Peekaboo braids are a protective braided hairstyle defined by colored hair under the top layer of strands.
To achieve this look, most black women contrast their natural hair color against brightly colored braids such as blue, pink and red.
Put differently, a traditional braided hairstyle–say, box braids–is paired with an unexpected touch of color and texture that peeks out from the bottom rows. The result is a peekaboo effect that stands out from the crowd rather effortlessly.
We don’t know about you, but we wouldn’t mind having hair extensions that make a bold statement from the get-go. And if that means experimenting with “weird” colors or spending an extra few minutes at the salon, so be it!
If you’re not ready to commit to mixed color braids, peekaboo braids are just what you’re looking for.
Before we proceed to the tutorials, let’s look at what you’ll need to nail this look to a tee, as well as a few frequently asked questions.
- Pre-stretched braiding hair (a plain black or desired prominent color and a peekaboo one).
Why are they called peekaboo braids?
What most people don’t know is that peekaboo braids have been around for years. In fact, many black queens have worn a hairstyle resembling this one when they were younger, only that it didn’t have a definitive name then.
“Peekaboo” is an apt name for color-popping braids that lend a subtle yet distinctive touch by peeking out from the rest of the hair.
Peekaboo braids are also known as skunk stripe braids.
How long do peekaboo braids last?
With sufficient and consistent care, your peekaboo hairstyle can last for up to 6 weeks.
Start off by parting clean, straightened hair into three sections. Have two sections at the front, and one big section at the back.
Next, wrap up the hair at the front into a bun so that it gets out of the way.
You’ll then detangle the hair at the back and work the first part out. Apply shine n jam at the roots of your parted section to sleek down and tame flyaways.
PS- Shine n jam isn’t an option ingredient. Without it, you’ll struggle to create extremely neat and precise sections.
Proceed to divide the parted section into four boxes. Apply shine n jam to the individual segments.
PS- The thinner your hair is in the braid, the easier it’ll be to hide your black hair inside the red braiding hair. The goal is to let the red hair pop.
To start off the knotless braiding process, work out one of the four boxes into three tails. Weave them together a couple of times. You’ll then take the red braiding hair and apply it to the middle portion of the plait.
Once you have it attached, wrap it around and continue with the same motion along the length of the braid.
PS- Be sure to feel the texture of the red braiding hair as you move along to make sure it’s not obstructed by the black hair at any point. Tuck it behind if the hiding method doesn’t work.
Repeat the above procedure for all the individual sections within rows and for at least three rows going up. Then you can start working on the rest of the hair using black braiding hair until you’re done. To save time, braid the ends later.
You’ll want to put knots at the end of the braids to keep them from unraveling. To do that, take a little bit of the hair and wrap it around your two fingers–the thumb and index finger–and then place the tail between them. Pull the tail through to create a small knot.
Finish by wrapping the ends around a perm rod and dipping them in hot water for five minutes tops. This will culminate in some really pretty curls. As always, apply shine n jam and/or mousse to set the braids.
For a detailed visual, refer to the video below.
Now that the hard work is behind us, let’s go through some peekaboo braids hairstyles that are worth your time, effort, and money this year.
Inspo 101 doesn’t get any better than this.
1) Pink Peekaboo Braids
This combo of brown and pink with layered curled ends is THE ONE.
2) Multicolor Knotless Peekaboo Braids With Braided Butterflies
Enhance the beauty of your black braids by adding pops of different colors on one side. Sew in some braided butterflies for an extra pop and curl the ends. The end result will look playful without being overwhelming.
3) Pink & Blue Boho Peekaboo Knotless Braids With Beads
Sometimes all black braids need is a little smidge of one or two colors to take them from stale to stellar.
4) Blonde Peekaboo on Ginger Knotless Braids
Ginger knotless braids that match the dyed hair? Check. A hint of blonde? Check-check. We dig!
5) Pops of Color Against a Dark Base
Think one color is too plain and drab? Get the full dose of colors with peekaboo hair like this one. Level up the look further with colourful beads.
6) Blonde Peekaboo Boho Fulani Braids
The blonde peekaboo on these stitch boho Fulani braids is a guaranteed head-turner. There’s no way your hairstyle won’t pop with such an addition.
7) Rainbow Peekaboo Knotless Braids
It’s time to give classic braids a whole new meaning. Unanticipated is the name of the game when this rainbow mix contrasts beautifully with black.
8) Burgundy Peekaboo Knotless Braids With Curly Ends
If you’re not ready to take the full plunge into the bright colors realm just yet, then this warm brown hue is perfect for you. Grab attention without coming off too strong.
