How to Perform a Classic Braid
1. Brush through your hair, ensuring there are no tangles. If there are significant tangles or knots, spritz your hair with detangling spray and gently brush through them.
Caution: Do not push through your tangles. This will result in split ends and damaged, dry hair.
Caution: Do not push through your tangles. This will result in split ends and damaged, dry hair.
2. Gather all of your hair at the nape of your neck. Ensure that no strands are missing.
3. Separate this hair into three separate vertical strands.
4. Holding the outer strands with a hand each, cross the right outer strand over the middle strand. Then, push the middle strand out to the right side.
Note: Because you are now holding two strands with one hand, be sure to separate them between your fingers so they do not combine.
Note: Because you are now holding two strands with one hand, be sure to separate them between your fingers so they do not combine.
5. Cross the left outer strand over what is now the middle strand (what was the right outer strand).
6. Continue crossing the outer strand of alternating sides over the middle strand (repeating steps 4 and 5) until your hair will no longer stay in a braid. This process may increase in difficulty as you progress.
7. Take a thin hair tie from your wrist and secure it around the bottom of your braid. There should be only a small amount of hair left, as shown.
8. Secure any loose hairs with bobby pins and hairspray, if desired.
Voila! Your braid is complete.