Hi, Just 28 Braid Ideas You're About to Fall in Love With (2025)

If you’ve been thinking about trying a new hairstyle for your 4a, 4b, or 4c hair, you already know there are tons of natural hair braid ideas to try—and for good reason: Braids are one of the few styles that can be both a protective hairstyle and a whole new ~lewk~ at the same time. “A lot of hair thrives on braids and protective styling,” says hairstylist and curly hair expert Jasmine “Jazzee” Green, since both the pre-braid prep, along with the actual style itself, can help your hair stay moisturized, detangled, and less prone to damage. And hey, even if the style isn’t protective (ahem, tight, butt-length braids with five pounds of braiding hair), it’s still temporary, right?

So whether you’re looking to change up your style with box braids, micro braids, cornrows, or one of the zillion other options in your camera roll, you’re going to need more inspo before heading to your braider. And if your saved folder on IG could use a refresh, I rounded up the best natural hair braids to try next, from jumbo braids to Ghana braids to braided updos, along with some tips from Green about how to prep your hair for braiding—plus, how long you should actually keep your braids in.

The key to making an entire head of fishtail braids look a little ~unexpected~? Keeping them a bit non-uniform, like these textured, slightly pulled-out braids on Storm Reid. If you're DIYing these yourself (here's a fishtail tutorial as a refresher), just make sure to gently tug at the edges of each braid when you're finished to fatten them up.

Looking for a way to play around with your braids rather than doing yet another half-up, half-down style? Try this looped updo shown on model Farhiya Shire. Just scoop your braids up to your scalp, pinning the ends around the base of your braids to secure them. You can experiment with just a few loops, or a fully-looped updo (bonus points if you've also got the curly bangs to match).

We love a two-toned brand, like the silvery-white and black braids here on Liesl Tommy. Even if you’re not naturally working with gray or white hair, you can still get in on the vibe with white braiding hair (or try silver or white-blonde), which will give your braided style a similar effect regardless of what your genetics are doing.

Is that the ‘90s calling? Oh, hello there—I think Salem Mitchell borrowed this style from you. After you wrap your braids into double pins, pin them in place, leaving the ends free. Then, to get the same ultra-spiky ends, flat-iron and spray them with hairspray for stick-straight hold. Don’t forget to leave out two face-framing tendril braids to make this a proper nod to the decade of Tamagotchis and Capri Suns.

Consider this braided style on Tessa Thompson the blueprint for all undone-yet-intentional hair—you know, the “oh, this ol’ thing?” style that actually took a ton of frickin’ effort. The mix of shades in her braided updo (see: blonde, copper, and caramel hair colors) help give these micro braids major dimension, even when they’re piled into a topknot. To recreate this look, become Tessa Thompson, befriend an expert hairstylist like Lacy Redway, and beg for this style. Or, you can try messing around with a half-up bun on your own micro braids, leaving out a few strategic braids around your head for the full ~chill~ effect.

One of the best things about Ghana braids is their precise parting—like these sharp, swooping parts on Jourdan Dunn—which makes them look like a whole damn style, regardless of how you wear them (swipe to see Dunn’s long braids pulled back). Just make sure to keep a soothing scalp spray on hand if you’re constantly switching up your braided style; all that tugging and pulling can = aches.

For the premiere of BlacKkKlansman, hairstylist Lacy Redway gave Laura Harrier a head of micro braids and pulled them into a half-up style—a nod to the “the history and culture of box braids,” writes Redway in her caption, which “were used to symbolize your tribe, marital status, wealth, or power,” more than 5,000 years ago.

Feeling a lil indecisive about braiding your hair? This style on Lesley of @freshlengths incorporates full-length braids and half-braids with curly ends to prove you don’t need to choose between looks—you can have both. A dual-textured braid will allow you to show off your natural curls (or the curly/wavy braiding hair you added), especially when you pull it over one shoulder.

