How To Braid Your Hair Sideways

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The side braid is a cute way of braiding that goes over the shoulder. It looks specially nice with side-swept bangs or as a romantic, somewhat messy look. Do a basic side braid, or mix up your wait by doing a variant such as a French, Dutch, or four-strand braid.

1

Brush your hair. Begin by brushing your hair thoroughly. Knots and tangles brand braiding a lot harder than it should be.
2
Office your hair. Since the side braid look is asymmetrical and on the side of your caput, part it to 1 side. Information technology does not matter if it's the right or the left. The braid is not going to exist straight down the back of your caput.
- If you're going for a romantic await, allow the part to be messy. If y'all want to go for something more than fun, try a zig-zag office.
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3
Assemble all your hair to 1 side. If your part is off to 1 side, make sure that the pilus is on the side farthest from the part. Make sure the shortest pieces aren't besides brusk to braid.
- If the part is on the right side, make certain the hair is on the left side. If the part is on the left side, make sure the hair is on the right side.
- If your pilus is medium length and too brusk for one side braid, 2 side braids (i.e. pigtails) might piece of work better. Or endeavour ane of these side braids just effectually the hairline.
4
Separate the hair into three sections. Have the pilus into your easily and divide into 3 even sections.^[1]
- The area underneath your ear volition exist the anchor point for your braid, so don't move the braid around once you get started.
- The sections volition be easier to command if your hair is a little clammy. Continue a spray bottle of water on hand to moisten your hair while you work.
five

Braid the hair. Starting underneath your ear, complect as you lot normally would. Grab one of the outer sections and cross information technology over to the heart, so catch the outer section on the reverse side and pull it across the new middle.^[2] Echo, alternating sides and cycling through all 3 strands over and once again.
half dozen

Stop at the desired length. It's best to stop before strands of your hair become then short that they begin falling out of the sides of your braid.
7
Secure the end. When finished, place an elastic band effectually the end of the complect. Arrange whatsoever wisps of pilus that are hanging out. Spray with pilus spray if desired.
- If you want a cleaner look, use spray or pins to secure wisps. If yous desire a messier, softer await, go out the wisps.
- If you lot have thinner, silkier hair, you can exercise a knotless braid by tying the end with a few strands of hair.^[3]
eight

Tug a few shorter strands of pilus out of the bunch if desired. Letting a few strands frame your face will soften the look, and then if you take long side-swept bangs or want a few tendrils to curl out around your cervix, separate out those pieces now.

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1
Brush the hair. Earlier you begin to braid the hair, brush the hair to remove tangles and knots. Decide which shoulder y'all would like the braid to hang over. Then, brush the hair over that shoulder.
- If you desire to office your pilus, the function should be on the opposite side of your head from your hair. If your pilus is going to exist over your right shoulder, part information technology on the left, and vice versa.
- If you don't want to office your hair, just brush all of your hair towards the shoulder where your braid will be.
2
Gather the hair. The complect should be started underneath the ear reverse the shoulder where you've gathered your pilus. If your complect is going to exist over your left shoulder, brainstorm the braid under your right ear. Starting time by separating a small section of hair from the bottom of the sweep of hair going beyond the back of your neck. This department should be a triangle 2 to iii inches (five to 8 cm) wide.
- The goal of this braid is to wrap the side braid around the bottom of your head and over 1 shoulder for a more romantic, finished wait.
- Another selection is to begin this French complect at the top of your head. This tin start at the part line.^[four] To begin your braid in this manner, follow the same French braiding instructions. The difference volition exist that you volition start the braid much higher on your pilus, either at your forepart hairline or just behind your ear.
3

Split this department of pilus into iii sections. Make sure the sections are even, and begin braiding equally usual. Take hold of one of the outer sections and cantankerous it over to the eye, then grab the outer section on the opposite side and pull information technology across the new middle. Do this only once. Don't braid whatever farther but yet.
4
Start French braiding. The rest of the complect volition exist half a French complect, and you will comprise more hair into the upper half of the complect. Every time you lot get to cross ane of the high strands downwardly into the middle of the trio, add a section of loose hair from the hair sweeping over your other shoulder before you move it to the middle.
- If you lot are starting the braid at your forepart hairline, pull sections forward from the back of your caput. Work diagonally down and across to but behind the ear opposite your function.
- Exist sure to add hair from directly above that department of braid so that your hair on the back of your head doesn't cross all over itself and ruin the pattern.
- Go on the complect tight, and hold information technology shut to the hairline. Proceed the strands separated.^[5]
- By the fourth dimension the braid reaches the opposite side of your caput, information technology should contain all your pilus, not only the little department.
- If you are starting the French braid from the top of your head, yous volition brainstorm by French braiding down, and so when you lot become around the earline, you will begin braiding in a horizontal line beyond your head. If your hair is super short, you tin can end the side braid at your ear by fastening it with a pin or clip.^[6]
v

