Looking for the next protective hairstyle? Below, I’ve compiled a list of 40 stylish lemonade protective hairstyles to inspire your next protective style.
What are lemonade braids?
Lemonade braids are long cornrows done cascading to one side of the shoulder.
They are basically side-swept cornrows that can go all the way to your waist although most people prefer wearing them to the chest level.
They can be done on one’s natural hair or with braid extensions and can be created thin, medium, or large.
It’s a trendy protective style that you can wear all year round and to every occasion. They are versatile and you can wear them super long, in jumbo size, in bold shades like golden, burgundy, or ombre or you can create them in multiple patterns.
You can also accessorize them with beads, colored yarns and strings, cuffs, and rings. And the best part is that they are easy to maintain.
If you are contemplating lemonade braids, I have compiled 40 elegant style inspirations for you to choose from down below.
Why are they called lemonade braids?
What most people don’t know is that lemonade braids have been around for decades. They were always referred to as side braids until Beyonce’s iconic 2016 lemonade album, which made them a trend.
Beyonce wore golden lemonade braids in the smash hit, and it was then that the name lemonade braids was coined from. They are also known as Beyonce braids.
How long do lemonade braids last?
If well taken care of, lemonade braids last between four to six weeks. Taking care of them includes washing and conditioning, moisturizing to prevent frizzing, using a braid spray or mousse to keep down flyaways, and covering the braids at night.
How many packs of braids do I need for lemonade braids?
This depends on the size and length of your braids, but three to six braid packs should be enough. You may want to ask your stylist first before buying any pack, they will advise you better on the type and number of packs to buy.
How do you sleep with lemonade braids?
It’s best to sleep on a satin bonnet or scarf to retain moisture in your braids as well as prevent them from frizzing.
You can also sleep on a silk pillow if you are not comfortable covering your braids for fear of sweating or you are the type that will always wake up without your scarf or bonnet on.
How long do lemonade braids take to install?
Let me warn you in advance, this is not a quick-fix hairstyle. It takes between two to four hours to install lemonade braids.
Of course, the duration will depend on how complex or simple you want your lemonade braids to be.
If you intend to wear this style to an occasion, I suggest you have them done a day before.
How much do lemonade braids cost?
I can’t give you a definite figure because a lot of factors come into play like your location, the size of the braids you want, the type of braids you intend to use, and how proficient your stylist is.
What I can say though is that lemonade braids are a lot of work especially if going for long, thin, and patterned braids.
Depending on the above factors, expect to pay anywhere between $70 and $300.
You will also need to buy a couple of packs of braids, so that’s an extra cost to be considered.
How do you make lemonade braids look new again?
You will need a mousse, hair oil, and a sheen spray to freshen your lemonade braids.
Start by oiling your scalp.
I prefer to use an oil applicator as it easily gets between the cornrows, but you can also use your finger to reach your scalp as well. Oil your braids, focusing on the length where your hair is tucked in.
The next step is to apply mousse to your braid to keep down the frizz and flyaways.
Use a blow drier on low heat to dry out the mousse if you are in a hurry.
Then spray some sheen on your braids for an instant shine. Lastly, lay down the edges with an edge control gel for an even better look.
All these steps take me two minutes, and my lemonade braids are back to looking new.
How do you maintain lemonade braids?
You maintain your lemonade braids just the same way you do other braids.
You regularly moisturize to prevent drying and frizzing, apply mousse to keep down the flyaways and frizz, cover your braids with a satin scarf or bonnet, as well as wash and condition every two weeks.
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How long should your hair rest after braids?
Give your hair at least a week of break before your next braids install.
This is to allow your scalp to breathe.
Doing braids back to back will quickly deteriorate the health of your scalp and hair, which is quite the opposite of what you are hoping to achieve with a great protective style like braids.
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1) Blonde Lemonade Braids
If you are a true fan of Beyonce and want to express your loyalty, replicate her blonde lemonade look. These are the true lemonade braids in all their essence, also known as Beyonce braids.
What you’ll need: honey blonde pre-stretched braiding hair extension
2) Lemonade Braids with Red Highlights
Try out these black and red lemonade braids to add color to your hair. Install the red braids to the back for a touch of color.
Life is all about adding pops of color every chance we get, isn’t it?
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension and red braiding hair
3) Extra Long Goddess Lemonade Braids
Fancy a Niki Minaj lemonade look? Don’t be scared of length, go all the way to the waist or further down to your mid-thighs. Well, you will need the patience to sit through these long braids, but the look is all worth it, I assure you.
What you’ll need: freetress water wave braiding hair
4) Alternate Lemonade Braids
Bring some more excitement to your jumbo lemonade braids by adding accents of thin double cornrows. Take the excitement a notch higher by adding some blonde highlights to a few of the ends.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension 1B and brown braiding extension
5) Lemonade Braids With Strings
The best thing about jumbo lemonade braids is that they take half the time to create. They are also equally easy to take them out and look so cool when accessorized with strings.
It’s a perfect hairstyle for ladies with thick hair
What you’ll need: braiding hair #1B and gold hair thread
6) Ginger Lemonade Braids
These are simple lemonade braids, perfect for minimalists and women who prefer simple-looking protective styles.
What you’ll need: brown braiding extension
7) Fulani Style Lemonade Braids
Hair beads date back to the pre-colonial age where African women would accessorize their cornrows with beads and other adornments as a sign of wealth, financial and marital status.
Obviously, neither of these would be your reasons to accessorize your lemonade braids with beads other than the fact that beads are a timeless accessory. They are an instant way to add some glamour and glitz to your braids.
Lucky for you they come in different shapes, colors and sizes.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding 1, white thread, and hair deadlock beads
8) Shoulder Length Lemonade Braids
These mid-size lemonade braids are the perfect alternative to regular long lemonade braids. They also make your face the focus, they do not steal away the attention from your facial features and make-up.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair
9) Stitch Lemonade Braids
This is a quick hairstyle that will take you less than two hours if your stylist is experienced. The cornrows are all big but done in different sizes, and all goes toward the sides for a lemonade look.
What you’ll need: 1B pre-stretched braiding extension
10) Bohemian Lemonade Braids With Curls
You can have it all, the tight curls and the lemonade braids. I love how the curls add volume to your lemonade braids.
You will definitely showcase your fashion sense with this style.
What you’ll need: freetress water wave braiding hair for the curly ends
11) Long Lemonade Braids For Work
Lemonade braids are ideally long, but you can go uber-long for a chance to wear a long hairstyle. You will need more packs of extensions but the look is worth the extra cost.
What you’ll need: blonde pre-stretched braiding hair extension
12) Zig Zag Lemonade Braids
If you prefer the voluminous look of the jumbo lemonades to the tiny ones, try out these zig-zag jumbos for a change. You will be amazed at the compliments that will be coming your way every day.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension
13) Jumbo Lemonade Braids With Popping Edges
These thick braids are basically jumbo cornrows going around your head like a wheel. They may look chunky, but they actually aren’t and are pretty easy to maintain.
What you’ll need: black pre-stretched braiding hair
14) Wavy Lemonade Cornrow
If you are a creative at heart, you will be fascinated by the intricate curvy design of these skinny cornrows. They look very artistic, this requires a lot of time and brainwork but the end result is absolutely stunning.
What you’ll need: burgundy ombre braiding hair extension
15) Bohemian Lemonade Cornrows
The contrast between the curly ends and the neatly done cornrows laying flat on the head is stunning. And it is what makes this style so sophisticated.
What you’ll need: passion twist water wave braiding hair for the curly ends.
16) Lemonade Braids With Wavy Ends
Even though most lemonade braids are plan straight braids, you can still wear them in a wavy style. If you want to stand, definitely try out these lemonade braids with wavy ends.
What you’ll need: freetress water wave braiding hair
17) Long Lemonade Braids
Blonde will always be synonymous with lemonade braids, thanks to Queen Bey for the revamp. If you are shy to go all blonde, install just a few braids at the back.
Just enough that they pop when you sweep your braids to the front of your shoulder.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension and honey blonde pre-stretched braiding hair
18) Burgundy Lemonade Braids
Burgundy is not a color for every complexion, but if it suits you, try out these burgundy lemonade braids. Wrap a yarn to some of the braids for an edgy look.
To perfect the look, lay your edges with a good edge control gel.
What you’ll need: burgundy pre-stretched braiding hair extension and hair cuffs
19) Goddess Lemonade Cornrows
This is a standard side-parted cornrow style but with a curly twist. The loose curls make this style elegant and sophisticated.
To finish off the look, lay your edges beautifully.
What you’ll need: passion twist water wave braiding hair
20) Lemonade Braids with Curly Ends
These knee-length goddess lemonade braids are for daring women. If you want a show-stopper kind of look, this is it.
Everything about this look is over-the-top, from the length, color, multiple textures to the cornrow pattern.
What you’ll need: red passion twist braiding hair extension
21) Lemonade Braids With Blonde Highlights
Spice up your lemonade braids with a little tint by adding some gold braids at the front. You can go ahead and dress up the gold braids with some cuffs, beads, or whatever accessories you fancy.
