Protective hairstyles are convenient, nurture hair growth and give a beautiful look!
What’s more is that braids styles are a celebration of being black because they are authentic to black culture.
We are here to give you inspiration for your next hairstyle citing some of our favorite braids looks from black celebrities.
1. Ciara
We love this simple but sexy look from Ciara. Lines in the front and braids in the back is a classic look which she personalized by doing them in a bigger size and keeping them short. The lines were done with a ‘stich’ technique which involves tying small bits of the hair before braiding the line to achieve a different look and keeps the style intact for longer than regular lines. We highly recommend stitching.
This style can last 4-5 weeks and will cost around 2000 Shillings to get done. It will take about a maximum of three hours to braid but it’s time well spent in the salon. Spice it up by adding beads.
2. Meagan Good
Faux locs are perfect for those of us who would love to experiment with dreadlocks but fear committing to them fully. Meagan Good is the queen of this hairstyle! They are achieved through the crochet method which means they can last 4-6 weeks depending on your hair type and how you care for them.
They can cost up to 4000 Shillings. They are also really easy to DIY, check YouTube for tutorials. Styling time is 3-4 hours on average. They can be styled in a bun, with a buzz cut, you can add curls and more! Be adventurous. You can even explore an array of colors.
3. Rihanna
At the British Fashion Awards of 2019, Rihanna came to re-invent how we do lines and showed that a good hairstyle is a statement piece all on its own. You don’t have to recreate the entire look per se but it gives you inspiration for fun and unconventional ways to rock lines as opposed to the regular front to back styles.
The catch with lines is that they usually don’t last as long as other protective styles but you can push it up to 4 weeks if you have coarse hair. On the up side, they usually cost less to get done and range from 1200-3000 Shillings.
4. Gabrielle Union
We are loving this original take on a predictable hairstyle that Gabrielle Union gave us. It is simple but serving. This half pony is easy to maintain, easy to plait and there is only really one way to style it. Achieving this effortless look will only cost you around 2000 Shillings and will take approximately two hours to braid. They should last 3-4 weeks. Elevate this look by adding goddess curls or laying your edges.
5. Beyoncé
The iconic, ‘lemonade braids’ Bey gave us in the formation video of 2016 are perfect for those looking for an extra hairstyle. They are small lines extending into long braids that are swept to the side in a brown/blond blend. We love some long braids because they elevate any hairstyle. Since the lines are small they can last 4-5 weeks. You can cut the braids later for a different look. Because of the size and length, they will cost around 3000-5000 Shillings. Get in ‘formation’ with this iconic look but be prepared to spend many hours getting braided.
6. Normani
Normani is known for her braids styles but we decided to go with these jumbo braids because they are so stylish and effortless. Bigger braids usually have a shorter life span and won’t last more than four weeks but this style is perfect if you want a quick fix. They won’t cost more than 2000 to fix and are also quite simple to DIY. They also take less than two hours to braid. We recommend using a styling gel or jam to achieve a neat look with these braids. Style them as they and lay your edges to add some sauce.
7. Alicia Keys
Don’t get it twisted, Alicia Keys pioneered the braids movement from the early 2000s. So we saved the best for last. What we particularly love about the ‘Falling’ singer’s braid looks are how she experiments with beads.
Spice up a short braids style with different colored beads, they range from 150-300 Shillings per packet and you would need two or three depending on what look you are trying to achieve.
We hope we’ve given you some inspiration for your next hairstyle. Remember you can extend the life of your braids by sleeping with a satin scarf, oiling them and using braid spray as well as styling mousse.
