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Chloe and Halle Bailey are hair goals, and the musical duo has worn their tresses in locs since they were toddlers, which explains why their hair is so long, thick and luscious. It can take years to grow locs that sway past your waist and starter locs require natural hair—and often a big chop. However, there’s a way to get this boho chic protective style without sacrificing years of your time. Enter: faux locs. Faux locs are exactly how they sound: locs that are not real and use either synthetic or human hair to achieve the style.
Installing faux locs can take hours. First, the hairstylist must braid your natural hair in box braids and then hair is wrapped around the braid to give the illusion of locs. If you don’t have eight hours but still want the style, you can opt for crochet faux locs. These locs already come wrapped and ready to go and are just crocheted onto your cornrows. If you don’t have a hairstylist or are not savvy enough to DIY your own faux locs, then you can get a faux locs wig or hairpiece faster than you can type “Amazon.com.”
Once you decide the method of installation for your faux locs, then you can determine the type of locs hairstyle that is perfect for you. If you want feminine appeal, opt for goddess or butterfly faux locs. Play with length and style, too—long faux locs vs. short Black hair, thick faux locs vs. thin faux locs, an updo or wearing them cascading past your shoulders.
Don’t worry if you’re still at a loss for what kind of faux locs are perfect for your face. We have you covered. We rounded up the best faux loc hairstyles of 2022 and the best celebrity faux locs looks to give you all the inspiration you need for your next style.
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Beautiful Butterfly Locs
When it comes to faux locs, don’t strive for perfection. Distressing your faux locs adds texture and gives a more realistic look.
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Updo Action
Don’t let locs intimidate you. Style faux locs like you would your natural hair. An easy option is a half up, half down style.
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Color Theory
Thinking of adding color to your faux locs? Stray away from the typical golden hues and add a true pop of color to your coif. If you can’t choose, opt for two complementary colors like this pink and purple combo.
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On Top
Sometimes wigs can look…well, wiggy. A great way to make a faux locs wig look more realistic is to place it in an updo and blend with your edges.
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Ace Accessorizing
Another way to diversify your faux locs is by adding accessories. Grown-ish actress Gracie Marie Bradley upgrades her gray tendrils with black and pink hair baubles.
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Long Faux Locs
Faux locs are a perfect opportunity to add length to your natural hair a la Rihanna.
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The Blues
If you want to add color but don’t want it to be overly jarring, opt for deep blues and purples as they blend better with darker hair hues.
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Let’s Be Blunt
Okay, so we cheated. This is a twist style; however, we love Naomie Harris’s blunt ombré cut and it would look great in small to medium size locs.
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Utilize Your Undercut
Faux locs are an opportunity for those of you with short styles to switch it up. If you have an undercut, faux locs look cute in a bun.
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Faux Locs Fullness
Faux locs take time to install if you are doing individuals vs. the crotchet method. Pro tip: go bigger and you can go home (sooner). This chunky style looks like a natural hair floral arrangement on Little Simz’s head.
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Beautiful Butterfly Locs
Butterfly locs use wavy hair to create their signature loops. This look gives your faux locs a bouncy, curly look. Actress Sonequa Martin-Green parts hers to the side to open up her face.
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Gorgeous Goddess Locs
Goddess locs are identified by their open wavy ends. Just like the name states, you’ll feel like royalty once you install this faux locs hairstyle.
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Faux (real) Looking Locs
The benefit of long locs is no need for a hair tie. Take a red carpet cue from Zendaya: Use a few of the faux locs near your temple and tie them back in a loose knot.
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Sisterlock Style
Sisterlocks are thinner than traditional locs and must be installed by a Sisterlocks consultant. However, if you want to go for this look, opt for a crotchet faux locs wig. Getting thin faux locs with your individual hair can cause tension to your scalp and lead to breakage.
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Sideways Style
Actress Meagan Good takes the shaved head style up a notch with her goddess faux locs. No matter how you wear these locs, they always look appealing.
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Naturally Regal
Faux locs are genderless and there’s nothing wrong with taking style inspo from the guys. This street style duo looks so regal with their uber tall topknots.
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Wiggin’ Out
Want faux locs without the hassle? Opt for a wig to get the satisfaction of the look sans commitment. Singer Teyana Taylor stepped out in style with platinum blonde goddess faux locs, turning heads at the Versace event.
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Loc’d and Loaded
Once installed faux locs are effortless, as illustrated by Ryan Destiny.
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Spaced Out
Space buns are a fun hairstyle trend and you can easily recreate them on faux locs. Take a half up, half down style cue from Willow Smith and place your faux locs in two top ponytails (or buns). You can mimic her edge appeal with two lower ponytails or leave the locs out.
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Damsel in Distress(ed) Faux Locs
For natural-looking faux locs like Rihanna, wrap your box braids in Marley hair.
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Platinum Perfection
If you’re bold enough to rock platinum blonde hair, take it to the next level with a long faux locs style.
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Curls Loading
Want to make your faux locs curly? If they are small- to medium-sized, you can braid or twist your faux locs, creating a whole new style. When you unravel the twists, your faux locs will have a curl that lasts at least a week.
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Long and Lovely Locs
It can take years to grow real locs past your waist. Faux locs can give you the look overnight.
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Ombré Beauty
Stylist PC Williams keeps her faux locs long and lovely. The ombré distressed style is perfect for summer.
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How Long Can You Go?
When your long faux locs get in the way, put them in a high ponytail. Since the hair is so thick, like Rihanna, your faux locs may need to act as your hair tie.
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Messy Bun
An updo with your faux locs doesn’t have to be complicated. Just wrap them up and around each other in a messy bun and let some of the locs cascade from the top like Bri Steves.
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Oversized Bun
Actress Yaya DeCosta looks elegant with an oversized faux locs bun. The accent of a mahogany-hued faux loc in the front is a pretty touch.
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Crotchet Cutie
If you are new to faux locs, opt for the crotchet installation method. It takes approximately three hours and you have the freedom of various colors and styles without the hassle.
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Starter Locs
We get it—a big chop can leave you with short hair and you may not feel comfortable wearing it during that stage (you look great!). Faux locs can help. Human hair can be wrapped around your actual hair and given additional length. The downside is that you’ll eventually want to cut them off, so it’s only your natural hair loc’d.
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Headwrap Queen
If you know absolutely nothing about wigs or faux locs, the easiest introduction would be a headband wig. These wigs come with a headband for easy installation and zero commitment.
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Freelance Writer
Danielle James is an award-winning entrepreneur, fashion and beauty journalist, and co-founder of Safe Space, a show that encourages viewers to have tough conversations with people in their respective lives.
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