Do Two French Braids

A basic French braid is a simple and elegant hairstyle. When you've mastered the single French braid, you can start using two French braids in your hair for even more style variety. Two French braids can expand your options from a ponytail braid, to pigtails, half ponytails, and even buns.

Steps

Creating French Braid Pigtails

1. Part the hair in the middle. Begin by brushing the hair and then parting it in the middle. Make sure the part goes from the hairline all the way to the nape. Pull the two sections of hair over your shoulders, as if you are about to tie your hair into pigtails.
   • The Part-Your-Hair in your hair does not have to be a severe straight line. You can have a messy, uneven part for a chic bohemian style. A zig-zag part can add a bit of funk to your style.
2. Make the foundation braid. Choose a side to begin with. Take a 2-inch triangular section of hair from the hairline to the crown. Separate this section from the rest of the hair with your fingers. Divide this section into three strands. Make the foundation braid by starting a standard braid. Take the right strand and cross over the middle strand. Then cross the left strand over the middle.
   • You may want to secure the other, loose side with a hair band. This will help keep it from accidentally getting combined with the side you are braiding.
   • This foundation braid will be on the side of the head. Since you are making French braid pigtails, you should be braiding down each side of your head. The braids will sit just between the ears and the part.
3. Begin the French braid. Add a small section of loose hair to the right strand. Cross the right strand over the middle strand while pulling the middle strand to the right. Add a small section of loose hair to the left strand. Cross the left strand over the middle strand while pulling the middle strand to the left.
   • Keep your hands close to the head so the braid will remain tight.
   • Make sure to add an even amount of hair each time you add hair to the strands. This will keep the braids neat and uniform, instead of uneven.
4. Continue braiding. As you move down the side of the head, continue french braiding the hair. You will pull hair from around the hairline in the front, and from along the part in the back. Each time you need a new layer, separate the hair you are adding in a horizontal line.
   • When you run out of hair to add to the braid, continue braiding in a traditional braid.
   • Make sure to keep the braid tight as you braid. This can be achieved by pulling the sections away from each other.
5. Secure the hair. When you reach the desired length of your braid, tie it with hair ties. You can add hair clips, ribbon, or other accessories.
6. Repeat on the other side. On the other side of the head, repeat steps 2-5 on the hair. The braids should look identical. Make sure to stop them at the same place and try to use matching hair ties on each side.
   • If you would like an alternate style for French braid pigtails, instead of braiding all the way to the ends of your hair, stop at the nape of your neck. Secure the French braid with a hair tie. The hair hanging over your shoulders will be loose, so you can straighten or curl these strands.
   • Another alternate style for two French braid pigtails is a bun. After finishing one of the French braids, pin the tail of the braid into a bun at the back of your head by wrapping the tail around. Secure with bobby pins. Repeat with the other side, pinning the other braid on top of the bun. Use as many bobby pins as necessary to hold the bun in place.

Creating Two Side French Braids

1. Part the hair. After brushing the hair, part it in the middle. The part only needs to go from the hairline to the crown of your head.
2. Start a foundation braid. Choose a side to begin. Take a small section of hair near the face and separate it from the rest of your hair. Divide this into three equal strands. Make the foundation braid with a traditional braid - cross the right strand over the middle, and then cross the left strand over the middle.
   • These braids will be small strands that curve around the back of the head to meet in the middle. You are not trying to braid all of your hair into the strands.
   • An alternate way to do this same style is to create two larger braids. This will give a slightly different look to the style. Follow the same steps, but add more hair. The larger braids will angle downwards more than the smaller braids, which means they will meet just underneath the crown instead of in the middle of the head.
   • When you start the braid, angle the braid away from the face, towards the back of the head. Don't angle it down.
3. Begin the French braid. Add a small section of hair to the right strand, then cross the now larger strand over the middle. Add a small section of hair to the left strand, then cross the now larger strand over the middle. Continue this along the curve of the head.
   • Stop the braid once you get to the middle of the head. Secure with a clip or a hair tie.
4. Repeat on the other side. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on the other side of the hair. The two strands should meet in the middle of the back of your head. They should be approximately the same size.
   • The braids are forming a braided Make-a-Half-Ponytail. Most of your hair will be loose.
5. Combine the hair. Take the clips or hair ties from the two sides of the half ponytail. Add these two strands together.
6. Style as desired. With the two French braids along your head, you can now style as you wish. You can secure the half ponytail with a clip or hair tie for a stylish half-up do. You can also pull the hair into a Make-a-Ponytail. If you want to add a bit of sophisticated style, wrap the ponytail into a bun and secure with bobby pins.
   • If you style into a ponytail or bun, the two French braids will rest just above the ponytail or bun.

Creating a Two French Braid Crown

1. Part the hair. Brush the hair, and then part the hair down the middle. The part should run from the hairline to the base of the nape.
   • Secure one side of the hair with a hair tie. This will keep it out of the way until you are ready to use it.
   • An alternate style is to leave the hair unparted. If you leave the hair unparted, follow the same steps. Your hair may get combined, so use a hair clip to keep the hair separated and neat.
2. Start a foundation braid. Gather the hair at the base of the neck. Divide the hair into three sections. Cross the right strand under the middle, then cross the left strand under the middle. This makes the anchor braid.
3. Begin a Dutch braid. Add a section of hair to the right strand, then cross under the middle strand. Add a section of hair to the left strand, then cross under the middle strand. You should be braiding upwards along your head.
   • A Make-a-Dutch-Braid is also called an inverted French braid or a reverse French braid. The hair is braided under instead of over like in a standard French braid.
   • This braid will be done from the bottom of the head up instead of from the top of the head down.
   • You may want to comb the hair in an upward direction before you begin so the hair is already in the right direction.
4. Continue braiding around the head. Since this is a Make-a-Crown-Braid, the braid should follow along the curve of the head. Continue Dutch braiding by adding hair to the outer strands and crossing under.
   • Make sure that the amount of hair added to the strands is equal each time. This keeps the braid uniform instead of uneven.
5. Secure braid. When the braid is finished, secure with a hair tie. Since this style works best on long hair, the braid probably will end somewhere around the forehead. Leave the braid as is.
6. Begin braiding the other side. Unlike the first side, you will begin this braid at the top of the head. Starting at the part, repeat steps 2-5 as you Dutch braid down the side of the head. Just like the other side, this braid is curving along the head.
   • If you don't have a part, start the braid in the middle of the forehead.
7. Wrap around the head. Once you have reverse French braided both sides, wrap the two braids around the head. Secure the braids with bobby pins. Tuck the hair bands and the hair below the hair bands beneath the braids. Secure with bobby pins.
8. Finished.

Tips

• If your hair is too oily, the braids may not work well.
• Do not pull too hard or your head may start hurting from the pulling.
• If you braid too loosely, hair will fall from it.
• If you are first learning, you may want to practice on someone else's hair rather than on your own. On the other hand, some people find French braiding their own hair much easier than someone else's.
• If you want your hair to be wavy when you take it out, then do not do this right after you get out of the shower.

Related Articles

• French Braid
• Make French Braid Pigtails
• Do Double French Braids
• Make a Triple Braid

Sources and Citations

See also

• Eight Strand Braid
• Samurai Braid
• Do Curly Half‐Braided Pigtails
• Do a Braided Flower Crown Hairstyle
• Upside Down Braid
• Do a Topsy Fishtail Braid
• Do a Jedi Braid
• Jumbo Braid
• Braid Beads Into Your Hair
• Crinkle Dreads

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