Braided hairstyles
Braided hairstyles in South Africa, from cornrows to knotless and goddess braids. Each card shows a usual starting price in rand from SA salon price lists, a typical time in the chair, and links to the full guide.
Braided hairstyles, explained
The main types of braids
Braided hairstyles fall into a few families, and SA salons list most of them by name. Cornrows are braids worked flat against the scalp in rows, and Wikipedia says they originated in Africa and are worn by both sexes. Box braids are braids in square sections, and knotless braids start with your own hair and feed the braiding hair in gradually, so there is no knot at the root. Goddess and boho braids have loose, curly pieces left out along the braid, usually on a knotless base. Fulani and tribal braids are half straight back and half braids, as a Pretoria braider describes them.
Twist braids are two-strand twists, and SA salons list twists on your own hair as well as with extension hair. Lemonade, butterfly, curls and short braids each have a page of their own. Butterfly braids are listed in SA stores and salons as butterfly locs, and Cosmetic Connection lists a butterfly locs pack as needing 3 packs per head.
Choosing by time
Cornrows are the shortest sitting, at about 1 to 2 hours on most lists, and Wikipedia says they can take up to five hours depending on quantity and width. Men's styles are 1.5 to 3 hours and kids' styles 1 to 4 hours in the listings we read. Knotless, box, goddess, Fulani, lemonade, butterfly and twist braids mostly run 2.5 to 5 hours, and braids with curls 4 to 6. Small braids and long lengths add time: knotless listings for waist length and longer run 4 to 6 hours against about 3 hours for short ones.
Choosing by budget
The usual starting price for each style, from the SA salon listings we read on 6 Oct 2026, runs from R200 for cornrows and men's braids and R250 for kids' braids, to R500 for knotless and short braids, R550 for box and Fulani braids, R600 for twist braids, R650 for goddess and butterfly braids and R700 for braids with curls. Lemonade braids start at R300, the lowest of eight listings. These are the low end of the middle half of listings, and the middle half of knotless listings runs R500 to R865 and goddess and boho R650 to R1,250, so a long or small-braid set costs more.
Price also depends on size and length. One Cape Town city centre salon, labour only, lists big knotless braids at R750 to R1,200 and small ones at R1,100 to R1,700 across its size bands, and a Pretoria and Cape Town natural hair salon charges R750, R700 and R650 for small, medium and thick knotless at bra-strap length, before 15% VAT. Ask whether braiding hair, a wash and take-down are in the quote.
Choosing by face
We did not find a medical or salon source that links particular braid styles to face shapes, so we do not give face shape rules. What you can check is your hairline, the length and thickness of your own hair, how long you can sit, and your budget. Ask the braider for photos of the style on a head and hair like yours, and look at the front braids in particular.
Choosing by hair health
Tension is the main risk. The American Academy of Dermatology says anyone who wears tight hairstyles can get traction alopecia, and advises loosening braids, especially around the hairline, opting for thicker braids and wearing braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks. It lists pain, stinging, crusts and scalp pulled up like a tent as signs to change the style at once. According to PubMed, a 2008 South African study of 574 schoolgirls and 604 women found the highest risk when traction was added to relaxed hair (doi 10.1016/j.jaad.2008.05.036). The British Association of Dermatologists says early traction alopecia can regrow if the pulling stops, and long-term pulling can cause permanent loss.
Booking and taking them out
Before you pay, ask for the total in rand on WhatsApp for your style, size and length. Two braiders' lists we read ask for a deposit: R100 non-refundable in Pretoria and 50% non-refundable in Thembisa. The Thembisa braider also charges R50 if your hair arrives in a worse state than washed, blow-dried and detangled, and cancels a booking that is 30 minutes late. Take-down is a separate cost on some lists: a Pretoria and Cape Town natural hair salon charges R150 to R250 to take out knotless braids, by size, and R120 to R200 for free hand cornrows, before 15% VAT.
A note on trends and years
People often search for braids by year. We do not rank styles by year. The twelve styles above are the ones SA salons list with prices, and every page shows the date we read the prices. If a style is not on a salon's list, ask the braider whether they offer it and what they charge.
Braided hairstyles: questions
What are the main types of braids?
Cornrows are braids flat to the scalp, box braids are in square sections, and knotless braids start with your own hair and feed the braiding hair in gradually. Goddess and boho braids add curly pieces, Fulani combines cornrows and braids, and twists are two-strand. Each has its own page.
Which braided hairstyle takes the shortest time?
Cornrows, at about 1 to 2 hours on most of the lists we read, and up to five hours depending on the number and width of lines, according to Wikipedia. Men's styles run 1.5 to 3 hours and kids' styles 1 to 4. Most other braid styles take 3 to 5 hours, and braids with curls 4 to 6.
What is the cheapest braided hairstyle?
On the lists we read on 6 Oct 2026, kids' braids start at R80 and cornrows at R100, then knotless and twist braids at R250. These are the lowest listings. The middle half of knotless listings cost R500 to R865, so check the style page for typical prices.
How do I choose a braid style for my face?
We did not find a medical or salon source that links styles to face shapes. Choose by what you can check: your hairline, your hair length, how long you can sit and your budget. Ask for photos of the style on hair like yours.
How do I keep braids from damaging my hair?
The American Academy of Dermatology advises loosening braids, especially around the hairline, opting for thicker braids and wearing braids for no longer than 6 to 8 weeks. It says to remove them immediately if they cause pain or irritate your scalp, and lists stinging, crusts and scalp pulled up like a tent as warning signs.
Do braided hairstyle prices include the hair?
It depends on the salon. One natural hair salon lists labour only and does not include fibre, with 15% VAT added, while a Thembisa braider includes braiding hair in their prices. Always ask for the total in rand on WhatsApp, with hair, wash and take-down stated.