How to Braid Hair

Have you been itching to try out some braids? One of the best things about braids is that you can DIY them with the right instructions and some serious practice. In this article, we’ll share how to braid hair, focusing mainly on the basic three-strand braiding technique. Let’s jump in!

This is How to Braid Hair

Wash and condition your hair to prep it for the braiding process. If your hair is on the drier side and needs a little extra TLC, grab a good deep conditioner. Then, throw in some leave-in conditioner for all-day protection and nourishment. Once you’re done, follow the below steps to do some braids:

1. Section out the hair you want to braid. If you want to create a large braid, you need a large section of hair. And vice versa for small braids.

2. Use a clip or ponytail holder to keep the rest of your hair out of the way as you braid.

3. Hold the base of the section and split it into three equal subsections.

4. Grab the left, middle, and right strands in a way that feels comfortable to you. A common way to do so is to hold the left section with your left hand and the middle and right sections with your right hand.

5. Cross the right strand over and into the middle.

6. Cross the left strand over and into the middle.

7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 over and over until you get to the ends of the hair.

8. Secure the ends with an elastic.

Important note: It’s nearly impossible to learn how to braid without watching someone else do it; braiding instructions can be difficult to visualize. This YouTube video shows you step by step how to braid, focusing intently on the hand motions you need to master.

Products to Make the Braiding Process Easier

Fighting with knots, tangles, and dryness will only frustrate you and complicate the braiding process. To make your hair more manageable prior to braiding, be sure to pick up the following products:

• Deep conditioner – Deep conditioner is much like your regular rinse out conditioner, but on strong steroids. It goes deep into the hair shaft to give your hair serious nourishment, hydration, and a manageability boost. Use it in place of your regular conditioner every so often.

• Leave-in conditioner – Leave-in conditioner is a godsend for anyone who wants to soften and hydrate their hair for maximum manageability and protect it from the outside elements. Slather it on your clean, damp (or dry) hair prior to braiding, then detangle. You’re ready to braid.

• Oil – Oils are full of fatty acids that lubricate the hair shaft and make it easier for your strands to glide past each other. This makes a huge difference, especially for beginner DIY braiders.

Practice is Essential

Don’t be discouraged if braiding doesn’t come naturally to you. It often takes several tries and quite a bit of time to feel comfortable with the hand motions. So, practice on others or on a mannequin head to start. You could even practice on yourself if you want.

So, there you have it – how to braid hair. If you haven’t already done so, we recommend giving Daily Dose Deep Conditioner and Leave-in Conditioner a try. Aside from their hair-loving ingredients and rejuvenative properties, they help to make braiding a cinch. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your hair!

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15+ years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of CurlAdvice.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.