By Kristi Kellogg and Catherine Q. O'Neill, Allure
No matter where you're heading this summer — the beach, the
office, or the gym — it's bound to be a scorcher. Aside from parking it
next to the A.C. all hours of the day, another easy (and free!) way to
keep cool is by twisting your hair into a side braid. The style, a
simple, thrown-to-the-side plait, is supercute, but will also stop the
sticky, sweaty hair-stuck-to-skin situation. Here, find out how to do a
side braid, plus how to make it stay put all day, to wear now — and long
after Labor Day.
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1. Part you hair.
A middle part in your hair is unexpected, but side parts are better for those with lots of short layers or long faces. Parting your hair on the side also makes for a more classic look.2. Use a dry shampoo and texturizing spray.
If your hair is dirty, massage dry shampoo into the roots. (We like Elizabeth and James' Nirvana Black Dry Shampoo.) Then, spritz everything from the ears down — dirty or clean — with a texturizing spray (like the Jen Atkin's Ouai Texturizing Spray) to help the hair stick together and keep it from falling out of your side braid.3. Gather hair to the side.
Gently pull all of your hair to one side and place the middle against the nape of your neck, behind your earlobe or lower. Grab any pieces that keep falling out and twist them across your neck and bobby pin them in place. Once those are secure, then you can start your braid.[post_ads_2]
4. Divide your hair into three sections and weave the strands in and out.
Divide the hair into three sections, and then begin braiding them together. Don't braid to the very end of the strands, though. (If you braid all the way to the ends, where your hair is dry and thin, the braid will also look dry and thin.) Tie off the braid when you've got two to four inches left to go and flat-iron the ends for a polished finish. For those with short or thin hair, make sure to braid quite tightly. That increases the number of rotations, which makes the braid look longer and bulkier. When you're finished, beef up the braid by massaging it with your fingers.5. Secure your braid properly.
You know that elastic (or Invisibobble) you keep around your wrist? That's not the right kind of hair tie for this. Every hairstylist we know uses small Blax elastics, but any small plastic elastic will work.More from Allure
