Sunrise Braids

Out of all the protective hairstyles Black women cycle through, box braids/ Twist hairstyles are probably one of the most popular.

Not only are they super stylish, but they give us a chance to give our hair a break. “When natural hair is over manipulated, it tends to cause breakage, so a protective style like box braids protects it from being harmed,” celebrity hairstylist and global ambassador for Suave.

Over the last few years, some of our favourite celebrities have made box braids their go-to hair style for red carpets or social media appearances with It girls like Coi Leray, Rihanna, Zoë Kravitz, and Zendaya all rocking the protective style.

What are box braids?

In short, they’re braids that get their name from the square shape in which your hair is sectioned off.

They’re most often installed with extensions and come in a range of lengths, sizes, and colours.

If you’re thinking of getting the style yourself, there are a couple of things you should know.

First, you should treat and trim your hair prior.

Natural hair is often blow-dried out beforehand to make the installation process easier for your stylist, so you can have your ends cut then.

Speaking of stylists, I recommend that you research yours beforehand and be conscious of the sensitive parts of your scalp during the braiding process. “If you have a thin or weak hairline, then you shouldn’t put excess tension on those areas,”

Once you have your box braids in, it’s easy to forget about your actual from-the-root hair which, yes, still requires moisturizing. “Products that have penetrating ingredients like coconut oil, jojoba oil, and olive oil are great to use while wearing these styles,”.

As for when to take them down, you can keep them in for two months maximum.

Now that we have the basics out of the way, we’ve rounded up some of the coolest box braids/Twist hairstyles for you to consider.

Lob Jumbo Box Braids

“Twinnem” rapper Coi Leray is known for her signature do, jumbo box braids with small spiral curls at the end, leading the style to boom across Insta feeds everywhere.

Box Braids with Pearls

This box braids hairstyle that features braids woven together, multidimensional blonde strands, and pearls fit for a Pin inbggterest board.

Rainbow Box Braids

These extra-long colorful box braids make for the perfect loud and proud statement.

Who says your box braids need to match your actual hair? Or be a realistic hair colour, for that matter? Be bold and step out of your comfort zone with these neon pink and orange braids.

The pom-poms on the end are the perfect finishing touch.

Knotted Box Braids

This look is probably best done by a stylist to ensure you don’t create knots you’re later unable to undo. The different colors add even more dimension to a truly unique style.