Anytime I come across ASAP Rocky’s photos, I gush over his beauty and commend Rihanna for making such an obvious good choice. Rocky is a visual representation of how braid hairstyles for men can transform your looks.
Be it cornrows or box braids, he always makes a style statement with his braided hairdo. But ASAP Rocky is just one of the many men who look stunning in braids. Many others do. And since you’re searching for the perfect hair braid styles for men, it only means you want to try it out. If that’s the case, you’re in the right place.
Together, we’ll look at everything about men’s braids so you can find the right coiffure for you.
Why Braids Hairstyles for Men
Rather than cutting your hair, let them grow out then braid them into different styles. It’s a stylish, durable, and low-maintenance way to beautify your hair as a man. And since not many men wear this hairdo, rest assured you’ll stand out if you go for it.
Furthermore, braid hairstyles for men are versatile. If you don’t want them as straight cornrows, you can go for long/short box braids, ponytails, braids with fades, braided locs, etc. And if your natural hair isn’t long enough to achieve your desired length, you can use any color of hair extensions to install your braids for men.
But while braids can last you for about four to six weeks, they still get old. For instance, dirt can clog your scalp, the braids may get fuzzy around the roots, and they may even grow out hair. So how do you handle this to ensure your braids last longer? The answer is in the heading below.
How to Care for Your Braid Hairstyles for Men
You don’t need to do too much to maintain your chosen braid styles for men. Just use these tips:
Moisturize Daily
How do you take care of your hair when it’s worn loose? You wash, apply hair cream/oil, and comb, right?
Do the same when you wear any braid styles for men. Whether damp or dry, apply your leave-in conditioner, shea butter, or any good hair oil to your braids. And don’t just apply them on your braids. Work them into your scalp to keep it moisturized too.
Wash Your Scalp
Aim to wash your scalp at least once a week. This is necessary to get rid of buildup from your hairstyling products. You can use shampoo to do this and dry your braids afterward so they don’t smell from too much dampness.
Sleep on Silk
Silk scarves, bonnets, and pillowcases retain your hair’s moisture and prevent it from getting old faster. Always protect your hair by either wearing a silk durag or sleeping on a silk pillowcase.
Don’t Let Them Stay for too Long
Take out your braids after a while, say four to eight weeks. Don’t let them sit for too long lest they should damage your hair or make you look unkempt.
What Styles of Braids are Best for Men?
Looking for the best hair braid styles for men? They’re right below Though these hairstyles are traditionally for black men, any man can pull them off regardless of his hair type.
Let’s check them out.
Cornrows
Cornrow braids are one of the most popular and versatile protective hairstyles for men. They’ve been existing for as long as time and won’t be going out of style anytime soon.
Whether your hair is long or short, cornrows will always work. And the best part of it all is that they come in different styles and partings. For instance, if you don’t want straight cornrows, you can experiment with zig-zag, inverted cornrows, two-step cornrows, etc.
Box Braids
If you don’t want your braided hair sleeping flat on your head as cornrows, go for box braids.
It’s another versatile male hairstyle as you can let the braids loose or pack them into a bun depending on how long your hair is.
Braid Styles for Men with Fades
Braided styles also work on fade haircuts. In fact, this style is so cute, especially as the sides of your hair will be really low while other parts are long.
Don’t fret if your hair is too short. You can always attach hair extensions to make your braids longer so they suit your fade hairstyle.
Men’s Twists
Want something easy to install and loosen? Go for twists then. The rope-like effect they add to your hair is stunning.
And you don’t need to do too much to maintain them. Just use the tips we shared earlier and when it’s time to uninstall, detangle the ropes and you’re good to go.
Colored Braids
This works in two ways: you either dye your hair to your preferred color or use a colored hair extension to install your desired box braids, cornrows, or twists.
Whichever option you go for works just fine.
Feed-in Braids
I hope you didn’t arch your brows thinking this style is for women alone. That’s not true. Feed-in braids are great for both genders. They add more accents to your cornrows and make your scalp more appealing. They also come in different styles like Ghana weaving and stitch braids.
Confused about the right one to go for? We have a catalog of feed-in braids. Though it’s targeted at women, you’ll find it helpful.
Braided Man Bun
A man bun is a coiffure that features drawing back the hair into a tight coil at the back or top of the head. Now imagine braiding your hair into cornrows or box braids and pulling it back into a bun.
That’s how braided man buns work. You can also cut the sides or back of your hair into a fade or undercut. It’ll add more details to your man bun.
Extended Braids
As the name implies, this style involves extending the length of your braids via hair extensions such as attachments, wool, faux locs, etc. In other words, they’re long braids.
You can go for them in any color of your choice.
Beaded Braid Hairstyles for Men
What’s your preferred braid style from the ones above? Whatever it is, you can add more deets to your look by accessorizing your braids with beads.
Still think you haven’t found the perfect braids hairstyles for men that’ll suit you? Check out more inspiration below:
