How To French Braid Hair Step By Step For Beginners – Seven Quick and Easy Step

This time I am going to show you how to do hairstyles with French braids or how its original name is called French braid or French braids, which is one of the styles that is most used when you are looking for some type of braid.

It is the most classic but at the same time it is still the most effective, which is why it is chosen so much among girls because it is simple, fast but at the same time elegant. Used by dancers, athletes, celebrities and now you have to use it.

In the following article I am going to explain all the steps in detail that you must do to achieve the beauty of this hairstyle but at the same time I am going to leave you a photo gallery where you will be able to choose which one you like the most since has different variations.

You can do side French braids, inverted French braids, double French braids, among many others that I will show you. This braid was made very famous today by Kim Kardashian.

This braid is the most chosen by mothers for their girls as well as the ponytail hairstyle since they are easy to do but at the same time the little girl’s hair is neat. If you want to get more ideas for braiding, I recommend that you see these tutorials that I prepared in the most complete guide on the Internet for Hairstyles with Braids.

What is a french braid?

The French braid is one of the most popular braids and is used in many other hairstyles. It is braided from three strands of hair, starting at the top of the head and braiding another hair from the top down. If you braid in the reverse direction, i.e. under your hair, you get a reverse braid, also known as an inverted French braid.

Contrary to its name, the French braid was not born in France, but the oldest evidence of its origin can be found in North Africa, Algerian women were already making braids. Also, the hairstyles of Greek statues indicate that the French braid was also known in this ancient culture. Other sources indicate that the Vikings decorated and arranged their long beards with braids.

It was not until the 19th century that it was associated with France, in 1871, the women’s magazine Arthur’s Home Magazine in Philadelphia launched a new hairstyle success, dubbed “French braid”. However, since no photos of the braid have been released, we are no longer 100% certain that it was indeed the style in question.

Braids, including the French braid , also had specific symbolism in Slavic culture. Long braids tied with ribbons, which were a symbol of innocence, could not be worn by married women. If a young girl was engaged to a man before marriage, the loss of virginity was associated with the symbolic cutting of the braids.

This French braid is ideal for special occasions. There is no need to add more glamor to your French braid. You can do it yourself at home and enjoy a long-lasting hairstyle.

The benefits of french braiding

The French braid is very feminine, it is ideal for any situation. It is suitable both for a party with friends, for a family dinner, for an elegant evening, for a date, for work, for all special occasions and for everyday wear.

In addition, the French braid will be perfect for you, regardless of your age. It accentuates the charm of young women, while for mature women, it brings freshness. Learn how to create a French braid step by step.

Once you know its principle, you will be able to create this attractive hairstyle in minutes. Braids are suitable for most face shapes, although with slightly very curvy types, they can highlight what many women try to hide.

French braid tool ideas

Before you start braiding, you should have all the tools you need. Here we show you the most important tools you need to braid a French braid.

• Brush: Before braiding, comb your hair well so that there are no knots in the hair.
• Tail comb: With atail comb you can draw an exact part. This is especially useful if you want to braid two French braids.
• Texture Spray: Atexture spray makes your hair more manageable and provides more fullness. This makes it easier to braid and your braid will look fuller and more textured. Plus: it holds up better. Alternatively, you can also use a dry shampoo.
• Mini Hair Ties : If you want to tie your French braid tightly and securely without a large hair tie ruining the look, you should definitely use one transparent mini hair tie use.
• Hair clips : If some strands just don’t want to stay in place, you can use simple ones Bobby pins use to fix.
• Hairspray : At the end of the braiding, there’s one more thing you can do hairspray use to secure your braid. This also prevents flying hairs and the hairstyle lasts longer.

French braid: this is how it works very simply

Making a French braid is easy, although many women, when seeing its shape, may think that it is very difficult at first, but when they know all the steps and practice them, they really understand why it is one of the most used hairstyles by all women.

When talking about a braid in general, it is referring to the traditional classic braid, which is this type of braid that is done and is the best when you want an elegant, youthful and quick hairstyle to do.

Before beginning describing each step, what you have to do is prepare your hair, so with a brush that you use, begin to brush it to prepare the strands that do not have any type of knot so that it is smooth if you have wavy hair and at the same time soft. .

With this you will have the benefit of being able to braid it more easily, so I advise you to do this tip for any type of braid and of course having long hair to be able to braid with greater precision. If you have straight hair, you may have an advantage, but it also influences that you grab it and take it very well because it can be more difficult to manage each strand, especially if it is fine hair.

Another tip is that if in your hairstyle you are only going to make a single braid then you have to brush your hair from the root of the forehead to the back of the neck. Continuing with the tips for the preparation is that if you choose to do more than one braid or decide that your braid is on one side, you have to divide your hair into different sections depending on the number of braids that you intend to do and in turn brush to detangle.

