short 4c Hairstyles
Having short 4c hair can be challenging. Especially, if you are completely natural and looking for protective styles, that won’t damage your natural hair.
Since my big chop in 2020 I’ve been in the same boat. So, it’s been fun trying out different natural hairstyles and getting better at them.
In this post, I am sharing 10 easy 4c hairstyles for short hair that look beautiful and will make you fall in love with your natural hair.
10 beginner-friendly short 4c hairstyles
1) 4c Hair High Puff
The 4c hair high puff is a quick short natural hairstyle that you can rock anytime, without having to do much work.
In essence, it’s a simple ponytail that features your short afro up top instead of…well a ponytail.
All you need for it is a hair tie, a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush, some coconut oil to keep it moisturized, and finally some 4c hair gel to help you sleek back your natural hair.
Depending on the look you are going for, you won’t need hair extensions, however, you can always add a drawstring ponytail if you like.
For a beautifully detailed guide, check out Noellean’s simple tutorial for short 4c hair here.
2. Flat Twists
Another simple style for short 4c hair is flat twists. Very clean, easy to do, and a great hairstyle if you are looking to grow your 4c hair.
You start by detangling and stretching out your natural hair for optimal length. After that, you simply section your hair into two parts of your liking.
To successfully flat twist your hair you take a small strand of your hair in the front and divide it into two pieces.
Bring your bottom piece to the top, while grabbing the top piece with your bottom hand. Keep feeding into the two pieces as you move forward.
And if you do not know how to flat-twist, don’t worry this Flat Twist tutorial shows you step-by-step how to achieve this beautiful protective style.
3. Halo Braid
Probably one of my favorite styles for short 4c hair is the stunning halo braid with weave.
This sleek and princess-like hairstyle attracts everybody’s attention when you step into the room and it’s perfect for shorter hair too.
All you need to achieve a halo braid on short 4c natural hair is to sleek it back very tightly and then add a bundle of jumbo braiding hair to it.
Of course, to look extra cute, you want to make sure you lay your edges with some edge control.
For a very easy tutorial on how to create this stunning look, check out Mona B.’s tutorial here.
4. Mohawk
The Mohawk or in our case Frohawk is a fun and trendy protective hairstyle for short natural 4c hair that you can rock on any day of the week.
Simply start by picking out your hair into a nice fro with as much volume as you can achieve.
Then use a hard bristle brush to smooth your hairline back and start pinning your sides down with bobby pins.
For more security apply the bobby pins in an X-formation, meaning one across the other. Here is a detailed tutorial, check out this video at 3:20 min.
5. Space Buns
There is only one thing better than an updo as a protective hairstyle on 4c hair, and that is two updos.
Space buns are a great way to look cute on a lazy hair day because they are quick and easy to do. And the best part is if you have short 4c hair you can just add some natural 4c hair clip-ins or braiding hair to get bigger buns.
Follow MsNaturallyMary’s tutorial at 5:20 for a quick tutorial on space buns.
6. Half up/ half down
For this short 4c hairstyle you will either need clip-in 4c hair extensions or have to crochet kinky hair in the back.
Either way, the look can be rocked with short hair or medium-length 4c hair.
To get started with the style, you want to first section off your hair into two parts, with the top part being smaller than the back part.
Next, you want to use edge control to smooth down your edges and achieve a sleek look on the top bun.
After that, all you need to do is to fluff out your back hair either into a fro or add some clip-ins for the desired length.
Full half up/half down tutorial by Chev B. here.
7. Low Sleek Bun
The low sleek bun is a classic and probably the sexiest hairstyle of all. It’s a perfect style for date night or a special event.
In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a 4c hair bun, in general.
You can rock the bun naturally without adding any extensions or go all out with a long sleek ponytail or a big puff in the back.
The best way to achieve this very slick look is to add some leave-in conditioner to your hair and section it into smaller parts.
After that, you add eco styling gel and brush all your hair to the back using a smoothing brush.
Al there is left to do now is to wrap the braiding hair extensions around your small ponytail for a thicker bun.
It is a very simple hairstyle but if you need a step-by-step guide, check out this low sleek bun tutorial.
8. Sleek Top Bun
The sleek top bun follows the same steps as the low sleek bun with the difference that you brush your hair upwards rather than to the back.
Here as well you can add extensions or braiding hair as you like. See how it’s done here.
9. Wash’n’go
Do you know what your natural curl pattern looks like? As a 4c hair Naturalista, it’s easy to assume that your hair is just kinky and not curly.
But even those little curls can be defined.
While a wash n go is still outside of my comfort zone and I have yet to try it, I find it a great style if you have a teeny weeny afro (TWA).
While the process takes a litter longer than other short 4c hairstyles, it is still worth a try.
Ashley Boatemaa gives you a very detailed look at how to define your natural curls on 4c hair.
10. Twist Out
And of course, this list would not be complete one of the most popular healthy 4c hairstyles for short hair. The good ole twist out.
The best way to achieve this bouncy look on your hair, you want to use my beloved LOC method. This will avoid frizz and define your curls better.
While it’s not easy to get twist outs right every time on short natural hair, this video will teach you the perfect twist-out in 10 minutes.
With all these beautiful 4c short natural hairstyles highlighted above, you will be inspired to rock your own hair all summer, without needing the help of a hairstylist.
Just make sure you keep your 4c hair well moisturized.
4c Hairstyles I wear often:
While a protective style can be fun and braids can be low-maintenance the freedom of wearing natural hair out is the best. Here are some of my favorites, that I wore recently:
