By Alison Caporimo and Kristi Kellogg
Love the look of a French braid but not sure how create the hairstyle yourself? We asked Nathaniel Hawkins,
celebrity hairstylist at Tracey Mattingly, how to French braid our hair
on our own. Mattingly (who has tamed the tresses of Uma Thurman,
Jennifer Lopez, and Adele, to name a few) broke down the plaiting
process in five easy steps.
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Now you know how to French braid your hair your own hair in five easy steps. When you're done with the French braid, you can take the extra step of hiding the elastic tie if you want an all-natural look. To hide your elastic band, wrap a small strand of hair from the two-inch remains around the elastic so your braid appears to end seamlessly. Finally, mist a little hairspray over the whole look for a more secure hold, or let it hang loose and free.
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How to French Braid Your Hair
1. Start with Unwashed Hair
"To make sure that your hair has some texture and hold to it, avoid thick conditioners—especially those with silicone in them—that make strands slippery," Hawkins says. If you must shampoo, apply a sea salt spray (Hawkins loves the KMS California Hairplay Sea Salt Spray) after towel-drying to give the hair extra weight and texture.2. Make Three Separate Sections
Separate hair at the crown of the head into three equal sections. Take the section of hair from the left and cross it over in between the right and center sections of hair, as you would with a standard braid.3. Crisscross the Sections
Use your index fingers to pick up pieces of hair below the crown from just outside the plaited area along the way (try to pick up half-inch sections of hair to keep the braid balanced) and pull them into the braid.[post_ads_2]
4. Style in Some Loose Ends
Let layers in front of your ears fall out of the braid on their own, says Hawkins. To keep it from looking too messy, pin some of the longer layers into the base of the braid.5. Secure It
Leave about two inches of hair unbraided and secure with an elastic. Shake the braid a bit from the tail to loosen the look and make your hair look thicker.Now you know how to French braid your hair your own hair in five easy steps. When you're done with the French braid, you can take the extra step of hiding the elastic tie if you want an all-natural look. To hide your elastic band, wrap a small strand of hair from the two-inch remains around the elastic so your braid appears to end seamlessly. Finally, mist a little hairspray over the whole look for a more secure hold, or let it hang loose and free.