This style looks great on both young and older women.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair 1B, blonde braiding hair, and hair cuffs
22) Neat Lemonade Braids
Simple, neat, and stunning is all I can say about this hairstyle. A perfect way to give your overworked hair a little break.
This style can last you up to six weeks.
What you’ll need: brown pre-stretched braiding hair
23) Lemonade Braids And Box Braids
Not decided whether to go for box braids or lemonade braids? Why not have them both.
The box braids will make your lemonade braids look voluminous.
What you’ll need: braiding hair extension and gold hair thread
24) Lemonade Side Braids
Lemonade side braids look so fancy. Try them in a medium-size and extra long for an even super fancy look.
I wouldn’t recommend them though if you have sensitive skin, with the braids constantly touching your face, you may experience a breakout.
What you’ll need: black braiding hair extension
25) Jumbo Lemonade Braids
Jumbo lemonade braids swept to the side look so pretty on women who prefer a fuller head. You can use any braid to achieve this look.
You can also step it up with the length and get creative with the cornrow patterns.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding black hair
26) Chunky Lemonade Braids
Jumbo braids are very outstanding just by themselves, accessorizing makes them pop out even more. This is definitely the kind of style you want to go for if you want to make a statement.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding extension and gold hair thread
27) Small Lemonade Braids
These small lemonade braids are a classic summer hairstyle. If you take good care of them, they will serve you well for the better part of summer.
Be prepared to sit for hours though, installing them can take nearly four hours.
What you’ll need: honey blonde pre-stretched braiding hair extension and black pre-stretched braiding extension
28) Lemonade Braids With Beads
Wraps are my all-time favorite way to accessorize braids. I love how they make these small lemonade braids trendy and get that boho vibe going.
What you’ll need: red pre-stretched braiding hair extension, white thread and round beads
29) Lemonade Braids Cornrows
There is no rule as to how far you can go with cornrows as far as creativity, so why not wear your jumbo lemonade cornrows in a zig-zag pattern to make a bolder statement.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension 1B, hair rings, and red braiding hair extension
30) Stylish Lemonade Braids With Accessories
These stylish thin lemonade braids will give you a classy and elegant look. You can wear them plain or accessorize them with some golden cuffs or accessories of your choice.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension and hair cuffs
31) Swirl Lemonade Braids
Go for a Boho vibe with your lemonade braids by using Goddess braids. They look super chic and add more texture, volume, and length to your lemonade braids.
The two textures are incredibly easy to maintain, and the braids can last you up to 8 weeks with proper nighttime care.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair and passion twist water wave braiding hair
32) Lemonade Braids on Young Women
Lemonade braids are basically side-swept cornrows but you can always exaggerate the look by having the cornrows to the side but going almost to the front.
That’s if you don’t mind braids touching your face.
What you’ll need: black pre-stretched braiding hair extension
33) Lemonade Braid Hairstyle
Make your lemonade braids even fancier by creating this curvy pattern on the side.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension black
34) Lemonade Braids With Color
Black braids aren’t boring, but colored braids are more vibrant and speak boldness, free spirit, and trendy. Have fun exploring the different colors, and don’t be shy to try out multi-toned lemonade braids.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched braiding hair extension and honey blonde braiding hair.
35) Blonde Lemonade Braids
Is it just me, or is there something so intriguing about long golden lemonade braids? They remind me so much of the Beyonce “Formation,” 2017 tour.
Probably because this is where we all saw the beauty of this hairstyle.
What you’ll need: honey blonde pre-stretched braiding hair
36) Stylish Lemonade Braids
You can either go for the standard parting of the lemonade braids or choose to have more fun creating unique patterns. There are plenty of ways you can part your hair to create patterns, check out the pattern below for a little inspiration.
What you’ll need: pre-stretched hair extension
37) Classic Lemonade Braids
The classic lemonade braid is here to stay, possibly for years to come. It’s a subtle style that you can wear every other season without feeling old-fashioned.
What you’ll need: braiding hair extension
38) Ombre Blue Lemonade Braids
Light up your lemonade braids with these ombre-colored braids. The ombre at the ends brings out a very stunning contrast.
What you’ll need: blue ombre pre-stretched braiding hair extension
39) Two-Tone Lemonade Braids
Want a hairstyle that is different, bold, and reflects your outgoing personality? Why not try these two-toned lemonade braids with accents of ombre?
What you’ll need: gray pre-stretched braiding hair extension and blue braiding hair
40) Stitch Lemonade Braid Pattern
So simple yet so stunning. This is a very neat style that you can comfortably wear to the office without getting those awkward stares whenever you walk into a boardroom.
What you’ll need: black braiding hair extension
Now I’m curious to know, which hairstyle will you try next?