Always consider that doing the braid with hair that is damp is much better because it will be easier for you to maneuver and adapt to the shape you need, such as when you undo the braid and get a wavy that is delicate but at the same time natural, something that It is trending for a wedding.

Classic french braid hair style step by step

1) You have to start by dividing sections to take locks that are large on the top of the head (upper) approximately, you have to calculate 9 centimeters, which would be 4 inches in terms of width, neither more nor less.

2) All the hair you take has to be from the root of your scalp, which is considered the same row of hair, so everything that is below or above your lock should no longer be considered.

3) If your case is like mine that you have bangs, you can opt for two options: on the one hand, leave it loose and on the other, join it to the braid that you are going to make, so if you brush the hair next to your fringe, it will be all combed backwards. This is already a personal decision for each person. If you are considering braiding bangs then take your hair from the top center of the head (it has to go over your forehead)

4) The width of a braid has nothing to do with the section that you start. I am telling you this because many girls make this mistake, so that you are clear, you can start with a small lock of all the ones that you divided, although it is not the most recommended for a matter of neatness but that same braid can add volume as you add and add more locks.

5) This is the fundamental moment for your romantic hairstyle to be perfect since you have to divide your first lock that you took into three equal parts, just as you do for classic traditional braids you have to do the same for the French ones since once Before you have all three sections of hair you have to learn the pattern of the braiding process.

6) As I told you in the previous point, the parts must be the same, otherwise you will lose the effect when braiding them and you have to separate them with the fingers of your hand.

7) Starting to braid is the same as making a traditional braid, so the first thing is to hold two of the three strands that you had to have with one hand and the third strand you handle with the other hand.

8) You have to cross the right strand of the three strands over the center, the next step is to cross the left strand over the center of the braid you are doing.

9) The previous step you have to repeat several times until you have a solid base of several strands with this you have the traditional or classic braid assembly.

10) But what you want is a French Braid, so now we will continue adding processes related to the hairstyle that you want to do.

11) Now you have to continue adding new hair to the traditional braid pattern that you are doing so step by step the strands add up but keep in mind that if you are going to cross a section over the center section you have to take a part of lock from the side of your hair and begin to include it in the main lock that you are going to braid.

12) For which you have to be clear that the true French braid begins here where a smaller lock of hair is added from the sides every time you cross a main lock.

13) Consider that the less hair you add, the more crosses your French braid will have.

14) Something I learned is that for the French braid to look beautiful you have to take hair from the sides that is close to your neck as well as from your forehead and face.

What happened to me as a mistake that I made is that I took many strands but close to the main strand, which later became covered by the wicks on the outside, which you have to avoid since the sides will always win.

As you get down your head, especially at the nape of the neck, the amount of hair to take is less, so the braid will have less hair, so you can already consider the process to be finished.

To finish, once you have no more hair left for the braid, consider finishing it as a traditional classic braid, which you fix with a ponytail or ponytail so that it does not fall apart.

Among the tips consider not using hair bands because leaving the hair so knotted can hurt the hair.

As you can see, all this explained can be somewhat extensive but in practice the way to do it is simple and it is a hairstyle that can go to parties without hurting the hair with invasive hairstyles.

As a color fact, it is also called a root braid for taking all the hair on the head.

How to do a half-up french braid hairstyle in 7 easy steps

Now I am going to explain how to make a derivative of the French braid that we just did in the previous explanation. Originally it is very similar but it has some changes that make this hairstyle different and unique.

To start, as I explained before, you have to prepare your hair, for which you have to brush the hair very well so that it is softer but also that it does not have any knots or tangles in the hair. With this hairstyle you have the advantage of being able to braid on the side or on the side of your head regardless of whether you have short hair or long hair, which is advisable.

You have to use locks from the center of your hair or from the side depending on the style you like to wear, so it is always good to learn by practicing which is your best look.

1) Unlike the classic French Braid, what you have to do is take a section that is smaller, so separate a lock of your hair that is close to the next lock that you are going to use.

2) You have to consider that in this hairstyle the size that you make your lock matters a lot since it is what will later define the volume that your braid has, so what I recommend from experience is that you take a large lock of your hair. If you want the braid to get a lot of volume but if you want a thin braid then the strand should be smaller, what is used as standard in these hairstyles are 1 inch strands which is equivalent to approximately 2.5 centimeters thick.

3) This is the moment where you have to divide the strand into three parts that are equal and you have to place each of the strands at an angle that slopes downwards so that your face can be embroidered, with this you should prevent them from going towards the nape of the neck.

4) You have to start by braiding, so you have to make the traditional braid to start so that the half French braid takes the shape you need. So you have to cross the right lock over the center lock and then the left lock over the one in the middle.

