Hairstyles are the different ways hair is cut, arranged, braided, twisted, curled, straightened or decorated.
They can change your appearance, express your personality, complement your face shape and suit different occasions.
For African hair, particularly natural 4C hair, the choices are extensive.
You can wear your hair in its natural texture, braid it, twist it, loc it, straighten it temporarily, add extensions or combine several techniques.
Table of Contents
1. Braids Hairstyle Kenya
Braids are created by interweaving three or more strands of hair.
They can be worn close to the scalp or individually hanging from the head.
Popular types include:
Best Kenyan Braids Styles #1: Box braids
Individual braids installed in sections, often square-shaped.
Beautiful Kenyan Women Hairstyles #2: Knotless Braids
Individual braids that begin with natural hair before extensions are gradually added.
- Cornrows: Braids formed close to the scalp in straight, curved or decorative patterns.
- Feed-in braids: Cornrows created by gradually adding hair for a smooth, tapered appearance.
- Pencil braids: Very narrow cornrows.
- Fulani braids: A combination of cornrows and individual braids, often decorated with beads.
- Goddess braids: Braids incorporating loose curly strands.
- Micro braids: Extremely small individual braids.
- French curl braids: Braids with long, loose curls at the ends.
- Stitch braids: Cornrows with distinct, regularly spaced parting lines.
2. Twisted Kenyan hairstyles Including Kenyan Bob Braids)
Twists are formed by winding two strands of hair around each other.
They can be done using natural hair alone or with extensions.
Popular variations include:
- Two-strand twists
- Flat twists
- Senegalese twists
- Passion twists
- Marley twists
- Havana twists
- Kinky twists
- Mini twists
- Twist-outs
A twist-out is achieved by unraveling previously installed twists to produce defined curls or waves.
3. Natural Hairstyles
Natural hairstyles showcase the hair’s own texture without chemically straightening it.
Some popular choices are:
- Afro: Hair picked or shaped into a rounded, full style.
- TWA: Teeny weeny afro, a very short natural haircut.
- Wash-and-go: Curls defined using water and styling products.
- Finger coils: Small, individually defined coils.
- Afro puff: Natural hair gathered into one or more puffs.
- Bantu knots: Sections of hair twisted and wrapped into small knots.
- Coil-outs: Defined coils created by styling and separating sections.
- Natural updos: Hair arranged into buns, rolls or pinned shapes.
4. Loc Hairstyles
Locs are formed when strands of hair become intertwined and develop into permanent or long-term rope-like sections.
Different types include:
- Traditional locs
- Sisterlocks
- Microlocs
- Freeform locs
- Interlocked locs
- Faux locs
- Soft locs
- Goddess locs
Locs can be worn short, long, loose, gathered into buns or styled into elaborate updos.
5. Short Hairstyles and Haircuts
Short hairstyles are created by cutting the hair into a particular shape or length.
Examples include:
- Pixie cut
- Tapered cut
- Buzz cut
- Bald cut
- TWA
- Mohawk
- Faux hawk
- Undercut
- Asymmetrical cut
- Short afro
- Bob haircut
Short hair can be natural, relaxed, texturized or temporarily straightened.
6. Straight Hairstyles
Straight hairstyles can be achieved through heat styling, wigs, weaves or chemical straightening.
Popular styles include:
- Silk press
- Sleek straight hair
- Blunt cut
- Straight bob
- Layered straight hair
- Side-parted straight hair
- Middle-parted straight hair
- Ponytail
- Straight hair with bangs
A silk press temporarily straightens natural hair using heat without permanently altering its curl pattern.
7. Curly and Wavy Hairstyles
Curly and wavy hairstyles add movement, volume and texture.
Some examples are:
- Finger waves
- Spiral curls
- Bouncy curls
Photo credits: Desertcart