Friends, let me be honest here for a moment and say that nearly ALL of my hair/braiding inspiration comes straight from YouTube and Instagram.
I often morph a style over a couple days of wear, or I add or change elements, but the basic braiding inspo comes from outside myself. There is nothing I love more than falling head over heels for a braiding photo, and then successfully recreating it. I love taking my newly-learned technique and applying it to create new styles!
I get compliments on my braids all the time, and the number one question is always: HOW DID YOU LEARN TO DO THAT??
While I did teach myself over nearly two decades of braiding experience, these hair vloggers would give you a fantastic start to doing amazing braids. They are my current inspiration. And, because we are currently in Game of Thrones withdrawal, all but one of these styles are from our favorite leading ladies on HBO.
Enjoy!
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ladollyvita333
This channel is my top pick for all things braiding. I LOVE that Siobhan posts intricate and complex styles that challenge me and inspire me. She does really great character recreations with her own hair, which shows the world that it can indeed be done without a wig. I try nearly every braid this girl posts!
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Kailey Melissa
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For all-around hair care, styling, products, and braiding, I love Kayley Melissa. She has such a vivacious personality and is so fun to watch! Her channel is a fantastic starting place for beginner braiders just starting out– but if you dig a little, you can find some pretty amazing complex braids as well. I’ve been following this girl from the beginning, and her Disney princesses series is not to be missed!
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Silvousplaits
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I absolutely love this channel so much. Shannon posts really detailed braiding videos and has some of my favorite tutorials for fantasy hair. Her Lord of the Rings series is completely addictive. Plus, her red hair is such a draw for a fellow ginger like me! ;) I can’t wait to see what she does next.
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Cute Girls Hairstyles
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This is a channel that started it all for me. Back when Brooklyn and Bailey were still little bitty, these videos taught me everything I needed to know for all the different kinds of braiding techniques. I absolutely loved Mindy’s tutorials. The channel has expanded now to include more family vlogs and mainly videos from other contributors, but if you go back to the “golden days” you’ll find an unbelievable treasure trove of hair tutorials.
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Mia & Linda
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This is a channel that relies heavily on extensions to create their UNBELIEVABLE braided styles. This is sheer braid porn at its finest. Mia and Linda create romantic fantasy styles that are pure gorgeousness. I love watching these come to life, but I’ve not had much success doing their recreations on myself.
Honorable mention: Luxy Hair, Missy Sue, Braids and Styles 12, Confessions of a Hairstylist, Braids by Jordan, Abella’s Braids.
A friend once mentioned her frustration to me that there was such a huge beauty/makeup community on YouTube, but nothing for us hair nerds. Oh, if only she knew! The hair game is strong on YouTube, and I’m so excited that they’re sharing their art with the rest of us.
What are some of your favorite YouTube channels? Any hair vloggers I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments down below.
“A girl without braids is like a city without bridges.” ― Roman Payne