 4B, and 4C hair.

a) 4A

4A is the most common hair type amongst black women. It refers to hair curls that are looser and form S-shaped spirals. 4A hair type generally has a dry and frizzy texture.

So, it is extremely important to apply moisture to this hair in the form of creams, conditioners, hair oils, and hair sprays.

The loose nature of these curls makes them prone to breakage. At the same time, this hair type is easier to style and handle than 4B and 4C.

c) 4B

Unlike 4A hair which has loose coils, people with 4B hair tend to have wiry and coarse hair that forms a zigzag pattern in the shape of the letter Z.

This hair type tends to be dense and tightly coiled, which makes it susceptible to breakage when not properly combed through.

Prone to dryness, if you have 4B hair, nourish your length and scalp with natural oils and moisturizers regularly.

d) 4C

4C is best described as densely packed coily hair. 4C hair generally ranges between fine to coarse texture. Just like 4A and 4B hair, this hair type is also very dry and susceptible to breakage.

4C hair also gets tangled very easily but does not clump easily. This hair type is considered the most fragile of all hair types.

How Can I Straighten My Natural Black Hair Without Heat?

If you want to straighten your natural hair but don’t want to use any straightening tools, then you have come to the right place. I’ll take you through some of my favorite ways to straighten natural hair without heat.

1) Wrap Method

This is the easiest way to stretch or straighten your 4A hair without any heat. Plus, it uses things that are already in your closet. Start off by applying leave-in moisturizer to your hair. Comb your hair to detangle it and then divide it into four equal sections.

Choose the direction which you want to wrap your hair in and secure the sections with hair pins. Go around to cover your head properly. Now, cover your hair with a wig cap or a tight silk scarf and leave it overnight. In the morning, remove the hair pins and style your hair as desired.

2) Flexi Rod or Rollers

To straighten your hair with rollers, start off by dampening your hair with a detangling hair spray and leave-in moisturizer. Comb your hair properly with a wide-tooth comb and then begin to divide your hair into smaller sections.

While your hair is still damp, apply setting lotion to each section. Section by section, comb your hair and roll it into a roller or a flexi rod. Repeat the process until your head is entirely covered. Wrap your head in a silk or satin scarf and leave it overnight.

3) Bantu Knots

Bantu Knots is not just a cute protective hairstyle but it is also a great way to straighten or stretch your natural hair. When your hair is still slightly damp, apply moisturizer to your hair and comb thoroughly with a wide-tooth comb.

Now, part your hair into two sections at first and then pick a small section, twist it, and secure the twists to the base of the section with a pin.

Repeat the process and cover with a scarf. Remove in the morning or once your hair has dried properly.

What Makes Black Hair Grow Faster?

Black natural hair does not grow at the same rate as other hair types because of its texture and curl patterns. It is scientifically proven that black women’s hair grows at a slower rate than Caucasian hair.

You must also consider the fact that black hair is at a higher risk of knotting, breakage, and shedding when not taken care of properly.

However, with proper hair care, you can ensure that your natural hair grows in the best conditions possible and with the least amount of shedding and breakage.

The first step is to identify your hair pattern as it helps you determine your hair’s moisture needs. This is because dryer hair is prone to breakage.

Now, let us take a look at other things you should keep in mind in order to protect your natural hair and promote hair growth:

Healthy Diet

Our hair health is indicative of our physical health. Vitamins and mineral deficiencies affect not just the rate at which our hair grows but also the quality of our hair.

For instance, deficiencies of nutrients like riboflavin, folate, biotin, iron, Vitamin K, and Vitamin B2 can lead to hair loss.

Therefore, it is extremely important to eat a balanced nutritional diet that contains a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, and dairy products. You can also ask your general physician to recommend supplements in accordance with your deficiencies.

Trim Your Ends Regularly

Trim your ends regularly. Many people might consider trimming their hair counterintuitive to their goal, which is to grow their hair longer, but there is actually a very good reason to do so.

The hair at our ends is older than the growth on top, this makes them prone to split ends, which causes breakage and knots.

When we don’t trim our older hair, our body tends to waste its resources to keep it healthy rather than promoting hair growth. I recommend giving yourself a trim every 3 to 4 weeks.

