Everything You Need to Know About Box Braids

The protective hairstyles have managed to be the favorite of many because of their chic look and easy maintenance. Whenever the name “protective hairstyles” is mentioned, box braids always make an appearance, and there is no surprise to that.

Box braids have been in fashion for decades because of their style and durability. We're going to tell you everything you should know about box braids if you are considering them. Read on

Box braids have been in existence since 3500 BC. But they definitely came into limelight around the early 1990s with Janet Jackson. The origin of this protective hairstyle is rooted in Africa and was worn by people of Namibia and the Nile Valley

The Hairstyle today is globally worn by famous celebrities like Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, Keke Palmer, etc., because of its rich appearance and design that dates from years ago.

The box braids are generally three-strand plaits where a particular section of the hair is divided into three parts and intertwined. The difference between a typical braid and a box braid is that hair is usually added and tight tension is applied throughout the braid creating a very polished final look with no loose strands.

If you think of the similar thing happening with the cornrow braids, the difference just being instead of the braid going along the scalp, only the root of the braid is to the scalp in a square or similar shaped section.

Yes, all the hair is divided into proper squares, and each hair box/square is plaited down through the length to give you an individual solid braid out of a box in a uniform thickness.

This way, you get equal proportionate braids throughout your head that look similar, giving you complete box braids.

As your hair is divided into uniform squares, each having a block, more length and volume are required to finish the braid. At that time, the hair bundles or extensions are used in braiding to provide thickness and length.

Box braids are generally divided into categories based on size and style. If we speak about the size, the box braids are as small, medium and big/jumbo.

These braids are based on the shape of the boxed sections you have created on the scalp. The thick plaits become big box braids, and the one with very tiny boxes plaited all the way down becomes a small box braid.

Let’s look at some of the braiding styles you can try:

As the name suggests, these braids are similar to the woolen crochet you see on a sweater. A very easy and protective hairstyle with less tension with a unique way of installation.

The installation method for crochet braids is also known as the looping method. With the help of a hook needle, your braid is attached to the cornrows instead of square sections of hair. They are easy to maintain and look fashionable.

The name originates from a memorable 1993 movie, Poetic Justice, that actually introduced this hairstyle on the big screen for the very first time. This braiding hairstyle is easy and keeps your hair protected for natural growth.

To achieve this hairstyle, you can purchase around 4 to 8 packs of braiding hair for sturdy volume and length. This braiding style can last for around three months.

Knotless box braids are achieved by starting the braid with your natural hair and slowly integrating the added braiding hair. Those with finer hair and sensitive scalps love this method!

Although these box braids are not installed traditionally, they look seamless at the roots, which gives it an overall look like traditional box braids but without much bother.

The goddess box braids are a delicate and feminine take on traditional box braids. They have a softer look because of the curly strands added. Women rave about them because of the versatility they offer.

They are effortless to style and give a fun bohemian esque edge. To get these box braids, you need to crochet curly or wavy hair into the random block braids.

Long hair is beautiful but short hair is equally sexy. Short looks are fashionable, interesting, and super chic. Bob block braids come in different variations and styles and are done like regular box braids. The only difference comes in the length.

Some Bob braids are pulled back box braids, side-parted, partition braids, etc. Research well which one suits your face shape and choose that braiding style accordingly.

The name explains itself about this style. The beauty of this hair braiding is that it could be done in small, medium, and bigger boxes depending on your preference. In this, you can buy the braiding hair in whichever color you wish

One current trend is the ombre braiding hair ,where the base is your natural color and then the vibrant color fades in. You can also experiment by adding just a few braids in vibrant blues, pinks, or even whites.

In this type of box braiding hairstyle, different lengths are given to the braids to give an overall depth and character to the look. This kind of box braid hairstyle is also known as a freestyle braid as they do not have any kind of uniformity.

The only thing that you need to be aware of while installing these braids is that you can experiment with the length like large, short or medium box braids over the crown area by keeping braids there comparatively shorter than the back of the head, but the width of the braids remains the same.

Box Braids can last for 4-6 weeks depending on the care and hair growth. Box braids are undoubtedly one of the friendliest and stylish protective hairstyles you can have. But still, this is a semi-permanent look that needs to be redone or removed after a certain passage of time.

You can usually keep your braids for around a month. To extend more, it is advisable not to go past three months as that could be a little unsafe for your scalp for such a long duration.

This is the common observation of the experts about keeping box braids installed, but can also depend on multiple factors. These factors actually make a foundation for the lifespan of your braiding hairstyle. So let’s check those factors that you might question yourselves too.

If you have a faster hair growth rate, your braids will start wearing out from the roots, and therefore you need to get them re-done. So for each individual. the growth rate can be different. On average it is about 4-6 weeks.

What kind of box braid you are doing majorly affects its longevity. If you are doing small box or medium box braids, the tiny partitions are there, giving more room for your scalp to be moisturized and clean. This could be a little difficult in big box braids as a clean scalp lays the foundation for a braid’s life. But by a professional, an inch size width is correct.

By far, we know that a box braiding hairstyle is done by plaiting the hair strands into a braid. You have to make a perfect balance between not keeping your braids too tight or loose for maximum life.

If you keep them tight, more irritation will be done on the scalp, which could be irritating and painful after some point of time. And if you keep them loose, the braids will start falling out, and your look will start tarnishing.

How you are personally taking care of them is definitely one of the factors responsible for the lifecycle of your box braids. If you take good care of your hair, life will be long or vice versa. Next section, let us learn how to keep your box braids for a long while.

Either you have done small or large box braids. Whether you get shoulder length or waist length, the one thing in common is that you need to take good care of your braids, so they look shiny, healthy, and beautiful. Here are some ways to take care of your braiding hairstyle with hair extensions.

Yes! When you do box braids, there is already some decent pressure put on your scalp, with hair extensions being braided in your real hair. You have to make sure that you do not tie your braids in a way that causes massive friction around the hairline, which could lead to hair fall and damaged roots.

To keep your braids healthy, you need to keep their foundation- roots healthy. Try to moisturize your roots at least once or twice a week. This way, they will not feel itchy, and luster will be retained.

You can use special braiding oils, sprays, or water-based mousses for this. You can also prepare a home solution for this as well.

Take half a glass of distilled water and pour around 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lavender, and tea tree oil. Shake it well, pour in a spray bottle and use it at least once a week on your roots.

While sleeping, you cannot worry about your braids and sleep relaxed. To avoid any frictions from the head moment while sleeping, you can moisturize your roots and then cover them under a wrap to sleep.

This way, your braids will be moisturized, and no wearing out will be there due to friction with your pillow or bed at night time.

Now comes one of the most crucial parts of your box braid hair maintenance, the washing. To take good care of your hair, you should NOT wash it frequently. Yes, NOT wash them frequently. Once in 10 days will be enough to clean dirt and keep the integrity of braids to their best shape.

To wash your hair, make a water shampoo mixture and spray it on your roots. Now with the help of your fingers, gently run them over the scalp and then go directly under the shower to rinse off the grime.

Once you have rinsed your hair well, the braids will be carrying a heavy amount of water. Make sure that you drain extra moisture out well with the help of microfiber towels, and then wait for natural drying for about an hour.

Once the braids get dried under the natural atmosphere, you can use the blow dryer too. You can also use conditioner in the process and repeat it the way shampoo was applied. This way, you can clean your scalp without ruining your box braid hairstyle.