Learning how to tie a French braid involves weaving sections of hair together while progressively adding more hair from the sides. It's a classic technique that creates a beautiful, intricate pattern close to the scalp.
To achieve a French braid, follow these steps, focusing on incorporating new hair into each section before crossing:
Mastering the French Braid
Step-by-Step Guide
Here's a breakdown of the process, guiding you through each stage:
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Step 1: Section Your Hair. Begin by gathering a section of hair from the top of your head where you want the braid to start. Divide this initial section into three equal strands: a left, a middle, and a right strand. This is your starting point.
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Step 2: Start the Braid Base. Take the right strand and cross it over the middle strand. The right strand now becomes the new middle strand.
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Step 3: Prepare for Adding Hair. Adjust your grip to hold the three strands securely, typically transferring the newly crossed strand to one hand while keeping the other two separate. This prepares you for incorporating new hair in the next step.
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Step 4: Integrate Hair from the Left. Now, take the left strand. Before crossing it, gather a small, equal section of loose hair from the left side of your head and add it to this left strand. Combine this new hair with the existing left strand to make one thicker left section.
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Step 5: Cross and Transfer. Take the newly combined left strand (with the added hair) and cross it over the current middle strand. The combined left strand now becomes the new middle strand. Again, adjust your hand hold as needed, often passing the outer strands to one hand to free up the other.
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Step 6: Integrate Hair from the Right. Take the current right strand. Gather a small, equal section of loose hair from the right side of your head and add it to this right strand. Combine this new hair with the existing right strand to make one thicker right section.
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Step 7: Continue Downward. Now, take the newly combined right strand (with the added hair) and cross it over the current middle strand. This combined right strand becomes the new middle strand. You have now completed one full cycle (adding hair from both sides and crossing). Repeat Steps 4, 5, and 6 – adding hair from the left and crossing, then adding hair from the right and crossing – working your way down the head, ensuring you add hair from the corresponding side each time before crossing the outer strand into the middle. Continue this process until all the loose hair from the sides of the head has been incorporated into the three main strands.
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Step 8: Finish the Braid. Once you've run out of loose hair to add, simply continue braiding the remaining three strands down to the end of the hair shaft using a standard three-strand braid technique (crossing the right over the middle, then the left over the middle, repeatedly). Secure the end with an elastic band.
By following these steps, you'll create a French braid where the hair is woven together seamlessly from the top of the head down. Keeping the sections even and maintaining consistent tension throughout the process will help create a clean and polished look.
