20 Cool Mixed Boy Braids & Braided Hairstyles Your Biracial Boys Will Love

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Many of you don’t know this about me, but I have been braiding hair since I was 11 years old, and it all started with my brothers. Which means I’ve done my fair share of mixed boy and girl braids and hairstyles for well over twenty years now. Wow, I definitely feel old. 

It started because my younger brother wanted to grow out his multicultural hair, but our mom had no idea how to care for it. There were summers where all I did was practice braiding his hair. Being the perfectionist that I am, I wanted each braid, part, literally everything to be perfect or I’d start over again. 

It’s funny, because to this day, both of my brothers prefer me to anyone else doing their hair. They say, I just get it. And I think that’s important to mention here. Solely because, when it comes to biracial hair care for boys it is often done the same as any other head of hair. But depending on their curl type, this can spell disaster for them. 

For example, my older brother had a finner, wavier hair texture. Similar to 3A hair honestly. While my younger brother was closer to 3C, maybe even 4A in some places with how thick his hair was. The techniques I use to style my brother with 3A hair are often not the same ones I use for the one with the thicker curlier hair. Throughout this post, I will do my best to provide tips and tricks to make each style shine, no matter the curl pattern. So your little curly haired cutie can look and feel just as cool as he is!

Our Favorite Braided Styles and Haircuts That Work Best for Biracial Hair Types 

Being a mother of four boys, all with some amazing hair that is extremely different from each other, I am grateful I learned how to braid mixed hair when I was a child. But if you don’t know there are lots of videos on Youtube that can show you. I even made a few videos on Instagram as well. 

Ultimately, one thing that’s important to remember when doing any style is to detangle first. Having tangled hair will make doing any braids on multicultural hair ten times harder.

Pro Tip: When detangling part into small sections, wet hair (I like to use a spray bottle with 80% water and 20% conditioner) then using a wide toothed comb start at the ends and work your way up to the roots. 

1. Tight Thin Braids 

While these can take a longer to do, I love how neat they typically are and how long they last. If you’re not into a weekly hair day, tight thin braids may be just for you. 

Pro Tip: It is never a good idea to leave any style in for longer than three weeks. 

2. Tight Thick Braids

When doing a younger boys hair, thicker braids are a quick and easy way to style mixed baby boy hair. These usually consist of six or less braids and can vary in design. I typically like to do some that go straight back or part directly down the middle of his head and do four or so braids doing down the sides. Similar to the late rapper Pop Smoke’s hairstyle. Pro tip: use a parting comb for precise parts.

3. High Fade

Mixed kids haircuts can seem a little daunting. Espiecally since, if not taken serious they can alter your son’s curl pattern. I always recommend finding someone who is knowledgeable in curly hair and how to cut it properly.

4. Zig Zag

“As you can see, the zig zag braids can mean more than one thing. But the versatility doesn’t stop there. These can be mixed toddler boy braids or even braids for a young man as well.

Pro Tip: Part each new “turn” with a comb instead of using your fingers. Putting a rubber band on the end of the braid will keep it from unraveling (and help it stay neater) while you part.

5. Mohawk Braid

The mohawk braid is one I have not done on my own son’s hair, but definitely something I want to try. I love how simple it can be (only one braid directly down the middle of his hair) or how detailed you can take it. Like the image above using smaller braids to feed into the larger one.

Pro Tip: The smaller the braids the longer the style last. So when doing a simple hairstyle like this, adding smaller braids on the sides will help maintain the overall look of the braids longer.

6. Top Knot 

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I absolutely love a little boy with a top knot or man bun as I like to call them. I think they are the sweetest thing. When doing this style for your multicultural son, make sure his hair is well moisturized to protect it from outside elements such as the heat from the sun.

7. Undercut with Braids 

I was not a fan of this hairstyle at first, but it has since been growing on me. I prefer it done without cutting the hairs in the front and solely the hair from ear to ear. Depending on how high you take this cut, it can also start to look more like a fade with braids versus an undercut with braids. So I recommend bringing inspiration images to the barbershop for your mixed boy.

8. The Fishtail Braid

Also called Iversons or fish bone braids these can be time consuming. Depending on how many larger braids you decided to do will ultimately depict how much time it takes. These do tend to be a style that can last for a longer time, which is why I love them.

9. Cornrows 

Cornrow braids have been a thing since the dawn of time. These are simple braids that typically go straight back. These are some of the first braids I did on my mixed brother before moving on to more complicated styles.

Pro Tip: Mixed boy braids can be harder to do with certain products. I recommend adding moisturizers, such as oils, cutters, or even grease once braids are done.

