How to Braid Your Own Hair?

Do you need a tutorial on how to braid? Although once you know how, they’re very easy, the truth is that, between the different types available, the hairstyles you can incorporate them into, the care you need to take to keep them looking beautiful, making them last, and, at the same time, keeping your hair healthy, you might need some help at the beginning.

If that’s the case, save this post because we’ll tell you everything you need to know to wear beautiful braids and create the best looks that will look gorgeous.

 What types of braids are there?

Honestly, there are so many types, and we already wrote a post about it where, in addition to showing you all of them, we gave you ideas for beautiful hairstyles to wear with them.

But, well, there are herringbone, cascading, ladder-style, open, twisted, and extension varieties …

But to avoid making things too long, as you can see them all in detail in the post I mentioned, in this tutorial for making braids, we are going to teach you how to make a root braid, which, in turn, has several subtypes, and, of course, the normal braid or basic braid.

 Types of root braids

Braids starting from the root, which are versatile and can be worn practically anytime, are:

Cornrows.

These are the first ones that come to mind when we hear the term. They are the small braids that run all over our head, so close and so well-defined that we can perfectly see the separation between them and the scalp itself; the typical African braids.

French braid.

This is the basic French braid, but because it’s not as thin as the previous ones, the effect is quite different. It’s usually done using all or half of the hair. It’s done similarly to a traditional French braid, but incorporating more hair each time so that all the hair lies close to the head. Likewise, the top of the braid also remains close to the head until you decide to stop braiding it. It’s ideal for romantic hairstyles.

Dutch braid.

It’s identical to a French braid but done in reverse, so the part we see is the “back” of a conventional braid. That’s the only difference. Otherwise, it’s also done by taking hair from the sides of the initial section so that it lies close to the head, just like the braid itself. Its shape definitely draws more attention, as it stands out more and, naturally, looks more voluminous; keep that in mind!

Headband braid.

This is a braid that runs the entire length of the forehead, framing it. If it continues over the crown and closes, it’s called a crown braid, which resembles a crown or other adornment. Note that there are also headband braids that don’t start at the roots.

Boxer braids:

These are simply two Dutch braids made with a middle part and trying to get them as close to the head as possible (so that they are not a handicap when boxing).

 How to make a regular braid?

With that said, we’ll start from the beginning to learn how to do a French braid. For now, we’ll look at the basic one, which is done in a flash and without any difficulty.

 Step-by-step instructions for a simple braid

To make a basic braid.

1.  Separate the hair you want to braid.

2.  Comb it in the right direction.

3.  Divide it into three sections.

4.  Keep them separate.

5.  Pass the left section in front of the central section and leave it between the central section and the right section.

6.  Now move the right section to the left, leaving it in the center, between the central one (which is now on the left) and the left one (which is now in the center).

7.  Take the section on your left again (which is actually the one that was in the center when you started) and pass it in front again to leave it in the center.

8.  Repeat, passing the left and right over and over again in front so that they always remain in the center.

9.  With each movement, you have to apply a little pressure so that it doesn’t come loose, unless that’s what you’re looking for (for example, in the case of someone who wants to braid their hair to sleep in).

10.  Stop braiding where you want it to end.

11.  Place a rubber band to hold it in place.

How to make a 4-strand braid?

Why did we add it? Well, since cornrows are based on classic braids, it makes sense to think you can also make them with four strands, right? Just in case you’re feeling adventurous! They’re really eye-catching, typical of the hairstyles we see in movies from the High Middle Ages, and they look great in updos.

1.  Again, we leave loose only the hair that we want to form our braid.

2.  We combed his hair.

3.  We make four partitions.

4.  We pass the right strand over the one immediately to its left.

5.  Next, we pass THIS SAME LOCK under the next one on the left.

6.  Finally, we pass this strand over the last strand, the one furthest to the left. You’ll notice two things: we’ve always worked with the same strand, and now the one that was on the right is on the left.

7.  Repeat the process with the new strand, which is now on the right (it was originally the second strand, but as the first one moved, this one took its place). Again, first go over, then under, and then over again to finish on the left strand.

8.  When you want, stop braiding and tie it with a rubber band.

The 6-strand braid

It is done exactly the same as the previous one, with the logical exception that the hair we use for the braid will be divided into 6 strands and not 4, but the movements are always the same: work with the strand located furthest to the end, and the first movement is always to place OVER the next strand.

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 How to do root braids step by step?

The root braid is similar to a simple braid when it comes to making it. Even so, let’s look at the complete step-by-step instructions.

1.  Separate the section of hair you want to use. We recommend starting with a thin section so you don’t get overwhelmed when you’re working on the hair. Gather the rest of your hair.

2.  Comb your hair.

3.  The beginning is the same as for a simple braid. You should make three sections with the TOP PART of each section (not the entire braid section) and begin braiding by passing the left strand to the middle in front and then doing the same with the right. It’s common to make a single braid with each strand, but this depends on your creativity.