5) In this step you will realize the main difference between the French braid and the half French braid where in the latter hair is always added from only one side of said lock that you are doing the braid instead in the French braid it must be done on both sides. Regarding which side you add hair to, that does not impact the hairstyle at all, but the important thing is to always do it on the same side

6) As you are doing your braid, you will realize that the shape it will take is that of a princess crown, so that halo that you will have around your head is the shape it has to take, but you must define if What you want is for it to be seen above your ears or below, since depending on whether you like your ears it is a decision of how you want to wear them.

As advice I can give you is that if you only do one braid, it is best to wrap it completely around your head. What always happens to me is that I run out of hair to add when I get to the ear on the other side.

On the other hand, if you make two braids, it is best to stop braiding them when you are reaching your neck. That is why it is always better that you hold the first braid with a hair tie and repeat the braiding process for the second braid but on the other side of the hair.

7) To finish the ideal braid, you will realize when you have no more hair to add, so you have to continue as if you were doing a traditional braid until you meet the ends of the lock. So that the half French braid does not fall apart, you have to use a hair band or a rubber band.

Remember that a good hairstyle must always be accompanied by a correct makeup application according to skin color.

How to make a dutch Braid hairstyle on yourself

It is also called a inverted French braid and I will explain how to do this hairstyle detailing each step and that you can see later in the video. You are going to need a comb to make the divisions of the braid, a hair tie or a butterfly to hold it, spray or gel to fix some unruly hair that you have.

1) The first step to make the inverted French braid is to put a little gel all over your hair and comb it back with your fingers.

2 ) In the hair of the forehead you take as if it were a square just on each side of the entrances of the forehead and you take a little hair to make a lock.

3) Now make a braid with three pieces of strands from each section that you separated, each section is passed below and shortly after starting the braid you make a knot.

4) Consider that the French braid is a simple braid but that you add hair to one side first and then to the other side and to finish in the middle.

5) You keep braiding until you run out of hair and end up holding it with a rubber band.

In this youtube video you will be able to learn how to do the inverted French braid:

I hope that all these recommendations and hairstyle tips will help you so that your next braid is wonderful and great.

How to make a crown french braid black hair

The crown of hair, also known as the Gretchen braid, is a variant of the French braid that is particularly popular and perfect for special occasions. Whether with an evening dress or dirndl. And this is how you do it:

• Get a heavily exaggerated side part almost directly above the ear. Choose the side that feels best for you.
• Divide the front section into three strands and start braiding.
• Then you keep adding new strands alternately from the fringe of hair in front of the face and from behind.
• Braid the braid rather loosely. So you don’t braid from front to back as usual, but from one ear to the other.
• When you get to the other ear, stop adding strands and braid straight down and fasten the braid with a hair tie.
• You can then use a tail comb to gently pull the individual strands upwards so that the hairstyle looks a little more structured.
• Now you can put the plaited plait under your hair and fasten it with a clip, or you can tie the open hair with the plaited plait in a ponytail or bun.

Upside down French braid

The upside-down French braid pimps up any high bun. You do not braid from front to back as usual, but from back to front . It works best if you just braid it overhead. Then you can’t see what you’re braiding, but once you’ve practiced, you’ll have a good feel for it. Once you have reached the top of the back of your head, you can take the rest of your hair and tie it in a bun.

How to create a long lasting french braid

To make sure your French braid lasts, it’s a good idea to practice it on a friend or family member. The French braid holds well when the strands of hair are braided precisely and tightly enough. With a little practice, you are able to loosen the braids from the top.

This gives French braids more volume and visual effect. The braiding technique alone makes the French braid a fairly durable hairstyle.

The french braid for a party

The situation is different for an all-night party. For example, if you plan to dance the night away at your wedding reception, it’s a good idea to keep the braid even tighter. The only thing you can do is loosen the top layer of the braids carefully. If you want your hair to fall to the sides, leave it unbraided from the start.

Removing them from the braid could damage the structure. Finally, smooth the sides and apply hairspray for hold. Use bobby pins to secure the excess strands in the braid.

How to Create Wide and Loose French Braids?

Every girl with long hair has probably done French braids at least once in her life. Who can forget sitting on the floor while your best friend tells you to stop moving while she braids your hair?

Since it’s something someone else has probably done for you, you might not have tried French braids in your hair for quite a while. What you might not know is that there are many ways to wear French braids. And you can create them yourself.

Braid your own french braid – try out different variations

Once you get the hang of it and understand the principle of the classic French braid, the different variants are no longer difficult. We’ll tell you how you can slightly modify the French braid and thus style other hairstyles. Here are some inspirations:

If you like a French braid, you don’t necessarily have to braid your entire hair . Simply add a nice accent to your hairstyle with a single strand and only braid them using the special French braid technique.

