- Gather your supplies, which will depend on the hair type. Curly hair may need pomade to help the braids lay down. Straight hair will need hair lotion to keep the ends of the hair inside the braid. Some people recommend using hair gel to tack the ends down, although alcohol in hair gel can be damaging and form flakes. Use an elastic that closely matches the hair color to secure the ends of the braids. If the hair is short, the braids may curl upward. To prevent this, put something heavy on the ends of the hair, like beads, to weigh the cornrows down. You will also need a comb, and a spray bottle with water.
- The hair should be clean and dry. The cornrows should be done in sections. Part the hair down the middle to create cornrows that start at the forehead and end below the nape of the neck. Use clips or a hair pick to secure these parts. Brush the hair so that it is tangle free. Secure the section of hair you will not be working with.
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A beginner should make cornrows that are a finger wide. So that hair isn't falling in your work path, work the cornrows from the middle part to the ear. Use your finger to gauge the width of the cornrow.
Part the hair on the outside of the cornrow exactly parallel to the middle part. Secure the hair below the section you are working with to prevent yourself from picking up excess hair.
Gather a section of hair at the hairline that is as wide as the cornrow. The parts in the scalp at this area should form a square. Take the detangled section and spritz it with water. If the hair is extremely curly or short, apply hair lotion or pomade to tether down flyaways.
Divide the section of hair in your hands into three equal sections. Pull the three sections upward and tight. Take the outer sections and wrap them under the middle section to create the first link in the braid. Stay close to the scalp as you gather equal amounts of underlying hair and add them to the outer strands in your hand. This also done in French braiding. The difference is, you will be braiding the hair outward instead of inward.
Repeat this process until you reach the nape of the neck and the cornrow is complete. Continue to braid the hair to the end. Secure the braid with an elastic. - If the hair is short, use beads to weigh it down and prevent it from turning up. Use large figure-eight bands with heavy balls on them to secure the hair of a child. Repeat this process for the entire head. Once the cornrows are complete, use pomade to ensure that individual hairs will not spring up. This should be done on the braid and the hair underneath the braid.
