Bora Bora braids have taken the curly and coily textured haircare industry—and the internet—by storm. Coined by the popular New Jersey hairstylist Omobolanle Ajao, the tongue-in-cheek name nods to the dreamy island destination in French Polynesia. So far we’ve seen the style on Nigerian singers Tems and Ayra Starr, as well as popular beauty influencers like Toni Bravo and Tobi Ojora, and online fans are even traveling across the country to get the perfect install.
“Bora bora braids seem to be the braids of the summer!” celebrity hairstylist Lacy Redway, whose clients include Laura Harrier, Willow Smith, and Tracee Ellis Ross, tells Vogue. “The style is perfect for summer because it’s a great protective style that offers versatility for styling. It’s similar to box braids with human hair, wet and wavy braids, or micro braids with human hair. Goddess braids and Bora Bora braids are very similar, too. The techniques to install are the same; the difference is goddess braids have less human hair that is visible in between braids, and with Bora Bora, there is more loose hair throughout, creating the illusion of fewer braids.” The style was created to look like an effortless hybrid between wavy sew-ins and wispy pick-and-drop microbraids.
The braiding process doesn’t stray too far from the classic knotless method, where small amounts of hair are gradually fed into the weft, rather than secured with a knot at the root. The key difference is that Bora Bora braids are typically plaited in line with the existing length of your natural hair, allowing the remainder of the curly human hair to billow outwards and form the bulk of the hairstyle. “Bora Bora braids are perfect for fine hair types or anyone who wants to experiment with braids for the first time but doesn’t usually like the appearance of seeing a lot of scalp exposed,” Redway says. “It’s also perfect for those of us who enjoy styles with volume.”
The positive side-effect of switching up the braiding hair from synthetic to human is that it dramatically increases the longevity of the style. And gone are the days of begrudgingly lying your sun-lounger, enviously watching all those headed for a dip in the sea: thankfully, a little salt water can’t hurt this hairstyle. When it comes to care, Redway suggests looking for products that help “enhance the curls but not weigh them down”—adding her favorites are a cocktail of the TRESemmé Flawless Curls mousse and Nexxus Epic Shine Anti-humidity Spray and the TRESemmé Flawless Curls Refresher Spray.
“I love that braids have evolved so much and offer so much more versatility in how we can style them and the finishes that exist,” Redway adds. “Once upon a time, we were just using toxic fibers to braid hair with and then burning the ends of the braids. The ends would often end up with lint or ruin your shirts. We have come a long way in the braid culture, and I’m here for it!”