Wash your hair regularly but not often

Washing our hair is extremely important because it helps us remove the build-up of hair products, dirt, oil, and other pollutants. But washing our hair regularly can and will strip it of its natural oils and moisture, causing breakage and hair loss.

Wash your hair once every week or a week and a half and also follow it up with a deep conditioning mask or conditioner to replenish its moisture and make it more hydrated.

Avoid Excessive Styling

Unless you are opting for a protective hairstyle that you will adorn for a few weeks, avoid styling your hair into updos as styling products and heat styling tools can stress your hair.

Care For Your Edges

One of the first signs of hair loss is thinning edges. To take care of your edges, opt for styles that are not too tight at the front, stop applying heating tools to your edges, and pay extra contention to apply oils and other creams to keep them moisturized. Also, use tools like an edge comb or a boar bristle brush to comb your edges and detangle them.

Regularly Massage Hair with a Nourishing Hair Oil

Pick a hair oil that will help restore moisture to your hair, nourish your scalp, and exhibit anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Use this oil to massage your scalp daily. Massaging your scalp regularly can stimulate hair growth and also relieve tension and stress in your body.

Brush Your Natural Hair Daily

Before applying any products to your hair or scalp and wrapping your hair in a bonnet, brush your hair to remove any tangles to avoid matting and knotting. Start by dividing your hair into smaller sections and running your comb through them gently.

Do not pull your hair when you come across a knot instead try to untangle it with your fingers. Apply a detangler hair spray across the lengths of your hair right before you comb your hair.

What Can I Do For Natural Black Hair?

What can I do for natural black hair? This is a question I often hear black women ask. This is because black women’s hair tends to be extremely fragile and prone to damage. A bad hairstyle will result in hair thinning and even long-term hair loss. To combat this issue and to keep your natural hair healthy, I recommend these steps-

1) While installing a protective hairstyle, make sure that the braids or locs are not too tight or heavy. If your scalp feels extremely tight and it hurts even moving your braids, then you should redo them.

2) Practice caution while chemically relaxing your hair at home. It is highly recommended to always visit a professional hairstylist instead of relaxing your natural hair at home to ensure that the relaxer doesn’t come in contact with your skin or scalp. Also, make sure that you get your hair touched up every couple of months and only on unrelaxed hair.

3) If you are planning on using a straightener or a heating roller, then you should apply a generous layer of heat-protective products on wet or damp hair.

4) To straighten your hair, use either a ceramic comb or an iron. Heating products should be used as seldom as possible, like once a week. Also, when using an iron or a hair straightening device, set the device at the lowest possible setting as these devices can severely damage your hair.

5) Wash your hair at least once every two weeks to remove the build-up of hair care products, oil, and dirt. I advise applying a generous layer of deep conditioner to your hair after shampooing. Divide your hair into sections to ensure that each strand of hair is coated in the conditioner.

6) Before a scheduled hair wash perform a hot oil treatment, with your preferred oil. Do this at least once or twice a month. A hot oil treatment helps replenish your hair’s moisture level and even improves its elasticity.

How Can I Style My Natural Hair at Night?

Friction is the enemy of natural hair. Friction caused between natural hair and a cotton pillowcase leads to breakage and shedding. It even causes natural hair to lose its moisture and hydration.

Therefore, it is so important that you protect your natural hair before going to sleep by wearing a silk or satin scarf, sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase, sleeping with dry hair, and sleeping with a protective hairstyle.

Here are some protective styles for sleeping:

French Braids: Braid your natural hair into loose French braids. I like to divide my hair into small sections and smoothen them before braiding and wrapping them in a scarf.

Overnight Rollers: If you are interested in curling your hair, then wearing overnight rollers is an excellent alternative to heating rollers. After dampening your hair in a styling mousse, divide your hair into sections and then roll them with a roller. Secure them with a pin and wrap your head in a scarf.

Bantu Knots: Kinky natural hair is prone to knotting, especially when they are not properly styled at night. Sectioning your hair into smaller sections, twisting them, and tying them into Bantu knots is a great way to protect your hair and get natural curls in the morning.

Twisted Top Bun: A twisted top bun is the easiest and fastest way to secure your hair into a protective hairstyle before sleeping.

Loose Braid: A loose braid is another quick and low-on-commitment protective hairstyle for natural hair before going to sleep. It doesn’t put any tension on your scalp and will not interfere with your comfort level in the bed.

