To French braid your own hair, follow these clear step-by-step instructions:
- Start with a small section of hair at the crown of your head. Use your fingers or a comb to gather hair from the top center of your head, from the temples back
- Divide this section into three equal strands. These will be your left, middle, and right strands to begin the braid
- Begin braiding by crossing the right strand over the middle strand, then the left strand over the middle strand. This is the basic start of the braid
- Add hair to the braid as you go. Before crossing a strand over the middle, pick up a small section of hair from the same side of your head and add it to that strand. For example, add hair to the right strand before crossing it over the middle, then add hair to the left strand before crossing it over
- Continue this process down your head. Keep adding hair from each side to the respective strands before crossing them over the middle, moving diagonally down toward your neck
- Once you have incorporated all the hair into the braid, finish with a regular three-strand braid. Braid the remaining hair without adding new sections until you reach the ends
- Secure the end of the braid with a hair elastic. Optionally, gently pull the sides of the braid to loosen it for a fuller look
Tips for braiding your own hair:
- Hold all three strands in one hand when adding hair with the other hand to make it easier to manage
- Practice finger positioning and hand movements to get comfortable with the technique, as braiding your own hair can be tricky at first
- Use a mirror or watch tutorial videos to help visualize the process
By following these steps and practicing, you can successfully French braid your own hair
