Braiding your hair can be a great way to completely change your look and add some real personality to any outfit. Braids can also be done with any hair type, provided it is long enough.
However, with such a complex-looking style, it also means that it can be slightly more difficult to pull the style off. It can take some time to truly learn how to braid your hair, especially if you are planning to do it yourself.
With so many varying guides, tutorials, and how-tos on the subject of braiding hair, it can of course be difficult to tell exactly how you are supposed to do it, and which method is truly the best.
Luckily for you, we’ve done the hard part, and taken the best elements of some of the best guides to creating braids in order to create this guide for you! Read onward below to find out how you can braid your hair without any need for help from friends or family. It is a truly life-saving guide, so we cannot wait for you to read it!
What Are Braids?
Put simply, braided hairstyles are a complex form of hairstyle that is made by interlacing multiple strands of hair at the same time to create a single unified shape. Done properly, they can create some truly mind-blowing looks, but it can be easy to do it wrong, so that’s why we’ve created this guide. Read on to begin!
Step 1 – A Good Wash
Before you can get started on creating your new hairstyle, you need to make sure that your hair is freshly cleaned and soft and malleable. Wash your hair as you normally would, but aim to use products designed for softening your hair. This will leave your hair appearing thicker and more full-bodied.
After you have washed your hair, give it a quick once-over with your towel, until it is damp.
Step 2 – Apply Your Products
Once you have washed your hair and allowed it to dry slightly with a towel, you should aim to use some products. Add pomades or hair gels to your hair, to help to make it more malleable and to help it to hold its shape for longer.
You might also want to add some shea butter or other nutrient-rich products to your hair, in order to soften it up and to keep your scalp healthy and moisturized.
Take a comb or a hairbrush and ensure that your products have been evenly distributed throughout your hair. Take your time with this, so that your hair is at its softest so that it is cooperative and easier to work with.
Step 3 – Begin Shaping
Now we need to get your hair ready to be put into braids. Find out which parts of your hair you want to create braids in, and how big you want your braids to be. From here, you can begin dividing your hair up into sections.
This is the part of the process in which you need to use a bit of imagination to decide exactly what you want. Do you want your braids to part from the center of your hair? Begin by separating sections of the hair from the center.
Step 4 – Let’s Get Braiding
Now your hair is ready to be braided! But, before we move forward, which type of braid do you want to make? There are so many exciting styles to try out, so let’s go through two of our favorites.
Two Strands:
If you’re extremely new to braiding, then it may be best to start with the two-strand method to get going.
Take one of the sections of hair that you have created, and grab two strands from it.
Take those two strands, and begin overlapping them, while pulling back. As you move back, you will start to see a braid pattern beginning to form. You can grab more hair from the section you created as you go so that you don’t run out of hair, and to make each braid stronger.
Once you have reached the end of the hair, and created the end of the braid, all you need to do is tie the end down!
Rinse and repeat this process as much as you like throughout your hair until you have a full set of braids!
Cornrows:
Cornrows are an iconic look that can easily be made with a method very similar to that used in the two strands method.
Start by taking a section of hair that you separated earlier. Within that section, you should then make three distinct strands of hair that align with each other. There should be a left strand, a middle strand, and a right strand.
Once you have your three strands, you should then move the left strand of hair under the middle strand, until it becomes the new middle strand.
Once you have your new middle strand, take the right strand, and pass that under the new middle strand. Already, at this point, you should notice that the braid is beginning to take shape! Pull the strands to ensure you have a tight braid.
Repeat this process until you run out of hair on each strand, and tie the cornrows together at the end. Do this for as many cornrows as you want for your look!
Step 5 – Let’s Finish Up
Now that you’ve completed your new braids, try playing around with them for a bit to see if you can wear them in any interesting or extravagant ways to make the look appear even cooler.
You could accent the braids with accessories, or tie the braids together in different patterns to create extra layers of complexity!
Conclusion
Don’t worry if you stumble at any point in this process. Learning to braid hair takes some time, especially if you are doing it to your own hair. Just take your time and you will slowly begin to get it right.
Now that you know how to create interesting braids in your hair, the world is truly your oyster. There are so many styles you can try and create now.
Experiment with some other braid techniques to see what else you can create with your newfound skills.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is It Better To Braid Your Hair Wet Or Dry?
You should generally aim to braid your hair when it is wet and clean, as it is then more malleable and easier to shape how you want it. However, it is still possible to braid dry hair, provided it is clean enough.
Can You Braid 2 Inches Of Hair?
It is definitely possible, but it can be considerably difficult. It would generally be quite impossible to braid hair that is less than 2 inches long. Thus, it is also quite difficult to braid hair that is that length. Braids can be made on shorter hair, but it may take some more effort.
Can I Braid My Hair By Myself?
Of course! It may take some time, and a little bit of practice, but it is entirely possible to braid your own hair and still have it come out looking perfect.
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