1. Endless Styles
Hair braiding opportunities are endless. The only limits are your imagination and skills. Whether it's a French braid, fishtail, Dutch braid, cornrow braids or twists, there are so many different ways to show your personality with your hair style. The neat thing is that you can find braid designs online, including cornrow braids of all styles. The thing is--you can't realistically expect to grab a braid design online and make it appear in your hair if you're inexperienced. It takes time to learn how to braid well. But, with practice, you can become much better at doing braids and will even be able to come up with your own styles if you want.
2. Be Prepared
There are a few things you need to have on hand before you begin braiding. Have a few combs--a fine-tooth one, a wide-tooth one and a comb with a long narrow handle if you're going to do a French braid. You should also have a coated ponytail holder available and plenty of patience--you'll need it. Many people find it easier to braid hair that's slightly damp, as opposed to dry hair. It tends to be easier to handle and more controlled when it's damp. This goes double for wavy or curly hair. It's a good idea to have a water spray bottle close by so you can keep your hair damp while you braid. You don't want to soak it, because wet hair can take a long time to dry when it's wrapped tight in a braid.
3. Slather on Some Product
Apply some gel to your hair if it tends to hold static or fly-away. Spraying hairspray after the braid, along the intertwined sections of hair, will also help control the fly-aways. One other challenge is seeing the back of your hair while you're braiding it. It doesn't do any good to have a great looking head from the front, then a messy braid in the back. It's useful to have two mirrors set up across from one another so you can see the back of your head. Remember, when braiding, you really don't have an extra hand to hold up a mirror.
4. Smooth Hair = Better Braids
Smooth out your hair as much as possible before starting any sort of braid. Comb it out with the wide-tooth comb or pick to remove all tangles. If they're ignored, the tangles will become an issue as you continue to braid, sticking out and making it difficult to section off your hair. Divide your hair into small sections and comb it with a fine tooth comb to make sure it's as smooth as it can get. If you have long hair, you'll want to comb it several times as you make the braids to keep it from becoming tangled. Take off any jewelry that may get tangled in your braids.
5. Remember the Basics
The key is to remember to keep your hair pulled tightly when doing braids. No matter which braids you choose to do, a French braid or cornrow braids, they won't look good or stay in your hair if they're too loose. Braiding can easily become a finger-tangling venture. You have to make use of as many fingers as you can, holding sections of hair in between different fingers on both hands. This will free up other fingers to smooth and grab new sections of hair.
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