When it's 90 degrees outside, the last thing anyone wants to do is plug in a sizzling flat iron and hold it close to the scalp. Because of that, heat-free hairstyles are practically made for summer months; they take way less effort, they give your hair a break from even more damaging elements, and they allow you to show off your natural, un-manipulated texture.
When we spotted Lupita Nyong'o in twists back in March, her hairstylist Vernon François said that the protective style was also a way to give her hair a rest. And even though she recently served us with four insanely fierce looks over at Cannes, those hairstyles still protected the health of her real curls. "I’m a big believer that if we don’t need to use heat, combs or hairspray, then I will do my best not to," says François. "If I design a hairstyle that can last a couple of days, we definitely try to embrace the look. It’s important to know that styling kinky hair every day can lead to hair loss and long-term damage."
Ahead, François gives us a how-to on achieving volume, height, and definition like Nyong'o... without heat.
"This was the first look we did at Cannes. I wanted to make [her hair] really chic with a modern twist, while still keeping it authentic to our heritage. I did a cornrow all around Lupita’s hairline and then I took an extension of braided hair and wove it through for more texture. The key to this particular style is keeping it soft by pulling out little pieces of the hair. I also used my SCALP NOURISH~ MENT Braids and Locs Spray to protect Lupita’s scalp and nourish the hair. This made Lupita feel very confident and fit very well with all the strong beautiful women in [her upcoming film] 355."
Photo: George Pimentel/WireImage.
"The Cannes red carpet is always a time for drama. I really wanted to bring the Afro puff to a space that I never really get to see it, by showing its true strength, softness, and elegance through texture. [We did a] high Afro ponytail with lots of volume, and a mini puff just off the centre at the front — like side bangs.
"I separated the two parts by using a braided extension piece. It was Lupita's idea for the braided bit — she wanted to show a slight difference in the two puffs. Every hairstyle I have created for Lupita has always been a collaborative effort with us both. We both share the same passion for loving kinky hair. I used some hair gel and my Mist~Nourishing Water for styling, plus some hair spray for hold. Lupita left for the red carpet feeling very beautiful, confident and strong."
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images.
"This hairstyle is a personal favourite, given the complexity and difficulty in getting this done on time. Plus, Lupita had expressed to me that she would love to try out this hairstyle, and I gladly welcomed the challenge. We spoke about how the sections would complement the Prada dress.
"Normally, doing something as technical as this can take up to three to four hours, but I did this in less than an hour and a half. I used a leave-in conditioner as a heat protector before using low heat to stretch the faux hair out. Then I made lots of triangle sections by adding long kinky extensions to emphasise Lupita’s natural texture and finished with elastic bands to give the pom-pom effect."
Photo: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images.
"This hairstyle was the continuation of the previous hairstyle I did three days before. Yes, Lupita kept it in! We added some beautiful gold hair pieces and pushed the hair to one side to create a beautiful asymmetric shape. I finished this look off with some shine spray and my Pure~ Fro Hold and Shine Serum."
Photo: Taylor Hill/Getty Images.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Jada Pinkett Smith Opens Up About Her Battle With Alopecia
Ariana Grande Gets Real About Whether She'll Ever Ditch Her Famous Hairstyle