The 10 best products for styling, cleansing and conditioning box braids (2024)

For women with afro hair, box braids are the ultimate low-maintenance look, requiring no combs, no brushes and no heat-styling tools. Even better, thanks to lack of day-to-day manipulation, braids are seen as a ‘protective’ style that can help prevent breakage and retain length. That being said, a little extra care — and the right products — can keep your braids looking neat for longer, and will ensure your natural hair stays healthy underneath.

Box braids might mean fewer wash days consisting of sectioning, detangling and deep conditioning, but it’s important not to abandon your routine altogether. A creamy shampoo or co-wash (mixed with three parts water in a spray bottle for easy application) is great for cleansing the scalp without stripping it, and will be packed with moisturising ingredients that won’t dry out your braids and leave them frizzy. Meanwhile, traditional conditioners can often feel a little too heavy for your braids — swapping in a lightweight conditioner spray can help avoid build-up and ensure hair stays hydrated.

When it comes to caring for the scalp, a common misconception among women with afro hair is that it needs ‘oiling’. However, afro hair expert Subrina Kidd advises steering clear. “Treat your scalp like an extension of your skin,” she says. “If you are going to use an oil, do it more as a pre-shampoo treatment.” Instead, if you feel your scalp needs extra attention, there are now a wealth of toners, serums and rinses made specifically to cleanse, nourish and minimise itching.

Day to day, you can keep moisture levels up with a mist or leave-in conditioner, while applying an oil to lengths of your braids is great for extra nourishment and a beautiful sheen. After a couple of weeks, a little frizz is inevitable, but sleeping on a silk pillowcase (like this one) or with a silk scarf will keep it to a minimum. And, by using a variety of gels and pastes on your edges and ends, you can cheat salon-fresh braids until your next appointment.

Below, see the ten best products for taking total care of your braids.

Aveda is one of the best brands for catering to afro hair (its Control Paste is brilliant for edges, while the Nutriplenish Deep Moisture range is an absolute treat for Type 4 textures), and this rinseless cleanser was made specifically with box braids and extensions in mind. When massaged into the scalp and worked through the hair, Foam Reset quickly absorbs sweat and grease, soothes itching and dryness, and can even help calm frizz, too.

While Bouclème’s Super Hold Styler is designed to give curls definition, it’s also brilliant for smoothing the ends of box braids when they start to become frizzy and frayed. Like all of the brand’s products, this non-drying gel is packed with naturally derived ingredients such as chia seed and kahai oil, and provides a hold that lasts throughout the day.

Widely considered the best afro hairdresser in London, Charlotte Mensah is also the brains behind a superb range of products that use oils derived from the vitamin E-rich manketti nut. This lightweight mist is the perfect finishing touch for wigs, afros and braids alike, giving hair a glossy sheen and protecting from environmental aggressors.

Super-stylist Jen Atkin has partnered with Byredo to create the world’s chicest dry shampoo, infused with the fragrance brand’s beloved Mojave Ghost scent (with notes of amber, cedarwood and magnolia) and packaged in a sleek, minimal can. Sprayed onto the roots from 30cm away, it shouldn’t leave any white residue – if it does, simply follow up with Ouai’s equally divine-smelling Rose Hair Oil.

The Afro Hair + Skin Co. is a Sussex-based small-batch brand that’s built up a cult following for its plant-based products, and its award-winning hair oil is easily one of best on the market. Formulated with camelina seed, thistle and almond oils, and full of essential fatty acids, Bloom Oil has a gorgeous botanical smell. Itfeels substantial but not heavy – perfect for applying to the lengths of braids.

Trichologist-led haircare brand Philip Kingsley provides a brilliant selection of products for afro hair, including that iconic pre-shampoo treatment, Elasticizer Extreme. This anti-dandruff toner contains a handful of antimicrobial and cooling ingredients that help instantly soothe and refresh an itchy scalp, and comes with a nozzle for precise application.

While traditional edge-control products can be great for achieving super-slicked baby hairs, day to day, pastes and waxes allow for a more natural, medium hold. Oribe’s Rough Luxury Soft Molding Paste is a flexible lanolin-based product that’s non-drying and, when applied with a small dense brush and tied down with a scarf, leaves edges looking soft, not stiff.

The weightless formula of Vernon Francois’s Leave-In Conditioner makes it ideal for box braids. While most leave-in conditioners and creams can feel a little too heavy on braids, this product hydrates thoroughly without leaving any build-up, thanks to tiare flower extract and Tahitian coconut oil. The handy spritz function makes it especially easy to apply, too.

Anita Grant’s namesake beauty brand is something of a hidden gem, selling a range of creams, conditioners and shampoo bars made from delectable-sounding ingredients such as babassu oil and mango butter. This rosewater-based mist is oil free, perfect for hydrating the scalp and soothing any itching, and contains vitamin and mineral-rich aloe vera for healthy hair growth.