Many people think they can’t do waterfall braids, because of the time investment it looks like it takes to do them. The truth is, once you know the components that make creating a waterfall braid faster than 10 minutes, you can do them as easily as I’ve shown many people in my chair. I’ve watched so many people do them once I showed them. One of the biggest misunderstandings about waterfall braids is that the braid itself is what people are drawn to. The braid itself is not what draws attention. The hair that’s let down is the focal point of the braid. The braid holds the hair so you can focus on the loose hair. The length of your hair determines your hairstyle so if your split ends are bad then you won’t look good no matter how well the braid is done. Great braiding isn’t going to fix bad ends.
During one trial, I had a bride walk in with a Pinterest board overflowing with waterfall styles, with all her inspiration pinned on hair twice as thick as hers. Rather than add hair extensions to create the volume, we opted for a more elegant style that involved more creative, looser, and simpler styling. The beauty of braided hairstyles lies in the ability to transcend the obsession with trying to replicate someone else’s hair. It’s more about the right styling tools than sheer volume. Here are 15 braided hairstyles that I personally love. I will say not all of them will suit you, (so pretty safe to say they’re not all equally simple or worth your effort).
#1: Golden Leaf Braid on Soft Waves
I won’t hide my enthusiasm about this as it looks amazing! The ratio of braids to waves is spot on as it provides the right amount of structure while still keeping it loose enough for the effortless look that typically goes with styled hair. I appreciate the golden leaf accessories as they did a lot of work here. Just the right accessory can take a hairstyle from nice to stunning with no additional effort needed on the hair. If you’re someone that gets frizz, I suggest using a bit of anit frizz serum to get everything behaving, but this is the type of style where a bit of texture and imperfection is to your benefit.
#2: Chestnut Waves with Butterfly Clip Braids
The golden butterfly clips in this braid hairstyle are super cute! The large, defined waves show us that she used a 1.5 inch curling iron, maybe even a bit of a patience! The braid instead of just long curls, gives the hairstyle a narrative and an adventurous one at that! I am going to be honest, this is definitely not an easy hair style to do. If you are the type of person that runs out of the house with your hair wet, you’re probably going to find this style to be a little to extreme. But for special events, it’s a really good look! The clips are super cute to keep it light and fun!
#3: Ebony Curls with a Show-Stopping Side Braid
Let’s appreciate the really amazing potential in your beautiful thick dark hair. Curls that are bouncy and rich are equatable only to true thick hair. The flower pin braid to the side screams FROSTING ON THE CAKE. And I mean that in the best way literally possible. Def not a Tuesday morning hairstyle and I love that for us. You are absolutely going to need a protective serum because of how rough the curling process is going to be, but beautiful hair is worth the pain. This hairstyle will cause people to stop having conversations just to compliment your stunning hair.
#4: Floral Pins Scattered Through Rich, Full Curls
I want to point out the thoughtful design behind the floral pins. They encourage passersby to look up and they help to frame the face without any need for architectural styling. The curls are big but not too much, which is a tricky balance to strike, and yet they seem to pull it off. It’s designed to look effortless. It also is achievable even for those with thin hair, so long as you create some volume with a good volumizing mousse at the roots. Then you can start curling. Most of all, I appreciate that this is a set it and forget it style, as the curls won’t be going anywhere and the pins will keep everything looking nice even as the night goes on.
#5: Braided Crown Melting Into Loose Waves
I love this style so much I’m tempted to message my clients photos and say, “this is happening next time!” The crown braid is tight enough to hold all the hair but is still comfortable, and the waves transition is so natural and not awkward. The hardest part is combining the braid and the waves seamlessly, and that’s something a lot of people struggle with when trying it at home. Unless you’re super confident in your braiding skills, you may as well book an appointment and save yourself the hassle!
#6: Pearl-Dotted Waves with Face-Framing Layers
What makes this work is that people may miss the tiny pearl details and that is self deprecating. More people should try to emulate that. The layering around the face is doing what good layering is supposed to do. Good layering always softens everything without making the hair look thin and wispy. For this style, your hair needs to be in amazing condition because there’s no way to hide bad hair. If you have been avoiding your deep conditioning, let this be your motivation to get back on it before you try it..
#7: Sleek Straight Lengths with a Statement Clip
Sometimes I will incorporate a look since it demonstrates that you don’t always need braids or curls to have a good look. This look is gorgeous because it’s simple sleek straight hair with one nice clip that really pops the look. The condition of her hair being that good is why it works. Hair that shiny doesn’t just happen. It shows deep conditioning is done consistently and it shows. If you have thick, heavy hair like that hair, you understand the struggle for keeping it smooth and tangle-free. But when you put in the work, you achieve this effortless glam that makes everything else look overdone in comparison.