You can braid two braids according to the French braid instructions. You can then take the two braided pigtails to the back, twist them together and fasten them as a bun. Work in hair ornaments Plait your braid and then put it over your shoulder. On the other side, attach a pretty hair accessory to the side of your head, such as a hair flower.

The slanting French braid is a popular wedding hairstyle, but can also be worn on any other occasion for which you prefer a romantic, girly hairstyle. Pull a deep side parting, starting just above the ear, once across the head.

Gather the rest of your hair and put it away. Only the divided section of hair remains open. From this section of hair you now take three strands away from the forehead. Start with the French braid technique. Braid the whole head diagonally until you get to the ear.

Here you can now fix the braid with a clip and wear the rest of your hair loose. Or you can gather all your hair together and roll it up into an elegant bun.

A French braid is also popular at Oktoberfest, often in the form of a Gretchen braid. Here you do not braid from the top of the head over the back of the head so that a hanging braid comes out at the end. Instead, you braid along the front of the forehead, basically from one ear to the other along the hairline. The plaited braid looks almost like a crown.

Cool, casual and the perfect sports hairstyle. You can also wear the French braid as a double braid . All you have to do is create a center part and then French braid both sides according to the instructions above. Make sure that you braid relatively symmetrically so that the hairstyle looks nice and even in the end.

You don’t necessarily have to braid your French braid all the way to the ends. You can also stop at the nape of your neck or a little further down and tie the braid with a great statement hair tie, scrunchie, or scarf. Little effort and a totally stylish look .

You can spice up almost any hairstyle with a French braid, including a ponytail, for example. Here you only braid a small strand from the temple back to the ponytail. The little accent from the French braid gives the hairstyle something playful.

Braided is the same as good? That’s not true! This variant has a wild touch. To do this, put the top hair aside and braid a French braid along the nape of the neck. You can now tease the top hair with a backcomb and some hairspray, and then place it over your braid sideways.

This variant is just a slight modification of the classic French braid. The braid is braided much tighter so that it lies almost stiff and immobile over the shoulder. In addition, you start braiding at the roots. For the perfect finish, spray your hairstyle with shine spray at the end.

The French braid becomes a real work of art when you pin it at the back of your head. Braid one strand backwards on each side and then secure the hairstyle with bobby pins and hairspray.

French braid: 5 useful tips & tricks

1. It is usually easier to braid if the hair is not freshly washed. Then they are very soft and fall apart quickly. After two to three days, the hair will be a little more manageable and the hairstyle will hold up better.
2. Before braiding, brush your hair well so that there are no more knots in it.
3. To get more fullness and grip, you can also use some texture spray or dry shampoo before braiding.
4. Braid the French braid as tightly and close to the head as possible. That way it lasts longer. If you want to loosen it up a bit, you can do that after tying it up. Simply pull the braid apart and loosen a few strands.
5. After braiding, secure the French braid with some hairspray. You can find out which of our favorite hairsprays are in this article:

Frequently Asked Questions

What tools do I need to braid a French braid?

In addition to hair ties, hairpins and a comb, you should also have hairspray on hand. So you can fix everything again after braiding. Especially if you value a neatly braided braid, individual strands that have slipped out quickly ruin the hairstyle.

How do I get more volume in my braid?

The tighter and tighter you braid, the more accurate the result will be. If you prefer the undone look and want more volume, don’t pull the individual strands particularly tight when braiding. At the very end, when the braid is finished, you can loosen up the individual strands with your fingers by pulling on them.

Can I also braid from the bottom up?

With the French braid, you usually start braiding high at the back of the head or even the forehead and then braid your braid down over the nape of the neck. But it also works the other way around. You can also braid from the nape of the neck up, giving the French braid a whole new level of sophistication. 

To do this, you stand or sit upside down, so your hair must hang down upside down. Now you start braiding at the neck, the technique remains the same. When you get to the back of your head, you can form a bun with the remaining unbraided hair. The hair is nicely gathered together and the braiding is optimally visible.

When does braiding work best?

The hair should be as grippy as possible. The French braid therefore works best on hair that has been washed for about 1 or 2 days. Freshly washed hair, on the other hand, is usually too soft. Alternatively, salt spray can provide more grip in the hair.

Conclusion

It is probably the most popular braided hairstyle and a real all-rounder: the French braid. It may take a few tries before you have mastered fiddling with your hair, but once you understand the principle, you can braid the French braid almost in your sleep.

Speaking of sleep: the braid is ideal as a sleep hairstyle, as the hair is loosely braided and less damaged during sleep. But the hairstyle also looks great during the day on the beach, for sports or in the evening when partying.