While goddess braids are a relatively new hairstyle, there’s definitely a right way to do them, and Jodie Turner-Smith has mastered the art. On April 7, the actress was spotted in Los Angeles as she continued to promote her new show The Agency. For the occasion, the star donned a sultry, smoked-out winged liner, muted brows, and a gorgeous high ponytail.
Turner-Smith’s version of the hairstyle looked like a boho dream. After each braid was pulled up to the top of her head and secured with a ponytail elastic, the ends of her hair were wrapped around it to give the style more continuity. This allowed the ombré brown curls at the ends of each plait to complement her gorgeous brown-toned makeup all the more. The actress paired her flirty glam with a black-and-white chevron dress, a grey clutch, and sky-high stilettos. A deep red manicure served as a subtle pop of color to complete the look.
Goddess braids have become a go-to protective style since becoming mainstream circa 2018. Variations of the style were not previously explored, but goddess braids today are an offshoot of the loc version of the style, which was created by Dr. Kari Williams in 2015. Numerous celebrities like Simone Biles, Gabrielle Union, and Zoe Kravitz have been spotted in the hairstyle, and since its inception, it has also graced runways and iconic street style moments alike.
Goddess braids are one of those hairstyles that fall into the “high maintenance to be low maintenance” category (they can take up to eight hours to complete), but once they’re installed, you can get four to eight weeks of wear out of them. That being said, there are some essentials you should have on hand for proper braid maintenance, so keep reading for the products I keep in my own beauty arsenal to prolong my protective styles.
If, like Turner-Smith, you want to keep your edges in place, you'll need an edge brush in your hair kit. I personally find this to be one of the best on the market and it comes with a pointed end to help with parting.