Which Hair Care Products Should I Avoid?

As we all know, black hair is extremely sensitive. Not taking proper care of our care every day or improperly styling our hair can lead to hair breakage, hair thinning, and hair loss.

Using the wrong products on our hair can cause our hair to frizz, develop kinks, break, and eventually shed. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that you are using products that are made specifically for black hair and by people who understand black hair.

I have noticed so many companies make claims that their products are safe for black hair when they contain chemicals that do nothing but harm our hair.

The next time you shop for hair care products, stay away from any products that contain the following ingredients-

Sulphates: Sulphates are an extremely popular ingredient in our soaps, dishwash, body washes, face washes, and detergents because they remove oil, dirt, and grime effectively.

It also creates lather or suds. Since it is used in so many items, we immediately think that the more lather our shampoo produces the cleaner our hair will become.

However, when it comes to our hair that is not the case as sulphates will remove even essential hair oils that our scalp naturally produces and in the process dry out our scalp.

Alcohol: Most responsible adults are aware that drinking alcohol can lead to dehydration but did you also know that alcohol also has the same effect on our hair?

Many after-wash hair care products contain alcohols like ethanol, benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, and propanol, and these products can cause our hair to become dry and brittle, eventually leading to hair breakage and excessive hair loss.

Hair products containing alcohol dehydrates natural hair and make it malnourished to a point where our body can’t rebuild the hair. Meanwhile, natural alcohols derived from food can be beneficial for our hair.

Parabens: Did you know that parabens found in our hair care products could easily enter our bodies and were found to interfere with the production of hormones? For decades, parabens were used as a preservative in our hair care products to stop the growth of mold and yeast.

However, after several medical studies, it was discovered that parabens were absorbed by our skin and would interfere with both male and female hormone production.

It should be noted that no official study has declared parabens as a carcinogen. Also, beware of products with other preservatives, like Methylisothiazolinone, which can harm the structure of your curls and also cause rashes on the skin upon contact.

Petro-Chemicals: Although Vaseline can perform wonders for our dry lips and elbows, that does not make it a great hair care product because it doesn’t do a good job of moisturizing our hair. If you are looking for a product that can nourish and moisturize your hair, look for ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, or olive oil.

Scented Products: Stay away from any hair care product that explicitly states that it is scented. Although these products will cause negligible damage to your hair itself but can be a problem for your scalp. While everyone will not be affected by the presence of scent in a product, some complain of developing itchiness, tenderness, and a burning sensation on their scalp from such products.

Common Problems Associated With Natural Hair

Let us take a look at some of the most common problems associated with natural hairstyles-

Breakage

Many people assume that it is difficult to grow their hair because of their natural hairstyle. However, the reason behind their hair’s slow growth rate is breakage.

Natural hairstyles are prone to breakage, especially when you are unable to properly manage your hair type.

The curlier your natural hairstyle, the more susceptible it is to drying out as the natural oil produced by your scalp will not reach the ends of your hair, leading to dryness and breakage.

Using the wrong products, like alcohol or sulphate-based products can also lead to breakage, along with poor styling and nighttime habits.

Irritated Scalp

Many people complain of having an irritated scalp whilst they adorn a natural hairstyle. Our scalp can get irritated because of the products we are applying to it or cleaning it with.

If your scalp has been itchy lately then stop using any products that are scented, or contain parabens, sulphates, or alcohol.

Irritated scalp or scalp itchiness can be caused by opting for a hairstyle that is too tight and too heavy for your hair. It is also caused by the build-up of hair products, overproduction of sebum, and dandruff.

Make sure that you clean your scalp regularly and stop using heavy oils and products directly on your scalp as they can block pores, thereby increasing your risk of dandruff.

Hair Loss

Improper care for your natural hair by applying the wrong products, using heating tools often, wearing your hair in tight styles, brushing your hair too harshly, and other forms of mistreatment can lead to hair loss. The good thing is that signs of hair loss are visible and you can make remedies to correct it.

Washing Natural Hair (With and Without Shampoo)

Washing our natural hair despite being a dreaded part of the hair care routine is oftentimes the most important. A good wash is meant to remove days or weeks’ worth of build-up of hair products from our scalp and hair, and to rehydrate and reintroduce moisture to our hair.

