Braids have been my go-to protective style for most of my life, making me no stranger to the ins and outs of braiding hair. Generally, the best braiding hair is lightweight, doesn’t tangle easily and doesn’t itch or irritate your skin, and as styles like boho braids, knotless braids and Fulani braids continue to rise in popularity, the options are now seemingly endless. Picking the right hair for your style of choice is more crucial (and difficult) than ever.
To help you choose the best hair for your next style, I spoke to natural hair and braiding experts, including a hairstylist and a cosmetic chemist, to find out everything you need to know about picking the best braiding hair. I’ve also rounded up a list of their recommendations for braiding hair, along with picks from some of our ever-braided NBC Select editors.
Related
Want more from NBC Select? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.
The best braiding hair in 2026
Below is a list of the best braiding hair across styles and textures, as recommended by NBC Select editors and our hair care experts, Jaxcee Challenger, a hairstylist, texture and color specialist and the founder and owner of The Coily Collective salon in New York City; and Tonya Lane, a cosmetic chemist specializing in natural hair, and the founder and CEO of the natural hair platform Curly Chemistry.
Best overall
I’ve been using this hair as my beauty supply go-to braiding brand for years now, and both Challenger and Lane recommend it as the best for knotless and box braids because of its soft texture and how easily it binds without slipping. They both agree that this hair is not only widely-used (out of the three braiding salons I’ve been to in the past year, all three use this hair), but it has a consistent, reliable quality that’s smooth and easy to use.
The hair is pre-stretched (more on this later), which means less stress and tension on the scalp, says Challenger, and is also easy to separate for braiding. Aside from its affordability, my favorite thing about this hair is how well the feathered ends lay — after sealing them with hot water, they stay straight and neat and don’t get rougher until at least a month of wear.
Best for boho braids
When it comes to boho and goddess braids, Challenger says Freetress’s Water Wave hair has the ideal curl pattern for the style’s hallmark curly, left out strands. She likes that the hair is soft and has a lightweight texture that won’t weigh down your hair. It’s also designed for crochet hooks, making it easy to thread through your braids. NBC Select special operations associate Jem Alabi used this hair for passion twists a few summers ago, and says the hair is soft, full and looks better over time.
Best marley hair
Challenger says this hair is the best for twists and other more natural-looking, textured styles. It has a kinky texture that resembles stretched, more tightly-coiled natural hair, along with plenty of volume that makes it great for crocheting and chunkier twists. Reviewers also say the hair is lightweight, soft and easy to install.
Best hypoallergenic
That’s part of how it became a favorite of NBC Select senior editor Nikki Brown, who’s been using it exclusively for more than five years. “The hair itself is the most lightweight hair I’ve ever worn,” she says. She also loves how easily it curls, and that her scalp almost never itches when she has it installed. “It’s one of the products I recommend the most and I’ve yet to have a friend complain using it,” says Brown.
Best plant-based
If you’re looking for a plant-based braiding hair option, Lane recommends Rebundle for sustainably-made, hypoallergenic hair. Plant-based alternatives are more environmentally conscious and less harsh on the scalp, she says. This hair is made from banana fibers, which can absorb and retain moisture, keeping the braids soft and light without drying them out, according to the brand.
This hair is reusable up to three times and is heat safe up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also designed to be non-slip, making it great for classic styles like box braids and cornrows.
How to shop for braiding hair
When I spoke to our branding experts, they gave me a few pointers on what to look for when shopping for braiding hair, including tips on how to make sure your braiding hair is safe, the different types of braiding hair to look for and how best to take care of your hair before and during your braid install. Here’s what they said to consider when shopping:
- Style: Certain styles call for certain types of braiding hair, so consider the style you’re going for before you pick up just anything — you may end up with hair that won’t work for the look you want. (More on types of braiding hair below).
- You hair texture: While braiding hair can work on all hair types, it’s important that you pay attention to how well the hair matches your natural texture to avoid friction and/or breakage. Not to mention, if you want a style that looks seamlessly blended, the closer the texture match the better.
Is braiding hair safe to use?
In 2025, a Consumer Reports study found carcinogens, as well as heavy metals like lead and cadmium in synthetic braiding hair from ten popular brands, raising questions on the safety of synthetic braiding hair, along with potential links to health conditions like cancer, reproductive issues and more.
However, despite the concerns, the experts say that more research is needed before a real determination can be made. “While the study raised valid concerns, the detected chemical levels were relatively low, and more research is needed to fully understand long-term impact,” says Lane. Both her and Challenger agree that braiding hair is generally safe to use, including many popular beauty supply brands.
