Four Bright Braid Styles for Afro-Textured Hair

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For many women with Afro-textured hair, summer means searching for the perfect braids. The warmer weather calls for low-maintenance hair that looks sleek for weeks.

Single braid hairstyles, in which hair is styled into small sections and then braided, last six to eight weeks, and a stylist appointment can last six to 12 hours. The goal, therefore, is to achieve a perfectly parted set of shiny tresses that will last.

Braiding is an intimate experience intertwined with community and brotherhood.

Rooted in Africa and ranging from the Himba red clay strands of Namibia to the Fulani braids of the Sahel region, braiding is a potent symbol of Black heritage and identity. Most hair extensions are synthetic, a tradition that dates back to ancient Egypt, when the ruling classes wore braided wigs, a mixture of human hair, palm fibers, and wool; symbolic markers of divinity that were often buried with their owners.

Today, different styles are worn in the African diaspora. Trends go hand-in-hand with fashion: Take the transformation from ’90s pick-and-drop braids (seen at Brandy) into Y2K-style French curls (adored by Zoë Kravitz). The most popular are both nostalgic and new.

Braiding is an intimate experience intertwined with community and brotherhood; My friends, my cousins, my mother and my grandmother have braided my hair. The few hairdressers I’ve ever had have come to my house, or I to theirs, where we share a few laughs over a Nollywood movie (or five). They have always been the highlight of my simple beauty routine. But selecting the right braid style is crucial—after eight hours in the saddle, there’s no going back. Here are four of the best.

french curl braids

Popularized by Beyoncé, Laura Harrier, and influencers Temi and Tobi Ojora, these braids have gone viral. Incredibly difficult to master, the style is made up of fine braids that part into beachy waves. It is essential to find someone with experience to do them: test amanda nice and neat london, a salon loved by the Ojora sisters. Buy pre-curly hair and make sure the knot at the end of each half braid is tied tight: too loose and it will fall apart; too tight and it will look bulky. The best thing about French curl braids is their versatility – when you’re ready for a change, head back to the salon for a layered cut.

The collection of braids

Hair salon founder Charlotte Mensah, whose clients include Erykah Badu, Tracee Ellis Ross and Michaela Coel, recommends a cornrow, a style that involves braiding hair close to the scalp and wrapping the ends in a sleek bun. A version with shimmering freshwater pearls garnered more than 52,000 likes on Mensah’s Instagram.

“Braids are one of the most protective, low-maintenance braided styles,” says Mensah. “They can take a variety of forms depending on the look you’re going for.” The longevity of it is in the aftercare: Mensah recommends applying two to three drops of its Manketti oil to the scalp and finish once or twice a week, before spritzing tresses with a finishing mist. “Wrap a silk scarf around your head or use a silk pillowcase at night to keep rough textures away,” she adds. “This will prevent your hair from becoming dry and brittle.”

Bohemian Goddess Braids

For a laid-back look, Shayna Dawes, owner and director of Braid Bar Ldn recommends “boho goddess braids,” in which loose waves are paired with full and partially braided hair. Start with knotless braids, a process that gradually feeds into synthetic hair rather than knotting it at the root, and add twist or kinky extensions, gently pulling small strands of natural hair as you go. Or braid to the end of your natural hair and curl the strands with perm rods or rollers.

Maintenance, says Dawes, who has styled Grammy-nominated singer Tems, is simple: “Oil your scalp regularly with a light oil like olive or carrot oil, and apply mousse every other day to keep your hair loose in order”. Stay away from castor oil, which can cause product buildup, a problem for any braided look. His flagship products include African Pride Olive Miracle (£4.59, sephora.es), Mielle rosemary oil (£6.97, sephora.es), SRO olive oil (£1.71, feelunique.com) and IC Fantasia Coconut Oil Mist (£7.49, southwestsix.es).

peekaboo braids

For a pop of color, opt for Peekaboo, where the braids near the nape of the neck stand out from the rest. The technique can be applied to any of the aforementioned styles – just add a section of different colored braids to the last few rows. Box braids, a box-shaped arrangement of individual braids, secured with a knot at the top of each, are a great starting point. Promise Okoye, founder of the Glasgow-based salon beauty splendor, says the style is “perfect for protecting your natural hair from the sun” by hiding it within the wefts of the braided extensions. (However, it is still important to use SPF on the scalp.) Elevate with pearls and shells.