Image: Shutterstock / iStock
With fabulous hairstyle options to choose from, you can select one that enhances the appearance and makes one confident on the inside and outside. No wonder we pay so much attention to our hair, the quality, and its styling. If you are searching for amazing hairstyles for black teen girls, we can help. Below are a few best hair styling options that will not only look good on African-American girls but also those who hold a similar hair texture. Dive into this post, check out our collection of cute hairstyles for black girls, and take your pick.
16 Easy Hairstyles For Black Girls
Alisha Powell, a professor and therapist, shares her experiences with hairstyling as a kid. She shares, “Growing up in a black household meant that there was an ongoing discussion about hair and appropriate styles. I spent my early years in mostly braids, twists, pigtails, and barrettes. One of my cousins convinced my mom to get my hair chemically straightened when I was six so I was initiated into the world of creamy crack at a pretty young age. Fast forward to when I was about 10 years old, and my mom decided it was time for me to grow out my natural hair, so that happened (i).”
1. Afro Puff
Image: Shutterstock
This hairstyle is simple and perfect for the lazy girls out there. Whether the texture of your hair is wavy, frizzy or soft, it’s easy to rock an afro puff. It is quick, fun and easy to style.
How to style it
- Slightly dampen your hair with spray.
- Brush your hair upwards and detangle the hair completely.
- Pull up all your hair upwards — the afro puff looks the best when it is higher.
- As shown in the picture, tie up all the hair in a knot with a hair tie. You can also style your afro puff with a bandana or a stylish hair band.
2. Braided bun
Image: IStock
Braided buns are ideal for girls with thick and voluminous hair. This hairstyle is time-taking but is worth putting in the extra efforts when you want to stand out in a crowd.
How to style it
- Detangle the hair. To avoid breakage, start detangling the hair from the bottom and work your way up to the roots.
- Neatly comb your hair downwards.
- Then, part your hair into small sections and braid the tiny sections.
- Braid your hair from the root to the tip.
- Finish braiding all the hair into braids and whenever required comb and detangle the hair.
- Once all your braids are done, bend forward and put together all the braids into one big bun.
- Roll all the braids around the bun, and secure the braided bun with a long elastic band.
- Secure any flyaway hair with hair gel or bobby pins.
3. Twisty braid dreadlocks
Image: IStock
Twisty braids are a continuation of the braided hairstyle. Chic and super stylish, this is one of those pretty black girl hairstyles, which are one level above the others.
How to style it
- Detangle your hair and dampen it thoroughly.
- Using a tail comb, make sections in your hair and braid each section till the end.
- Secure the ends with a hair-tie.
- Now, take three braids and twist them to form another full braid. Keep the twists as loose or tight as you want.
- Twisty braids can be done on the entire hair but look trendy if done on one side of the hair. They look similar to Senegalese twists.
4. Cornrows
Image: Shutterstock
Cornrows date back to ancient times but they still top the hairstyle trends. For a little black girl, cornrow hairstyles are the best as they are easy on maintenance and protect the hair from any damage. Cornrow braids can be worn for three to six weeks. Thicker cornrow braids are called goddess braids.
How to style it
- Thoroughly shampoo your hair and apply the leave-in conditioner.
- Detangle thoroughly, and if your hair is dry or frizzy, apply hair oil to lock in the moisture.
- Part your hair from front to back into as many rows as the cornrow braids you wish to have.
- Divide the first row into three sections called left, right and center.
- Braid the section into a weaving pattern, as if you are stitching the hair together. Secure the end with a hair tie.
- Now repeat the same with the remaining rows of hair too.
- To finish the look and tame any flyaways, use a safe gel or organic butter.
- You can twist the cornrowed hair to the scalp instead of braiding it. This is called a flat twist.
5. Cornrows bun
Image: Shutterstock
Cornrows bun is one such cool hairstyle for black girls that can be given different variations. It can completely transform the look with headbands or floral crowns.
How to style it
Follow the steps mentioned in the cornrows hairstyle and braid the hair. To style the hair into a cornrow bun, tie up all the hair into a top knot bun. Secure it with an elastic band.
