Meave Gallagher's picture
By Meave Gallagher

A braid is an easy way to keep hair back without putting too much stress on either your hair or your head. Braiding hair is a simple process, and depending on hair length, can be accomplished in under five minutes.

  1. Take all the hair you want to braid in your non-dominant hand.

  2. With your dominant hand, separate hair into three equal sections.
  3. Hold the left and middle sections of hair in your left hand. With your right hand, take the right section of hair and place it over the middle section.
  4. Now you should be holding the section of hair you just braided over in your left hand, and the former middle section in your right hand.
  5. Mirror this process with the left section of hair: Place it over the middle section, while moving the middle section into your left hand and the left section into your right hand.
  6. Repeat this process, alternating right and left sections, until you have approximately a half-inch to an inch of hair remaining. At this point, place all the hair in one hand, and wrap an elastic band around it with the other hand. If you like, you can augment the braid with a ribbon or bow, or close it with a barrette instead.
Required Tools:
Elastic hair band or other accessory for keeping the braid together.
Caution:
Don't be afraid to take it out and start over if it doesn't look right.
Quick Tips:
It's easier to start with dry hair, as it's less slippery and easier to manage than wet hair.
Combing hair before you start can help to avoid problems caused by snarls, knots and tangles.
Keep the tension on your hair equal throughout the process to maintain the even look of the braid.