Summer Beach Braids Made Easy

BONJOUR DAH-LING! We’re not going to lie! Braiding hair is easier said than done. You need to possess nothing short of superman hand strength and dexterity! Literally, fingers everywhere! But when our beaches are back open, can you think of a better, laid back luxe style to rock than salty sun-kissed beachy braids? We thought not! If you haven’t spent your entire quarantine watching social media tutorials on how to enhance your hair sorcery skills, then never fear! We’re here to help! But before we dive in with the details, you’re going to need a couple of styling products to help you achieve that perfect look. First up, we recommend a texture creme so that you can tame and manage all those pesky little flyaway hairs for optimum braiding control. You really can’t go wrong with N4’s Texture Styling Creme. For that extra smooth, finishing touch, invest in Fluoro5 Elixer Restore & Repair which, when combined with a spritz of Non Aerosol Hair Spray will ensure your braids behave from beach to bar! OK, are you ready for our Beach Braids Bootcamp? Let’s Go!

#The Fishtail Braid Get ready to channel your inner Little Mermaid. Difficulty rating 1. Maximum completion time 10-minutes. Total steps 5.

Step 1 - Decide what side you want to wear your braid then split freshly brushed hair into two sections.

Step 2 - Don’t over complicate the process. Essentially, all you’re doing is bringing a piece of hair from one section, over into the other. Sounds simple right? Start by taking a small piece of hair from one side and add it to the inside of the other side! Got it? Then repeat by taking a piece of hair from the outside to the inside of the opposite side. Sounds a bit like doing the hokey pokey but the point is, it’s really not that complicated nor does it need to be too precise.

Step 3 - Continue all the way down your braid and secure at the bottom with a hair tie. Then wriggle out a few small pieces to create that lovely, loose Bohemian babe look.

Step 4 - Take your curling iron or hair straighteners to gently tousle and twist any shorter layers or bangs.

Step 5 - If you have messy layers that didn’t quite make the grade, simply create a basic three-strand braid and tuck and pin strategically into your finished fishtail. Et voila! Ariel eat your heart out.

#The Dutch Braid Time to learn a new lingo and go Double Dutch! Difficulty rating 5. Maximum completion time 10-minutes. Total steps 4.

Step 1 - Start by separating your hair into three even sections. You can tackle shoulder length hair with this style too.

Step 2 - Begin to create your Dutch braid by adopting a “left under, right under” pattern weaving a piece of hair from the left under the center, then a piece of hair from the right under the center. It’s like an inverse French braid if you catch our drift. Ooh, la la!

Step 3 -Continue down the back of your head, adding in hair from the roots before securing with a hair tie.

Step 4 - For any smaller wispy bits that couldn’t quite make it into the braid, simply clip them in place towards the middle of your head to try and conceal and create a more cohesive finish.

#The Headband Braid Fake it till you make it with a Headband Braid Difficulty rating 3. Maximum completion time 5-minutes. Total steps 6.

Step 1 - Part your hair down the middle into two even sections.

Step 2 - Starting with the left-hand side, separate into three sections.

Step 3 - Using that Dutch-braid technique we introduced you to earlier, use left under, right under, approach adding in small pieces of hair as you go.

Step 4 - Continue to braid around your hairline and secure it to the top of your head.

Step 5 - Repeat the process on the right-hand side, wrapping your braid around your head on the opposite side so that it meets your first braid.

Step 6 - Wrap the two braids around each other and securely pin in place.

These are just three ideas for summer beach braids but you could also try an upside-down braid, an under braid, or even a double-sided braid. Practice, patience, and Number 4’s summer favorite products are all you need. Right now you can enjoy 30% off when you enter code SUMMER30 at checkout. So get ready to give your hair some summer loving and celebrate with a new seasonal style.