After you’ve picked out your braided style and you’ve secured that highly coveted Saturday AM appointment, there’s still one last thing you have to take care of: choosing your braiding hair. With all the brands out there, it can be kinda overwhelming to nail down what specific hair you’ll need to complete your protective style. Most braiding hair brands use synthetic hair, which means the hair is made up of man-made fibers instead of real human hair. You can use human hair to braid—and certain looks, like human-hair box braids, require it—but it’s high-key expensive and not necessary for most styles. When it comes to synthetic hair though, you want to look specifically for kanekalon hair, which is a type of high-quality synthetic hair that’s smoother, softer, and less irritating than other synthetic hair types. And even though focusing only on kanekalon hair already narrows down your braiding hair options a bit, you’ve still got a ton of picks to sift through. Thankfully you’ve got me as a guide—I know all the ins and outs of braiding hair, and to help you out, I rounded up the seven best braiding hair brands. Trust me when I say these ones are good.
Not only does Latched and Hooked’s bold braiding hair have a soft and smooth texture—meaning they’re easier to braid—but they’re also custom dyed and hand blended, giving you the prettiest color options.
X-Pression braiding hair is one of the most popular brands out there—and for good reason. For a little over $5 (I mean, what a deal), you get a pack of pre-stretched braiding hair that’s fairly soft, doesn’t shed all over the place, and won’t irritate your scalp.
You know those bohemian box braids that Zoe Kravitz rocks? Yeah, you’re not getting that hairstyle with just any regular ol’ braiding hair. This option is made from human hair, not synthetic, which means the final result is lighter weight, super sleek, and gives off a more natural-looking vibe.
Because Boho Locs’s braiding hair is textured at the roots and wavy towards the ends, they mimic the look of actual locs. Translation: When you go with this brand, no one will be able to tell that your hair technically isn’t real.
Anyone whose had to separate braiding hair knows how easy it is to end up with a tangled mess. Thankfully, you won’t have that problem with this braiding hair brand—it’s smooth and lightweight, so you can braid without constantly detangling.
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.
With passion twist styles, you need to cop silky braiding hair that’s curly—not too tight, not too loose—to achieve the boho-inspired look. Not only does the lightweight texture of this braiding hair make it super easy to twist, but it also means that it won’t weigh down your edges (aka there’s less potential for breakage).