Black Hair Styles & Updos

There are some natural black hair styles that can look very sexy.

They can show off the shape of your face and your facial features, minimising the need for make up. 

If you've got longer hair, you can achieve the same sort of sophisticated look by braiding, as Alicia Keys does quite often.

Black hair styles swept up and back from the face can look very soft and alluring. Also keep in mind that a little color in the form of highlights may be just the thing for the most adventurous woman.

Long Black Hair Styles

For a special occasion, here's a look that is often worn by Melissa Ford and Ashanti, a barrel curl created with flat irons.

To create this really glamorous look, make sure that you have some straighteners and then follow these instructions: 

• Take the smallest section of hair in a line from the nape of your neck, and put the rest of the hair up. Take the straighteners from the very top of the hair and pull it down to the very ends. Do this very slowly and gently, don’t pull the hairs out.  
• Take the hair out section by section, and straighten. The more sections you choose, the straighter and smoother it will be. 
• Once the whole hair is straightened, put two thirds of it back up, and twist the straighteners as you pull down and backwards. The more you twist, the tighter the curl will be. So for loose curls, start by creating some medium tight curls, which will drop slightly over the course of the day or evening.   
• Set the look with some glossing hair spray and shine gel (more haircare facts below) 
• Once you have done this you could change this or put this in an updo. You could put half of it up with a large clip or you could pop all of it up in a messy ponytail. You might even like to try braiding part of your hair and curling the rest. 
• Check out the forum at www.longhaircareforum.com for some great tips on products for managing and conditioning your hair. 

Black Hair Style Facts

Make sure that you find good products that can thoroughly moisturise the hair, and leave it in a great condition - one of the best ways is to ask round your friends and find out what they're using, rather than be completely bemused by the huge range on the supermarket shelf.

There are now even products available specifically created to care for black hair, for example, Ebene Naturals and Duelle, but maybe these guys are just cashing in on a popular market for women. 

If you're styling your hair in an afro, make sure to keep it in top condition.  

Should You Use A Relaxer?

Why consider using a relaxer or getting a perm?  

If you think that it'll make your black hairdo easier to style, consider that some people have found that this can cause burns or damage.   You may find that your hair grows better and stays in far better without the use of chemicals or applying heat to straighten it.

If you do decide to choose to go down the route of getting a relaxer, you may wish to consider having any treatments done at a good hair salon. The chemicals can be difficult to handle and apply by yourself and it's always useful to have some professional advice on what is best for your hair.

More women are opting for some of the great natural hairstyles that will look great for any formal occasion.  You can check out Nappturality.com or Nanni.com for some cool ideas to get you started.

Pictures of Black Hair Styles

Check out pics of trendy hairstyles at our Picture Gallery

Useful Resources

Braiding - the hot look, straight from the London, Paris & New York runways

Indian Saree - Salwar Kameez - beautiful designer originals. Latest Indian fashion including saree, choli, salwar kameez, mens kurta and jewelry by Kaneesha.