Zazie Beetz’s Trendy Updo Ushers In *The* Protective Style For Summer

When the warm weather rolls in, is there anything so effortlessly glamorous as bohemian braids? Regardless of if they’re worn all-over for a combination of protection and style or are just a featured player added for detail and texture, boho braids are a failsafe way to elevate any look. Atlanta star Zazie Beetz and her own intricate updo filled with bohemian braids took Austin’s South By Southwest festival by storm, infusing one of the trendiest ‘90s-inspired looks with plenty of personality. Beetz’s dramatic bun, created by celebrity stylist Araxi Lindsey, combines assorted twists and braid styles for an utterly unique finish you’ll be eager to recreate at home. Fortunately, Lindsey isn’t shy about sharing her professional secrets — below, the top-rated stylist breaks down exactly how to get Beetz’s romantic, whimsical, braid-filled bun.

If you’re at all plugged into the celebrity beauty world, Araxi Lindsey is surely a name with which you’re already familiar. Lindsey also counts Tracee Ellis Ross, Regina King, and Ariana DeBose among her regular clients, and her work on blockbuster films and TV shows like Black-ish, The Harder They Fall, and The Matrix franchise has earned her a slew of accolades including an Emmy. With so much demand and experience, it’s no surprise she’s the mastermind behind Beetz’s knockout look.

For the braided bun, Lindsey shares that she first starts off by forming the actual braids and twists that make up the bulk of Beetz’s hairstyle, varying their type, size, and length — that lack of uniformity is crucial and a large part of what makes the look so chic. “I then pulled all of the braids into a high ponytail,” Lindsey says, “and took each braid and created an updo made of loops.” For added texture, she rebraided some parts of the hair but allowed other, more naturally-curling pieces to delicately fall away, grazing Beetz’s cheeks, forehead, and jawline. If you already have braids in, Lindsey suggests hitting them with an in-between-washes cleanser (she recommends the Wash Day Delight Shampoo by Carol’s Daughter) for a buildup-removing refresh that doesn’t strip hair of important oils and shine like a full-fledged wash often can.

To add in twists and braids or touch-up existing ones, Lindsey points to Coco Creme Coil Enhancing Moisture Butter, another Carol’s Daughter fan-favorite, as a great help. “It’s perfect for moisturizing the hair and allowing the coils to stretch a bit between the braids,” she explains, while Carol’s Daughter Goddess Strength Divine Leave-In Cream is her go-to choice for finishing touches. “Even though it’s a leave in the castor oil keeps the curls from expanding and drying out,” she says.

Though this style looks so detailed and complex, Lindsey’s step-by-step makes it easy to recreate at home — and with a calendar of spring and summer dinners, dates, hangouts, and solo time ahead, this boho-glam look is one to bookmark.

Below, shop all of Lindsey’s professional recommendations you need to make it happen.

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