How Natasha Pickowicz Styles Her Rapunzel Hair
Natasha Pickowicz has incredible hair, and a lot of it. As a chef and author (her new cookbook, Everyone Hot Pot, just came out!), she also has a physically demanding job that requires it to be out of the way. “When I first started, I’d pull it up in tight bun or ponytail, and it gave me TERRIBLE headaches,” she says. Through trial and error, Natasha found a fun style that works, and it couldn’t be easier…
Says Natasha:
“My hair is thick and coarse, like a lot of Chinese hair. To keep it out of my face, I pull the top section back into a small bun or half-ponytail with a hair accessory. I prefer giant accessories that are ‘in proportion’ to my hair, like huge floppy scrunchies. If you can find them on sale, Ganni ones hold their elastic well and come in great prints. My other tip is to go to Asian supermarkets or snack shops — like Daiso, H Mart, or Teso — to get cute Korean or Japanese hair accessories for cheap.”
“I also love wearing giant bows high on my head, Minnie Mouse style. And oversized claw clips, which are ’90s/Wet Seal coded. I go through SO many of these XL bobby pins, which are the only pins that keep my thick hair in place.”
“Finally, I’ve been wearing this gold ribbon as my lucky charm on my cookbook tour. It’s lucky to wear gold during the Lunar New Year. I like it kind of wrinkly/floppy, so it doesn’t look too twee. This one was literally the wrapping from a gift my friend Maria gave me at my book party.”
Also, how cool is this illustration of Natasha by João Fazenda in a recent New Yorker???
What hair accessories do you like? Do you have a signature hair look? And thank you, Natasha! Congratulations on Everyone Hot Pot!
P.S. Another easy hair trend (so good for warmer weather), and three tricks for parting your hair.
(Top photo of Natasha Pickowicz by Alex Lau. Second photo by Elena Mudd. Book signing photo by Danielle G. Adams.)
Comments
66 commentsWow, not everyone could pull off wearing a great big bow, but she does! It really looks so natural and fantastic on her!
You have beautiful hair and I love the gold ribbon!
My cousin sells these amazing gold hairpins on her site, and I swear by them. They are a beautiful object on their own, and they manage to tame my very thick, coarse, and unruly hair up into a bun, but would also work equally well on thinner hair. https://shopreedclarke.com/products/gold-4-hair-pin
I’d honestly be pissed if I was as gorgeous as Natasha and THAT was the illustration of me in the New Yorker.
I thought the exact same thing! Yay for praise and recognition of hard work and accomplishments. Boo for a mediocre & bland artistic rendering!
RIGHT? This illustrator has been getting some heat lately about the way he draws people of color (just google the artist’s name and Wunmi Mosaku) and after seeing this illustration too it seems like he just isn’t a great cariacaturist. His other stuff is pretty good though!
Agreed! It does NOT look like her to me. Neither did the one of Wunmi Mosaku!
Ouch, pls let’s not be so harsh with creative people! It isn’t easy to put your stuff out there and sometimes it isn’t perfect, but that is part of the process. From what I saw in the link, he has some pretty wonderful work and creative ideas!
Anon, he is not “putting his work out there”, he is being commissioned and paid for it. This caricature of Natasha looks nothing like her, and I also looked up the Wunmi Mosaku caricature – I would have been pissed off if that had been me! Especially given a lot of his other work looks great. In his position, I’d want to receive this feedback so that I could address this going forward, because it’s not a good look.
I actually do think it looks like her! one thing that might help to know — the illustration was for the short piece about Natasha in the new yorker’s “talk of the town” section at the beginning of the magazine. the pieces always have this style of simple illustration, since it’s not a full feature piece that would normally be much more detailed/colorful/etc.
Gorgeous blue shirt!!
So lovely! I’d love to know where Natasha got the shirt :)
It’s sezane from 3-4 years ago!
Ohh I was so glad when I saw this article since Natasha has been my hair inspiration since her Week of Outfit from a few years ago (I have long black Mediterranean hair). I like to use scrunchies (that we call « chouchous » in French) and I’ve started a collection from this cute brand https://coucousuzette.com/collections/barrettes Bisous from Paris !
this is so cute!
I love chou chous and I am a huge fan of https://kmellia.com/ (I have no affiliation, and their scrunchies are expensive!!!! But so beautiful, durable and totally dress up a bun)
When cooking: https://www.scunci.com/1-pk-no-slip-crown-jaw-clip/1783603A048.html When driving: Style with a French braid (more comfortable against a headrest 😉)
Spin pins! I have thick wavy hair that’s only gotten more wild now that I’m mostly gray. And the spiral pins keep it in place better than any bobby pin I’ve ever tried. They look scary but are so comfortable I can even sleep in them! Goody makes a version, as does Kitsch https://www.ulta.com/p/brown-bun-twists-pimprod2010336?sku=2553139
I am always surprised how few people seem to know about the magic of spin pins. They are genius.
I am obsessed with these too – they work great on my fine, wavy hair!
