How to braid hair

hair pleats

It is a common and old way of styling natural hair, and it can be styled in different and varied ways to give a different look every day. It has been updated - these days - to become somewhat modern. In this article, we will talk about how to make hair braids.

How to braid hair

Side braid

It is a nice and simple way to style hair - such as a braid over the shoulder - and it can be styled by following the following steps:

Comb the hair in order to remove any tangles or complications, then place it on one side (right or left) above the shoulder.
When placing the hair on one side, divide it into three strands, and they do not have to be equal in size.
Start with the first strand that is close to the ear and place it in the middle, then place the strand in the middle near the ear, then place the last strand that is far from the ear in the middle, then place the strand that is in the middle on the far side, and so on with tension until the end of the braid is reached. It is then tied with a hair tie.

French braid

It consists of two separate braids on the right side and the left side, and its method is:

First method:
- Divide the middle of the hair into two large strands, right and left, then comb each side and tie one of them using a hair tie. The hair is combed so that each strand becomes as smooth as possible. It is preferable for the hair to be slightly damp, but it can be styled if it is dry.
- Start with each side separately, and divide one side into two parts: upper and lower.
- Separate the upper part on the right side into three equal-sized strands for a more homogeneous braid.
- Start braiding from the scalp on the upper side.
- Start by taking the strand on the right, leaving it in the middle, and making the strand in the middle on the right side.
- Take the strand on the left and leave it in the middle, and the strand in the middle is placed to the left, making sure that the strands are tight. In each step, the rest of the hair must be gradually integrated, and the two steps are completed on all hair, until the rest of the hair is finished. The French braid - like the traditional braid - ends with three parts.
- Tie the last hair with a hair tie.
- Repeat all steps for the left side of the hair.

Method 2: Combine the two French braids into one braid, and the method is as follows:
- Repeat the first steps of the previous method and begin by dividing the hair from the middle into two large strands, right and left, then comb each side and tie one of them using a hair tie. Comb the hair so that each strand is as smooth as possible. It is preferable for the hair to be slightly damp, but the braid can be styled even if the hair is dry.
- Start with each side separately. For example, start on the right side by braiding from the scalp to the upper side, and try to make the strands of equal size so that the braid looks more homogeneous.
- Start by taking the right strand and leaving it in the middle, and making the middle strand on the right side.
- Take the right strand and leave it in the middle, and add the strand in the middle to the left side, making sure that the strands are tight. In each step, the rest of the hair must be gradually combined until we reach the back of the head, then we tie what remains with a hair tie and leave the rest straight.
- Move to the left side and repeat the first four steps on the left side. When braiding reaches the back of the head, loosen the hair tie from the previous (right) side and begin merging the remaining two strands from the left and right sides.
- Divide what remains into three homogeneous sized strands.
- Start by taking the right strand using your left hand and placing it in the middle, and taking the strand in the middle and placing it on the right side.
- Take the strand on the left side and place it in the middle.
- Take the strand in the middle and place it on the left side, making sure the braid is tight. All steps are repeated until the entire end of the hair is reached.
- Tie the end of the hair with a hair tie.

The third method: The French braid may seem a little complicated, but it can be done by following the following steps:
- Comb the hair well to remove any knots or tangles.
- Gather the hair on the top of the head and divide it into three equal sections.
- Tighten the hair strands well, then hold the right part with the right hand, the left part with the left hand, and the middle part between the thumb and any other finger.
- Start braiding, moving the right part over the middle part in the form of a cross, then repeating this step with the left section while tightening until the braid does not become loose.
- When braiding, go down and repeat the previous step to add parts of the hair on both sides of the head to the braid, taking into account that the strands are equal in size.
- Repeatedly adding hair when braiding from top to bottom to reach the end of the braid in the hair.
- Tie the end of the braid with a hair tie.

Senegalese braids

It is one of the most common hair styles and hairstyles among Africans, and it is one of the amazing braids. It has become modern these days due to its presence in different ways that keep pace with the modern era, and its method is:

Tie the hair into a ponytail with a hair tie.
Hide the hair tie by taking a strand of hanging hair, wrapping it around the hair tie several turns, and securing it with a hair clip or hairpin of a suitable size.
Or take a strand of hanging hair and make a small braid out of it, by following the following steps:
- Comb the strand well to become smooth and straight.
- Divide the strand into three small strands of homogeneous size.
- Start with the right strand and place it in the middle, then take the strand in the middle and place it on the right side while pulling.
- He took the left strand and placed it in the middle, and took the previous strand that was in the middle and placed it on the left side, making sure to keep it tight.
- Repeat the steps to reach the end of the hair in the strand, then wrap the small braid around the hair tie several turns, and secure it with a pin or hair clip.
Take another strand of hair hanging like a ponytail, and make another small braid as in the previous steps.
After completing the second braid, it is fixed on the hair, held with the thumb, passed behind the ear, and secured with a small clip or pin.
Pass the remainder around the head, in a turban-like fashion, over the forehead and then secure it again behind the second ear.
Another braid can be made opposite the previous braid to become a double turban, making sure that the two turban-like braids cover all of the front hair.