Samurai Braid

A Samurai braid is a type of man braid. While most man braids end in a bun or braided bun, a Samurai braid ends in a ponytail instead. A fade or undercut is required for this style. If you don't have one, you will have to grow your hair out until it is several inches/centimeters long, then fade the sides yourself or at a barber.

Steps

Cutting the Fade

1. Start with the right length. Your hair needs to be long enough to braid. If you can pull the hair at your crown into a short, stubby ponytail, it is long enough.
   • If you already have a fade or undercut, you can skip this section; to continue.
   • Set yourself up in front of a 3-way mirror. This will allow you to see everything that you are doing.
2. Section off the top part of your hair. Use the handle of a rat-tail comb to create two deep side parts just above your eyebrows. They should be aligned with your temples. Connect the parts at the back-crown of your head. Gather your hair into a bun and secure it with a clip of hair tie.
   • Do not include the first ¼ to ½ inch (0.64 to 1.27 centimeters) of hair at your front hair line; leave it out of the bun.
   • Make the parts as neat as possible.
3. Trim your hair down; if needed. If your hair is the same length all over, you will need to trim down anything not gathered into the bun. Don't worry about making it perfect; you will be fading it in a moment. Plan on getting the rest of your hair down to ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 centimeters) long.
4. Create the guideline using closed clippers and no guard. Start the guideline at eyebrow level on one side of your head, and continue it along the side of your head and towards the back. Stop when you are about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) above your nape. Repeat this step for the other side; make the guidelines as even as possible.
   • Hold the clippers horizontally against your head so that you get a neat, thin line.
   • Tap the clippers lightly. If you tap them too hard, you'll have a harder time evening out the fade.
5. Open the clippers and clean up the guideline, switching guards as needed. Open the clippers and switch to a #1½ guard. Shave upwards from your guideline, towards the deep side parts you made earlier. Next, remove the guard (but keep the clippers open), and shave up from the guideline by about 1 inch (2.54 centimeters). Close the clippers partway, then finish cleaning things up.
   • Keep the blade flat against your head, then lift it away.
6. Erase the guideline. Close the clippers the rest of the way. Shave upwards along the guideline using short to erase it. Open the clippers partway and switch to a #1/16 guard. Continue to work your way up. Keep the clippers flat as you work on taking out the guideline.
7. Go over the fade a final time. Switch to a #1 guard and keep the clippers open part-way. Go over your fade using short, upward strokes. Take your time and check in the mirror often. Make sure that the sides and back match up.
8. Trim down the hair at your front hairline. By now, you should have everything faded, except for your hair in the bun and the ¼ to ½ -inch (0.64 to 1.27 centimeters) at your hairline. Close your clippers and switch to a #1½ guard. Clean up the hair at your front hairline until it matches the top part of the fade.
9. Undo the bun and take a quick shower. All that shaving and buzzing will have lefts lots of tiny, itchy hairs along your neck and shoulders. Take a quick shower to rinse all of that off. You can leave your hair damp, or you can dry it.
   • Some people find it easier to braid damp hair than dry hair.

Starting Your Braid

1. Comb your hair to get rid of any knots of tangles. Use a hair pick or a wide-toothed comb to do this. Start from the ends of your hair first, and work your way to the top.
2. Dampen your hair. You can do this with a misting bottle filled with water. You can also use a moisturizing spray meant for cornrowing hair.
3. Apply a hydrating cream to your hair. Choose something intended for braiding cornrows, or something that contains the following ingredients: flax seed, shea butter, coconut oil. This will help prevent your hair from drying out while it is in the Samurai style.
4. Part your hair down the middle. Slide the handle of a rat-tail comb through your hair, from your hairline to the back. Brush the left side to the left, and the right side to the right. Clip the right side out of the way.
5. Separate the left section into three smaller sections. Go to the hair on the left side of the part. Grab the long hair from the hairline and split it into three smaller sections.
6. Braid your hair for three stitches. Cross the left strand under the middle one, then cross the right strand under the middle one. It is very important that you cross the left and right strands under the middle one and not over, otherwise your braid won't turn out right.

Completing the Braid

1. Add some hair to the left strand, then cross it under. Use your thumb to scoop some hair from your hairline. Add it to the left strand, then cross the now-thicker left strand under the middle one.
2. Add some hair to the right strand before crossing it. This time, take the hair from the part. Add it to the right strand to make it thicker, then cross the right strand under the middle one.
3. Continue braiding until you run out of hair to gather. Keep adding hair to the left and right strands before crossing them under the middle one. Keep the braid centered between the two parts (side and center) and the stitches tight. When you reach the middle, begin to angle it towards the center-back of your crown.
4. Tie the hair off into a ponytail. When you reach the crown of your head and you have no more hair left to gather, stop. Tie the braid off into a ponytail with a clear hair elastic.
   • If you have ethnic/textured hair, finish off with a regular braid. This will keep you hair from poofing out.
5. Repeat the process on the other side. Again, keep the stitches neat and tight, and the braid centered. When you reach the middle of your head, angle the braid towards the back so that it touches the other braid.
   • If you have ethnic hair, finish this off with a braid as well. You are done at this point.
6. Tie both ponytails together. Instead of tying the second braid off into another ponytail, add it to the first one. Gather all your hair together, then tie it off into a single ponytail. Use a clear hair elastic or a small hair tie that matches your hair color.
   • You can remove the hair tie from the first ponytail for this, or you can leave it on.
   • If you want a bun instead, pull the ponytail half-way through the hair elastic. This is ideal for those with longer hair.

Tips

• You don't have to cut the fade on your own if you don't want to. You can go to a skilled barber instead.
• Samurai braids are great for all hair textures, including straight, curly, and ethnic!
• If you have dark hair and can't find any clear hair elastics, you can use a black one instead.
• A Samurai braid is essentially two Dutch braids.

Things You'll Need

• Clipper with #1½, #1, and #1/16 guards (optional, if doing own fade)
• Hydrating mist spray
• Hydrating cream
• Rat-tail comb
• Hair clips
• Clear hair elastics or mini hair ties

Sources and Citations

See also

• Eight Strand 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
• Make a Dutch Braid

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