If you are looking for natural protective styles for your hair, braids are a great choice. Whether you’re looking for cornrows, crochet braids, box braids, or Senegalese twists, there’s a style out there that’s perfect for you! In this post, we’ll break down 29 different types of braiding that’ll work best with your hair.
1. Criss-Cross Goddess Braids
Criss-cross goddess braids are the type that we all love, and once you learn how to do them, you’ll find them addictive! The name might not be very poetic, but these awesome braids are the best for the year-round. That’s because they work with your hair in any season and any hairstyle! This particular braid is excellent for afros, braids, cornrows, dreads, and twists.
2. Side-Swept Cornrows
Whole cornrows are always a good choice when you’re looking for a protective hairstyle. Cornrows are not just defensive, but they are also very versatile. You can wear them in many ways, even as an updo! They’re an excellent choice for the summer and if you want to hide those rotten roots after getting your hair done or colored.
3. Ghana Braids
Ghana braids are a great alternative to cornrows. These braids are easy to make, giving you more movement than cornrows do. They look very chic, so keep them in your style arsenal if you think you’re looking for an alternative to cornrows.
4. Rope Braids
Rope braids are the perfect hairstyle for curling up in the winter. They’re easy to make, so you can do them by yourself in no time at all. They’re also warm enough to wear throughout the year and look great with afros.
5. Goddess Braids
Goddess braids are one of the most versatile and stylish braids out there. Depending on your preference and how long your hair is, it can be a long braid or short. This look is perfect for girls with long, straight, or medium hair. The great thing about this hairstyle is that it’s straightforward to do, and you can create it in 5 minutes. Since it’s pretty popular, you still have many options for colors, textures, and hairstyles.
6. Long Chunky Black Braids
Braiding your hair doesn’t necessarily mean that you want it to look neat. You can get these awesome long chunky black braids if you look for an edgy rocker look. The style is not for the fainthearted, but if you’re looking for a relaxed and rebellious hairstyle, you should give it a try!
7. Highlighted Artistic Cornrows
Even though cornrows are one of the most popular protective hairstyles, they can still be underrated. And that’s why we’re here to show you a few ideas on how to make them look more stylish and pretty. You can use bright colors, style them straight or curly, and add accessories such as flowers or jewels. This particular style is great if you like to try new things and always look for something different.
8. Chunky Box Braids
Box braids are the most popular protective hairstyles, so it’s not strange for you to start seeing them everywhere. The style is super versatile because you can wear them in a smooth or braided way. You can tie your box braids into a ponytail or even put a topknot on top of your head. The nicest part about these braids is that they look wonderful if you keep your hair long.
9. Braided Ponytail
If you have short hair and want to try braids, this particular style is a great choice. Because it’s so simple, it won’t take you much time to create it, and the result will be fantastic! All you’ll need are some scissors, hair elastics, and bobby pins.
10. Elegant Ombre
African-American women love colors, so they don’t mind making a few changes to their hairstyle. A braided ombre hairstyle is great because it makes your hair look long and full. And if you are not a big fan of spiked hair, you will like this particular style, because it has an elegant look!
11. Mini Box Braids
If you love box braids and want to try something new, mini box braids might be just what you’re looking for. They look fun and intricate, but they’re easier to do than you might think. Mini boxes are less time-consuming; it’s ideal for people with a busy schedule who can’t afford to spend the entire day at the salon. You can also try it as an accent to your regular box braid.
12. Box Braids Bob
Box Braids Bob is another type of box braid that’s simple and easy to do. Box braids bob is what we call a “no-sew” braid because there’s no sewing involved. You simply grab one hair in each hand, twist it together, and then grab one down and pull the other over the top. It’s a simple bob that can be worn as an updo or a Miley Cyrus style (which I highly suggest) with big-hair extensions to finish off the look.
13. Thick Braid For Natural Hair
This thicker version of cornrows is great for women with thick hair. It’s also a good protective style that can be in lots of ways, including as a ponytail or as an updo. It can hide those bad roots, and it’ll keep your hair up and away from your face during the summer.
