Beyoncé’s Natural Curls Might Be Her Best Hairstyle Of All Time

As a master of reinvention, Beyoncé’s hairstyles are always both dramatic and highly glamorous. Sometimes she makes volume the star of the show, opting for a towering updo or a teased crown. Other times, she puts color at center stage by straighten her long, honey blonde hair to show off its dimensional tones. But really, her most impactful style of them all might end up being the one she was born with. Beyoncé’s natural curls, in the spotlight during a special Cowboy Carter album signing on April 13, are the dreamiest combination of texture, shape, height, and fullness. She’s worn the effortlessly elegant look plenty of times before, but it’s never cooler than paired with her recently-developed Western-inspired aesthetic.

Bey showed up at the signing in a casual version of her now-signature country-cool style, complete with a long plaid duster, brown ombré aviators, an American flag-print manicure, and a shirt featuring Linda Martell, widely recognized as the music genre’s first commercially-successful Black female musician. Beyoncé’s thick, lush curls spill all the way down past her elbows, emphasizing the alternating gold- and butter-blonde highlights streaked throughout. The color itself is a bit of a departure from the silvery platinum she’s had through her album’s early promotional days, but it’s every bit as luminous.

It’s clear that the spiral-shaped curls are her born-with-it texture, but there’s always a chance they’re partially boosted by thin flexi rods. However, the way they have more definition through the top two-thirds of her hair indicate that she indeed is all-natural.

The shape and structure of her blonde curls also are fully aligned with similar looks throughout her career. At an appearance on Total Request Live in 2007 (throwbaaack), her hair is virtually identical to 2024 save for the color.

Regardless of A-list superstar status, the key to maintaining healthy curls like Bey’s are an emphasis on moisture and protection. You likely already have a silk pillowcase, hair wrap, or bonnet, but be sure to give your hair plenty of time off from heat treatments and styling when you can — and a thick, occlusive masque is always a good idea for a self-care Sunday. When in doubt, just think, What would Beyoncé do?