The French braid is an elegant and at the same time simple hairstyle. It is suitable for study, and for the office, and for a regular walk, as it retains a neat appearance for a long time. If you decorate such a braid with a bright ribbon or decorative hairpins, fasten with varnish, you can safely go to a festive event. Moreover, stylists quite often use French braids to create wedding hairstyles, as they look very elegant.
It is not known exactly who invented the French braid. There is an assumption that it was invented by a French court hairdresser.
Features of weaving a French braid
French differs from ordinary in that weaving begins only with a small part of the hair, which is divided into three strands. During weaving, thin strands of loose hair from the sides join them all the time. Therefore, the braid is equally thick along the entire length.
Weaving a French braid is necessary from clean hair. If you washed your hair the day before, moisturize your hair before styling. If you think that your hair is not thick enough, you can pre-fluffy it and comb it back.
The main strand for weaving, which you will divide into three parts, should be quite thick. Then the braid will be thick and voluminous. To the hair was lush, the braid should not be tight and dense. To do this, after weaving, carefully pull out the thin strands with the sharp end of the comb.
If you want to make the weaving seem complicated, it is better to pick up very thin strands. It is important to weave new strands one at a time, avoiding large gaps - so the braid will be flat and will retain its shape for a long time.
If you need a French braid to hold for a very long time, you can use a styling agent (mousse or gel), after moisturizing your hair. It is worth noting that the construction of a hairstyle for a festive event is better to delegate to another person.
If at first it will be difficult to weave a braid on yourself, try first to make it from the tail.
Be patient. Most likely, braiding yourself a braid the first time will not work. But if you persevere, then you will later be grateful to yourself!
Tools & Accessories
To braid a beautiful and spectacular French braid yourself, you will need:
- two combs with frequent teeth: with a pointed end and with a round base;
- invisible or hairpin;
- at least two mirrors located opposite each other. In this case, you can see yourself from behind, and if there are more mirrors, then from the side;
- decorative elements and means for fixing the styling - optional.
There are several ways to weave French braids. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to weave French braids of different types. These hairstyles are spectacular, but at the same time simple enough that they can be done without a lot of preparation.
1. Simple French braid
Weaving starts from the crown.
- Take the thick main strand and divide it into three parts. Make two elements of a normal braid.
- When braiding a braid, alternately grab the part of the hair to the right side of the hair to the right of it, and to the left - to the left (for convenience, free curls can be prepared in advance by fixing with invisibles).
- When you reach the back of the head, make sure that all hair is pulled back into a braid. Then braid it and secure it with an elastic band. You can remove the hanging part of the braid inward and secure it with hairpins - it looks very elegant.
2. Pigtails with bagel
If you need to remove hair from the face as much as possible, then you should try pigtails with a bagel. Making them is easy, but they look elegant. For this hairstyle, even a homemade bagel from a sock is suitable.
- Parting in the middle and immediately behind the ears, divide each side into the front and back.
- Carefully braid the French pigtails (photo - later in the article) in the front sections. Fix the ends of the braids with rubber bands.
- Gather both braids and remaining hair in a low tail.
- Put the bagel on the tail so that it is located approximately in its middle, and evenly distribute the hair over it.
- Wrap your hair by twisting the bagel outward while maintaining tension to make the bun smooth.
- Having reached the gum, securely fasten the bunch with hair clips. A lovely hairstyle with a French braid is ready!
3. Charming asymmetric knot
Alternatively, you can try the French braid with a knot, braided diagonally. This is a great option for both everyday activities and for a romantic date. This hairstyle takes no more than 10 minutes if you have already trained to weave a French braid.
Instruction:
- Take a strand of hair from the right temple and begin to braid the pigtail towards the left shoulder.
- Grab quite large locks and do not tighten them too tight to get a voluminous hairstyle.
- Pull off the end of the French braid with a thin rubber band.
- Starting from the end, twist the pigtail into a bob and fix with invisible near the ear.
4. Lateral reverse
The French braid "inside out" (it is also called Dutch) in the performance is no more complicated than usual. The difference is that when braiding this braid, you need to pass the side strands under the middle, and not above it. This gives the impression that the braid lies on the head. A Dutch braid can be woven from three or more strands.
- Draw a parting in the area where you will weave the braid, separate the strand and fix it with invisibility.
- Remove the invisibility, comb and divide the separated strand into three equal parts.
- Weave two elements of an ordinary braid, in turn skipping the side strands under the center.
- Grab a new curl on the right, attach it to the right strand of the braid. Skip this new strand under the middle. Do the same on the left side.
- When part of the braid has already been made, fasten the braided strands with a clip.
- Use your fingers or the sharp end of the comb to pull out the loops slightly from the braided braid. It will become flatter.
- Remove the clamp and braid the braid to the end. Check that all hair on the left side of the head is braided into a braid. Repeat the previous paragraph.
5. Back weaving from bottom to top
As the name implies, this braid is woven from the bottom up, from the back of the head. This hairstyle looks intricate and very stylish.
- Tilt your head down and comb your hair well.
- Start braiding the reverse French braid with small strands in the middle of the back of the head, near the top of the ears. As you move toward the crown, grab ever larger locks.
- When all the hair is removed in a braid, pull it with an elastic band and either make a bun, or braid it to the end and roll it up.
- Fasten the bobbin or bun with hairpins or invisible and add a cute accessory, for example, a small bow.
6. Inverse pigtails from bottom to top with bundles
If you already understand how to weave the French braid “inside out” from the bottom up, you can move on to two such braids. This option is great for a fun party.
- Bending your head down, comb your hair well.
- Make a perfectly even parting exactly in the center of the head.
- Mark where you want to make the bunches.
- Weave back French braids from the back of the head towards future bundles. Try to make sure that the pigtails are symmetrical.
- When you reach the intended points, tie the hair with elastic bands and form bundles. Secure them with studs and invisible. Done!
7. Reverse weaving for short hair
Have you recently done a bob haircut? Then you have a great opportunity to perform an incredibly stylish and unusual hairstyle that will give your image a little peppercorn. This hairstyle looks especially interesting on multi-colored hair. With her, you definitely will not go unnoticed.
- Make partings in such a way as to divide the hair into three sectors - right, left and back. And so that most of them were on the right side.
- Collect the hair from the back and right sectors into an elastic band so that they do not interfere with braiding.
- Make another parting from the forehead to the back of the head, thereby dividing the remaining hair into two parts so that the upper one is already lower. Collect the hair below the parting in a gum.
- Weave the reverse French braid almost to the back of the head, secure it with invisibility.
- With your hair below the parting, braid another pigtail in the same way. Secure it with invisibility. French pigtails must go strictly parallel to each other!
- Loosen the remaining hair to hide the back of the braids. The hair of the back sector can be combed to give volume. Remove the parting between the right and rear sectors.