Want glossy jumbo cornrows like these on Tessa Thompson? Keep your hair moisturized and shiny with an oil-based hair mist. And if you’re already a week in and your braids are lookin’ a little less than fresh, saturate your scalp and braids with a layer of alcohol-free mousse, wrap them down with a silk or satin scarf, and hit ‘em with a blow dryer or bonnet dryer to set (or let them set on their own, up to you).

These Ghana braids are basically the ~best of both worlds~. While some long braids have a tendency to pull and tug at your scalp, especially when they’re super skinny or overloaded with braiding hair, Ghana braids have the benefit of starting off thick, so even this hip-length look will leave you with less tension and damage. Just massage a soothing serum into your scalp every night to minimize any itchiness or aches.

Feel like you left the salon with your actual soul braided up? Resist the urge to put your super-tight braids in a bun or ponytail for the first few days and instead let them hang down and loose (like this side-swept style). Keep a soothing scalp treatment on hand to massage between your parts after your braids are installed, says Green, and after you eventually take them down.

Want to add some brightness and warmth to your style? Try incorporating honey-blonde braiding hair into your box braids, like in this long bob. To play up the golden theme even more, add a few gold cuffs throughout the ends of your braids for a bit of subtle shine that doesn’t feel overpowering.

These side-swept Ghana braids are all about spirals, from the swirled parting to the curled ends (which you can get by asking for our bringing curly braiding hair to your appointment). FYI, if your sensitive scalp can’t handle these braids, ask your braider to go thicker and wider with the parting to relieve some tightness.

Have dreams of v long hair? Bring 40-inch braiding hair to your braider and ask for these chunky Pop Smoke braids. As a reminder, the longer the braiding hair, the more tension it puts on the scalp, which can lead to breakage, says Green, making your protective style…not very protective at all. Take them down after four weeks max (the sooner, the better), and clarify your scalp after with a sulfate-free clarifying shampoo that’ll cleanse your hair without stripping it.

I’ve been in love with Salem Mitchell’s triangle-braided ponytail since she wore it in a Cosmo shoot last year (nbd!). And, if you zoom in, you’ll see individual glitter stars decorating her edges, which are 10/10 for amping up a look. To DIY it at home, just dot eyelash glue over your laid edges, wait 10 seconds for it to get tacky, then place a glitter star, rhinestone, pearl, etc. on top with tweezers.

If you like sharp-AF lines, your new go-to style may need to be these triangle-parted braids. But if your scalp is feeling extra tender right after your appointment, you can soothe it and help loosen up too-tight braids by wrapping a warm, moist towel around your roots for up to an hour. Finish by massaging hair oil along your parts with your fingertips for added moisture.

The honey-blonde braiding hair in this fountain ponytail gives Marsai Martin’s braids a highlighted, I-chill-on-the-beach-all-day feel. If you want to recreate a similar look on yourself, bring some blonde bundles to your braider, then sprinkle gold cuffs and golden charms throughout your braids to really play up the golden-hour vibe.

Wanna get Winnie Harlow’s mega bun? Green’s favorite trick is teasing and pinning a few packs of braiding hair onto your braided bun to get major height and volume (à la this bun with braiding hair tutorial). Leave a few braids out of your bun before securing the teased puff, then wrap and pin them around your mega bun for some defined texture.

Jourdan Dunn wins the award here for Style I Am Most Likely to Screenshot because I legit love this dual-textured braided updo (and Dunn’s hella-fierce pose). But if your scalp is crying just thinking about this style, between the micro braids, the tight half-up ponytail, and the wavy braiding hair, ask your braider for knotless braids that won’t tug so easily when pulled up. You can also suggest going slightly bigger with the braids; you’ll still get all that dimension without so much tension.

Instead of braiding to the ends of your hair, ask your braider to seal them with the last 3 to 4 inches of curly braiding hair left loose to copy this look. Pull your braids into a half-up knot, leaving the ends untucked to show off your curls. Opt for ombré braiding hair to add even more dimension throughout the braids and in your bun.