7 Types of Kanekalon Hair for Braids Hairstylists and Editors Love

hair for braiding

Whether you get braids on the regular or you're a protective style first-timer, navigating the world of braiding hair can be a little daunting. Fortunately, braiders quite often know which kind is best suited for the style you’re looking to create. Usually, it’s a type of synthetic hair called kanekalon, which most times resembles the natural pattern and kinks of Afro-textured hair in either a curly or blown-out state. Kanekalon hair, when it's used for braiding, typically looks like kinky hair after you hit it with a blow-dryer and a brush. Kanekalon mimics natural hair due to its coarser feel but ability to maintain that human hair-like softness, she explains.

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Theater Review: 'Jaja's African Hair Braiding'.

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Best Braiding Hair for Human Hair Box Braids

If you prefer a more subtle contrast for your ombré versus a stark transition, this braiding hair brand was basically made for you. The hair goes from dark to light so seamlessly, giving your braided style a more natural look. That said, there's just something incredibly cool about a braid — be it a side braid, pigtail braids, or a high ponytail braid. It's a style that works as well on the red carpet as it does on your couch at home.

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hair for braiding

"It allows you to have your hair protected for a period of time while still being able to style it in various hairstyles using the box braids as the foundation of the hairstyles." Good or bad, everyone remembers their first trip to the braiding salon. You probably spent hours in the chair soothing your neck while your stylist attempted to loosen the tangles in the Kanekalon braiding hair. Or maybe you experienced an allergic reaction to a certain brand of hair after shelling out hundreds of dollars having the protective style installed. Luckily, you don't have to subject yourself to cheap, easily tangled braiding hair. There is a slew of quality, tangle-free, and affordable options made for all types of skin—especially those with sensitive skin.

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If you ask me, it's time that those of us who are braiding inept finally get their comeuppance. So, I tapped celebrity hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein to give me the rundown of how to accomplish a basic braid. If you’re a beginner, this is definitely the place to start. Once you nail this technique, you can riff off of it to create more intricate styles.

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The Melting Pot of “Jaja's African Hair Braiding”.

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These are the Kanekalon Hair Brands Hairstylists and Editors Love for Braiding

Unlike traditional box braids, this style doesn't have the traditional knot at the top of each braid. Instead, it is achieved by feeding in the hair mid-braid. "This technique can take longer to install, but it's worth the health of the hair and scalp." If you're just learning, and if the hair you're braiding is long enough, it may help to start with a low ponytail and braid the hair from there. This approach ensures that you won't end up with uneven hair around the crown of the head, which can happen when braiders aren't practiced at maintaining even tension or clean sections. You can even remove the elastic at the base of the head afterward.

The high-quality hair leaves the tangles you get from cheaper versions to the imagination. It's hard to find realistic-looking hair for Marley twists or faux locs, but Natural Babe Co. nailed it. Not only does the brand provide a realistic-looking texture but also has an assortment of colors to compliment all skin tones. But the question remains — which brand of hair should you buy? We asked some hairstylists which ones they prefer, and for a few tips on how best to work with them, whether you're headed to the salon or you plan on braiding your hair yourself.

Latched and Hook Pre-Stretched Braiding Hair

To make this type of braid even easier, start by creating two side braids instead of one single braid along the back of the head. This way you can easily look at the braid in the mirror to get a better feel for the technique. Micro braids are just like box braids in that they can be created using the same technique. The modern-day poster child for micro braids (in our humble opinion) is Zoë Kravitz. She has walked many a red carpet donning the very same chic style, albeit with a couple of hair color switch-ups along the way. "They are designed to be versatile, which is the beauty of them," Redway says.

hair for braiding

The 9 Best Braiding Hair Brands That Are Actually Worth Your Coins

Ahead, nine of the best braiding hair brands you—and your stylists—will love. Next we have the crown braid, which looks complex and time-consuming but happens to be exactly the opposite. Our favorite way create a crown braid is to start with a traditional side braid before wrapping it up and over the top of the forehead, securing it with bobby pins along the way. We always make sure to leave out a couple face-framing pieces à la Vanessa Hudgens. Be sure to add a spritz of a stronghold hair spray to keep it intact all day long. Not only that, "the texture of the braid may work differently with other products used in braiding such as the styling gels or mousse."

How to French braid your own hair:

While almost every length of hair can, in theory, pull off a braid, Rubenstein says that it's much easier to braid on shoulder-length hair or longer. She also says that it's important to keep your sections as clean as possible to avoid getting overwhelmed. "It's a good idea to practice on someone else a lot before attempting to braid on yourself," she says. Do you want to take your hair styling game to the next level?

You can also add a nickel-sized dollop of gel to the hair for a sleeker look. The crème de la crème of braiding here is X-Pression hair. It's super affordable and comes in a bevy of styles. Add a few rollers and boiling hot water to achieve the curly look of your dreams. Passion twists are the lovechild of twists and goddess locs. Equal parts messy and polished, this hair can be used for passion twists or can be wrapped around braids for a bohemian touch.

This shouldn’t matter much with braids since in most cases, as your own hair will be hidden within the twists or plaits. Kanekalon hair also can’t withstand hot tools, but again, that's a non-issue since braids don’t require heat styling. With passion twist styles, you need to find silky braiding hair that’s curly—not too tight, not too loose—to achieve the boho-inspired look.

Take one of the sections and twist the hair until the entire section is spiraled. Take each section and twist them around one another. Start by brushing the hair and making sure it's completely free of tangles. If you choose to, spritz the hair with some of your texture spray or flyaway-taming spray.

Without it, the rest of these braids are not possible. To try for yourself, section hair into three strands. Take the left piece and cross it over the middle, making it the new middle. Then, take the right-most piece and cross it over the middle, making it the new middle. Repeat this process over and over until you reach the end of your strands. Knotless braids have gained popularity for being a more lightweight, natural-looking alternative to box braids.

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