The African Braids That You Should Rock

 The world of African braiding is big. So big that it’s easy to get the different styles mixed up. There are even some out there that you probably have never even heard of! If you’re curious about rocking some braids soon, then you need to know exactly what kind you want to get without getting your Marley Twists and your Senegalese Twists mixed up. So here is a handy list of 8 different types of African braids that you should know about. Mark down your favorites, troll Pinterest for more examples and show your hairdresser your preferred look!

Box Braids

Hey look, it’s yours truly! The ’90s are back and so are box braids. They’re literally just three-strand twists…essentially meaning that they’re braids. You can get them done nice and thick for that throwback, Poetic Justice/em> look or smaller if you’d like.

Faux Locs/Silk Locs

Love the look of dreadlocks but aren’t really interested in committing to them? Faux locs are the answer! Unlike real dreads that use your real hair, faux locs get the look using extensions. They were recently sported by Zendaya and they look rad. If you have an edgy style, you’ll love these.

Senegalese Twists

Senegalese twists are similar to Marley twists and Havana twists in their two strand approach, but they are made with silkier hair extensions so they leave a smoother finish. Photo source: Pinterest

Marley/Havana Twists

Marley twists use hair that looks a lot like natural afro textured hair, which separates it from a lot of other braiding styles which use smoother textured synthetic hair. Marley twists use the two strand braiding method, which makes it resemble a dreadlock (hence, Marley twists). Havana twists use the same type of hair and the same two strand twist, but they’re much thicker than Marley twists. Photo source: Pinterest/Lauren Mechelle

Cornrows

Cornrows are braids that are created flat along the scalp. They have a reputation for being boring or juvenile but that is so not the case! You can get really creative with cornrows so that the hair is plaited into different and patterns and alternative directions. Plus, you can have a ton of cornrows or keep it minimalist. The choice is yours! Photo source: Pinterest

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Nubian Twists

Nubian twists look awesome as a shorter style. They’re super springy and flexible so they’re awesome if you want a lighter approach to extensions without all the bulk and length. Spice them up with some dyed extensions! Photo source: Pinterest

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Yarn Braids

Yarn braids aren’t a type of braiding style so much as a the material. While most synthetic hair used to braid is super smooth, yarn braids offer an alternative texture and, as you can imagine, are made of yarn. Yes, yarn! They’re really great if you want chunkier braids or want to experiment with a wide range of colors.

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Micro Braids/Tree Braids

Got a lot of time to kill? Then you might be into micro braids, which are–as you can imagine–teeny tiny braids. Often, a large majority of the synthetic hair is left alone so it is just braided near the root; if you want that look, you might want to ask your hairdresser for tree braids instead.