How to Wash Natural Hair with Shampoo

Let us look at the best way to wash your natural hair with shampoo-

The first step of any natural hair-washing routine is to prepare your hair for washing. I like to divide my hair into smaller sections and braid them loosely. Then, apply a generous layer of oil or hair mask in each section from the root to the ends and cover your hair in a shower cap. Leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes and then rinse thoroughly.
Section by section apply a good sulphate-free shampoo to your scalp and start massaging your scalp. Use your fingertips to work the shampoo from your scalp to the lengths of your hair. Once you have removed the build-up, rinse your hair with lukewarm water. I like to apply shampoo once again to my scalp (this is totally optional).
Although a tea rinse is optional, I recommend that you try it out at least once because it has made my hair softer, shinier, and more manageable. To prepare your tea rinse, brew 3 cups of tea with 2 tea bags and let it cool. After rinsing the shampoo, rinse your hair with tea and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Now, apply a deep conditioner to the lengths of your hair. Start from your ends and then go up. Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave the conditioner on for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the shower cap after 10 minutes and run your fingers through your hair to remove any knots. Rinse with lukewarm or cold water.
Squeeze out excess water and wrap your hair in a microfibre towel. Let your hair dry naturally.
Whilst your hair is a little damp apply a generous layer of leave-in conditioner. Follow it up with natural oil and a hair moisturizer.

3 Ways to Wash Natural Hair Without Shampoo

Shampoos are great but there are also other things you can use to cleanse your scalp effectively. Here is a list of my top 3 favorite natural ingredients to wash your hair with-

1) Bentonite Clay

Bentonite Clay makes for a great alternative to shampoos because it effectively removes dirt, excess oil, and buildup. It also has antimicrobial and bacterial properties and makes your hair shinier and softer.

To clean your hair with bentonite clay, all you need to do is apply a hair mask of bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, and water, and wait for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing it. Follow it up with your usual hair-wash routine.

2) Baking Soda

The sebum produced by our scalp is slightly acidic in nature. Baking soda on the other hand is an alkali. Applying a mixture of baking soda and water to your hair and scalp for two to three minutes can effectively remove dirt, oil, and buildup from your scalp.

I recommend following this mask with apple cider vinegar to restore the pH balance of your hair and scalp.

This method should not be used very often as it can mess up the pH balance of your scalp. Also, conduct a patch test before applying it to your scalp.

3) Castile Soap

Castile soap is a gentle soap made from natural ingredients like lye, water, and olive oil. This soap is very effective at removing build-up and excess oil from your scalp, whilst simultaneously leaving your hair soft and shinier.

How To Keep My Natural Hair Healthy?

To keep your natural hair healthy you must develop a hair care strategy that suits your lifestyle and hair type. For instance, some people’s scalp produces sebum at a much faster rate than other people, so they would have to wash their hair at a higher frequency than other people.

As discussed above, I recommend using a paraben and sulphate-free shampoo to wash your hair. Follow it up with a deep conditioner.

Prepare your hair for the next day by detangling your hair at night with a wide-tooth comb and a detangling spray. Hydrate your scalp and hair regularly with a moisturizing conditioner.

Trim your hair once every 3 to 4 weeks to promote healthy growth. Do not style your hair with heat more than once a week.

Always apply a heat-protective serum or moisturizer before using a heating tool. Set the heating tool at the lowest temp possible for the least damage.

Unless absolutely necessary, look for heat-less straightening or stretching methods. Do not under any circumstances apply any type of chemical or natural texturizer to your hair, especially when you are trying to grow your natural hair.

Hair texturizers break down the protein present in your hair bonds to make your natural hair more manageable. You can not reverse this progress and will eventually have to cut all of your hair if you want to continue growing your natural hair.

Natural Hairstyles for Black Women for 2024

Full Afro Bun Natural Hairstyles for Black Women

Full Fro

Head Wrap

Blonde Full Fro

Blonde full fro are cute hairstyles for black girls

Full Fro with 4c Natural Hair

Platinum Afro

Natural Long Curly Hair

Micro Braids

Natural Hair with Headband

Silkpress

Silkpress is a method of straightening natural black hair using hot irons/flat irons to give a sleek, straight appearance. Unlike chemical relaxers which permanently alter the hair’s texture, a silk press is temporary and lasts 2-3 weeks.