What You Need for Goddess Braids

The term is used two different ways, and it is worth knowing both before you buy hair. Traditionally, goddess braids are large cornrows, thick raised rows braided close to the scalp. More recently, the name has also attached to braids with loose curly pieces left out along the length. The supplies are completely different, so establish which one you mean.

The large cornrow version

This one needs almost nothing. Big sections, a rat-tail comb, a little gel and, if you want extra thickness or length, two or three packs of braiding hair fed in. Because the rows are wide, there are few of them, and a full head can be done in an hour or two. The size is also its main limitation: wide rows put more weight on each section, so they are not the low-tension option they look like.

The curly-piece version

Here you are braiding as normal and adding a separate curly hair through the braid so pieces fall loose along it. The braiding hair and the curly hair are two different purchases. Water wave or deep wave hair is the usual choice for the loose pieces, in either synthetic or human hair. Human hair costs more but takes better to being detangled repeatedly, which matters because the loose pieces are the part you handle most.

Placing the loose pieces

Add the curly hair as you braid rather than trying to thread it in afterward. Small amounts, spaced along the braid, look far better than large chunks clustered near the ends. Leave the first inch or two from the root clean so the braid has something solid to hang from. Roughly one to two packs of curly hair covers a full head, on top of the braiding hair.

Care

The braids themselves need little. The loose curly pieces need what any loose curl needs: water, a light conditioner, and separating with fingers rather than a comb. They will tangle at the point where they leave the braid, so check that spot when you refresh. Keep heavy butters off the curls, which flatten them, and keep the pieces off your pillow with a satin bonnet or a large scarf.