Darling hairpiece colours and prices
Every Darling hairpiece colour code we found in South African stores on 6 Oct 2026, with what each store charged. The swatches use each store's own pack photo, so the light changes from one swatch to the next. Tap a swatch, then compare that code with Londie London and Expression.
The same code in three brands
Codes are shorthand, not a standard. Two brands' 1B can differ in warmth and shine, so check each pack photo before you buy.
Where to buy, cheapest first
All prices checked 6 Oct 2026Cheapest first. Prices and stock are each store's own, read on 6 Oct 2026, and they change.
Darling hairpieces: lines, packs and where to buy
What Darling is
Darling hairpieces are packs of synthetic braiding, twisting and crochet hair sold in South Africa under the Darling name. On 6 Oct 2026 we found them at Cosmetic Connection, Universal Dealers, Takealot and Splendit. PEP listed Darling too, but showed every Darling pack out of stock. No store page we could open names the maker. Darling's own site, darlingafrica.com, refused our automated check, so we could not read its colour list or its own description of the range. Everything here comes from store listings and our 6 Oct 2026 price check.
The lines, and what each is for
Cosmetic Connection files 12 products under Darling. Each store title gives the line name, a length in inches and usually how many packs make a head. Read those three things before you look at the colour.
- One Million Braid, 20 inch: sold for box braids, twists and micro-braiding. Cosmetic Connection says it needs 3 packs per head and charges R31.90 for a standard colour and R33.90 for an ombre. Its 2x Volume and Silky Shine versions are R54.90.
- Yaki Braid, 20 inch: a cheaper pack with a yaki texture, also 3 packs per head. R11.50 for a standard colour and R13.90 for an ombre at Cosmetic Connection.
- Marley Kinky Braid, 14 inch: chunky twists, 3 packs per head, R114.90 at Cosmetic Connection.
- Natural Twist, 20 inch: 2 packs per head, R61.90 at Cosmetic Connection, which showed it out of stock on 6 Oct 2026.
- Vibrations, 16 inch: sold for crochet styling, 2 packs per head, R79.90.
- Loose Braid, 6 piece 42 inch: part of what the store calls the Darling Supreme Collection, 2 packs per head, R159.90.
Cosmetic Connection also lists Soft Dred Naturals 16 inch (R67.90), Mini Hollywood 4 piece 16 inch (R61.90). It also lists a Bohemian Curl Crochet Braid 50 inch (R75.90), out of stock on 6 Oct 2026. Splendit lists a Darling Indlovukazi 64 inch braid at R55. Our One Million page covers that line on its own.
Colour codes on Darling packs
The swatches above are the codes we found on Darling listings on 6 Oct 2026. The single shades are 1, 1B, 2, 4, 27, 30, 33, 35, 39 and 350, plus 60, Grey and White. Slash codes such as 1/27, 1/35, 1/39, 1/27/350 and 4/27 are sold as ombres or blends. Cosmetic Connection sells Yaki Braid 1/35 and 1/39 both as a Blend (R11.50) and as an Ombre (R13.90), so ask which one you are getting. Silky Shine comes in named fashion colours (Chic Red, Copper, Orange, Blue, Horizon and Purple) rather than numbers.
Names differ by seller. PEP's listing for Darling Yaki Braids calls 35 Auburn, 39 Maroon, 33 Light brown and 4 Brown, while FroHub's X-pression guide calls 33 Dark Auburn Chestnut. Our colour chart gives the names we could source for each code. Treat them as a starting point and go by the pack photo.
Pack contents and how many to buy
Cosmetic Connection and Universal Dealers sell one pack at a time, and the Cosmetic Connection title tells you how many a head needs: 3 for One Million, Yaki and Marley, and 2 for Natural Twist, Vibrations and the 6 piece Loose Braid. Your braider may use more or fewer for your length and thickness, so ask before you buy.
Takealot listings often bundle packs. A 3 pack of One Million in colour 33 was R159 and a 5 pack was R215, which works out at about R53 and R43 a pack. Divide the shelf price by the pack count before you compare it with a single pack at R31.90.
Where Darling costs least
Of the stores in our check, Cosmetic Connection had the lowest single-pack prices: R11.50 for Yaki Braid and R31.90 for One Million. Universal Dealers listed One Million Braid at R32.99 and an ombre at R34.99. The cheapest in-stock Takealot listing was R85 for a Yaki Braid value pack, and Takealot's other Darling listings run up from there, partly because many are multi-packs. PEP showed Yaki Braids at R12.99 and One Million at R36.99, but out of stock. The price table above is cheapest first and only shows what was in stock on 6 Oct 2026.
Care and how long to keep them in
Cosmetic Connection's One Million page gives these steps for its Darling braid: wear a satin scarf or bonnet at night, put light oil or braid spray on the scalp and the length, wash with diluted shampoo and let it air dry, and use perm rods or wool to seal the ends with hot water. It says the braid can be curled up to three times. That page is describing One Million, so ask your braider before you apply the same routine to other lines.
How long you wear them matters more to your scalp than the brand. The American Academy of Dermatology says that if you feel pain or have a headache the hairstyle is too tight, and for weaves and extensions it advises two or three months at most before giving your hair a break.
Darling colours: questions
What does Darling hairpiece colour 1 mean?
Colour 1 is black. FroHub's X-pression guide calls it Jet Black, and PEP labels it Black on Darling One Million Braids. Some brands use 1B, a softer off black, instead. Check the pack photo, because the same number can look different between brands.
Is Darling One Million the same as Darling Yaki Braid?
No. Both are 20 inch Darling braids that need 3 packs per head at Cosmetic Connection, but One Million is the smooth braiding hair at R31.90 a pack and Yaki Braid has a yaki texture at R11.50 a pack. Read the line name on the listing, not just the word Darling.
How many Darling packs do I need for a full head?
Cosmetic Connection's titles say 3 packs per head for One Million, Yaki Braid and Marley Kinky Braid, and 2 for Natural Twist, Vibrations and the 6 piece Loose Braid. Your braider may need more or fewer for your length and thickness, so ask before you buy.
Where is Darling cheapest in South Africa?
On 6 Oct 2026 Cosmetic Connection had the lowest single-pack prices of the stores we checked, from R11.50 for Yaki Braid and R31.90 for One Million. Universal Dealers was close on One Million at R32.99. Takealot listings were higher, partly because many are multi-packs.
Is Darling 33 the same as Londie London 33?
Not necessarily. Colour codes are shorthand, and one styling guide notes that two brands can label the same number slightly differently and that batches vary. Use the compare tool above to see both packs side by side, and buy all the packs for one head at once.
What does a code like 1/27 mean on a Darling pack?
A slash joins two shades, so 1/27 is black and honey blonde. Sellers use it for ombres (dark to light along the length) and for blends (mixed through). Cosmetic Connection sells some Yaki Braid slash codes both ways at different prices, so ask which you are buying.
How long can I keep Darling braids in?
The American Academy of Dermatology advises wearing weaves and extensions for two or three months at most, and says pain or a headache means the style is too tight. Ask your braider to loosen anything that hurts, and give your hair a break between installs.