By ShowMeStepByStepPublished Updated
Based on a video by hair4myprincess.
How to French braid step by step: split a section at the crown of the head into three strands, cross right over middle, then left over middle like a regular braid, then add a small piece of hair from each side to the outer strand before crossing it into the middle. Keep adding and crossing all the way down the head, finish the ends as a regular braid, and secure with a hair elastic.
This French braid tutorial walks through the beginner-friendly cross-add-cross technique that works on yourself or on another person. Once you have the rhythm, the same foundation extends to other braid styles - see our Dutch braid tutorial (it is a French braid worked under instead of over), our fishtail braid step-by-step, and the classic 3-strand braid head-term tutorial for the foundation move.
Grab a section of hair at the top of where you want the braid to start. Mist it with a little water to keep flyaways down. Split that section into three roughly equal strands. Keep them separated with your fingers.
Take the left strand and cross it over the middle. Then take the right strand and cross it over the middle. This is the same as a regular three-strand braid. It doesn't matter how you hold the hair for this first cross, just make sure left goes over middle, then right goes over middle.
This is where it gets different from a regular braid. Take the right strand and lay it across your forefinger, palm facing up. Then pinch the middle strand between your pointer finger and thumb. Your middle finger stays out and ready to catch the next strand coming across. This hand position is what keeps everything organized.
Tip
There's no single correct way to hold the strands. This is just one method that works well. Find what feels natural and stick with it.
After you cross a strand over the middle, grab a small section of loose hair from that same side and combine it with the strand you just crossed over. It should all lay together like one piece. This is the part that makes it a French braid instead of a regular one. You're picking up new hair and folding it in as you go.
Now switch hands. Mirror the same grip on the opposite side. Lay the strand across your forefinger, pinch the middle with your pointer and thumb, hold your middle finger out. Cross the strand from the other side over the middle, catch it, and add more hair from that side. Keep alternating left and right, adding hair each time.
Keep going down the head, picking up hair from each side as you cross strands. If the ends get tangled, stop and comb them out before continuing. If a piece looks messy where you added it in, smooth it out now. Fixing things as you go is way easier than trying to fix the finished braid.
Tip
Use a comb to bring in the side sections if you're having trouble keeping things smooth. Takes a little longer but looks cleaner.
Once you've added in all the loose hair from both sides, finish the rest as a regular three-strand braid. Cross left over middle, right over middle, all the way to the ends. Tie it off with a hair elastic. The more you practice, the faster and neater it gets.
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