★★★★★
Same-Day Appointment
“I called to set an appointment the same day, and the owner worked with me to make it happen. Davida did an amazing job on my hair.”
Google Review
Braiding Academy
Professional Braiding Course in Laurel, Maryland
What if you could turn braiding into your career in just 4 weeks? Most people spend years watching tutorials, practicing on friends, and wondering if they’re “good enough” to go pro. At Afro Luxe Braiding Academy, we cut through all of that — and we do it right here in Laurel, Maryland.
This is the only professional braiding program in the area where you learn from two experts in the same room:
- Ms. Phiphi — Master Braider with 15+ years of experience and a reputation as one of the most respected names in African hair braiding.
- Dr. Kaspa — Licensed Trichologist (a scalp and hair health scientist), so you don’t just learn how to braid — you learn how to braid safely, knowledgeably, and professionally.
That combination? You won’t find it anywhere else.
Master Braider + Trichologist · 4-Week Hands-On Programme · Certificate of Completion
Why Afro Luxe
Why Choose the Afro Luxe Braiding Academy
Built on Craft + Hair Science
Afro Luxe Braiding Academy pairs Ms. Phiphi’s 15+ years of professional braiding craft with Dr. Kaspa’s trichology expertise — a scalp and hair health science background you won’t find at another braiding school in the DMV.
Real Skills, Not Just Videos
The Afro Luxe Braiding Academy is a hands-on, in-person programme conducted at our Laurel, Maryland studio. You will work with real mannequin heads and, as you progress, real hair in real client scenarios.
A Certificate That Means Something
Graduates receive a Certificate of Completion from a salon with a 4.8-star Google rating and a founder with a PharmD and MSc. In a market that is largely unregulated, credentials from a scientifically grounded institution carry real weight.
Career-Ready From Week One After Graduation
Our curriculum is designed for the real braiding industry. By the time you complete the course, you will have practiced every major technique, understand how to consult with clients, and have the business knowledge to start earning immediately.
What You Will Learn
The Afro Luxe Braiding Academy 4-week curriculum covers:
- Knotless braids — installation technique, tension management, root-to-tip execution
- Box braids — traditional and feed-in methods for multiple sizes
- Cornrows — straight, curved, and geometric pattern braiding
- Feed-in braids — the foundational skill behind knotless and extension techniques
- Twists — Senegalese, kinky, and passion twist techniques
- Crochet installation — invisible crochet and traditional crochet methods
- Tension control — understanding how to protect your clients’ edges and scalp
- Hair biology and scalp health — foundational knowledge taught by Dr. Kaspa, drawing on her trichology expertise
- Client consultation — how to discuss style options, pricing, and expectations
- Business fundamentals — pricing your services, building a clientele, and managing appointments
Meet Your Instructors at Afro Luxe Braiding Academy
Ms. Phiphi — Lead Braiding Instructor
Ms. Phiphi is the lead braiding instructor at Afro Luxe Braiding Academy and one of the most respected names in African hair braiding in the DMV. With 15+ years of professional braiding experience, she has built a reputation for technical precision, scalp-safe technique, and the kind of speed and consistency that only comes from thousands of hours behind the chair.
In the Academy, Ms. Phiphi teaches the craft side of the curriculum: hand control, sectioning, tension, finishing, and the speed-and-feel that turns a competent home braider into a salon-ready professional.
15+ Years Professional Braiding
African Hair Braiding Specialist
Lead Braiding Instructor, Afro Luxe Academy
The reason this combination works is simple. A master braider teaches you how. A trichologist teaches you why. Most braiding courses give you one and hope you figure out the other. The Afro Luxe curriculum is built so you graduate with both — the craft of a 15-year veteran and the hair-health knowledge of a licensed scientist.
Dr. Kaspa — Founder & Trichologist
Dr. Kaspa is the founder of Afro Luxe Braiding Bar and the Academy’s resident trichologist — a licensed scalp and hair health scientist. Her trichology expertise is what makes the Afro Luxe Academy genuinely different from every other braiding course in the DMV: students don’t just learn how to braid, they learn why each technique works and how it affects the long-term health of a client’s hair and scalp.
In the Academy, Dr. Kaspa teaches the science side of the curriculum: hair biology, scalp health, tension and traction alopecia prevention, product selection, and the consultation skills that separate a technician from a true professional.
Certified Trichologist
MSc (Cosmetic Formulation)
Founder, Afro Luxe Braiding Bar
Professional Hair Educator
How This Course Can Help You Earn
- Home-based braiding — Start taking clients from your own home. Knotless braids alone start at $150–$350 per client.
- Salon employment — Many DMV salons actively seek trained braiders. Your Afro Luxe certificate gets your foot in the door.
- Booth rental — Rent a chair at an established salon and set your own hours and rates.
- Mobile braiding — Travel to clients’ homes for added convenience and premium pricing ($175–$450+ per appointment).
- Your own salon — The ultimate goal for many of our students, made achievable with the business knowledge included in our curriculum.
Our $500 course investment can pay for itself with your first 2–3 clients. This is a real skill with real earning potential.
Testimonial
What Our Clients Say
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Braiding Course
Led by Ms. Phiphi, Afro Luxe Braiding Academy Braiding Instructor — a Master Braider with 15+ years of professional experience. The science side of the curriculum is taught by Dr. Kaspa, a licensed Trichologist and the founder of Afro Luxe Braiding Bar. Students learn from both instructors in the same room throughout the 4-week program.
A trichologist is a specialist in the science of hair and scalp health. When your instructor is a trichologist, you don’t just learn how to braid — you learn how to braid in a way that protects your client’s edges, prevents tension damage, and keeps the scalp healthy underneath the style. That knowledge is what separates a working braider from a trusted professional, and it’s the reason Afro Luxe Braiding Academy is the only DMV-area course built around trichology-informed technique.
No prior experience is required. The Afro Luxe Braiding Academy is specifically designed for complete beginners. We start with hand control fundamentals and progress step by step through professional techniques.
The course is $500 in total. You can enrol online today by paying the $50 non-refundable registration fee, the $250 first installment (registration included), or the full $500. Whichever option you choose, the full balance is due by the start of week 3.
The professional braiding course is a 4-week programme totalling approximately 40 hours of hands-on training, conducted at our Laurel, Maryland studio.
We run cohorts throughout the year with limited seats per group. Contact us at (301) 792-2121 or via our website to find out the dates of upcoming cohorts and secure your place.
Yes. All graduates receive a Certificate of Completion from the Afro Luxe Braiding Academy upon completing the full 4-week programme.
Yes. Most of our graduates are able to take paying clients within weeks of completing the course. Our curriculum includes business fundamentals specifically so you are ready to start earning as soon as you graduate.
The course is fully in-person at our Laurel, Maryland studio. Hands-on practice is the foundation of our curriculum — we do not offer an online-only version.
Cohorts are intentionally small to ensure every student receives individual attention and sufficient hands-on practice time. Contact us for current cohort size.
You receive your Certificate of Completion, a portfolio of work from your training sessions, and ongoing support from the Afro Luxe team. Many of our graduates return to the salon for continued mentorship.
Our course is taught in person by a qualified pharmacist and cosmetic formulation chemist with 15 years of professional braiding experience. You receive real feedback on your technique, learn the science behind hair health and scalp protection, and graduate with a certificate and a real skillset — not just a browser history.