Photo: Slim Reshae
Butterfly Locs are the hot new style in these streets. I’ve literally been seeing them everywhere! They’re the love child of Goddess Locs and Passion Twists. It’s funny, the little mistake (a little loop of hair sticking out the braid) that I’d make when braiding is the signature characteristic of this style. Here’s EVERYTHING you need to know about Butterfly Locs–from install to maintenance to takedown. If you’ve already read our style guide for this new look and are ready to roll up your sleeves and get them done, buying the right hair is critical. I took to Youtube to curate this round up of vloggers with Butterfly Locs and the hair they used. It took a while, but hopefully you all find it useful! I’ve included photos and videos for you.
Jump ahead:
A few things to consider:
- Get more hair than you need. You’ll see that most people use about 6 packs of hair but recommend 6 – 8 packs because if you’re doing this yourself for the first time, you’ll likely mess up 😅 and it’ll be annoying to run out of hair, especially after you’ve been braiding/crocheting for hours. You won’t want to run out to the beauty supply store. 🙅🏾♀️
- Twist vs. braid for less tension. Most vloggers doing the Braid-and-Wrap method braid their hair, others braid the twist, but Hair by Mason had the brilliant idea of just twisting her hair vs braiding for less tension. On that note, you don’t have to make your base braid super tight at the root, especially because you’ll be adding hair to it, which will add additional tension. (Here’s more on how to install protective styles safely).
- Pre loc’d hair is still on the come-up. This style is relatively new, so not a lot of brands have pre loc’d hair that you can just crochet in. So most of you what you’ll see below is hair used doing the Braid-and-Wrap method.
- Head’s up: doing the style can take several hours so plan your day (and mentally prepare 😆💪🏾) accordingly.
Butterfly Locs Gallery
Click photos to expand.
Hair to Buy for Braiding then Wrapping Your Butterfly Locs
You’ll see that when doing the Braid-and-Wrap method, most people use FreeTress Water Wave Braiding and Crochet Hair. You may also need normal braiding her or Marley Hair to add length or thickness to your base braid (the braid or twist you’ll wrap the Water Wave hair around). Some people just use their own hair.
Short Locs
- Vlogger: Adanna Madueke (follow her on IG)
- Style: Bob length, medium width locs
- Hair used: 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair
- Color: #1B
- Quantity: 7.5 packs for fullness
- Vlogger: Kathryn Bedell (follow her on IG)
- Style: Shoulder length slim locs
- Hair used: 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair
- Color: #1
- Quantity: 6-8 packs
- Vlogger: Makiya Banks (follow her on IG)
- Style: Past shoulders jumbo locs
- Hair used:
- 5 packs – 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair → Color: 1B
- One bundle of 3 packs – Janet Collection Noir Marley Braiding Hair → Color: 1B (Note: links to 4-pack)
- Note: She mixes a piece of the Marley hair with the braiding hair when wrapping
Long Locs
- Vlogger: Curly Candi (follow her on IG)
- Style: Boob-length thin locs
- Hair used: 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair
- Color: 1B
- Quantity: 3.5 packs
- Vlogger: Life With Jaelyn Dae (follow her on IG)
- Style: Waist length slim locs
- Hair used:
- 6-8 pack — 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair → Color: #1
- 3 packs — 24″ Cuban Twist → Color: #1 (used to create a long braid)
- Vlogger: Nisha J Eberhart (follow her on IG)
- Style: Long bob medium width locs
- Hair used: 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair
- Color: #1
- Quantity: 6 packs
Butterfly Locs in Colors!
Using the Braid-and-Wrap method opens you up to being able to create locs in all kinds of colors. Variations of blond are the most popular but I love Hair by Mason’s fall-colored textured locs. They’re gorgeous 😍!
- Vlogger: Chev B. (follow her on IG)
- Style: Honey blond ombré bob jumbo locs
- Hair used:
- 1 pack of 16″ Xpression Twisted Up Spring Afro Twist → Color: #1b
- 6 packs of 18″ Sensational Lulutress Crochet Braid → Color: #1b/27
- Note: she wraps with both types of hair to create fuller looking locs
- Vlogger: Ducky Tv (follow her on IG)
- Style: Honey blond shoulder length medium width locs
- Hair used: 18″ Dorsanee Passion Twist Hair
- Color: #27
- Quantity: 5.5 packs
- Mixed with African double strand twist hair and 24″ Cuban Twist hair in the same color
- Note: Dorsanee hair comes with crochet needle and beads
- Vlogger: Goldynaps (follow her on IG)
- Style: Blond shoulder length jumbo locs
- Hair used:
- 3.5 packs–22″ Xtrend Pre-twisted Passion Twist/Crochet Hair → Color: #T27613
- Can also mix with 18″ Water Wave by Dorsanee → Color: #T27/613
- Vlogger: Hair by Mason (follow her on IG)
- Style: Fall colors shoulder length textured medium width butterfly locs
- Hair Used: 24″ Outre Xpression Twisted Up Springy Afr
- Color: 2T1B/350, 2T1B/30, 2T1B/27
- Quantity: 1 pack of each color
- Vlogger: Natural Sunny (follow her on IG)
- Style: Burgundy shoulder length medium width locs
- Hair used: 3 pack bundle of Motown Tress Water Wave (check beauty supply stores)
- Color: #530
- Quantity: 3 packs
- Note: at around the 5:20 mark of her video she talks about switching to the 20″ FreeTress Bulk Bohemian Braid, Color: #118. She says it’s tighter than Water Wave; unless you’re looking really hard, you won’t really see a difference in the locs.
- Vlogger: Kyla Unique (follow her on IG)
- Style: Long bob, half grey-half black medium width locs
- Hair used: 22″ FreeTress Water Wave Braiding/Crochet Hair
- Quantity & Color: 4 packs of “Grey” and 4 packs of Color #1
Pre-Loc’d Butterfly Loc Hair (for Crochet Method)
Currently, there are only a few brands selling pre-loc’d Butterfly Locs, namely Janet Collection, Toyotress and Niseyo. But as the style grows in popularity, there’ll be sure to be more players and options on the market. I, personally, prefer the crochet method as it’s a huge time saver–no need to braid and then wrap; just cornrow and crochet. Here’s more on using this method on other types of braided/loc’d hair.
- Vlogger: Crowned K (follow her on IG)
- Style: Shoulder length thin locs
- Hair used: 12″ Toyotress Butterfly Locs Crochet Hair
- Color: 1B
- Quantity: One bundle of 8 packs
- Vlogger: MsNaturally Mary (follow her on IG)
- Style: Shoulder length medium/thin locs
- Hair Used:Janet Collection: Nala Tress 3X Butterfly Locs 10/12/14″
- Note: Comes with 10 locs in each length to create an even bob
- Note: You may need to make the crochet loop bigger
- Color: #1b
- Quantity: 2 and 1/3 packs, but buy 3 to be safe
- Other photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKtrFlBlK8Q/
- Vlogger: Slim Reshae (follow her on IG)
- Style: Butt/waist length thin locs
- Hair used: Janet Collection: Nala tress 24″ Butterfly Locs (Slim)
- Color: #1
- Quantity: 6.5 packs
- Vlogger: Chev B (follow her on IG)
- Style: Butt/waist length thin locs
- Hair used: Janet Collection: Nala tress 24″ Butterfly Locs (Slim)
- Color: #1B
- Quantity: 6.5 packs
Bonus: Passion twists that look like butterfly locs
- Vlogger: Goldynaps (follow her on IG)
- Style: Long passion twists that look like butterfly like
- Hair used: 22″ Xtrend Pre-twisted Passion Twist/Crochet Hair
- Color: #27/613
- Quantity: 6 packs
Extra bonus: crochet method with loose hair
THIS tutorial 👇🏾 is probably the BEST one to watch if you’re into the crochet method. Mary K Bella shows how she uses the crochet method with hair that isn’t pre-Loc’d, which is helpful right now as there aren’t a TON of already loc’d Butterfly Locs hair. She’s also really funny. I recommend watching the whole video.
This was a doozy of a post to put together but I hope it saves you some time at the beauty supply store. If you try this look, tag us on IG and we’ll repost you #hairunruled. And as you’re getting this style or any protective style, be sure to watch our film on safe protective style. It’s required watching for #BlackGirls 😉💁🏾♀️.