4.  The next step is to pass the strand from one side to the center again. Take the hair that remains loose from the section on the side, integrate it with the strand that we want to take to the center, and take it all.

5.  Now it’s time to bring the strand from the other side to the center. We do the same thing: take the loose hair on the side, add it to the strand we’re going to cross, and cross everything over. This way, you’ll see that you’re integrating the hair, and it will lie flat against your head.

6.  Stop braiding at the height you decide, or when there is no hair left stuck to the scalp.

7.  At this point, you can continue making a normal braid with the hair that remains loose or tie it with a rubber band and leave the rest of your hair loose (or do whatever you want with it, really).

Sometimes it’s difficult to know how to braid your own hair from root to tip. The best thing to do is start by practicing, as we’ve seen, beginning in an area and direction that’s comfortable for you. This way, you can practice and, once you’ve mastered the technique, you can start following the steps to recreate the look you want, braiding in the direction the hairstyle requires.

 Side root braids, how are they done?

Don’t know how to do a side French braid? When you read the following, you’ll see how simple it is and that it also makes perfect sense.

The method is identical to the step-by-step instructions we’ve already seen. The only difference is that you should start on the side. Again, until you’re more experienced, it’s best to carefully separate the hair you want to use for the braid; this way, there’s no room for error when making side French braids (or any other type of braid).

 Tips, care and maintenance when braiding

Beyond the technique, which only requires attention and practice, there are a number of points you should consider both to care for your hair and to ensure that the hairstyle looks perfect and lasts for hours.

• Always, always, always comb and detangle your hair completely. If necessary, do it again as you braid, or it will start to get bumpy or wavy.
• Daily hydrating spray. Keep in mind that your hair will be static for many hours, making it difficult for it to breathe. To keep it hydrated, spray it a couple of times a day with a hydrating spray. Try ICON Cure Replenishing Spray and let us know what you think; it’s amazing! It’s also excellent for detangling, so it’s a true 2-in-1.
• Protective oil. Since your hair won’t be moving much, some areas will be very exposed. For this reason, protection is more important than ever. Use a little oil like ICON India Dry Oil before styling to achieve this. It will also help detangle your hair and give your look a lot of shine.
• Braid your hair dry. Don’t wet your hair before braiding. It won’t dry properly and will remain damp for hours. Plus, the style will change as your hair dries. The products you apply beforehand are more than enough to prevent your hair from being completely dry (detangler, spray, oil).
• The spray bottle is your best friend. Although we start with dry hair, you will need to dampen it slightly twice. Grab one of these spray bottles and keep it full of water.

To disguise short strands that come out of the braid.

1.  You will need to spray water or water with a moisturizing conditioner on that shorter, rebellious strand that wants to come out of the braid.

2.  Apply a little bit of ICON Allow fixing pomade, as it can be used both dry and wet.

3.  Get a long-toothed comb and use it to gently tuck the strand into the braid a little deeper. The pomade will ensure it doesn’t come undone and the braid stays perfectly neat.

To style the strands you want to leave loose, for example, your sideburns, forehead, or bangs. If you opt for a look with some loose hair, obviously, this also needs attention.

▪  For your bangs, apply a little bit of wax-effect pomade such as ICON Whip Wax once you have styled them to your liking.

▪  For loose strands, use something stronger. ICON Mane Control is a high-hold gel that you can apply before styling your strands to ensure they stay in place.

▪  Both products will be useful to apply to the end of the braid, always depending on how you want it to look.

•  If you want tight, defined braids, you’ll also need to use a styling product, either gel or pomade. In this case, it’s best to apply it gradually, this time to slightly damp hair (as little as possible). But we know that if you’re inexperienced, this can be a bit fiddly, so another option is to apply the product all over your hair and, if it dries, re-moisturize and re-style it.

•  Always remember to finish with a hairspray, as this will keep the braid in place without weighing it down. ICON Done is ideal because it allows you to choose the level of hold, making it useful whether you’re creating African-inspired braids or opting for a romantic updo with a very loose braid.

•  As we mentioned, don’t forget the end of your braid. Whether you leave a large length unbraided or just a small amount, those few centimeters of hair also need care. Comb them after braiding and apply a styling product while shaping the braid as desired.

If you braid your hair often, especially if you braid it tightly, it’s ESSENTIAL to get a protein treatment from time to time. ICON  Proshield is a product that you apply for several hours as a deep conditioning treatment to replenish your hair with protein. The amino acids also help restore the proteins in your hair, which are constantly working to maintain the “forced” hair structure. In addition to giving body and strength to the fibers and repairing them—which is exactly what we need—it also leaves your hair shinier.

•  Undo your braids when you get home, especially if you’ve worn them for many hours, if they have products in them, or if they are very tight.

•  If possible, wash your hair to remove residue from the products you have used, as these also make it easier for external elements such as dust, sand, etc. to adhere.

Ready to create a thousand looks with this tutorial for making braids that last?