With Lupita Nyongo’s short hair making her stand out among other ethnic celebrities in Hollywood who prefer longer hair, I thought it would be a good idea to see what options you have for short hairstyles for African hair. Most people think having short hair is boring, but if you choose the right style for your head shape, you will rock this look very well.

Relaxing your short locks
Relaxing your short hair makes it much easier to manage. A good relaxer cream will make your hair easy to comb and style. In addition, it looks neat, has a healthy shine and looks sophisticated

Get a good haircut
You can decide to go all bald, but a good hair cut can make you look less like a boy and more like a lady with short hair. Consider a cut with shorter sides and a longer top. This does not have to look like you are channeling your inner Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Find a good barber and explain to them that you are aiming for a high-top hair style that is also elegant.

The Mohawk
This is a hairstyle women, especially ethnic women, have managed to make their own. Those who decide to cut their hair can rock an easy to maintain Mohawk. You can choose the length of the Mohawk and whether you want to leave it natural or relax it…and even whether to colour it.

Colour treat/tint
Tinting short hair is a fantastic way of making your look truly yours. It says you are a modern independent woman in charge of her life. You can choose a colour that suits your skin tone. But if you want to be safe, auburn generally works well for all African skin tones.

Create a parting
This can be done by either shaving the parting, or by separating your hair and holding it in place with a good styling product. Shaving the parting has the major disadvantage of looking untidy when the hair starts growing back. A parting gives your short hair a unique aspect that looks modern and sophisticated.

Accessorize!
This will take ordinary short hair and make it classy, sophisticated and elegant. Choose something sparkly for an evening out and something playful for a Saturday afternoon braai….and have fun!

Obviously you can manipulate each of these hairstyles to suit your personality and style. Short hair does not have to be boring. It can be styled to suit any occasion, from a wedding to an office meeting.

Article by: Sharon Kariwo