If you're in the mood for braids, but want to spend minimal time doing them or getting them done, and want to wear your own length, without the fuss of hair-stretching...all while looking summer time effortless, then this easy and fun braids & beads natural hairstyle is for you. Oh, and did I mention no cornrowing?
I decided that I could live my best Summer 2019 life, by wearing my hair in various twist or braid styles. I am not planning a vacation, but I still wanted an "exotic" look that would last a while so I could focus on other things.
Before I got started, I envisioned a simple pattern for parting...one that was going to be quick, but not have me looking completely juvenile. After I got an idea of how I wanted to proceed, I washed my hair, and used a combination of comb and finger parting; I wasn't concerned about perfection, but I did take some time to brick-lay the parts. If you're a stickler for parting, then girl gone and do your thing.
Anywho, after I decided on the pattern and parting, I plaited each section with
brists going in the direction I wanted them to fall; I have a total of 16. (By the way, a
brist is done by braiding your hair at the base, then at some point along the way, you finish off by twisting -- braid + twist = brist). For me, it's the best option, because they last longer, don't frizz as quickly as twists, and are faster and easier to take down then braids. BOOM
For natural looking laid edges, I used
Fantasia IC Hair Polisher Styling Gel; it's light, yet effective. I had this gel for a while now, and am just now really using it. Although the label reads "Hair Polisher" I wasn't really anticipating any shine...I was surprised that it did.
Now, for the fun part. I HAD to have beads to elevate the style in a boho sorta way. I LOVE hair adornments, and beads/loc jewels have to be among my favorite! For visual interest, I opted for a mixture of sterling silver, wood, cowry shells, and Pandora-style glass beads. To save time, I used a hair-beading tool, and was careful to distribute the beads so that they're light weight, but heavy enough to weigh my hair down (for some length).
I had the sterling silver beads from when I used to make beaded jewelry. I like to get beads from various places; craft stores, thrift stores, and even from old jewelry pieces; so before you shop, search your stash! You can also get them online; my preferences are Ebay or Amazon. To make it easy for you, I included a few hyperlinks and photos for you to click on above.
To maintain my natural braid style, I occasionally apply
Argan oil down the length of the braids. Sometimes I do this in the morning, or before bed; either or seems to work just fine. This particular oil makes my hair feel soft and conditioned, adds shine, and doesn't leave my hair feeling oily.

I've been wearing this all natural braided hairstyle for close to 2 weeks, and I still get compliments on it. That makes me feel like it's doing good on the low-frizz meter. This style is extremely easy to do, and is giving me the vibe I've been looking for, without spending a lot of time on it, AND with no extensions. This time, I did 16 brists; I may split up a few for an even 20...iono yet; you might want to do more. Try it out and let me know how you love it!
Thanks for reading!
RallyGirl♥