15 Simple Fulani Braids I Tried and Loved
Fifteen Fulani braid installs worn over two years, with an honest verdict on each — what held up, what came out early, and the two that did real damage to my edges before I learned to say something in the chair.
In this article · 21
- How I Picked These
- The 15 Looks I Tried
- 1. Medium Knotless, Shoulder Length
- 2. Small Knotted, Mid-Back
- 3. Jumbo Knotless, Bob Length
- 4. Small Knotless, Waist Length
- 5. Medium with Gold Cuffs
- 6. Honey Blonde Medium
- 7. Home Install, Medium
- 8. Jumbo with Cowrie Shells
- 9. Medium with Curly Ends
- 10. Small Knotted, Shoulder Length
- 11. Burgundy Medium
- 12. Half-Up Every Day for a Month
- 13. Jumbo with a Side Part
- 14. Two-Tone Medium
- 15. Medium Knotless, Six Weeks Exactly
- What I Would Do Differently
- What Worked Best
- FAQ
- Final Thoughts
Two years, fifteen installs, three braiders. Some of these I would book again tomorrow and two of them I regret. Verdicts are honest — this is not a list where everything turned out lovely.
How I Picked These
No sponsorships and no free installs. I paid for all fifteen, at three salons and once at home. I logged install time, what I paid, when I took them out, and how my hairline looked at takedown. The verdicts below come from those notes, not memory.
The 15 Looks I Tried
1. Medium Knotless, Shoulder Length
Four hours, five weeks, no soreness at any point. The best of the fifteen. This is the one I rebook.
2. Small Knotted, Mid-Back
Seven hours and it stung by hour three. I said nothing. Took them out at week two with visible thinning at both temples. Would not repeat.
3. Jumbo Knotless, Bob Length
Ninety minutes. Comfortable immediately. Loosened by week three but I did not mind — it was the easiest install I have ever sat through. Great for a first try.
4. Small Knotless, Waist Length
Nine hours. Beautiful for about four weeks, then the weight started giving me a dull ache at the crown by evening. Lovely, impractical.
5. Medium with Gold Cuffs
Same as install one plus a dozen cuffs. Two fell off in week one because they were not crimped. Ask for wide-bore cuffs and watch them get crimped.
6. Honey Blonde Medium
The colour was gorgeous and the braiding hair was drier than my usual brand — it frizzed faster. Buy better hair for light colours.
7. Home Install, Medium
Twelve hours across two days. The back was fine; my cornrows were visibly uneven. Get help with the front.
8. Jumbo with Cowrie Shells
Shells sat flush against the thick braids and looked far better than on my small install. Shells suit jumbo.
9. Medium with Curly Ends
Softened the whole thing. The curls tangled at the ends by week three and needed trimming. Worth it, expect the tangle.
10. Small Knotted, Shoulder Length
Second knotted install, and I did speak up this time. The braider loosened the front rows and it was fine for five weeks. The asking is the whole difference.
11. Burgundy Medium
Looked black at work and deep red outside. The easiest bold colour I have worn.
12. Half-Up Every Day for a Month
Not an install, a habit. By week four the crown felt tender. Rotate where you gather them.
13. Jumbo with a Side Part
Softer on my face than centre. I now ask for a side part by default.
14. Two-Tone Medium
Black to caramel from mid-length. Grew out well because the roots were my natural colour. Best growing-out phase of any install here.
15. Medium Knotless, Six Weeks Exactly
Took them out on day forty-two as planned. Hairline intact, minimal shedding. Six weeks works when the install is right.
What I Would Do Differently
Speak up in the chair. Both of my bad experiences came from sitting through pain politely, and both were entirely preventable in the moment.
Stop chasing length. Every install past mid-back became uncomfortable by week three, regardless of size or technique.
Pay for knotless. The premium is real and it is the single change that made the most difference.
What Worked Best
Medium knotless, shoulder length, side part, wide-bore cuffs. Four hours in the chair, five comfortable weeks, and a hairline that looks the same at takedown as it did at install. Everything else on this list was an experiment against that baseline.
FAQ
Which lasted longest? Small knotless, five and a half weeks. Jumbo loosened by week three.
Did any damage my hairline? Two — both small and knotted, and in both I ignored pain during the install.
What would I book tomorrow? Medium knotless at shoulder length.
Final Thoughts
Fifteen installs and the conclusion is unglamorous: technique and honesty in the chair matter more than size, colour or length. Get knotless, keep it above mid-back, and say something the moment it stings.
Compare the sizes in jumbo and small Fulani braids, read Fulani vs knotless, or start with 25 simple Fulani braids ideas. More in Braids & Protective Styles.
