After my scissor happy self-inflicted trim which turned into me giving myself a bob, my hair is now much shorter than before. As a result, my ponytails really no longer have much use except for when I use them to tie back a section of hair during styling. So when I crave a different look or want to pull my hair up and out of my face, I have to get creative, and that’s where bantu knots come in. Since I can no longer do a half up-do with my ponytail without having a tiny puff sticking out I decided to try to pull my hair back minus the ponytails.

Half Up, Half Out With Bantu Knots

To achieve this look all you will need is a rat tail comb, small clips, gel and a head scarf.

  1. To begin I separated the front of my hair by parting from ear to ear and securing the back of my hair with a hair band.
  2. I then used my finger to part my hair on a slant from the front to back to create a small section on one side. I used my fingers so that the parts would not be too clean and would be easier to hide. I also slanted the part so that when all the sections were rolled and knotted they would meet at the center of my head.
  3. I pulled the section back rolled it around to forum a spiral then spun the spiral around itself to form a bantu knot and held the base of the knot in place with a small clip.
  4. I continued to part, roll and bantu knot all of the hair in the loose section.
  5. To hide the parts and smooth my edges, I dampened the front of my head and applied my gel then tied it down with a scarf. I did not use a brush, only my hands. This method not only works but helps to preserve your edges and gives a more naturally smooth look. Keep in mind that the longer you keep the scarf on, the more laid down your edges will be.
  6. After removing the scarf, I undid my hair at the back, fluffed it all out and went about my business.

How do you like to modify updo hairstyles for shorter hair?

No comments yet.