Protective hairstyles are a great way to keep natural hair healthy and provide you with so many options to change up your look. Box braids are a classic go-to — there are endless ways to style them.

When someone with sharp-looking box braids walks into a room, it’s hard to not stop and admire the endlessly cool hairstyle. While it’s a classic, braided extensions can be tough to master on your own ...

Using a few packs of the best braiding hair in your next style can not only enhance your overall look, but is also a tried-and-true way to protect hair from being damaged by the elements, excess heat, ...

The idea of having to wash braiding hair before a knotless braids install was one that I never gave a second thought. As a diehard protective style fan, having to wash my bundles for my custom wigs or ...

Crochet hair can mimic virtually any look, from curls to twists and locs. Crochet braids are a protective hairstyle that involves looping hair extensions through your natural cornrowed hair using a ...

There are protective styles, and then there's the protective style: box braids. The two are basically synonymous at this point, as box braids are not only protective but also incredibly convenient and ...

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise. Today’s style on The Braid Up is giving major volume and glamour, and I’m oh-so-very here for it. If ...

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Good or bad, everyone remembers their first trip to the braiding salon. You ...