What Hair to Use for Boho Braids?

Choosing the hair to use for boho braids is like choosing your ingredients for a cake. The ingredients greatly determine the end product, and one wrong turn can lead to disaster.

If you've always questioned why your boho braids don't turn out the way you want or why they don't last long, check the hair extensions you use.

I've had many people ask why their boho braids don't look great. And while I know it could be a stylist issue, the hair extension you choose is the first “ingredient” you need to achieve the perfect bohemian braids.

So, let's answer the hot questions people ask when it comes to boho braids in this article: What hair should I use for my boho braids? Should I use synthetic hair or human hair for my boho braids?

Set? Let's get started!

What Are Boho Braids?

Boho braids are a protective hairstyle with traditional braids and curls. They are a cute hairstyle with knotless braids or box braids and curly pieces.

You might have noticed the cute style on celebrities like Zoë Kravitz and even Beyoncé back in the day, with the dangling curly pieces that set it apart.

These little curly pieces are attached to the braids while braiding or after with crochet pins to give the look a mixture of a stylish and voluminous wavy and braid style. It's one of the hot and trendy looks in town now, and everyone wants to achieve it.

Yes, and with the right hair and texture.

Why Hair Choice Matters for Boho Braids?

Hair choice, as I mentioned in the introduction, determines the end product. That is, how your hair will turn out, how long it will last, and how comfortable you'll feel.

With the wrong choices, it can look like another style entirely, or worse, a disaster. But with the right hair, it can look phenomenal and fantastic, leaving you with no question, instead joy, comfort, and beauty.

If you’d love a natural-looking, gorgeous, and long-lasting style, then the hair you choose is important.

What Kind of Hair Do You Need for Bohemian Braids?

Without question, there are many hair extensions you can use for your boho braids. This ranges from synthetic hair to blends and human hair. However, I must also inform you that the outcome of using each of these hair extensions differs.

Let’s break it down:

1. Synthetic Hair

Synthetic hair is like most people's first choice when braiding their hair. This is because it's easy to access and quite cheap. But although synthetic hair gives nice-looking boho braids for the first few days, it doesn't look good as time goes by.

Don't get me wrong, using synthetic hair for the actual braids is great, but for the curls, it gets tangled up after a while. You might have to take more time to maintain the curls so they look presentable (not really outstanding or lush).

Quick Note on Synthetic Hair:

● Consider it for the actual braids if you are working with a budget.

● Do not use synthetic braiding hair for the boho curls.

● Be sure to care for your braids daily to avoid them appearing dull.

2. Blend Hair

On the other hand, blended hair is a much better option than synthetic hair. It's a mixture of both plastic and human hair fibers, giving you a “higher quality” than synthetic braiding hair.

Blend hair is a good choice for boho braids as it gives you a more natural look, plus it is cheaper than human hair. But like every other option, it has its drawbacks.

It doesn't feel or look like 100% human hair and may lose its softness over time. So, even though your boho braids curls may not tangle and form knots as fast as synthetic hair would, for a premium style, blend hair shouldn't be your first choice.

Quick Note on Blend Hair:

● Blended hair is a better option to substitute for human hair.

● If you won't be wearing your hair for a long period, blended hair offers you a solid mix of money and quality.

● It is not the best for longevity.

3. Human Hair

Human hair is the best choice for boho braids. It is smooth, soft, and natural-looking. It doesn't compromise on quality and offers you the nicest boho braids.

Pick a deep wave 100% bulk human hair for the curl pieces and straight hair for the knotless braids. It is an actual investment because you can reuse the braiding hair multiple times before deciding to discard it.

Quick Note on Human Hair:

● Human hair is expensive compared to the first two braiding hair options.

● It is the best choice if you want a long-lasting, no-frizz style.

● It gives the perfect waves for your braids.

Now, to help in decision-making, should you use human hair or synthetic hair for your boho braids?

I'll recommend using human hair for your boho braids any day, any time. This is because, as I've said, human hair gives you a style that lasts longer with less frizz and tangles.

It also offers you good quality, and no one should miss out on that.

However, the quality of human braiding hair extension you use will determine how your boho braids will turn out. Some braiding hair is labelled as “human hair.” It is made from low-quality hair, which will still not yield the same results as original human braiding.

Always ensure you get 100% human braiding hair for defined, long-lasting boho braids. If you prefer an instant wear boho braids option, then check out this beautiful boho braids wig on Hermosa hair.

Want to get an easy and affordable choice? Get a boho braided wig.

Best Human Hair for Boho Braids

Check out some of the best braiding hair I found in the hair market:

1. Hermosa Hair Deep Wave Bulk Hair For Boho Knotless Braiding 100% Human Hair

This is a bulk human hair extension you can use to achieve your boho braids. It is 100% human hair, doesn't tangle, and lasts for more than a year. It is a good hair choice because you can use it not just for your boho braids, but other braiding styles you might want to try in the future.

Hermosa Hair Deep Wave Bulk Hair was my first choice because of its versatility.

