Keke Palmer's Boho Braids Are Officially at the Top of My Summer Hairstyle Wishlist

One thing I know I can always count on Keke Palmer for is providing me with some much-needed hair inspiration. Earlier this year, she debuted a fiery red hair color that almost convinced me to switch up my own cinnamon brown tone, and the blunt bob she wore shortly after made me briefly consider cutting my hair shorter for the summer. That said, none of her hair transformations have influenced me quite as much as her most recent one; the star recently got boho box braids, a style that's so low maintenance that I definitely just added it to my summer hairstyle wishlist.

Palmer was in attendance at the 2025 Essence Festival of Culture over the weekend, and she appeared at the event wearing knotless box braids with reddish brown hair and wavy ends that flowed past her shoulders. On the third day of the festival, she gave herself a super-casual look by pulling the braids back into a half-up half-down hairstyle.

Boho braids are a popular braided hairstyle characterized by loose pieces of curly or wavy hair that are incorporated into the braids to give the hair a more natural look. It's a protective style that plenty of women turn to in the summer months to protect their ends from over-manipulation and to keep their hair safe from frizz due to heat and humidity.

Usually hairstylists recommend keeping styles like this in for no longer than six to eight weeks, but if you decide to take the plunge on getting them, you'll need some products on hand to help keep them looking fresh in the in-between time. Read ahead for some of my favorites.