While there are many ways to braid hair, this is the way I find to be the easiest on my hair type. My mom used to braid my hair all the time when I was younger because it was the easiest way to wear my hair while I played Spice Girls at recess or tried to chase boys on the playground without looking like a frizzy mess at the end of the day.
Image Source: @haileeesimone
The only problem though, is that I never held still long enough for my mom to actually teach me how to French braid my own hair. Since I had watched my mom perfect French, Dutch, and fishtail braids in my hair hundreds of times over the years, I had convinced myself that I would be able to teach myself. I already knew how to do a regular braid, so how hard could it be?
Now, if I can teach myself how to French braid on an airplane trip when I was 9 years old, based on trying to remember the movements of my mother’s hands.. you can learn from this tutorial. I promise.
Image Source: @sarahpotempahair
I recommend learning on someone else’s hair before trying on your own hair, so this guide will teach you how to do two French braids on someone else’s hair.
Tips Before You sStart
- Start with the basic three piece braid
- The forefinger and thumb are your guiding fingers
- Detangled hair will make it MUCH easier
- If loose pieces fall out, just re-tuck them into the braid and pull tight.
- Practice makes perfect, it’s okay if your first try isn’t very good, no ones is!
Let’s get started
1. Part the hair evenly down the middle with a comb and clip or tie the hair you are not working with to keep it separated.
2. Section one side of the hair and create three equal portions to begin a normal braid by crossing the outer portion over the middle and into the center.
3. Before every cross, add a small piece of the main hair section to the smaller section of hair that is being taken over to the middle.
- Make sure you are pulling each piece tight (you’ll get better with practice!)
- Use your free fingers to ensure that the sections remain separate.
4. Continue this process until you reach the nape of the neck or the main section of the hair has all been used within the braid.
5. Once the braid is complete and lifts off the head, you can continue with the basic braid until you reach the end of the hair, and hold the braid together with a tie.
And that’s it! You have now mastered the French braid. Now you just have to practice, practice, practice.