It’s also worth noting that many of the chemicals found pose the greatest risk when ingested, rather than being applied to the scalp and skin like braiding hair. “Some synthetic hair is coated with alkaline chemicals from the manufacturing process, which can cause itching, irritation, or even allergic reactions,” says Challenger. “That’s usually what people are reacting to, not the braiding hair itself.”
However, both experts stress that the real issue is in inconsistencies with manufacturing across the industry, which is why some brands may irritate some scalps, rather than the entire category being unsafe. “Not all braiding hair is created equal,” says Challenger.
Here are a few tips from the experts that you can use to find the safest options for your braids:
- Avoid overly-shiny or heavily-coated fibers (hair that feels too waxy or leaves residue on your hands).
- Look for “pre-washed” or “antibacterial” labelling.
- Rinse braiding hair with diluted apple cider vinegar before using to remove the alkaline coating and reduce irritants (some stylists and salons may offer this as a pre-braiding service).
- Look for brands that are transparent about their materials.
- Pay attention to how your scalp reacts to different kinds of hair.
Are there different types of braiding hair?
In a word — yes. Different types of braiding hair vary in texture, weight and finish, which allows them to be better suited for different styles, says Lane. Challenger adds that this is where many people get it wrong with braids — “they use whatever’s on sale instead of what the style actually calls for,” she says. These are a few types of hair she suggests for different styles:
- Knotless/box braids: pre-stretched kanekalon or yaki texture hair, which mimics blown-out natural hair for a more seamless blend, she says.
- Boho/goddess braids: water wave or deep wave hair, which is often available in both human and synthetic hair types.
- Twists and faux locs: marley hair, which has a thicker, kinkier texture and gives a coarser finish.
How do you take care of your hair while in braids?
“Protective styles only work if you protect what’s underneath,” says Challenger. Below, she and Lane share a few tips on how best to care for your hair before and after putting in braids.
Prior to braiding:
- Before installing, rinse synthetic hair in apple cider vinegar to remove the coating. Lane suggests a one-part ACV to three-part warm water solution.
- Prior to braiding, be sure to deep condition and moisturize your hair, so it’s still hydrated while in the protective style.
- Some salons and stylists may ask you to blow out your hair as well, which stretches your hair and allows for less knots, less tension and a faster, easier braiding experience.
While in braids:
- Wrap your hair at night with a satin or silk head scarf or bonnet.
- Use mousse to keep the braids neat and free of flyaways.
- Refresh dry hair with a water-based leave-in conditioner.
- Keep the scalp hydrated with a lightweight oil (like grapeseed or jojoba) and for added shine. You can also use this oil to seal in your conditioner.
- Don’t ignore buildup or itching. If you experience either, try a clarifying or detoxifying shampoo to remove buildup and ease tension.
- Keep tension low when styling.
Frequently asked questions
Kanekalon hair is a synthetic fiber made primarily from modacrylic that’s designed to mimic the look and feel of natural hair, says Lane. “It’s lightweight, soft, and slightly matte so it blends better with natural hair, especially for braids,” adds Challenger. Most braiding hair you see in beauty supply stores are Kanekalon or Kanekalon-blend, she says.
Pre-stretched braiding hair is synthetic braiding hair that’s been stretched ahead of time, resulting in long strands with feathered ends that are neater and easier to braid, says Challenger. Pre-stretched hair can often be used right out of the package with little to no manipulation needed before braiding.
Yes, too much braiding is bad for your hair. Challenger especially emphasizes the damage that poor braid installations and a lack of breaks between braids can cause for your hair. “Constant tension, heavy hair, and no rest periods can lead to breakage, thinning edges, and traction alopecia,” she says. She recommends using braids as a tool for hair growth and protection, rather than as a year-round hairstyle, to give your actual hair enough recovery time between installations.
Yes, braiding can work for all hair types. However, Challenger says that the installation process isn’t universal, and whether or not your braids work for your hair depends more on how well it’s installed. While coily and kinky hair usually grip braiding hair easily and hold the styles longer, looser textures may struggle with tension, slipping and breakage if the install is too tight and the hair is too heavy. Lane also says that the coarser texture of braiding hair may cause friction and breakage in finer hair types.
You should leave in braids for no more than four to five weeks. Anything more and you’re likely to experience breakage, says Lane.
Meet our natural hair care experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Jaxcee Challenger is a hairstylist, texture and color specialist and the founder and owner of The Coily Collective salon in New York City.
- Tonya Lane is a cosmetic chemist specializing in natural hair, and the founder and CEO of Curly Chemistry.
Why trust NBC Select?
Ashley Morris is an associate SEO reporter for NBC Select covering skin care, hair care, travel and more, including stories on how to maintain knotless braids and the best masks for natural hair. For this story, I interviewed a natural hairstylist/salon owner and a cosmetic chemist to find out all you need to know about choosing the best braiding hair, including their advice, product recommendations and more.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
