Leave it to Phylicia Rashad to make me consider adding micro braids to my summer mood board for the first time ever. The actress appeared at the season three premiere of HBO's The Gilded Age at the Tribeca Film Festival this week wearing a printed blue-and-white caftan with white pants. She's pretty much the queen of wearing draped fabric, but my favorite thing about her look was obviously her silver hair, which she styled in wavy, goddess micro braids for the occasion.
Prior to 2024, Rashad mostly appeared at events wearing her hair in a dark brown, shoulder-length bob that was usually styled in soft curls, but over the last year, the For Colored Girls actress has really been embracing her silver hair, styling her strands in mid-back length micro braids. For this week's Tribeca Film Festival, she wore the braids in a chic high ponytail with a small section of hair wrapped around the base.
While knotless box braids and cornrows have both dominated over the last several years as fan favorite protective hairstyles, micro braids have slowly been making a comeback as of late. They rose in popularity in the early 2000s, though they fell off in later years because, as you can probably tell by their name and way that they look, they take quite a while to complete. That said, micro braids offer a more versatile look than traditional box braids since the ultra-thin braids are meant to resemble individual strands of hair, and when done using wavy extensions, it can create a boho goddess look similar to Rashad's.
Gray hair is a bit more fragile and prone to breakage, so if you have silver hair and are looking to emulate Rashad's braided look, there are some things to keep in mind in order to keep your hair as healthy as possible, starting with the products you need. Check out some of my favorites below.
Hair tends to get a little drier with age, so while this shampoo is a great option for eliminating brassiness from color-treated or naturally gray hair, it's also deeply moisturizing and boosts scalp health.
This light, milky serum features moisturizing all-stars like hyaluronic acid and squalane to address dryness and flakiness while helping support the barrier function of your scalp. It also comes with a bottle dropper that you can apply directly to the exposed areas of your scalp, making it super easy to use.
For a bit of edge control that won't be too harsh or drying, try this gentle pomade formula. It's made with aloe to hydrate delicate baby hairs and it won't flake after a few hours of wear.
