How to Do a Single French Braid

A French braid can keep your hair off your face.

If you are looking for a long-lasting way to keep your hair out of your face, a French braid may do the trick for you. A French braid lends a look of timeless elegance to your hairstyle. Your approach to a French braid will depend on the hair type you have. For curly or wavy hair, it is easiest to braid when the hair is wet. For straight hair, a light mist during braiding is fine to keep the fly-aways down.There are several steps you'll need to take to put your hair up in a French braid.

Things You'll Need

• Comb
• Paddle brush
• Rubber bands or hair ties

Instructions

1. If you have bangs, comb your bangs out first. Then, from behind the bang line, draw a line with the tip of a comb from ear to ear, parting about 1/4 inch of hair.

2. Brush this section of hair by itself, pulling it toward your face. Brush the rest of your hair down. Split the section into three even sections, holding all three sections in one hand and keeping the sections separated with your fingers.

3. Take the section on the left and pull it over the middle section only.This becomes the new middle section and the old middle section is the new left section.

4. Take the section on the right, pull it over the new middle section only. This becomes the new middle section and the old middle section is the new right section.

5. Take the section on the left in your hand. Add to the left section a new piece of hair, about 1/4 inch from the side of your head. Pull it with the left section over the middle section, making a new middle section. The old middle section then becomes the left section, as before.

6. Take the section on the right in your hand. Add to the right section a new piece of hair, about 1/4 inch from the side of your head. Pull it with the right section over the middle section, making a new middle section. The old middle section then becomes the right section, as before.

7. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until you cannot add on any more pieces of hair and the braid comes to the nape of your neck.

8. Finish off the braid by continuing a single braid to the bottom and tie off with a rubber band or hair tie.

Tips & Warnings

• A clip can be added to the bottom or the braid end can be tucked into the base under the French braid, bobby pin to secure.

References

• Seventeen: French Braids