#8: Deep Dark Waves with a Gold Bow That Actually Works
I usually have very critical opinions about adult bows, and most of the time, they aren’t particularly favorable. However, this bow passes because the scale and placing are both well thought out. It sits on the head like a piece of jewelry and not a costume, and the deep waves underneath the bow give it something to really anchor to. This is a detail I appreciate that some may not consider: that bow is sitting right where most people’s parts start to look a little sparse or messy, and so it’s functional and pretty! The waves will definitely need some holding spray to last throughout an event, but the overall effect is worthy of every minute of styling.
#9: Dark Flowing Waves Threaded with Pearls
This is so ethereal and editorial, I love it! The pearls are really fun and look like they are woven into the waves of the hair. The hair movement is incredible as well. It’s clear a lot of length and density is needed for this look in the photo because the pearls look so integrated rather than just sitting on top. For this look, the maintenance is also about the pearls staying in place, so if you’re going to try this, you will need good hair pins instead of those ones that slide out in like twenty minutes.
#10: Dark Brunette Criss-Cross Braid into Waterfall Curls
This is an actual waterfall braid. The way the criss-cross detailing looks so neat and the way the braid opens to the defined curls really gives the illusion of the hair literally cascading, and that is just something a lot of waterfall attempts miss. If you have naturally wavy or curly hair that is an advantage since your texture will hold those curls. As for the top braid, it does require some skill and the tightness will need to be uniform to avoid an overall lumpy look. For something like a wedding, a professional set is an investment I would recommend.
#11: Half-Up Twisted Waterfall with a Floral Pin
One of the main advantages of the half-up style is that it looks intricate, but it is simple. The way the curls spring from the twisted section looks quite professional, but is easy to achieve. It is a good option for styles that have a nice appearance but require little effort to complete. The floral accessory is really cute, but you can easily use a plain gold barrette instead or leave it off (the twist is the most important element). For fine or slippery hair that tends to fall out of updos, I suggest applying some texturizing spray before you start working with it.
#12: Burgundy Waves with a Side Braid Accent
This shade of burgundy is gorgeous! If you have warmer undertones, I highly recommend you try this braid. The color is really vibrant and the way she styled it is perfect to reflect the light. A style gets no bigger compliment than when the haircut and color are so good that the style becomes an afterthought. And gorgeous as it is, without a color like burgundy that will fade quickly and turn muddy and gross. I’m talking high maintenance. If you aren’t using color safe products to preserve the color between appointments, this style will require a lot of upkeep. If you are someone who stays committed to that, then this picture is proof that it is absolutely worth it!
#13: Side Braid with Black Satin Ribbon Woven Through
I appreciate clients trying different things, as the ribbon in this braid is a small detail, but completely changes the vibe of the look. It is best for medium to thick hair, and gives a really polished look without an hour of heat styling. The only thing to note is the tension of a ribbon braid has to be consistent, otherwise the ribbon gets bunched in places and it looks messy. So take your time with it. If you have really fine or slippery hair, this braid is going to be a battle and there are much better styles on this list to work with your hair instead of against it.
#14 Blonde Waves Anchored by a Delicate Side Braid
This look is what I would call effortlessly pretty. It is hard to come up with a term for what this hairstyle could be described as or come up with other terms to justify the use of the term, but this hairstyle justifies using the term. The side braid, which is small and behind the ear, is a more interesting way to pull the hair out of the face than just using a bobby pin. The waves appear soft and look like they could have been achieved naturally on a really, really good hair day. The hairstyle is suitable for events, easy to wear every day, and absolutely does not require major time adjustments to your morning routine. There is very little in all of the combinations you will see that I will appreciate like this one.
#15: Auburn Crown Braid Over Golden Blonde Waves
I appreciate your use of color here and I agree that it is very generous. An auburn braid over golden blonde waves is a nice touch and gives a multi dimensional look rather than a single color braid which is boring. This is the type of look that you want for a braid to be more highlighted as opposed to camouflaged. I suggest bringing this picture to your colorist because the color and tones in this photo are very balanced and well placed. If you are thinking of achieving this look and have previously had highlights or balayage, you might actually be closer than you think. The strategically placed braids will allow you to show your color work in ways you cannot achieve by simply wearing your hair down.
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