Finish your hair with a normal braid. When you reach the opposite ear and have incorporated all the hair into the French braid, complect the rest of your hair in a normal 3-strand braid. When you're washed, the braid will offset at 1 side and cease hanging down over the reverse shoulder.
six
Complete with a pilus band. Secure the complect with an rubberband band. Accommodate any wisps of hair and spray with pilus spray if desired.
- Tug on the braid if you want a messier wait. Loosen the complect to the desired size.^[seven] Tugging the braid gives the illusion of volume for sparse hair.
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i
Brush your hair to the side. Make sure to get out any knots or tangles. Don't office your pilus. This style works better with pilus swept to the side.
- This style works better with longer hair with few layers. Brusk layers may not stay in the hair when it's swept to the other side of the head.
ii
Gather the hair. You lot will exist starting to braid over the center opposite of the shoulder you swept the hair over. Grab well-nigh a one-2-inch section. Split up this pilus into 3 distinct sections.
- If the pilus is over the right shoulder, the braid will begin over the left middle, and vice versa.
three
Begin braiding. Bring the correct section under the middle, and so bring the left section under the right. Add hair to the middle, which should now be the right section.^[8]
- A Dutch braid is like the reverse of a French braid. Instead of adding hair and braiding over, you lot add hair to the strands so cross under the complect. This places the braid on top of the pilus, instead of under like a French complect.
4

Continue calculation hair. As you braid, keep adding hair as you cross the strands. Keep the braid shut to the hairline along the side of the face. Add hair into the outside of the complect by pulling in hair from the hair sweeping across the back of the head. Do this until you lot've added all your pilus to the braid.
five

Finish with a standard iii-strand braid. Once all the pilus has been added, but continue braiding with three strands until you run out of hair. And so secure with a hair tie.

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ane
Sweep all your hair onto 1 side. Make sure to brush or comb if necessary.
- You lot tin place a part in your hair if you wish. If you function your hair on 1 side of your head, make certain you lot sweep the hair onto the contrary shoulder.
two

Part pilus into 2 sections. And so split the ii sections in half so there are iv distinct sections of the same size.
3
Begin the braid. This braid can be tricky, so thinking about the hair in parts might help. Number each strand 1-4, left to right. Cross 2 over one, then cross iv over 3. Each cross should be right over left. Then, cross one over 4, which volition be left over correct.^[nine]
- Repeat these steps until no more hair is left. Renumber your strands each time you commencement a new crossover.
4
Secure with a hair rubberband. When yous have reached the end of your braid, secure it with a hair tie.
- If you desire, you can gently tug at the complect to loosen information technology up a bit and create a little fullness or give it an elegantly messy look.
- Calculation a fiddling hairspray will aid keep your braid in place for the residuum of the solar day.
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Question

How do I stop my side braids from falling out?

Ndeye Anta Niang is a Pilus Stylist, Master Braider, and Founder of AntaBraids, a traveling braiding service based in New York City. Ndeye has over 20 years of experience in African hair including braiding box braids, Senegalese twists, crochet braids, simulated dread locs, goddess locs, kinky twists, and lakhass braids. Ndeye was the first female of her tribe in Africa to move to America and is now sharing her knowledge of African braids passed on from generation to generation.

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One matter you can do is a knotless braid by tying your complect with a strand of hair at the end and and then using an rubberband band on top of that. Also, launder, condition, and dry your braids without adding extra products or oils. This should assistance your braids stay in place for longer.
Question

How do you lot do a fishtail braid?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a pilus stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology instructor since 2013.

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A fishtail braid starts with splitting the pilus into two sections. Then, divide off a pocket-sized piece from ane department and cantankerous it over to the other section. So echo on the opposite side. Continue crossing small pieces back and along to create the braid.
Question

How exercise yous Dutch braid your ain pilus?

Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

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Y'all can create a Dutch braid by feel. Offset with three strands at the tiptop of the head and braid equally if you are creating a French braid, merely cross the outer sections nether the center section, not over information technology. You lot tin use a pair of mirrors to aid yous encounter the back of your head if needed.

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Complect neatly, but non super tight or the complect volition exist stiff.
Don't use hairspray when your hair is wet. Information technology will make the braid strong.
If you have layers, it is e'er a good idea to use a texture lotion or an oil to keep your layers from coming out of the braid.
Utilize hair spray for pocket-sized hairs that stick up.
Effort crimper the tip of the braid beyond the elastic. Or try putting some gel on them to spread them into tiny spears.
Castor your hair well to avoid tangles.
Flatten out the braid a little bit to make it messier.
Make sure you pull very tight so it doesn't fall out.

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Things Y'all'll Demand

Castor / comb
Pilus bands
Pilus spray (optional)
Bobby pins (optional)

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Article Summary X

To side braid your hair, start past brushing it thoroughly to get rid of any knots or tangles that might make it the way. Once you've brushed your pilus, get together it all on the side yous want the braid. With your hair on one side, split up it into 3 even sections. Have the right side and cross it over the eye to make information technology the new middle section. Then, have the left side and cross it over to the center department. Echo the process, alternating sides until you achieve the bottom of your hair. Secure the braid with an elastic ring or pins and bear witness off your new style! For more tips from our Beauty co-author, including how to practise a French-style side braid, read on!

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