9) Pink Peekaboo Braids
Go ham with your choice of peekaboo color. Pink popping from underneath pitch black braids is sure to have onlookers talking…and complimenting.
10) Pops of Ginger
You don’t have to look too far to get a color match that’s made in heaven. THIS IS IT!
11) Shoulder-Grazing Peekaboo Braids With Messy Edges, Beads, and Middle-Part
This hairstyle adds some girlie details to the beaded braids, such as the broken heart-shaped design at the top, and the oh-so-colorful strands at the bottom.
12) Ash Brown Boho Peekaboo Braids
This is the go-to style for women who can’t quite commit to a bright hair color or the ever-so-obvious blonde. The fullness and depth you’ll attain will instantly nullify any doubts you might have.
13) Large-Size Peekaboo Box Braids
Go big (read: bold color) or go home with these unconventional braids. The final look will be absolutely worth it, we guarantee it.
14) Purple Peekaboo Braids
We love the subtle peekaboo effect these braids have going on. Soft purple accents draw attention without taking away from the stunning aesthetic.
15) Knotless Braids With Neon Blue Streaks
Who would’ve thought that a blue shade would chime perfectly with dark braids? But it does; additionally, it emphasizes the hair length in a picture-perfect way.
16) Boho Knotless Pink & Blonde Peekaboo
We don’t need to tell you twice that this combo offers the perfect balance of spicy and subtle for this boho braids look.
17) Color 27 Peekaboo Knotless Braids With Curly Ends
This hint of color 27 has us drooling all the way to the salon.
18) Orange Meets Black
The orange peekaboo was the perfect finish for this freestyle tribal braids look.
19) Burgundy Braids With Blonde Strands
Spicy meets extra spicy in this extraordinary blend. The result is a color show fit for the red carpet.
20) Pink Braids Against a Dark Chocolate Brown Base
These brown ropes of hair emphasize the rich pink shade beneath in a way no other hue can. Just perfect.
21) Black and Red Braids With Bohemian Vibes
This is what happens when the coolest braiding technique out there meets the coolest color combo this side of the Hemisphere.
22) Black and White
Stop wondering how best to deliver a definitive yet seamless transition within braided hair. This right here is your cue.
23) Tribal Hot Pink Peekaboo Braids
A cheerful shade + bouncy curls = playfulness galore.
24) Teeny-Tiny Peekaboo Braids In Green
The shine and gloss in this look is hurting our eyes…in a good way.
25) Black and Pink Braids Up do
And the award for the most creative peekaboo braids for 2024 goes to…this super elegant updo look.
26) Very Long Knotless Braids
Now that’s the exact length and color we envision when we think about our dream peekaboo hair. And those curls at the end? Hoooot!
27) Peekaboo Boho Island Twists
The intricate free-flowing curls and perfectly subtle silver shade are what makes this peekaboo boho island twists look a swoon-worthy style.
28) Medium Mid Back Peekaboo Braids With Curly Ends
Pull off the perfect surprise with this unexpected contrast. Blonde typically blends well with black, but not this well.
29) Shiny Gold Peekaboo Braids
Want just the right amount of color and texture in your braids? These peekaboo braids have your name written all over them.
30) Heart Part Knotless Braids
Say less, here’s the perfect way to make a stylish and quirky statement with your not-so-lengthy braids.
31) Asymmetrical Mixed Color Peekaboo Braids
The marriage of a conspicuous patch of a mixed color blend look on one-side and uniformly dark braids on the opposite side lends an eccentric vibe to otherwise typical strands.
32) Butt-Length Braids
These extra long braids with curly ends have a lot going on in the greatest manner possible.
33) Peekaboo Box Braids In Two Colors
Here is one way to play with peekaboo braids–add a two-toned extravaganza on either side. Summer look, nailed.
34) Gorgeous Goddess Braids With Light Brown Underlining
The flawless curl job at the ends might have stolen all the show here if it weren’t for the warm brown insertions that highlight the length.
35) Multicolored Knotless Braids With Pops of Magenta and Boho Ends
If you’re looking for a bold and unorthodox look as your next braided hairstyle, this red streak dashing through the rainbow hair is just the thing in this multi coloured peekaboo boho braids look.
36) Black Braided Look With Hints Of Pink and Blonde
This beauty scores a perfect 10 on our peekaboo braids scale for obvious reasons–perfect color combo, perfect updo, perfect middle part, and then some.