14. Bubble Ponytail
You can use this style to create a sleek, stylish ponytail. If you want something that’s both protective and easy to do, consider this style for your braided hair. This bubble ponytail is great for African-American women with long, thick hair, or it is also an updo with a big headband.
15. Dope Undercut Braids
If you’re looking for a very protective style but also very different, consider doing this hairstyle! This is a combo of two styles—undercut and braid. These two styles work great together. It’ll protect your hair from colds and the sun while also adding that extra pop to your look.
16. Mohawk Braids
We all know that Mohawks are on men, so it’s awesome to see women wearing this hairstyle. It’s also a protective style because your hair isn’t in the sun and cold. They work for short and long hair, as well as for women of any age!
17. Mini Spaced Braids Ponytail
Mini-spaced braids ponytail is a fun hairstyle for your hair. To give it that great “pop” of volume, you can add hair extensions to the front. It’s hard to style this hairstyle on your own, and some people say that it’s better to let someone else do it for you because the ends can become unkempt unless you have help from another person.
18. Fulani braids
Fulani braids are perfect for women with long, thick hair. Although this style is very protective, it’s also fun and playful. You’ll look pretty cool wearing this style, and you’ll win some attention! These can be worn as dreadlocks or as an updo with a headband.
19. Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks are a great style for women with longer hair. However, they don’t work well on short hair. They’re both protective and fun. You’ll get to look unique because only a few people have dreadlocks, and you can try it out without a great deal of trouble!
20. Faux Locs
Faux locs are very similar to dreadlocks, but they’re not as tight or small. That makes them easier and faster to style. They work great on short, medium, and long hair. And they’re easy to do, which makes this style a great protective hairstyle for women with busy schedules.
21. Cornrow Braids
Cornrow braids are the most popular protective style, especially for black women. They are easy to make and look gorgeous. Depending on your preference, you can wear cornrow braids with twists or leave them straight. The only downside to cornrows is that they take time and a lot of maintenance after you wash your hair.
22. Box Braids
Box braids are great if you want to do something different with your hair. They’re not your typical protective style, so they’re a little more exciting than other styles we’ve seen so far. The nicest thing about box braids is that they are extremely easy to maintain! You can wash and go in the morning, and within minutes, you’ll have gorgeous braids looking like you just left the salon.
23. Havana (Marley) Twists
Havana twists are the perfect protective style for bad hair days. They are easy to make, look sexy, and feel like nothing on your head. The only downside to Havana’s twists is that they need a lot of maintenance. To grow them out, you’ll have to leave more space between each twist and do more oil treatments at home.
24. Senegalese Twists
Senegalese twists are another great protective hairstyle that you can grow out into dreads. They don’t require much maintenance, and they give your hair a natural-looking twist. You’ll love how this style takes the best of both cornrow and braid styles, giving it a look that’s both flattering and versatile.
25. Nubian Twists
Nubian twists look great on women of all ages. This particular style is perfect for women over 40 looking for a protective hairstyle in different ways. These twists are stunning and will make you want to wear them more often than on special occasions.
26. Yarn Braids
Yarn braids are one of the best hairstyles for black women. They’re fun, funky, and fashionable. The best part is that they take a couple of minutes to make and you can wear them in any season, or even all year long.
27. Micro Braids
Micro braids are awesomehttps://www.hair.com/micro-braid-styles.html#:! This protective hairstyle works well on women who have a lot of hair and want to wear trendy but easy to maintain. It’s one style that’s worth trying.
28. Tree Braids
Tree braids are another great protective style that you can wear all year long. This particular hairstyle works best with short hair, and it’s a style worth trying. It gives you a lot of movement, so it is different depending on your mood or the moment you’re in.
29. Crochet Braids
Crochet braids are a good choice if you’re looking for a protective style that makes you feel like you’re having fun. The best thing about crochet braids, unlike cornrows, you can wear them all year long, and they never lose their style or vibrancy.
