Box braids

What box braids are

The name comes from the square, box-like sections of hair that each braid starts from.² Your stylist divides your hair into squares, adds the extension at the root with a small knot, then braids down the length.

The style is thousands of years old, with roots in Namibia and the Nile Valley, though the name only became common in the 1990s.²

The knot is the difference from knotless braids. It keeps each braid secure, so box braids can hold a little longer.² It also adds bulk at the base and a point of tension at the root.¹ The knotless braids guide shows the two side by side.

How they look and feel

Clean square parts, even braids from root to tip and a polished finish. You can wear them down, in a bun, half up or in a ponytail.

The knot makes the start of each braid slightly firmer than a knotless braid. Weight builds with length and fibre, and shorter, thicker braids hang lighter from the hairline.³

See the look.

These images are illustrations, not photographs of our clients.

Who they suit

Box braids are a good choice if:

• you want a neat, structured braid that holds its shape
• you like a consistent size from root to tip
• you want plenty of ways to style them
• your hairline is strong and your scalp is not sensitive

If your hairline is fine or tender, your scalp is sensitive, or you have had a painful install before, knotless braids are usually gentler, because they start with less pull at the root.¹²

If your scalp is sore, itchy or inflamed, or you had a chemical treatment in the last one to two weeks, wait and talk to us first.⁴ The braid care guide explains how to tell if your scalp is ready.

Size changes the look. Length changes the time.

Smaller braids mean more braids: more parting detail, a longer install and a longer take-down.⁴ Larger braids mean fewer, fuller braids, a quicker install and, as a general rule, less pull on each root.³

Length changes the time and the weight. Longer hair hangs heavier from the hairline, so shorter lengths are gentler.³ Your stylist balances size, length and fibre with you. If you are unsure, add a note when you book.

Your box braid install, step by step

The whole appointment takes about 4 to 5 hours, and most clients read, work or watch something.

1. Arrival and chat. We confirm your look, length and hair history. You do not need to wash your hair first, because the wash is included.
2. Assessment. Before any braiding, your stylist checks strand support, density, breakage, your hairline and your scalp.
3. Wash, condition and blow-dry. Your hair is cleansed, conditioned and blow-dried straight, which makes clean parts easier.
4. Parting. Your look becomes square sections and a fibre plan for your hair.
5. Knotting and braiding. At the root of each square the extension is added with a small knot, then braided to the ends. Tension is checked section by section as we go.
6. Finishing and home care. We check shape, ends and neatness. You leave with a dry, finished style and a walk-through of care and warning signs.

As your box braids grow out

Some sources say box braids can stay in longer than this, because the knot keeps each braid secure.² We recommend 4 to 6 weeks.

Looking after box braids

Heavy products and wax collect at the base of the braid, where the knot sits, and make removal harder.⁴ Keep the routine light.

• Mist your scalp lightly with a water-based spray every 2 to 3 days. Spray between the braids, not on them.
• Cover your hair at night with a satin bonnet or scarf, pulled on loosely.³
• Wash every 2 to 3 weeks with diluted shampoo worked between the braids and around the base of each braid, and dry your roots completely.⁴
• Use light oils and moisturisers only.⁴
• Pain, stinging, crusts or tenting mean the braids are too tight. Tell us, or take them out early.³

The seasons in Pretoria, the gym, the pool, sleep and the warning signs are all in the braid care guide.

Taking box braids out

You open each braid from the ends up towards the root. At the base, the knot is wrapped around your own hair, so it has to be loosened gently, never pulled.

Taking braids out yourself takes far longer than people expect. If you remove medium braids on your own, it can take four to six hours, because each braid is opened one at a time, and smaller braids take longer.⁴ Many people dread it, put it off and wear the style too long.

Why the take-down matters, and how a careful one goes, is in the braid care guide.

Box braids against other styles

Words used in this guide

Extension (or fibre): the synthetic or human hair added to your own hair to make a braid longer and fuller.

Parting: the line of scalp that shows between two sections of hair.

Edges: the fine, thin hair along your hairline at the forehead, temples and nape.

Strand support and density: how strong each strand is, and how much hair you have in each section.

Curl blends: curly extension hair mixed into the braid to add texture.

Take-down: taking the braids out.

Unplait: to open braids back out into loose hair.

Sources

1. Florie Mwanza, Are knotless braids the low-tension answer to box braids?, Stylist, 20 May 2022. Quotes afro hairstylist Gemma Moodie of Neville Hair and Beauty.
2. Luxe Digital Editorial Team, Braids for Black Women: 24 Styles, From Box Braids to Fulani, Luxe Digital, 30 September 2026.
3. American Academy of Dermatology, Hairstyles that pull can lead to hair loss. Updated 6 November 2024.
4. Diane C. Bailey, Milady Standard Natural Hair Care and Braiding, Cengage Learning, 2014.

Keep reading

If something here gave you pause, one of these may suit you better: the knotless braids guide, the Afro Boho braids guide, or the braid care guide.