10 Braiding Instagram Accounts To Follow Right Now

The Los Angeles-based braider has been on our radar since 2016, but has taken her game to the next level in 2017. With both a salon in Los Angeles on Fairfax and celebrity clientele like Rita Ora and Queen Latifah, Lumpkin's Instagram feed is stacked with the some of the sickest plaits on very famous scalps.

Interdisciplinary artist Shani Crowe uses her braids to tell a story. Recently, Crowe held an exhibit entitled Braids at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in Brooklyn. Her creative work is focused on the cultural beauty ritual in relation to the African diaspora and her Instagram is full of gravity-defying braids like the crown she did for Solange's SNL performance.

The Braids Gang account originally specialised in ombre-coloured braided hair to create incredibly vibrant looks. The account has expanded to a community of braiders who use colour in their work as well a blog that provides helpful tips to those with protective styles like braids.

Ancestral Strands is a braid studio that specialises in tribal, eclectic, and cultural braiding. The salon does traditional African hair art and gives you an herbal tea infused with stimulants to promote hair growth. The salon takes linkage between hair and identity seriously: their motto is 'Hair Story Is Her Story.'

Nikki Nelms, aka Hair MacGyver, is the hair guru behind Solange's 'Don't Touch My Hair' looks. She counts also Janelle Monae, and ELLE cover star Zoe Kravtiz as clients.

You might recognize Guingui from ELLE's Braid Star series. She's also the founder of the hair platform, Strand Addict. Guingui has been braiding for over 15 years and offers both appointments and lessons on top of jaw-dropping work on her Instagram.

Mimisbraids boasts some of the most intricate designs in the plaiting community. The account owner and founder Melek Ustunluk started creating braiding videos in 2007 and her braiding precision caught the eye of a few very famous celebrities like Allen Iverson, Travis Scott, and Wale. She specialises in men's hair but can do women's as well as box braids and other protective styles. Follow this account to see how the guys are doing braids.

Susy of Hair by Susy is the powerhouse braider who not only created one of the top braiding salons in NYC but also counts both Knowles sisters as clients. Follow her personal account here and start getting as close to Beyonce-level hair as humanly possible in no time.

Micro braids, Havana twists, cornrows, and yarn twists are all featured on this diverse braiding Instagram account. Come for the variety, stay for the intricate designs and precision.

Protective Styles is an Instagram account that features the best of braiding and other protective styles on Instagram. A go-to for the natural hair community, the company also provides hair for both braiding and weaves.