I Got Knotless Goddess Braids With Human Hair Extensions & I’m Obsessed

The call for Black women and folks worldwide to get a new protective style for the summer has arrived like clockwork — or so it seems online (and at every Black summer function I’ve attended so far). Between the box braids, french curls, cornrows, faux locs and twists, knotless goddess braids have emerged as the most sought-after protective hairstyle of the season  — with stylists from Atlanta to Accra boasting a succession of clients with a variation of the same aesthetic. On TikTok, the braids-meets-flowing-curls hairstyle is especially having its moment, with knotless braid styling videos amassing 62 million views. Black celebrities are in on the trend, too;  Gabrielle Union, Kerry Washington and Meagan Good, plus influencers such as Kia Marie (@The Notorious Kia) and Patricia Bright have embraced the goddess vibe of late.

After not having braids for some years (mostly because salons were closed during those strange pandemic years), I wanted in — but the question was who would I trust to braid me beautiful? I quite literally researched all winter to find the best stylist in Manchester and discovered Yewande’s Braids, a modern African braiding salon, increasingly known for knotless goddess braids in the city. 

Those who aren’t new here will know goddess braids as “pick and drop braids”, a braiding style that dominated the 90s and 00s back when Beyoncé was in Destiny’s Child and Brandy was still Moesha. As with every generation, the best styles come back around and pick and drop braids are the latest archive Black hairstyle to return to popularity with a new name. 
The main appeal of this protective style is the potential to enjoy the practicality of box braids (low maintenance styling, giving natural hair a break, looking put together without much effort) as well as the sensuality, body and volume that come with long free-flowing hair. It’s giving stiff where? More importantly, it looks really sexy and seems to suit every Black woman, femme and grandmother. “It’s the Ariel effect,” says Manchester-based braider Yewande during my appointment. “Most of my customers want to replicate Halle Bailey’s look in the new Little Mermaid movie.” She’s referring to our generation’s Disney Mermaid’s glorious mix of locs and free-flowing waves in the iconic copper shade. “I am booked to do goddess knotless braids all summer long,” she laughs, before sighing at the thought of the mammoth braiding marathon in store for the next few months.

Knotless goddess boho braids aren’t too dissimilar to knotless box braids. Using the “feed-in” braiding technique, my braider parted each section of my hair into individual boxes and plaited synthetic hair into each section (she also used a heavy-duty pomade to conceal flyaways and create the desired sleek, flat look). Instead of braiding the hair all the way to the ends, the majority of the plaits are left unfinished, and loose curls or wavy human hair extensions are added to complete the braid and flow free — hence the phrase “pick and drop”. To amp up the boho feel, individual loose strands are weaved or crocheted into the braids to help frame the face and add more volume to the overall finish. While the style has become ubiquitous for summer 2023, the gurls have been wearing them in varying lengths, hair textures (from tight curls to loose waves) and a vast range of colour combinations. 

I chose smedium (small-medium) waist-length knotless braids in brown with blonde highlights (that’s colour 4 and number 14 in braids speak). I also opted for human hair curls instead of the cheaper more accessible synthetic alternative (more on that later). As I anticipated, the installation process was a long one, and took seven hours including a hair wash and blow dry (it’s extremely important that hair and scalp are clean before installation, to prevent itching and scalp inflammation during the duration of the style). My stylist worked incredibly fast, with two braiders working on my head at the same time, so I wasn’t remotely frustrated by the time spent in the salon chair — I am not new to the braiding process. With any braid style, you expect to give up between four-12 hours of the day (or at least two days if you’re braiding your hair yourself) for months of easy-breezy, low-maintenance hair care. 

As mentioned, I opted for human hair curls to complete my knotless goddess braid look — synthetic hair was used to braid my hair, while the human hair curls were added to the ends. 

While the style can be achieved entirely with synthetic hair extensions, such as X-pression’s kanekalon braiding hair, for this specific style, synthetic curls are known to tangle more quickly and become matted over time even with regular maintenance. “You get volume, movement and softness you cannot achieve with synthetic hair,” Yewande says. “You are also able to re-use the hair if maintained well. It’s the ultimate holiday hair: you are safe at the beach and not worrying about tangles, a wet look would give you a looser curl pattern and a quick Blowdry using a diffuser will bring back the volume.”

For me personally, the choice between human hair and synthetic hair extensions was a no-brainer; I want this style to last the entire summer season, and I will be putting it through its paces during my next holiday. Still, there is a very high price for this freedom: I ended up spending £450 (including wash and blow dry) for my knotless goddess boho braids. I know what you’re thinking: “In this economy?!”. Yet, Yewande provided all of the hair extensions used and all I had to do was just turn up. The cost also included a wash and blow dry. 

Both synthetic and human hair extensions offer a whole host of ethical conundrums for braid and weave lovers who care about their long-term environmental and societal impact. In this instance, synthetic braiding hair often ends up in a landfill following one use, so I was happy to invest in human hair that I could still use for another style.

I was initially hesitant about getting this style as I saw countless influencers complain about goddess braids’ high maintenance: frizzy roots, knotted and tangled curls and the style’s short life span are among some of the complaints. The key to assuring the style holds up begins with your stylist and braider (and that includes you talented at-home DIY magicians). In addition to her sleek and precise partings, Yewande was sure to invest in high-quality human hair extensions that are easily revived in hot water and dried using a diffuser on a cool setting. “Your maintenance routine will depend on how active you are,” Yewande advised. “Use a moderate amount of shampoo and conditioner when washing your roots to keep your hair from curling up.” 

Most braid wearers know that the older the braids the frizzier they become — it’s just part of the hair growth process. Braids make living easy — going to the gym, swimming in pools, beach days — and so will never look as new as they did on the first day out of the salon. Yet there are ways to keep braids looking fresh for longer.  “Sleeping without securing your hair is a recipe for frizzy braids. Moving around while you sleep creates tension on your hair," said Brooklyn-based hairstylist and owner of MyTresses salon, Simone Cremona, to Refinery 29. "Using a satin scarf, bonnet, or silk pillowcase will help reduce some of that tension, so you wake up with neat braids." She also suggests using an anti-itch spray while you sleep. "Sometimes, you don't realize that itching your hair, while you're awake or asleep, can disturb your roots and result in frizz," she explained to Aimee Simon. "Spray a soothing scalp treatment with tea tree or peppermint oil on before bed, that way you aren't tempted to itch your scalp." 

I plan on visiting Yewande’s Braids in six weeks to refresh the most visible braids at the top and perimeters of my head to keep the style pushing through. I’ve also invested in a good mousse (L’Oréal Curl Expression 10 in 1 cream in mousse) to calm flyaways, a spray bottle filled with water to reinvigorate the curls, Pattern’s Scalp Serum,  as well as Got 2 B edge control to keep my natural curls under control. 

I am overjoyed to officially be in my goddess braids era; it’s given me a whole new vibe and confidence that will hopefully last the entire summer.