2. Hermosa Hair Chocolate Brown Bulk Human Hair for Braiding

Another good option for your boho braids is this chocolate bulk braiding ahir. Like any human hair extensions, it doesn't tangle and keeps its soft texture for months.

3. Hermosa Hair One Bundle Sale Straight Hair Weave Bundles 100% Unprocessed Virgin Human Hair

Lastly, take a look at Hermosa's One Bundle Sale Straight Hair. It is perfect for the braids part of the boho braids, giving you a sleek, natural look that doesn't tangle or shed.

Can You Use X-pression Hair for Boho Braids?

Yes, you can use Xpression hair for your boho braids.

There are amazing pre-stretched Xpression braiding hair you can use for the real braids, and even curly products to achieve the waves in the braids.

But these are synthetic hairs, and I wouldn't advise that you compromise, especially on the curls.

So, if you have budget constraints, get hair blend curls or wavy human hair for the feed-in wavy pieces, then use synthetic hair for the real braids. That way, your style will pop and look stunning.

How to Prepare Your Braiding Hair for Boho Braids?

Typically, you don't have to do too much to prepare your braiding hair for boho braids, but here is a two-step prep for your hair extensions before braiding;

1. Prepping the Hair

Pre-stretched hair extensions do not need to be prepped in any way. Simply bring them out from the package and start braiding once your natural hair is sectioned.

However, if your hair extensions are not pre-stretched, you may need to wash, stretch, and pick them.

The prepping steps you need to take depend on the hair extensions you decide to use.

Check the following video to see how to stretch braiding hair.

2. Separate the Wavy Hair for the Braids

Add a product to your wavy hair and separate it into small pieces. These strands will be added at intervals to your real braids. But to make adding the curls easy, you can arrange small pieces of curly hair on a stand.

Steps to Styling Your Boho Braids

Once you've prepped your hair, these are the steps to create the perfect boho braids:

Step 1: Part and Section Your Hair

Divide your hair into different sections. You can start by making horizontal rows from the back of your head to the front.

Further part the rows to form boxes and hold each with a hair clip or band.

Step 2: Begin to Braid

Remove the clip from one of the boxes and split it into three sections. Start braiding your hair, then add small hair extensions after a while.

You can braid like four times before adding the first one, then braid for another while, before adding more hair extensions.

Related Read: How To Do Knotless Braids With Bulk Human Hair

Step 3: Feed in the Curly Hair

Once you've incorporated the braiding hair, you can start adding the curly hair to the braid.

Make sure to add in small pieces, so the hair doesn't become bulky in the areas you feed in the curls.

Step 4: Braid and Add at Intervals

The curly hair goes in at intervals. So, after adding the first one, braid for a little bit before adding another curly hair.

You can have around 4 curly pieces in one braid. It depends on how voluminous you want it to be.

Step 5: Finish Up Your Braids

Move to the next section and repeat the braiding steps. Don't forget to start with your natural hair before adding hair extensions.

Also, keep in mind that the curly hair should be added at intervals, and the ends of the braids are to be curled with perm rods.

Step 6: Final Touches

Once you're done braiding, you should dip the wrapped ends with perm rods into hot water to form your curls.

Let each dry and cool before removing them. You can also add hair mousse and spray to the hair for the last touches.

Caring for Your Boho Braids

Using the right hair extensions isn't enough to slay a flawless boho braids style for long; you need to care for and maintain them.

Here are some maintenance tips you can follow when caring for your braids:

● Sleep with a Bonnet

Sleeping with a bonnet does a good job of protecting your braids. You get to reduce the tangles, tugging, and pulling.

However, using any bonnet doesn't work. Make sure to get a silk or satin bonnet. That’s because while materials like cotton will suck the moisture out of your hair, satins and silks help to prevent frizz and protect the hair.

● Tame Flyaways

The best way to tame flyaways is to apply hair mousse or any styling product to your hair.

Once you’ve applied properly, you can tie a scarf and unravel it after some time. This is a trick you can use instead of losing and recreating the style.

● Moisturize your Scalp

Although this doesn't have to be daily, it is important to moisturize your scalp. It will help prevent dryness and itching.

For the moisturizer, you can get any natural oil and apply it to the lines of your braids. Make sure it's not too much.

● Clean Properly and Gently

If you feel you need to wash your hair, do it properly and gently with a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. I always recommend using a hydrating shampoo and conditioner whenever you're washing your hair, mainly because they get the hair clean without stripping it of its oil.

● Redefine Your Curls

To keep those curls bouncy and defined, get water and a leave-in conditioner into a bottle, and spray on the curls.

But before that, put your hair into sections to make application easier. Once you're done, you can add hair mousse to your hair.

Conclusion

If you use synthetic hair for the actual braids and curls, I recommend rolling up the curls whenever you want to sleep to prevent tangles in the hair.

Once you can manage that, your braids should last you for a few weeks (although human hair boho braids last longer).