Fun fact: most hairstyles can be adapted to suit micro-braided hair. However, micro-braided hair is more sensitive and should not be styled excessively, in order to avoid breaking. Most women prefer to wear it down and show off that fabulous texture. Besides this obvious style, there are a number of other simple ways in which this type of hair can be fashioned. Let’s see some of them below:
1. Half Up, Half Down
All the small braids give a unique texture to the half up, half down hairstyle which is impossible to achieve with hair that isn’t braided. There are two ways to wear this hairstyle: the first one is to pull the top half of the braids over the head, directly to the back. This will create a small, beehive type of bump that can be accentuated by further pulling out the braids – what a show-stopper! The second way to wear this hairstyle is to pull the top half of the hair not directly over the head, but to the sides and have the two halves meet in the back. This is a more toned down version of this style. Both of these half up, half down hairstyles are comfortable to wear all day long because they will keep the braids from slipping onto your face.
2. The Braided Up-Do
Unlike the previous style, these up-dos will get all the braids up in an elaborate-looking bun. The good news is that you don’t have to put in any extra effort to make these styles look sophisticated. The micro braids will do all the work for you. A high bun, for example, is easy to do: wrap the braids around themselves and secure them in place. The longer the hair, the more voluminous the bun will be. Of course, you can go the extra mile and choose to make the knotted bun which employs a similar technique. Start by braiding all the micro braids into one gigantic braid in the approximate place where you want the bun to be. Then wrap it around itself and secure it in place.
Another fun and easy braided up-do is the elegant fauxhawk. To achieve it, begin French braiding at the nape of the neck and work your way towards the forehead, following a straight line. Keep adding micro braids as you go and keep braiding even after there are no more left to add. Then fold the loose braid underneath itself and secure it in place. And there you have it – a braided fauxhawk!
3. Partial braids
Ok, this is not a hairstyle in itself, but it is worth mentioning because the mix of textures can make the hairstyles look even more intricate. Partial braids involve having micro braids only at the top portion of the hair, leaving the rest of it free. You can choose to curl or straighten these ends, so imagine the styling possibilities! The partial braids are extremely efficient and practical on hair which is hard to tame otherwise.
The same micro braids hairstyles apply to the partial braids: all sorts of buns, half up-half down, ponytails, you name it. You only need some time and patience to experiment and see what best fits your length and type of hair.
4. Fantasy braiding
Here, the fantasy braiding refers to creative braiding which often involves extensions. Extensions put a lot of tension on the hair, which in the long run can cause damage to your natural strands. So it’s best to keep them in for a shorter amount of time, while being super-careful and protective with them. Let’s not forget, however, that extensions increase the styling possibilities and add length – which is where the fun begins! The easiest way to take advantage of extensions is to add them in colors radically different from your own. Go lighter if you have dark hair or vice versa. Or even better: go for crazy, bold colors like red, pink, violet or light pastels. Hey, you’ll only be having them for a short amount of time, so why not make the best of it? Once you have them in place, go ahead and try all the micro braids hairstyles above, they will surely look a lot different with all those new hues in your hair.
Micro braids are extremely versatile, not to mention low maintenance once you have them done. Just make sure you start off on the right foot and choose a braider that knows how to braid in order to avoid unneeded stress to your hair. This way you’ll surely be able to wear all of these creative hairstyles for weeks or even months at a time.
