Style
There's never a wrong time to give your hair a technicolor makeover. For kinky-curly girls, turning to colorful protective styles for natural hair is a means for tasting the rainbow without committing to a permanent dye job.
If you're a hair chameleon, you've probably tried it all when it comes to rocking pastel and rainbow hairstyles. For color virgins, however, trying a multicolored style can be scary, especially when pink, blue, and green hues aren't exactly traditional hair colors. If it's any consolation, Alicia keys recently debuted neon orange and pink braids and her sherbet 'do had cool girl vibes written all over it. You can charter into technicolor territory, too, even if only temporarily. That's the beauty of braided and twisted extensions— you can remove them and revert to your natural mane if a colorful look just isn't for you. And in the event that you're head over heels for rainbow extensions, switching from one whacky style to the next is just a matter of taking down and braiding up again.
Embrace your inner unicorn or step out of your comfort zone by taking colorful hair inspiration from these 17 beauties proudly rocking vivid twists, braids, and faux locs.
1
Neon Box Braids
Prepare for all eyes to be on you. Highlighter hues make for box braids that can light up a room.
3
Multicolored Braids
Get festive by mixing every shade of the rainbow into your protective style for harmonious chaos.
4
Mix-And-Match Yarn Twists
Pick your favorite shades and mesh them with mistmatched yarn twists, a look that's equally unique and captivating.
5
Ombréd
You can never go wrong with an ombré color job. It's seriously too mesmerizing to look away.
6
Royal Blue Chunky Twists
Perfect for the bold, bright jumbo twists stand out in all of the right ways.
7
Cotton Candy Locs
Ultra feminine and unique, bright pink locs are worthy of so much praise.
8
Rainbow Swirl
Secured into a high bun, multicolored box braids create a 'do that looks sweet enough to eat.
9
Rainbow Gradient
Can it seriously get any better than a gradient protective style that hits every hue in the color spectrum?
10
Mermaid Goddess Locs
Transform into a sea siren with deep turquoise goddess locs. Add braiding beads throughout the style for your chicest 'do yet.
11
Unicorn Locs
Send your mane into color shock with a protective yarn style fit for a unicorn.
12
Icy Ombré
A pastel hue transitioning into an icy grey adds flair to your braids or twists without going overboard.
14
Multicolored Tips
If you can't commit to a full head of rainbow extensions, try multicolored tips instead. Faux locs with pastel ends are pure perfection.
15
Color-blocked Jumbo Braids
Jumbo braids in varying hues creates a color-blocked effect that's sure to cause a ton of hair envy.
16
Curly Colored Tips
Rainbow ombré and curly tips are the perfect pair. Take on this look if you dare to to taste the rainbow.
17
Colored Streaks
Spice up a plain 'do with streaks of color here and there for a subtle take on rainbow hair.
18
Peek-A-Boo Color
If the thought of all-over rainbow hair is too overwhelming, try a peek-a-boo approach. You can wear your hair up to show off colored strands or down to keep them hidden.
19
Neon Mix
It doesn't get any more daring than this. There's no way your braids won't make a statement with a blend of neon hues.
20
A protective style doesn't have to be plain Jane. All of the colorful hairspiration out there proves it pays to embrace your wild side.
