Waterfall braids are simple hairstyles that are both graceful and super easy to make. Their appearance definitely rings true to their name: waterfall braids make the hair look as though it’s cascading down the back in enchanting streams. To pull off a waterfall braid, first one or more braids are made diagonally or horizontally around the back of the head, or all the way around the head. Then, vertical strands of hair are pulled through the braid(s) and left to fall back. What you’re left with is hair that appears to be falling through the braid in waves.
Waterfall braids can be made in quite a variety of different styles—a lot of which will be discussed in this article—to suit different occasions and style preferences.
Some waterfall braids styles don’t necessarily require the service of a hairstylist. You can easily make them yourself as long as you know how to plait hair like in the easy-to-do single braided waterfall braids style. Meanwhile, others like the mermaid, chain link, four and five strand waterfall braids may require the service of a hairstylist since the technique needed is a little more advanced. If you’re interested in some ideas on how to get this jaw-dropping style yourself, just keep scrolling.
1. Mermaid Waterfall Braids
Mermaid waterfall braids are braids that are a combination of mermaid braids and waterfall braids. Unlike regular mermaid braids that don’t have the unsecured hair falling back, the mermaid waterfall braid style has the upper part of the hair as a mermaid braid and the rest falling through the braid and to the back. Mermaid braids are decorative and gorgeous braids that make heads turn whenever you walk past people.
2. Single Braided Waterfall Braids
The single braided waterfall braid is the one that has just one diagonal or horizontal plait traveling from one side of the hair to the other side. The single plait means that this style doesn’t have any part in the middle like the double braided ones have. The single braided waterfall braids style is very easy as it requires just a single braid and a few minutes of your time.
3. Waterfall Braids Half Updo
The waterfall braids half updo has the upper part of the hair made into an updo by wrapping the braids into a bun or knot. The rest of the hair is pulled through the sides of the braid and allowed to flow down. The half updo waterfall braids leaves a little more room for creativity and adds a delightful touch to the hair as the bun can be made in different ways as a braided bun, a messy bun or even as a side bun. The creative range of half updos can be limited if the hair is short as, in this case, short hair doesn’t allow for as wide a variety of styling options as long hair.
4. Waterfall Braids for Short Straight Hair
Short straight hair isn’t left out from the waterfall braids style as the upper part can be braided while the rest of the hair is pulled through and left to fall on the shoulders and upper back. If you need a non-basic but still simple style for your short straight hair, go for waterfall braids. This particular look is restricted to only short haired ladies and cannot be made on ladies who have long hair and aren’t willing to have their hair cut.
5. Waterfall Braids for Black Hair
Waterfall braids for black hair is just black hair styled as waterfall braids. To get the waterfall style for black braids, your hair needs to be either naturally black or made black by dyeing it. This hairstyle in black is suitable for ladies that want their facial features highlighted.
6. Double Waterfall Braids
The double waterfall braid is the kind that has the hair braided twice at the top. In this case, the hair is divided where the two braids are going to be made, the hair is plaited into two braids running parallel to each other across the head, then the rest of the hair is pulled through both braids and left down the back. The double waterfall braid is not as simple as the single ones as it requires the hair to be braided twice.
7. Side Swept Waterfall Braids
The side swept waterfall braid has one part of the hair braided low and diagonally from the top right side of the hair, along the nap of the neck, over to the bottom left side of the hair. The rest of the hair falls loosely on the left side. This is different from the regular waterfall braid that has the hair falling straight to the back—the side swept waterfall braid instead has one part of the hair secured with a braid and the other part is falling to the other side. The hair being put to one side confines the styling options just to that one side unlike regular waterfall braids which, if you want, can also be styled to the side.
8. Chain Link Waterfall Braids
Chain link waterfall braids are waterfall braids that are plaited to look like a chain. This chain braid style is achieved by tying the strands of hair to form knots as you keep picking small sections of the hair to add just as with the regular French braids. Chain link waterfall braids got their name from the chain-like appearance of the braids. Chain braids are very unique and they draw attention to the wearer.
9. Waterfall Braids Half-Up, Half-Down
All waterfall braid styles fall into this category as waterfall braids are made by dividing the hair into the upper part which is braided and the rest which is down and falling back. These are amazing looking hairstyles that can be made with almost any hair type including long, short, curly, wavy and straight haired ladies.
10. Bridal Waterfall Braids
Bridal waterfall braids are waterfall braids that are made for brides. They’re easy hairstyles that take little time and are suitable for soon-to-be-brides that want a gorgeous look that’s not “too much”.
11. Waterfall Braids Updo
Waterfall braids updo is a totally different waterfall braid style from the others which have hair falling to the back. This extravagant updo has the rest of the hair secured into a bun or knot in order to keep the hair from falling to the back. The waterfall braids updo is suitable for ladies who want waterfall braids but don’t want their hair falling onto their back.
12. Four Strand Waterfall Bridal Braids
Four strand waterfall braids, just as the name implies, are waterfall braids that have the upper part of the hair braided with four strands instead of the regular three strands as with French braids. This is quite a bit different than your normal braid style and usually requires the service of a hairstylist as it’s not as easy to make by yourself.
13. Waterfall Braids With Color
Waterfall braids with color are waterfall braids that consist of two or more colors of hair. Colored waterfall braids can be achieved by bleaching and/or dyeing the hair to give different colors. This multicolored style is great for ladies that love dramatic hairstyles and can afford their hair to be bleached or dyed. Ladies that want to avoid possible hair damage that can be caused by the chemicals present in hair bleaches and dyes can use semi-permanent hair dyes which are safer and can be washed out easily.
14. Waterfall Braids for Kids
Kids can also rock waterfall braids and look really adorable! Waterfall braids for kids are made with the same technique: by sectioning the child’s hair into two with the top part braided and the rest of the hair made to fall through braids and the back. This kids’ style can be made for a variety of occasions like birthday parties, weddings and even casually for daily use.
15. Waterfall Braids With Soft Curls at the Ends
The waterfall braids with soft curls at the end style is created by braiding the hair across the top and keeping the rest of the straight, then curling just the ends. This style that only features curls at the ends is suitable for ladies that want their waterfall braids straight and curly at the same time.
16. Crown Waterfall Braids
Just as the name implies, crown waterfall braids are styled to look like a crown. The crown waterfall braids are done by braiding the upper part of the hair around the head to look like a crown while the rest of the hair is pulled through and falls back. This style is simple but has a regal feel and doesn’t take a lot of time to make.
17. Waterfall Braids on Short Curly Hair
Short and curly hair can also be styled as waterfall braids in the same way: by plaiting the hair across the upper section, pulling the rest of the hair through the braid and letting it fall loosely on the shoulders or upper back.
18. Waterfall Braids on Long Curly Hair
Waterfall braids on long curly hair are just typical waterfall braids made on long naturally curly hair or long straight hair that has been curled. The curls add more volume to the waterfall braids style and make it look more even more fabulous!
19. Five Strand Waterfall Braids
Five strand waterfall braids require a considerable amount of expertise and usually require the service of a hairstylist as it’s more complicated to do than the four strand and regular three strand French braids. The five strand technique is done by sectioning the hair strands into five parts and artfully weaving the strands in a way that allows them alternate sides.
20. Straight Hair Waterfall Braids
The straight hair waterfall braids hairstyle is simply straight hair styled as waterfall braids by weaving the upper part and letting the rest of the hair down. The straight hair waterfall braids can only be achieved on natural straight hair types or curly and wavy hair types that have been straightened.