37) Brown Blonde Balayage Braids
Fullness and depth have never looked this good. And it’s all thanks to the brown and white hues that effortlessly complement each other all the way down in this boho Fulani braids peekaboo look.
38) Below-the-Shoulder Peekaboo Braids In Coppery Brown
Repeat after us: spice, spice, and more spice. That’s the calling card for this stunning style.
39) Ombre Peekaboo Braids Meet Blonde
There’s nothing unusual about this hairstyle…just two distinct hues contrasting the heck out of each other. Unusually perfect, shall we say?
40) Beaded Electric Blue Peekaboo Braids
The hair accessories are super cute, alright. But it’s the definitive shot of blue that has us really craving this hairstyle.
41) Yarn Knotless Bob Braids
Who knew a braided maroon bob would look this delicious when paired with blonde strands? We vouch!
42) Stunning Pops of Lilac
Two gorgeous hues, same color spectrum, one outcome: sensational.
43) Knotless White and Orange Peekaboo Braids
It’s not an exaggeration when we say this is the best monotony-free braided look right now. The killer color combo eases the tightness between the black braids, all while highlighting their butter-smooth texture and incredible length.
44) Blue and Green Galore
An instant gossip-worthy look awaits you in the shape of these twin peekaboo braids. The contrast, texture, and shine that they ooze is, quite simply, wow-worthy.
45) Purple and Lilac Peekaboo Braids
You don’t have to move out of your preferred color spectrum to nail an out-of-the-ordinary vibe. These super textured braids are proof enough.
46) Braided Bun Look With Poppy Copper Brown
Everything. That’s what we love about this cheeky yet chic scalp braids hairstyle.
47) Eye-Catching Peekaboo Flip Over Fulani Braids
We absolutely love the diagonal cornrows and the fancy curls below them, but we simply cannot take our eyes off of the hot red strands and how they balance everything beautifully in this peekaboo flip over Fulani braids look.
48) Jumbo Cornrow Braids With Garnet Peepers
This mesmerizing shade of red emphasizes length and size in all the right places (read: angles).
49) Flavorful Pink In Full Flow
What’s a braided hairstyle without the full flow of strands? The hot pink and bright copper ensure your braids’ entire length is in focus–as it’s meant to be. Incorporate a cute pink peekaboo look into your Alicia Keys braids.
50) Starry Cornrow Design With Cute Orange Peekaboo
Imitate the main character energy oozed by this gal by making sure the stark combination between black and orange is as unerring as hers.
51) Fun Beaded Pink Peekaboo Braids
If the hot pink could talk, we’re sure it’d say something fun and fuzzy. Summer vibe, is that you?
52) Golden Speckles
Now that’s some proper shine! These long peekaboo braids inject verve and zazz where none previously existed.
53) Lime Green Peekaboo Braids
We are enamored with these black braids with a fierce shot of green. We adore the switch-up from the more typical hues and how they scream edgy without even trying.
54) Burgundy and Pink Peekaboo Braids With Beads
We thought we’d seen it all until we stumbled upon this elegant beaded hairstyle with red at the front and pink at the back. The hairstylist sure did outdo themselves!
55) Freestyle Scalp Braids With Brown and White Peekaboo
Here, the flashes of light brown inserted into the black braids all the way down echo the vibrant blonde shade placed just above it.
56) Short Braids With High Ponytail
As if short knotless braids with beads hairstyles needed a boost to really thrive…well, a little red in the mix never hurt anyone, right?
57) Unicorn Peekaboo Braids
Give extra dimension to braided hair with mixed color braids strands.The distribution should be uneven if you want the final look to be as dreamy and unique as this one.
58) Two Layer Braids in Fulani Design
This mesmerizing hairstyle utilizes flashy red on the bottom to balance the top Fulani braids segment decorated with criss cross stitch braids and stunningly styled baby hair.
59) Stitch Braids Ponytail
We love how the high pony showcases just enough of the colors underneath for the peekaboo effect to come off beautifully. Not too much, not too little, and certainly not too typically.
60) Small-Size Peekaboo Braids
Together, orange, blue, green, yellow, and red just make sense. These hot multi-color strands will definitely stand out against the knee-length knotless braids.
- Wrap your hair using a silk scarf or bonnet at night.
- Use a braids spray or scalp oil to soothe and moisturise your scalp.
- If you notice your braids are getting frizzy and losing their allure over time, refresh your old braids using a shampoo, conditioner and mousse. Follow it up with an edge control to touch up your hairline.
