In contrast to your highschool French class, making a French braid is uncomplicated. In accordance with Los Angeles hairstylist Glenn Ellis, there are solely two variations between a French and a basic three-strand braid: First, the French braid begins on the crown of your head (whereas a basic braid often begins above the nape). ). Second – and that is what offers it its dreamy silhouette – is the way you frequently weave in additional hair as you progress from the highest of your crown to your ends.
As soon as you have mastered easy methods to do a single French braid, Emmily Bowman, founding father of cell hair braiding firm Braidbabes, suggests attempting extra distinctive methods to put on it. Take into account twisting your braid right into a bun, carrying two as pigtails, or weaving them into half-up hairstyles.
However earlier than you contemplate extra difficult types, learn to make a French braid by yourself hair in simply 5 steps. Rookies, you will love this lesson as a result of there’s little or no finesse – and no conjugation – concerned.
Meet the specialists:
- Emmily Bowman is the founder and CEO of Braidbabes, a cell hair braiding firm based mostly in Buffalo, New York.
- Glenn Ellis is a Los Angeles hairstylist whose shoppers embrace Olivia Wilde, Sara Paulson, and Meg Ryan.
- Ryan Trygstad is a hair stylist and co-owner of Mark Ryan Salon in New York Metropolis.
- Nathaniel Hawkins is a hairdresser from New York Metropolis.
The best way to french braid your hair
Instruments you want
- A hair elastic
- A comb
- Texture spray
- Hair spray
- Bobby pins
Step 1: Put together your hair.
Step one to French braiding is as straightforward because it will get: “Comb your hair so it does not get tangled,” says Ellis. And don’t fret about washing it beforehand, as a result of unwashed hair gives one of the best maintain for braids, in keeping with Bowman. Nevertheless, in the event you insist on washing your hair earlier than styling, she recommends spritzing DesignMe’s Puff.Me Dry Texturizing Spray from roots to ends to provide your hair the energy it wants to carry the form of the French braid.
Step 2: Divide your hair into sections.
Then, “beginning on the hairline, collect your hair right into a triangular part with hair from simply above your temples and lengthening to the crown space,” says Ellis. Then separate this huge part of hair into three smaller ones, the strands you’ll use for braiding.
Step 3: Begin your braid.
Take the left part of hair and cross it over the middle, as you’d with a conventional three-strand braid. Repeat this step with the proper half. After you have accomplished these preliminary crossovers on either side, you can begin choosing up hair from the surface of the braid to start weaving your French braid, says Bowman.
Step 4: Seize the hair as you go.
Proceed with the identical technique, however begin including small tufts of hair from either side. “It is essential to not take extra hair than you’ll be able to deal with since you all the time need to be in full management of each step,” says Ryan Trygstad, hairstylist and co-owner of Mark Ryan Salon in New York Metropolis. Nathaniel Hawkins, a New York Metropolis hairstylist, suggests choosing up half-inch sections of hair to steadiness the braid.
Mastering hand place could be one of the difficult features of French braiding. Whereas everybody has their most popular strategy, chances are you’ll discover it useful to strategically maintain all three strands with one hand. Doing this frees up your different hand, permitting you to tug extra hair into the braid evenly and effectively.
