Learn how to make a loose French braid for a fairy tale princess
look.
The French braid is just like the regular braid, but follows a more
complicated procedure with an elegant and romantic end result. It comes
in several variations, but all of them start with small sections of hair
at the crown that adds more hair to each of the three sections as the
braid progresses down the head. Traditionally, the French braid was used
by kids, cheerleaders and women who participate in sports to keep hair
together throughout the day. Today, a loose French braid can be the
perfect coiffed hairstyle for a formal event or even for ordinary days.
If you’ve been experimenting on how to loosen up the French braid, but
end up ruining the entire braid, here’s a guide on how to get the fairy
tale look:
- Gather your tools – To create the loose French braid
hairstyle, you’ll need a wide-tooth comb with a rat tail, two
mirrors, texturizing products, hair pins, finishing hairspray, gel
or aloe vera, hair dryer and hair accessories you’d like to add. If
you’re going to do the braid on yourself, you’ll be needing a mirror
in front of you and another one at the back.
- Prepare the hair – Just like weaving a basic braid, it is
easier to work through the hair if it has some texture. A day-old
unwashed hair is best, but if you’ve already taken a bath, you can
dry the hair down and use texturizing products to create waves. Damp
hair also gives texture; you can use a spray bottle to wet the hair,
but avoid saturating it. If you have wavy or curly hair, blow dry
for easier handling.
- Make a French braid – Weaving a French braid involves two
parts – the braid that runs along the back of the head and the part
that hangs down the shoulders. Before starting the first step,
arrange loose hairs in front if you want to curl them later. Take a
two-inch strand of hair from the top of your head and section them
into three parts. Before you weave the parts together, remember that
you have to loosen up the tension on your hands when holding the
braids to keep the entire braid loose. Follow the steps on
how to make a French braid,
bur refrain from pulling the hair tightly. When the first part of
the French braid is complete, begin with the second part lower
(instead of towards the scalp). This will create a braid that
follows your movements.
- Styling Loose French braids – You can end the braid with
a rubber band, ribbon or any other hair accessory you want. When
styling the braid, use a curling iron to make the loose hair wavy.
Do this with all other loose hairs, depending on the effect you’d
like. If you don’t want thin bangs in front of your face, pull their
hairs back and pin them to become a part of the back details. You
can also use hairspray, gel or aloe vera to keep the loose hair in
place.
- Variations of Loose French braids – Once you’ve mastered
the loose French braid, you can be creative and explore other
variations of this look. You can try the Dutch braid (or the
inverted French braid) and fold each strand under the middle strand
(instead of over it). You can also create two French braids on each
side of your head and join them together down the shoulders with an
elastic band.
Loose French braids look sophisticated, even with loose hairs around
the main braid. With practice, it can be an easy way to style your hair
for different kinds of occasions. |
