Year after year, braided hairstyles continue to dominate summer hair trends. From knotless braids to halo crowns, plaits are the perfect style to protect your hair and provide a stylish new look. This year, bubble braids are stepping into the chat and bringing a mature aesthetic to the nostalgic style. From the Met Gala to the runway, these unique braids have been quietly taking over the internet. The voluminous bubbles have an elegant and playful look, perfect for the season. They can also be enhanced with colorful bands, beads and braid jewelry. Even more compelling is the fact that bubble braids are incredibly easy to create. Below, we tapped two celebrity hairstylists, including the artist behind Kerry Washington’s show-stopping Met Gala look, to learn how to do bubble braids at home.
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What are bubble braids?
Despite the name, bubble braids aren’t braids at all. Instead of the hair being woven together in a plait, the style refers to a version of a ponytail featuring bubbles. This creative hairstyle has lots of volume and is used to add a playful touch to traditional ponytails. Celebrity hairstylist Takisha Sturdivant-Drew explains that the style is created with elastic bands and involves stretching the hair into voluminous bubbles. So why call it a braid? According to celebrity hairstylist Vanessa Ocando, the bubbles are often placed along the head, similar to a French braid, and use sections of the hair to form the final look. Much more than a stylish upgrade to your ponytail, bubble braids are a low-tension style that works on almost any hair type. They’re not as tight as other braids, making them ideal for natural hair. On straight or fine hair, Ocando adds that the style works wonders for adding volume and texture to lift the hair.
How to do bubble braids at home
Unlike other braided hairstyles, bubble braids are easy to recreate at home. You don’t need to be a skilled braider or have an arsenal of tools to master the look. Bubble braids are typically created on dry hair to deliver a textured look. “Dry shampoo or texturizing sprays are helpful for straighter hair because they add more definition to the hair,” says Ocando. To begin, she recommends parting the hair down the middle and creating one to two inch sections from the hairline toward the back of the head. “After forming the ponytails and securing them with an elastic band, gently tug the section to fluff out the hair and create the bubbles. Then proceed to the next section, keeping the same distance as the first, and repeat all steps until you reach the end,” says Ocando.
If you’re creating a bubble braid style on natural hair, you can use extensions to create a fuller look. “Be sure to use hair that has a good amount of length and volume to it,” says Sturdivant-Drew. She recommends having styling gel on hand to define the curls and keep the edges slicked down and smooth. Ocando notes that you can also use a wax or texture spray to give the final look hold, while hairspray helps clean up any unwanted flyaways.
