Health and safety regulations often require the wearing of helmets. Finding a hairstyle that fits under the helmet, looks good and keeps hair protected can be a challenge.
Braiding Hair and Biker's Braids
For men and women alike, braids are often the best hairstyle for wearing under helmets. Styles such as French and Dutch braids sit snugly against the head, preventing the hair from rubbing into a tangled mess against the helmet. Braids can be tucked under a motorbike jacket for extra protection, and in a dusty workplace have the added advantage of staying cleaner than loose hair.
Learning how to braid hair takes practice, but is not difficult; and a wide variety of styles and combinations are available to vary your day-to-day look. For those with very thick hair, classic braids may fit better under the helmet than a single thick braid. Men often prefer herringbone braids, which require some time to create but can last for several days.
If braiding seems too daunting, a biker's braid may be an easier option. The simplest biker's braid is a ponytail, secured at intervals down the length with hair elastics. Motorcycle and online stores also sell biker's braid accessories, usually made of leather, which confine and protect the hair. These accessories are usually tubes, closed with criss-crossing thongs, which are placed around a ponytail. Other versions are more open-style and provide the illusion of a braid when criss-crossed around a ponytail; however, these do not protect the hair to the same extent.
Bunning Hair For Bike Helmets
If the helmet is of a type which does not cover the entire back of the head, such as a road bike helmet, low buns at the nape of the neck can be formed. Buns have an advantage over braids in that they stay put; swinging braids can be a hazard around machinery. Braids can be coiled around and pinned to the head to create flat buns; other simply options include a cinnamon bun or (for shorter hair) a sock bun.
Protecting Hair Inside a Helmet
If the helmet has rough or sharp edges inside like some swordfighting helmets, a kerchief tied over the head may protect against snags. Padded helmets should not be worn with heavily gelled hairstyles, as the lining will absorb product and become greasy.
Long hair can easily become damaged when riding a motorbike due to wind and dust. Protect the fragile ends of hair by tucking the bottom of the braid up under itself and pinning, or by hiding the braid under the motorbike jacket. For long journeys, oiling the length of the braid can help prevent hair from drying out. Avoid soiling the helmet by only oiling hair from the nape of the neck down.
