As far as black women are concerned, we tend to face a dilemma with our locks. How do we enhance what we were born with without having the appearance of the nappy look, if you will. Yes, some black women can sport that all natural look well, but let's face it ladies, the look is not for everyone. And simply put, some women of color just don't want the natural look. The important thing to realize is that it's perfectly alright to ?enhance? your look by adding extensions or processing by whatever means you feel necessary to achieve the look that you want. But if you're anything like I am, you could use a little help now and then to determine the best look for you. This guide can act as a helping hand in making decisions for what look would work best suit you.



Facial shapes play a big part in your style! Is your facial shape oval, round, triangular, square, or heart shaped? Try this test?take a picture of yourself with your hair pulled back off of your face, then take a marker and outline the shape of your face. After you have determined your face shape, it's time to do a little research on which styles flatter which shapes. Okay, for instance, an oval shape with high cheek bones looks great with a layered bob. Bobs also look great on round faces with long necks. But the key here is to add some layers to your bob so that you don't accentuate the roundness of your face. If you do not have much of a neck, stay away from short hairstyles that accentuate your neckline!! Shorter hairstyles only draw more attention to your neck and will make your neck look even thicker and unattractive. If you have a heart shaped face, (your chin is pointed), you do not want to draw attention to your chin. Your best bet would be to stick with long layers, even if your hair is short. Go for some extensions to the sides of your hair. A defined part in the middle can accentuate your look. Square faces are trickier? if you have a square shaped face, you really need to avoid one length. Longer manes look really flattering to square faces. Try these tips and go for what looks best on your face shape.

Lace front wigs. These are the hottest things going right now, because they can give black women, and any woman for that matter, an opportunity to sport longer locks when they have difficulty growing their own hair. Celebrities like Tyra Banks, Beyonce, and Kelly Rowland wear lace fronts. These wigs are so natural and by far the easiest to care for. They tend to outlive extensions or other types of wigs. There aren't many drawbacks to lace front wigs because when you're ready to go back to your sexy chic cut, you just take your wig off. Black women have found a true new friend in these trendy natural wigs. But be ready to invest a few extra dollars in a lace front wig for quality. You will more than likely be happy with your investment.

Short cuts for black women. Who can forget when Halle Berry popularized the infamous cut in the movie ?Boomerang?? Well, the good news is that the short look is back! But be careful, you still have to adhere to what shape your face is. Not all black women will look like Halle. It's just not for everyone. If you do have the proper facial shape for the short cut, (oval, long, and heart) you can go with the short-layered look like Halle. It is important to keep this maintained. There's nothing worst than to let a sexy look go bad by not keeping your scheduled salon appointments.

Leave the braids for the teens. Braids are very convenient, but don't always appeal to everyone. My suggestion is that if you are in the corporate world, it's really best to avoid braids. If you're an entertainer or work outdoors often, braids may be your answer. Braids are also great for college students and young children. But once, you're a big girl, let go of the braids and go for a classier professional look. I don't personally have anything against braids, just consider your environment before you go with this look.

This guide is only the tip of the iceberg for the myriad of black styles that black women can explore. Be sure to stick with what's flattering to you, not just what's trendy, if it doesn't compliment you. If you experiment with different types of styles and discover what is best for your look, you will be happy with your final product. Just like a fine work of art, it takes time to perfect your final piece after much care and touch ups. The final product is a newer, happier, more stylish, and up to date you!!