Quick & Easy Curly Hair Styles for Finals Week

Finals are right around the corner. Isn’t it crazy how fast they snuck up on you?

You probably can’t remember the last time you slept, and you’re thinking about the mountain of books piled up that you have to study even as you’re reading this.

During finals week, you simply don’t have time to indulge your hair playing, so what is a college curly to do? The answer is not to walk around looking like Cousin It’s daughter from hair neglect. Simply read on for fabulous tips on how to spice up your ‘fall back’ curly hair styles like the bun and twists or braids and avoid looking like the school librarian.

Wavy Hair (Type 2″>

My fav styles for when I need a break from my hair are twists, braids and wash and gos. Twists and braids last a long time, and wash and gos are really quick to do, which means less time spent on hair. So why not mix and match all of these styles for an overall look that’s fun, different and easy to do? For this look all you will need is your styler, bobby pins, a seamless ponytail and rubber bands.

1. Starting off with freshly washed hair, do a wash and go using your favorite styler. Then, grab random sections of hair and alternate braiding and twisting them and secure the ends with transparent rubber bands. The sections should be large enough that the braid or twist can be distinguished from your curls, but not large enough that they take over the style. Remember, you want a seamless fusion of waves, curls, twists and braids.
2. Now for the fun part! You can either put your hair into a cute ponytail or bun, or go the more exciting route and grab large sections of your hair, loosely spin it around itself and pin in into place using bobby pins at the nape of your neck for a low, messy, free form bun.
3. To complete the look, pull out a few sections from the bun, and allow a few curls to drape your face. Grab your favorite thin headband, and you’re done (a thin headband is best as you do not want a statement piece to detract from your style”>.

Tip: To prevent your rubber bands from tangling in you hair, dip them in a light oil like jojoba, and use a paper towel to blot off the excess. The oil will lubricate them and prevent them from snagging your hair. Remember to use scissors to cut out your rubber bands rather than unraveling them.

Curly Hair (Type 3″>

If you follow celebrity hair fashion, you know that side braids are in. For our straight haired sisters, recreating this style is just a matter of learning how to cornrow. For curly haired women, it becomes a little more complicated when working with a lot of volume — but it’s not impossible. To create this look you will need a rat-tail comb, thin seamless hair bands the color of your hair, a boar bristle brush and a styler of choice.

1. Using your rat-tail comb, section off a two to three inch section in the front of your hair from ear to ear. Gather the hair to one side of your head and use your boar bristle brush and your styler to smooth down the sides before securing it close to your ear.
2. Once finished, cornrow the hair normally to create the side braid. You can also just twist the individual sections, then grab two twists and begin to twist them together. When you have made a few rotations, add one more twist to either the twist in your left or right hand and continue to twist the three twists as if you only one in each hand. After a few more rotations, add another twist to the hand that only has one and continue your rotations. Continue to rotate and add twists to alternating hands until there are no more twists remaining. Twist your hair to the very end and secure your twisted or braided hair at the end with a hair band.
3. If your hair is not long enough to fall to your shoulder, then take your loose end and create a wheel with it by rolling it around itself. Position your wheel or pin curl against your head at the base, or slightly to the side of your last section and pin it in place with a bobby pin.
4. To complete the look, grab a large floppy flower and pin it near your ear on the same side as your braid.

Kinky Hair (Type 4″>

While doing my daily internet crawl for anything hair related, I came across a form of styling twists that is too gorgeous to be summed up in this one article. At first glance, it appears far too intricate to be attempted by the average curly, but in actuality, it is super easy to do. All you will need are bobby pins, a thin seamless hair band and a styler of your choice.

For long hair:

1. Gather your hair into a low, side ponytail and secure it with a seamless hair tie. Then, grab medium sections of your hair and twist them using your styler for hold. Continue to do this until there is no more loose hair in your ponytail.
2. Take one twist and begin to spin it around itself until it forms a wheel or a pin curl. Then, lay the pin curl against your head and pin it into place with a bobby pin. Continue to roll and pin the rest of your twists stopping to look in the mirror every so often to ensure that your pin curls create a bun shape. Feel free to layer your pin curls for more dimension.
3. Please note that smaller twists mean more pin curls, which will mean that you will have the ability to create a wider, more layered bun. However, if your twists are too small, you will not be able to pin curl them.

For short hair:

1. Instead of doing a ponytail, try flat twisting or cornrowing the front of your hair and twisting the back.
2. Doing a twist at a time, spin the twist around itself to create a wheel or pin curl and pin it to your head using a bobby pin. Repeat this until all of your twists have been turned into pin curls and bobby pinned.
3. Using a handheld mirror, take a peek at the back of your head and reposition any pin curls to hide any scalp that peeks through. If done correctly, you will have created a more whimsical take on the tired bun or created a rose garden of a style. For added interest, try clipping in small flowers or butterfly clips to keep with the flower theme.

Final Thoughts

There you have it ladies, three styles that will have your friends wondering how you found the time to have such wonderful hair and still get good grades.

Until then, remember to have love, peace and curly haired bliss!