Quick tip6. Braided mohawk
Image: IStock
Whether you are preparing for a special event or a casual outing, braided Mohawk is a very cute hairstyle for black teenage girls. This is one of those updo hairstyles for black girls, which require little effort but is sure to make heads turn.
How to style it
- To get a braided Mohawk, dampen your hair with spray.
- Starting from the extreme left corner of the head start making tiny partitions and braid them upwards. Continue doing so till you reach the center top.
- Repeat the same process until you cover the entire left portion of your scalp.
- Part the right side of your hair into tiny sections and braid the hair upwards, as you did for the left portion.
- Finish braiding the entire right side.
- The final result will be a stylish Mohawk on the center of your head with the left and right portions braided up.
7. Box braids
Image: Shutterstock
There may be plenty of hairstyles for African-American little girls with long hair but box braids are one of the easiest to maintain if styled right. Your little girl can wear box braids with or without extensions, depending on the volume desired.
How to style it
- Shampoo, condition and detangle your hair thoroughly.
- Part your hair into 4 box-shaped sections from the center to the back and another left to the right ear.
- Take one portion of the hair and clip the other three. Apply the hydrating hair gel to avoid frizz.
- Take one-inch sections and braid them till the bottom. If you desire jumbo box braids, then take two-inch sections. Secure the end of the braids with either hair-ties or wax them together with gel.
- Repeat the above step on all box portions of the hair.
- Once your box braids are ready, keep the hair moisturized by applying oil or gel on a regular basis. To prevent damage open up the braids after 6 weeks.
8. Natural curls
Image: IStock
For a black girl, natural hairstyles are an excellent way to enhance her beauty and get a rocking hairdo effortlessly.
How to style it
- Shampoo and condition your hair. You can also try a leave-in conditioner.
- Detangle your hair using the wide-toothed comb.
- Apply the hydrating gel and crimp your hair with fingers and your natural hairstyle is ready.
9. Space buns
Image: Shutterstock
If your daughter is a fan of Princess Leia from Star Wars, then space buns are going to make her happy.
How to style it
- Wash, condition and detangle your hair.
- Using a wide-toothed comb to part your hair into two sections.
- While combing, pull up the left portion of the hair into a side bun and secure it with a hair-tie.
- Do the same on the other side.
- Messy space buns look uber cool, but if you prefer a more neat space bun then apply hair gel to tame the flyaways.
10. Pigtail braids
Image: Shutterstock
Pigtail braids look super cute not only on school-going kids but girls of all ages. Besides, this is a great hairstyle for both straight and curly hair.
How to style it
- Dampen your hair by spraying water.
- Detangle your hair with a-wide toothed comb.
- From the middle of the forehead, part your hair into two sides.
- Starting from the top, take two sections of the hair and start braiding by picking the third section from the scalp after each weave. Continue the process until you reach the nape of the neck and braid the bottom of the hair like a regular braid.
- Repeat the same process on the other side of the hair too.
- Secure the ends with hair-ties and tame the flyaways.
11. Braided ponytails
Image: IStock
Ponytail hairstyles for black girls look very classy.
How to style it
- Dampen your hair and detangle the knots with a wide-toothed comb.
- With the tail comb, divide your hair into tiny sections, braid them, and taper them off at the tip of the hair.
- Braid all the sections completely.
- Tie them together with a band into a ponytail.
12. Bantu knots
Image: IStock
Bantu knots are a traditional African hairdo and the right option, if you are searching for hairstyles for black teenage girl.
How to style it
- Detangle your hair completely and spray the water to dampen them.
- With the tail comb, divide the hair into various small sections.
- Take each section, swirl the hair together and twist it till the end. Now place your thumb and index finger to hold it together and wrap it once around your fingers.
- Secure it with a small bobby pin and encircle the rest of the swirled hair around the bobby pin, till you reach the end.
- Tuck the ends under the bobby pin in a secure tight manner.
- Repeat the process with the rest of the hair.
- For some shine, try a safe hair spray.
13. Bouncy curls
Image: IStock
Some curly hairstyles for black girls require plenty of time and effort. But they come with an added advantage that when you undo or loosen the previous hairstyle, you get a new hairdo with no effort at all. Bouncy curls is one such hairstyle which can be attained with little to no effort at all.
