Learn How To French Plait Your Own Hair

French-braiding is one of those things in life that seems more confusing and intimidating than information technology really is (kinda like doing your taxes). No, you don't take to ask your one friend who's really good at pilus to exercise yours every unmarried time, because all yous need is the right products, some patience, and a little (okay, more than a little) practice.

So if you're looking for another heatless style to style your pilus, and a French braid has been on your unofficial bucket list forever, try post-obit 1 of these YouTube tutorials, below. Regardless of your skill level, each of these how-tos will answer all your burning braiding questions so y'all'll never again take to wonder, Await, what the #^%* am I supposed to practise with my fingers?!

Love Cosmo? Want the magazine? Subscribe here!

How to French-braid your ain pilus

What sets a French braid apart from, say, a Dutch braid is that you're crossing the pieces over the centre section instead of taking them under, which makes the braid appear flatter and not raised. Easy to explain, merely how TF exercise y'all really do it?

If y'all want two French braids, split your hair in half and clip one side out of the way. So take a two-inch section of hair from either side of your part, divide it into three equal pieces, and start braiding your hair as you normally would: Cross the right slice over the middle piece, then cross the left slice over the middle slice.

But here'south where the ~French~ part comes in—once yous've started your braid, begin calculation a small sliver of hair to each department every time you cantankerous it over the middle. Go along adding petty sections as you complect until you lot achieve the ends, so tie it off with an elastic. Congrats! You did it, boo.

4 Tools That'll Make Braiding Easier

Felicia Leatherwood Detangler Brush

Scalpmaster Nano Rat Tail Comb

Goody Classics Polybands Hair Rubberband

Denman D81S Small Hair Brush with Soft Nylon Quill Boar Bristles

How to hold the sections when French-braiding your pilus

And then yous've started your complect and yous've got a good menstruation going…but and then you realize yous have more sections than hands. Cue minor freak-out. Don't stress! You're not the only one who's wanted to requite upwards at this point and throw your hair in a ponytail.

In this tutorial, YouTuber Abby Smith shows you how to transfer all three sections in one manus to free upwards the other so y'all can easily grab your additional small sliver of pilus. In short, you'll exist using all your fingers as niggling hooks to hold the three sections as y'all braid. After yous've crossed one strip of hair over another strip of pilus, y'all'll transfer all the sections to the aforementioned fingers on the other paw to keep the flow going.

How to French-complect for no-oestrus waves

I f you still haven't mastered the perfect French braids, practice at night before bed and wear them to sleep for embankment waves in the morning. Since the final look isn't the braid, it'southward okay if you lot take a few bumps and pieces sticking out. For consistent waves, go on a spray bottle filled with water nearby and continue to lightly dampen the pilus as you braid.

Style your pilus in ii French braids, stopping at the nape of your neck. If your hair thins out toward the bottom, combine the two tails for i big three-strand braid so the waves at the ends of your hair don't get too tight and crimped-looking. In the morning, unravel the braids for really natural waves, no oestrus required.

How to French-braid natural pilus

YouTuber Rayann starts with stretched hair, and so uses a detangling brush to smooth any knots before braiding. Side by side, she parts her hair down the middle with the tail of a fine-tooth comb, rakes a dollop of moisturizing hair butter through the lengths of her hair, and smooths a flake of styling gel along her roots and function to go along the complect smooth. In one case she's finished braiding down to the very end of her hair, she lays her edges and blast—all ready.

Brooke Shunatona Brooke Shunatona is a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan.com.