The Invisible Braid (French Braid)
Many women (and men) are in love with their long hair, but find it difficult to deal with sometimes. Or maybe they want a style that is functional for different activities. One great option for those with longer locks is braiding, and a classic braiding style is the Invisible Braid (also known as the 'French' braid in America). Here's how to create this classic style:
Comb the hair back and away from the face. Section a triangular wedge of hair, starting at the forehead and extending back toward the crown of the head. This will be the starting point of your braid.
The model in my demonstration had curly hair, which can make braiding easier in many ways. If you have trouble braiding the hair you're working on, try adding some styling product (mousse, gel, setting lotion, etc.) to add texture and grip to the hair.
Step Two: Divide the triangular section into three strands and hold them in one hand, separated by the fingers. Begin braiding by crossing the right strand over the center one, then shift the strands to the opposite hand. Next, cross the left strand over the new center strand. Shift the strands back to the original hand.
Step Three: Continue the braid by taking a thin slice of hair from the right side of the head and combine it with the right strand. Cross this over the center strand and shift the strands to the opposite hand. Then, take a slice from the left side of the head, combine it with the left strand, and cross it over the center strand. Return the strands to the starting hand.
Step Four: Repeat step three until you have made your way down the head to the nape of the neck. By maintaining the tension with which you hold the hair, you can make the braid as tight or as loose as you want.
strong>Step Five: Once you've reached the nape of the neck, you can finish the braid however you want. You can gather the hair in an elastic band at the neck and leave the remaining hair to flow freely, or you can continue crossing the strands right-over-center and left-over-center until you reach the ends of the hair.
If you started with damp hair, or find the hair is damp from the addition of detangler or styling product and you prefer the dry look, you can simply use a bonnet dryer or a blow-dryer with a diffuser attachment to dry the braided hair. Once dry, any remaining product can be softened by carefully pressing the hair with your fingers to separate it.
For the demonstration, I continued the braid for the full length of the hair. The finished braid can be decorated with clips, ribbons, bows, flowers, etc. Virtually anything can be used to decorate or add additional interest to the braid.
The Invisible Braid finishes as a smooth, neat look, stays in place well, and is a great way to wear long hair when participating in all kinds of active activities, like sports, swimming, housework, etc.
See also:
French Y-Braid with Chignon
More about Hair Braiding