How to style it
When you open the Bantu knots, just spray dry shampoo on the scalp and hair. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. You get big bouncy curls as a result. To maintain the moisture, apply a hydrating gel to give your hair a pretty look.
14. High ponytail
Image: IStock
Your search for quick hairstyles for black girls ends with this brief and instantaneous hairstyle.
How to style it
- Detangle your hair and remove all the knots.
- Using the hairbrush, gently groom your hair.
- Now, with a wide-toothed comb, pull your hair upwards into a high ponytail.
- Secure all the hair with a hair-tie and to give it a prettier look, use a colorful ribbon.
- If you have bangs, you can leave them over your forehead or pull them back and pin them as a fringe too.
15. Flower power
Image: Shutterstock
Magical, beautiful, mesmerizing and the list goes on. Hairstyles with floral accessories look graceful and charming.
How to style it
- Detangle and brush your hair thoroughly.
- Comb the hair neatly and tie it up in a ponytail or a high bun.
- Using bobby pins, start placing the flowers as a crown or around the bun.
- Secure the hairstyle with a styling gel to tame any flyaways.
16. Stretched natural hair
Image: Shutterstock
Let your teen enhance her looks with a stretched natural hairstyle. Try the African threading or banding method for a gentle stretch and style as desired.
How to style it
- Begin by washing and conditioning the hair using products suitable for natural hair.
- Apply a deep conditioner to nourish the hair, and use a wide-tooth comb to detangle it while the conditioner is applied. Rinse thoroughly.
- Divide the hair into manageable sections and apply a leave-in conditioner to each part. This ensures even moisturization and reduces frizz.
- Wrap thread along sections of damp hair and let it air-dry, or use a hooded dryer.
- Once dry, gently unravel the threaded, banded, or braided sections and style as desired by stretching orpulling the hair, whether it is a twist-out, braid-out, or another preferred natural hairstyle.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does wearing ponytails thin my hair?
Continuous pulling of your hair, tightening hair into tight ponytails, and wearing tight top buns can damage your hair. Some other hairstyles you can avoid to protect your hair are cornrows, dreadlocks, and tight braids.
2. What is the healthiest way to put your hair up?
Ensure your hair is not wet when tied up and not pulled tightly. You can go for low bunds, messy buns, space buns, and pulled-out dutch braids. Other things to keep your hair healthy are to use the right brush, keep your hair hydrated, apply oil regularly, and wear your hair down when sleeping.
3. What hairstyles are appropriate for school?
Hairstyles for school girls should be simple, less time-consuming, and easy to maintain. Dutch braids, double Dutch braids, sleek ponytails, plain low ponytails, and braided ponytails are a few hairstyles to try for school.
4. What are some tips for personalizing your hairstyles?
Add fun accessories like beads, headbands, or colorful scarves to make your hairstyles unique. Get creative by trying different braid, twist, or bun patterns. This lets you show off your individuality and make each style your own.
Hair and hairstyles have always been a part of their identity in black teenage girls. The wide variety of hair textures and hairstyles runs deep in black families. Choose one from these exciting and unique hairstyles for your black teenage girl. You can even use faux locs (or synthetic hair) or wigs for these hairstyles. Crochet braids are techniques that help you attach hair extensions to natural hair. If you want permanent curls, you can go for perm treatments too. These hairstyles will add a unique touch to your teen’s appearance and personality. You may also note that these hairstyles are not just for black teens but also people with similar hair textures.
Infographic: How To Take Care Of Afro Curls?
Afro curls are a unique hair type that needs extra care and attention. Check out some tips on maintaining and washing Afro curls in the infographic below. Knowing these tips will help you keep your hair healthy and clean, allowing you to design them in different hairstyles.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Braided buns are an excellent hairstyle for girls with thick and voluminous hair despite taking time and effort.
- Afro puff, natural curls, and bouncy curls are some hairstyles requiring little effort.
- Cornrows are easy to maintain and can be worn for three to six weeks, making them ideal for little black girls.
Illustration: Cute Hairstyles For Black Teenage Girls
Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team
Personal Experience: Source
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Thick hair don’t carehttps://medium.com/@lysha.dyane/thick-hair-dont-care-d205a1ae64f0
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