Boho Braids
The bohemian style has always had something eductive about it; over the course of the last few seasons, the fashion experts, on beauty and lifestyle have proved that the bohemian mood is far from over. There is a subtleness in this liberating choice of style that gives us the feels. Warm summer perfumes, lightweight dresses and hair that is bright – it’s like the boho style lives eternally.
Even if you can’t go about the whole year in your printed maxi skirt, you can integrate subtle clues of this style on any occasion. With a new look from the festival favorites, Brittany Craig, stylist from Austin Texas, created a BOHO.BRAID tutorial for you this season. You’re new to braiding hair? With these 3 versions, she will make you discover different ways that change the end look for beginners, intermediate, or for experts.
Prep Work
With any style, products are an essential element in creating your look. For the BOHO.BRAID, Brittany started her prep at the shampoo bowl. Selecting ANGEL.WASH and ANGEL.RINSE for her client’s hair type (colour-treated and fine-textured) she then applied BODY.BUILDER at the root and ANTI.GRAVITY.SPRAY throughout for added volume and hold. If your hair needs a little extra grip or you’re working on second-day strands consider adding FRESH.HAIR to give you a solid foundation to start. After braiding, have SESSION.SPRAY FLEX handy to secure your style, ease flyaways, and allow for a flexible finish.
Base Braid
This base of all three finished styles begins with two Dutch braids. If you’re new to braiding – Dutch braids are simply the reverse of a traditional French Braid with an underhand feeding technique as opposed to an overhand technique.
Create a base braid
- To begin, comb the hair thoroughly with the TEXTURE. COMB and part the hair down the center.
- Take even, clean sections and begin the Dutch braids on each side, fairly close to the scalp with medium tension.
- Braid from the forehead to the nape area and secure each side with a clear elastic.
- Once secure, gently loosen and feather the bread in each section to create a softer finish.
- Then, take a small piece of hair 5 from the length of the ponytail, wrap it around the elastic to hide it and secure underneath with a bobby pin for a more finished look.
Look 1
The 3-Stand Braid
Once you’ve completed the base braid, you can easily finish the look by continuing a 3-strand braid – either overhand or underhand.
Create a three-strand braid
- Separate your section into three smaller and equal subsections.
- Take the outside section from the right and cross over the middle section so that it is now in the center.
- Then, take the outside section from the left and cross it over the middle section so that it is now in the center.
- Continue alternating each side until you run out of hair, then secure with an elastic, using a strand of hair and a bobby pin to hide the elastic once more.
Look 2
The Fishtail Braid
To finish this look and add a bit more finesse, opt for a fishtail braid throughout the ends of your length.
Create the fishtail braid
- Create a fishtail braid by first separating your ponytail into two smaller ponytails. You’ll want to keep two sections the entire time.
- Then, repeat with your left With one section in each hand, begin taking a small subsection of hair from the right hand and crossing it over the section in the left hand. Do not twist the hair as you pass it.
- Then, repeat with your left section, section, feeding a small subsection of hair from the left section into the right section.
- Sizes of the section should be relatively small and can vary for a more unique look. Repeat this process until you run out of hair.
- Once you’ve completed the second half of the braid and secured with a strand of hair wrapped around the elastic, gently pull and separate the fishtail braid for an ethereal finish.
Look 3
Transition Braiding
For an even more intricate look, opt to use the length of the hair to create a few transitional braids. First, start with a four-strand braid and move into a rope braid.
Create a four-strand braid
- Begin by sectioning the hair into four strands. From there, you will 3 create a weaved pattern with the hair. From left to right number your strands 1, 2, 3, and 4. *Note that strand 3 will never move.
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Begin weaving by taking strand 1 over 2, under 3, and over 4. For the next row (moving right to left) take strand 4 over 3 and 4 under 2. Next (moving left to right) take 2 under 3 and over 1. This will bring you back to strand 1, which will move right to left over 3 and under 4. Keep going over-under, from side
to side.
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Once you have come to a stopping point, find strand 3 which should still be in the same place. Hold onto strand 3 and push the rest of the braid up to its base. You may need to adjust a few of the pieces slightly to create symmetry, or more asymmetry if you
prefer that! - To finish this braid, take a strand of hair to finish wrap the ends before moving onto the rope braid.
Creating the Rope braid
- Start by sectioning 2 strands from your remaining length.
- Then, start to twist the strands individually to the left.
- Once tightly wound, twist strand 1 over 2 and complete the rope braid.
- Then, finish with a small clear rubber band to hold the style gently in place.
