How to Care For and Maintain Goddess Braids, According to Celebrity Braiders

Channel your inner goddess.

Gabrielle Union
(Image credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to natural haircare and styling, there are dozens of looks to indulge in. From striking natural styles to luxe protective styles, you’re bound to find a look that suits your mood and taste. One of the most popular options? Goddess braids, which celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen calls “the best of both worlds" because of its incorporation of both braids and loose hair.

While this look seems intricate, Stephen says that it's easy to master. She explains, "Goddess braids are braids with strands of curly hair added throughout the entire length of the braid or solely at the ends." Professional hairstylist and celebrity braider Kendra Garvey adds that this is a "quick hairstyle," traditionally comprised of thick braids, that can be incorporated into either braids or cornrows. The result is a long, voluminous look that, according to ancient African tradition, is meant to evoke feelings of inspiration and creativity.

"It's a look that's been around for a really long time," says Garvey, noting that the style has been around since 4500 B.C. During Garvey's 30-year braiding tenure, she says that the goddess braid of the moment has changed, oscillating from cornrows to box braids, thick to thin braids, and crowns to loose styles. Even locs have been incorporated into goddess braids, especially after Lisa Bonet popularized the bohemian style during the 90s. However, the general idea—a whimsical mix of protective styles and loose hair—has remained the same.

Ahead, Stephen and Garvey unpack everything there is to know about the protective style, including the best products for maintaining the show-stopping look.

Creating Goddess Braids

When crafting goddess braids, Stephen says you must have a few items at the ready. The first is synthetic or human hair—"preferably pre-stretched kanekalon hair." According to Garvey, hair pieces made from human hair are increasingly popular these days because of their realistic look and feel. This hair can be of any texture. Stephen explains, "Some like a kinky texture and some like a loose wave," but it's completely up to your personal preference. For a fun touch, Garvey suggests picking hair that's a different color than your natural hair.

When you're ready to braid in a cornrow or box braid style, Garvey says to begin parting and braiding as you normally would, incorporating extensions as you go. While you braid, be sure to let some strands hang loose—either fully or in part. Finally, Stephen advises sealing the style with edge control or braid gel, which is important for both maintaining your look and promoting moisture.

Costs

Goddess braids can cost anywhere between $150 to $300, depending on length, style, hair type (kanekalon or human), and your braider's rate. The longer and more intricate the look, the more you can expect to pay.

Aftercare

Goddess braids are intended to be a temporary style. Stephen explains, "I usually recommend wearing braids or any type of protective style for no more than six weeks. Keeping them past this time can be damaging to the hair because it can become dry and brittle or lock at the root." Garvey adds that your hair will revert to its natural state if you swim or sleep on it, which may alter the look of your goddess braids. Plus, she says, hair growth can make the braids look like they're pulling from your roots.

Still, there are ways of keeping your braids looking chic for as long as possible. Stephen says, "It’s okay to lightly shampoo your braids. Just focus on the scalp." Then, when you're done, she advises users to dry the hair and scalp completely. Garvey also recommends sleeping on a silk pillowcase or using a silk hair wrap to maintain a cleaner look.

Above all, caring for goddess braids also means keeping them conditioned—as with any natural hairstyle. "We cannot allow the hair to become dry and brittle," says Stephen. To prevent that dryness, it's important to choose nourishing products that keep strands healthy from root to tip.

How to Remove

To undo this style, cut each braid just below your natural ends with hair-cutting scissors. As the hair unravels, carefully separate the extensions from your natural hair.

If you're uncomfortable taking the braids out yourself, visit a professional braider who can perform the removal with ease.

Meet the Experts

Ursula Stephen
Ursula Stephen

Ursula Stephen is a celebrity hairstylist known for crafting looks for celebrities like Rihanna, Laverne Cox, and Mary J. Blige. She has worked with legendary fashion photographers like Annie Leibovitz, Norman Jean Roy, and more for a number of fashion magazines; has collaborated with brands; and owns Ursula Stephen The Salon in Brooklyn, New York. She is currently based in New York and Los Angeles.

side profile of Kendra Garvey smiling
Kendra Garvey

Kendra Garvey is a celebrity hairstylist and braider with over 30 years of experience. She is a two-time Emmy nominee and is known for her work on the sets of A Wrinkle in Time, Euphoria, and Tia Mowry's Quick Fix.

Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, politics, culture, and fashion at Marie Claire and at publications including The New York Times, HuffPost Personal, Bustle, Alma, Muskrat Magazine, O'Bheal, and elsewhere. Her personal essay in The New York Times' Modern Love column kickstarted her professional writing career in 2018, and that piece has since been printed in the 2019 revised edition of the Modern Love book. Having studied history, international relations, and film, she has made films on politics and gender equity in addition to writing about cinema for Film Ireland, University College Cork, and on her personal blog, gabrielleulubay.medium.com. Before working with Marie Claire, Gabrielle worked in local government, higher education, and sales, and has resided in four countries and counting. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, and spent two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy.

Deeply political, she believes that skincare, haircare, and sexual wellness are central tenets to one's overall health and fights for them to be taken seriously, especially for people of color. She also loves studying makeup as a means of artistic expression, drawing on her experience as an artist in her analysis of beauty trends. She's based in New York City, where she can be found watching movies or running her art business when she isn't writing. Find her on Twitter at @GabrielleUlubay or on Instagram at @gabrielle.ulubay, or follow her art at @suburban.graffiti.art