8 Butterfly Loc Looks To Inspire Your Next Protective Style

Skip navigation!ADVERTISEMENTStory from Beauty8 Butterfly Loc Looks To Inspire Your Next Protective Styleaimee simeonLast Updated March 19, 2021, 9:01 PM ADVERTISEMENTSee All SlidesBegin SlideshowPhoto: Courtesy of Leilani Moten.Protective styles — like faux locs — have been around for decades, but as times evolve, so do the iterations of the styles we see surging in popularity. Box braids, for instance, can be reinterpreted in endless ways, from knotless to boho to crochet and beyond.One style on the cusp of creativity and popularity is butterfly locs, which have been all over our Instagram feeds lately. The look is where the traditional loc meets a distressed texture that makes the style look more lived-in. According to Princess Kanu, a self-taught hairstylist, the style has been in high demand among her Maryland clients due to its lightweight nature and effortless look."Butterfly locs are unique because they put a lot less tension on your natural hair," Kanu explains. Like most protective styles, butterfly locs start by braiding your natural hair in single plaits as the base. Then, Kanu crochets Freetress Waterwave hair through the braid. Once the hair is attached to your braid, the curly-braiding hair is then wrapped around using a careful technique with your thumb that leaves gaps throughout to create a "distressed look." (You can zoom in on the method here.)The results are lightweight, fluffy, undone locs that mimic natural texture. If you've been on the 'gram searching for your next protective style, add the butterfly locs ahead to your saved tab for a cute — and blissfully pain-free — style.Begin Slideshow ADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT BeautyI Thought Winter Hair Shedding Was A Myth — Until It Happened To MeAll linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Something’s been amiby Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyThe Best Haircut Trends From Copenhagen Fashion Week So Farby Jacqueline KilikitaBeauty15 Pixie Cuts That Will Inspire You To Go Shorter This YearIf 2025 was the year of the bob, then 2026 is the year that the pixie cut steals the spotlight back. Some might sby Jacqueline KilikitaHairI Thought Hair Growth Products Were A Scam — Until I Discovered T...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. As a beauty director, it’by Jacqueline KilikitaBeauty Studio6 Tips That Helped Me Grow Longer, Stronger Hair (& No Trims In-B...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. In April 2021, when most coby Jacqueline KilikitaBeauty12 Elevated Hair Color Trends To Inspire Your Next Salon Visit In...As you plan meticulously for the year ahead, spare a thought for the colorists of the world, who often have only “blonde” or “brunette” tby Jacqueline KilikitaBeautyThese Shoulder-Length Haircuts Are Anything But Boring, Say Top H...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. From the bob to the bixie, by Jacqueline KilikitaBeauty17 Revamped Haircut Trends Set To Define 2026, According To Top S...All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Okay, we aren’t exactly lby Jacqueline KilikitaBeauty15 Dreamy Hair Color Trends Everyone Will Be Asking For This WinterWinter is usually a time for hunkering down and doing the least, but not for the hair colorists of the world, who have clearly been busy dreaming up all maby Jacqueline KilikitaHairI Got A Korean Digital Perm — & It’s My Most Complimented H...I’ve wanted a perm for years now, but with the amount of damage my hair went through with multiple bleaching sessions (I had a pastel pink phase), I by Rachel ChoyBeauty12 Fresh Bob Haircut Trends You’re Going To See Everywhere In 2026When it comes to haircut trends, the choice is overwhelming, but if we had to crown one cut as the current style du jour, it would be the bob. Its veby Jacqueline KilikitaThe Art Of Giving21 Haircare Gifts For The Hair-Obsessed Person In Your Lifeby Jacqueline KilikitaADVERTISEMENTADVERTISEMENT