10. Side Braid with Center Design

My oldest is currently obsessed with these braids. Whenever its his turn to get his hair done he ask for this same style. I love that takes something simple and adds a bit of creativity to it. There are endless possibilities and is something one can have a lot of fun doing.

Pro Tip: Part and section off (putting into a rubber band or using a clip) the design and side braids before starting. Having a roadmap of your plan will make the braiding process that much easier.

11. Dreads

This style can be great for mixed kids with long hair. Dreads are easier to maintain, getting retwisted every 2-3 weeks in the beginning but then spreading it out to 4-5 weeks once locking has started. They are also pretty versatile as you an style them in any other hairstyle you can think of. From braiding your braids, to twisting them into two strand twist, it always looks so amazing.

Depending on your multicultural child’s hair texture, it may be best to have a professional start the process for you. Some hair types take longer to lock or require a more skilled approached to achieve dreads.

12. Box Braids

Box braids for mixed boys is a favorite of mine. As you can see, from the image of my oldest with green hair, I like to get creative with these. It gives them a chance to truly express themselves via their hair. Be that adding some colored synthetic hair, getting washable colored hair wax/spray, or styling the box braids in buns, a pony or other styles can truly change the look of them.

13. The Side Shave 

Simple to a fade or even a mohawk this haircut is so cute on littles.

14. Boy Bun with Braids

Its a top knot but with braids and I adore this style some much. I’ve done my son’s hair like this on more then one occasion and always get questions asking to verify his gender. Why it matters to a complete stranger I’ll never know, but something to consider.

15. Dual Braids

Simple and to the point, two French braids are my go to when we are in a rush or need s style fast.

Pro Tip: Detangle both sections before braiding to help your foundation and braids look nice and neat.

16. Freestyle

There are a lot of hairstyles for mixed guys with curly hair and one of my favorites are freestyle braids. These are braids where the braider did just that, freestyle. It often means there is no rhyme or reason to the braids but they come out looking so amazing.

17. Fauxhawk

One of my favorite hair cuts for little boys. Its such a cool looking cut and definitely perfect for your little rock star.

18. Twists All Over

Another style I do a lot in my home, is twists. There are two ways to do them, but I prefer the twist and then twist method shown here.

19. Three Layer Braids

This is a style I do a lot on my boys. These mixed boy braids are easy, don’t take much time and last for a while. I actually just did my middle son’s hair like this on Sunday.

20. Reverse Braid

You may be wondering what a reverse braid is. Well if you look back over the other styles I’ve shared, you may notice a difference in how the braids sit in the hair. For a reverse (or overhand) braid, the hair is pulled from over the braids instead of from under it which makes the braid sit under the hair. These braids look cool but it is not something I have been able to master just yet. But you can believe once I do, its something my sons will be trying!

How Long Do Braids Last in Mixed Hair?

This is an area with vastly different view points depending on who you are talking to. Outside of the fact that braids may last longer or shorter depending on the curl pattern, how fine or thick the hair is as well as how tightly the braids are done, there are a number of additional factors to consider. 

I put hair health before anything, so for me there is always a line I won’t cross when it comes to my children’s multicultural hair. As I mentioned above, I do not keep any hairstyle in my mixed children’s hair longer than three weeks. This time frame came from trial and error as well as a lot of research. 

For my children, depending on the size, tightness and overall health of their hair, braids could honestly last a lot longer. But at what cost. Hair needs to breathe. So keeping in a particular style for long periods of time can be damaging. 

With that being said, there are some styles that are meant to last longer. Box braids and twist for example can last longer but they do require regular care for the hair. Things like washing the scalp, getting the scalp and hair moisturized are key to maintain health.  Mixed boy braids do not have to be hard to maintain, but proper care can go a long way.

How We Care for My Mixed Boy’s Hair 

Less is more. This is the concept I keep in mind wherever I am doing my boys hair. We have a weekly hair day where I wash, detanlge and then style each of my mixed boy’s hair. The less manipulation you do to the hair, the better. So focusing on styles that last a week is key here. 

Outside of making it a point not to manipulate multicultural hair too often during the week, finding a good hair care routine is also key. Unfortunately, this part will definitely be trial and error, but I am happy to share what works for us. 

Depending on hair type, texture, and moisture level will dictate what products you use and the order in which you use them. But moisture is the key, always. 

Some of my favorite products are listed below. Keep in mind that while I may own all of the products for a certain line, I typically do not use them all together. I have found that mixing and matching works best, especially depending on my child’s hair needs at the time. At the end of the day, the most important thing you can do is research. I can’t stress this enough when it comes to mixed boy hairstyles. And be patient with yourself. Taking care of biracial hair is no joke, but once you get the hang of it your son and his hair will love you for it.