Love spin pins for my thick, long hair. And no creases!
I’m blessed with thick hair too, but my strands are more fine. My sister has very course, curly thick hair. I cut mine shorter this year ( it’s just below my shoulders) and I’m glad I did. It’s just too much work, I know why older women cut their hair, but I can’t do the short look. I like the the more expensive claw clips because my hair is think. The cheap plastic ones break too easily. Made in France
Oral minoxidil- ask your derm.
Oh, I wanted to see a back view of your hair so badly! Love the bows. I have insanely thick, course, kinda curly hair. It’s always been thick but got much thicker and heavier when I had kids. I have to wear it down almost always, because of headaches, and miss high ponytails and braids. I’ve learned that a low, side ponytail is bearable for a few hours so long as my hair tie isn’t too tight, and I love to add bows to them!
Love Natasha’s look and I got her new cookbook.
So pretty! Jealous! My whole life I’ve had really thick hair but in the last year it has gotten sooo thin, like a quarter of what it used to be (really stressful year—betrayal trauma in my marriage) so I really hope it comes back. Does anyone have any recommendations for hair growth?
Nutrafol is expensive (about $88/month), but it does work really well.
I should also add that it takes about three months to see the results.
From personal experience: a massive life stress can, via the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal/thyroid interconnection, seriously tank thyroid function, one big cause of hair loss. Consider having this tested, and I wish you healing (with the support you seek, by your own chosen method) xo
10k mgs biotin a day for hair growth along with conscious breathwork or sweaty exercise or whatever releases stress for you and puts your system in a smooth, pleasant flow. 20 min, media-free walks IN or at least observing NATURE – are an ideal, easy way and easy to squeeze in.
I am so sorry about your marriage. Life can be so f*cking hard and painful. What you probably experienced with your hair is called telogen effluvium. It usually reverses on its own. But because it does, many, MANY supplements and shampoos that actually do *~nothing~* to regrow your hair will get credit for reversing the hair loss. This is because people who go through telogen effluvium take the supplements during the time when their hair would grow back anyway, and they credit the supplements/therapies/what-have-yous with the regrowth. This leads to a lot of unfortunate misinformation and wasted cash. My advice is to take good care of yourself as much as you can, google telogen effluvium, and approach supplements with healthy skepticism. There is a happier life waiting for you on the other side of this bullshit.
Minoxidil! 5% and the buy the men’s version. The women’s is exactly the same but way more expensive due to pink tax. ERRRRRR
Nutrafol and similar are scams. No evidence base, and possibly in some cases associated with liver damage. When people see “results” it’s likely what the other commenter noted – just your own regrowth that would have happened anyway
I second the advice to get bloodwork done, specifically your thyroid.
See a doctor – there are some medical reasons for hair loss (thyroid issues, anemia) but many women have hair loss for the same reason men have hair loss – aging and genetics. There is a LOT of woo woo out there and you could spend $$$ on shit that doesn’t have any science behind it. There are a few drugs that have shown clear results for women with this kind of hair loss. Oral minoxidil is a great option that has shown excellent results and the earlier you start, the more hair you can salvage. Obvs talk to your doctor, this shouldn’t be interpreted as medical advice (but I am an MD and I use oral minox for this purpose). Good luck!
Anon, I just wanted to say giant hugs, and that my hair DID come back after a massive illness (OG COVID in March 2020). I lost around 50% of the hair on my head, and almost all my body hair. (The body hair never returned in full force–woo hoo!) So there is hope, even for people in their forties like me. Best of luck to you, and everyone who struggles with this issue.
1. I’m so sorry friend. 2. Go to the Dr and get checked out, especially ferritin. 3. Do minoxidil, pills. Super safe. Effective. Cheap. And safe for pets, the topical IS NOT SAFE FOR PETS.
Thank you, everyone, for weighing in and for your kind words. I am making note of all of these suggestions!
Sending love, and +1ing the minoxidil 5%. A lifetime of disordered eating plus IVF plus two babies plus Covid twice wreaked HAVOC on my once thick hair. ‘Men’s’ minoxidil (topical from Costco), on my dermatologist’s recommendation turned it around. I tell everyone single person I know because NOBODY talks about it! I saw results in three months and now two years later I’ll never stop using it!!!! (Before minoxidil I tried supplements, nutrafol, all the oils!)
Sorry for your trauma…but if it fits into your budget, I’d try Nutrafol…after checking with a dermatologist first. It was recommended to me by my Derm, after medical causes were ruled out. She also suggested Minoxidil, but that didn’t appeal to me…I didn’t want to put it on my scalp daily…the pills weren’t available. Nutrafol works for me…I used it for almost a year and stopped due to cost, but my hair started thinning again. Went back to it and happy with my results. YMMV, of course!
Ooh, I also have long, coarse, heavy hair. When I put my hair up, the weight sort of drags everything down so there’s no volume at the crown. It’s an eternal struggle haha. I’d love to know how Natasha deals with this!
