Braids are one of the most popular styles for protecting hair. These styles are stylish, give us a rest from our daily hair care routine, and help to maintain the health of our hair. Braids are also great because they offer so many styling options. You can choose from simple cornrows with straight backs to more elaborate braids without knots.
There are so many braid styles to choose from. We spoke to three braid experts to find out what trends we can expect this year. You can see all their braid trend predictions for 2024.
Boho Braids
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Muhammad confirms that boho braids remain popular. Any boho style is in right now. Celebrities such as Zoe Kravitz, Jordyn Woods, and Jhene are fans of this style. It features loose, curly pieces in the braids. Some versions create a fuller look by adding lots of curly hair. Others only leave a few strands out at certain places.
Braided Bobs
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Lewis thinks that after years of knee- and buttlength braids, people are ready for something new. She suggests a braided Bob. She says that people are looking to switch things up and want to try bobs. “Braids are a great way to achieve a bob look without having to cut your hair.”
Curly Feed-in In Braids
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Lewis has seen an increase in the number of requests for tight curled ends. This is especially true with styles such as straight-back cornrows. She said that the nice, luscious curly ends [give hair an island vibe]. People like the way it looks. “Even when you style it in a ponytail, there will be a few curls that hang down.”
Butterfly Cornrows
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Muhammad is often asked to do butterfly braids. This style features chunky cornrows with lots of curls. She says that she gets a lot requests for butterfly cornrows. This look involves creating loose cornrows, and then gently pulling apart the braids in order to achieve desired volume and texture.
Braids made with human hair
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Although synthetic braiding is cheaper, more and more clients are choosing human hair. Human hair is more popular because it is lighter and less likely to tangle. It also looks more natural. In the past, braids used synthetic hair. But human hair is lighter and offers more styling options. You can wear it straight or curly.
Micro Braids
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Brandy, Beyonce and others wore micro braids in the early 2000s. The extra-small braided style is more playful and creative today, ranging from flippy boho braids.
Low-Maintenance Soft Edges
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Lewis says that while we will always enjoy sculpting and styling our edges more clients are now looking for “low-maintenance soft edges.” She chooses products to achieve this look that are flexible and prevent breakage. “I don’t use edge control or hard sprays.”
Clients are asking for less products in general. Foster says that she doesn’t use much gel or grease when braiding hair because it can cause buildup and is difficult to remove.
