Hijab Hairstyles: How to Wear Your Hair Underneath

If you've ever worn a hijab, you can probably relate to the flat, lifeless hair you see after you've removed your veil. No matter how bouncy, curly and vibrant your locks were this morning, come 7pm, they're but a shadow of their former selves - but it doesn't have to be this way. Today, we're showing our fellow hijabis how you can style your hair underneath your headscarf - making your morning routine a breeze.

The toolkit 

Sometimes a small amount of product can make or break how your hair looks before and after wearing your hijab. Here are our top picks:

• Sea salt spray: Before you put on your veil but after you've styled your hair, use a small amount of sea salt spray to add hold and texture
• Hairspray: For even more hold, use a light spritz of hairspray - just make sure your hair's dry before you wrap your hijab!
• Dry shampoo: No matter how you prepare your hair, it's never going to look the exact way it did before wearing a hijab. To quickly breathe life back into your hair once you've removed your veil, try rubbing a small amount of dry shampoo into your roots
• Patience: The preparation involved with hijab-suitable hairstyles requires patience if you're to get the best results - so be willing to have it take time!

The hairstyles 

1. Ponytail or bun

For those days when your time is limited, a ponytail is a simple, easy solution to most of your hijab-hair woes. But this quickness does come at a price. This hairstyle can cause tension throughout the day, damaging your hair, and may even unravel if positioned too high, so try and make it a low ponytail or bun if possible - or, even better, use one of the methods below.

2. French braid 

The king of hijab hairstyles, a French braid will prevent tension, stay together and hold both your shorter and longer locks of hair in place. This hairstyle does require time to do, so it's often best if you wash it the night before and then braid it before sleep. French braids remain in style year after year, so even after you've removed your veil you'll look and feel great.

3. Traditional braid

A handy middle-ground between a ponytail's quickness and a French braid's effectiveness, a traditional braid is quicker to do, while adding less tension to your hair than a rushed ponytail. This makes traditional braids one of our favourite hairdos when you want to prevent hair damage but don't have the time for French braids.

Taking care of your hair 

As a hijabi, you probably spend most of your time with your hair covered - but this doesn't mean that it should be neglected. Here are some tips for keeping your hair's condition intact:

• Get some sun: Without exposure to the sun, your locks will struggle to get the Vitamin D they need to stay full of life, so consider sitting by a private window for 30 minutes with a book when you're not wearing a veil at home
• Don't wear wet hair under your hijab: Sometimes time is short, but heading outside while your hair is still drying under your hijab will only cause your strands to snap and frizz up, causing damage over time
• Remember to brush: With your hair covered during the day, it can be tempting to forego a brush every now and again - but without a brush at least every other day, you're risking your twisted hair becoming split

Preparing and taking care of your hair doesn't have to take a lifetime. With today's tips, you can keep your hair full of life from morning to night.

How do you choose to prepare your hair? Let us know on Instagram @abayabuth!

Until next time,

AbayaButh xx