When I wear my hair up it’s usually in a giant bun/knot at the VERY top of my head, so gravity can’t take it all down, haha. But lately I’ve been wearing ponytails at the very nape of my neck which feels so easygoing!
my hair is thick,wavy, enough for two heads and growing super fast. when I wear it down I get complimented a lot. I hate washing it though and find it hard to manage the longer it gets. trying out some 4cm hair spirals at the moment but I see the inevitable chop coming in the summer. every 2-3 years I go for a radical fade pixie and it feels amazing. hoping to donate the hair this time. does anyone have experience?
Go for it, Elisabeth! I have donated to the Little Princess Trust, they ask for 12in of untreated hair to make wigs for kids. My hairdresser is familiar with the process (cut off the pony tail and put into ziploc bag). Different organisations have their specific requirements, most of them want at least 10-12in length so it’s easier to weave into wigs.
I donated mine to locks of love a couple of times and it was super easy — but they do have length limits and it can’t be dyed/treated!
Love this idea, Elisabeth! I’m getting my thick heavy hair cut short next week to donate to Locks of Love :) the hair pieces need to be 10in minimum length. I’ve done it a couple times now. Because I have layers, my hairdresser makes multiple ponytails around my head to maximize the donation. Sending in the hair is super easy and you get a little certificate if you ask for it. And of course the joy of knowing someone’s enjoying your lovely hair!
thanks, everyone :-) feeling really pumped now. my hair is not dyed or treated. I take it, silvers are not a problem then?
Love. Natasha wore a sandy liang hair bow to a book signing I attended and it was perfect !! Thank you from another person with thick (Japanese) hair ♡
Yes!! It was a book gift to myself and I wear it ALL the time , I love SL xxx
Up until my 30th bday my hair was very long. Always played with styles and accessories, cutting it shorter changed my routine but made caring for it easier. These days its shoulder length and often in a hair tie, bandana bun or tied scarf. Your style is perfect and practical! Win! On the Hotpot love-heading to the local Kpot Fri night to enjoy and take notes! Congrats on your latest book!
Thank you !!! Yum hope it’s delicious!
I wanted to actually see her Rapunzal hair. :(
What a pretty hairstyle! It looks fab on you Natasha! The bows in particular – so charming. This post seems like the perfect place to ask a question I’ve long wanted to put before the COJ collective. I have finely textured hair that is quite straight. I want to be able to brush my bangs to the side, but they will have no part in that – maybe for a short time, but before long they’re straight down again. I’ve tried products, but my hair is so fine that they all look super obvious; thick and goopy, even hairspray. I’d love any recommendations if someone has found a solution to a similar problem.
Britt, have you tried either hair putty or hair wax to help shape and stay your hair? I’ve had some success with both as well as dry shampoo for added body. When I go for a hair cut I asked the stylist for help and together we tried out products during my appt.
I would second the wax. I just use my husbands wax pomade. A teeny teeny bit warmed up in my hands. However, I’m at the age of embracing everything, no fuss, no muss.
My hair is very fine, slightly wavy, and pretty dry. My favorite product for texture is New Grease from anbholistics.com
I am from Germany- so I dont know if its the Same Name in the US- I use volume „powder“. Just put a Little on the roots of the hair you want to Style and you can actually Kind of Grab Into the hair by the Root all day Long again to get more volume or put it in Place. I Hope my Description makes any Sense at all.
I just started using R + Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste and it’s great for my bangs (esp since it prevents them from getting greasy on day 2, while holding a style). That, and no-crease hair clips! After washing, I dry the bangs, add the paste by melting it between my fingers and applying to roots & ends, comb and clip into place. I dry the rest of my hair or let that stay in for a bit. Take the clips out and adjust, but it should stay close to that shape.
Natasha has gorgeous hair! The bows are very fun. Lottie, a wonderful body positive influencer (dear friends with Laura from GBBO) wears them a lot in the same way. Just in case anyone wants more inspo. https://www.instagram.com/lottiedrynan?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== I love stretchy soft wide hair bands. They hide not quite clean hair, keep my long hair out of my face, allow me botox bangs but with an easy out, and give a little pop of color too. And no headaches or adjusting because they are so stretchy and soft. They accommodate glasses really easily too.
Lottie’s pics are so lovely!
Thanks for the Instagram link. I’ve gained a lot of weight in the last two years (argh, perimenopause) and it’s so nice to see body positive folks on Instagram.
But what about keeping it out of the food? I have hair like Natasha’s, and if I don’t pull it all back into a ponytail while cooking, I’ll inevitably find it in our meal.
Oh yes sometimes I’ll throw it into a pony when I’m cooking but usually it stays where it needs to be when I’m making food (which is all the time!)
I also love to use my surplus of scrunchies to keep my long sleeves rolled up/dry when cooking and washing dishes lol!!!!!!
haha same! I keep a scrunchie by our stove for cooking dinner and another scrunchie in my bathroom for washing my hair
In our Kitchen Theres the rule „wash hands & wear ponytail“ for anyone preparing Food – due to awful findings during Dinner before..