#simple hair tutorial

A couple years ago, I did a tutorial on an uneven braid that can be used to add a little more emphasis to a look than a regular braid. This squiggle braid is a variation that uses a combination of two braided sections and one flat section to draw emphasis. I decided to call it a squiggle braid because the one section that is not braided looks like it’s squiggling between the two which are braided. This technique works in a variety of different ponytails, so be sure to try them all out.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) Large Hair Tie

3) 3 Small Hair Ties

Procedure:

1) Begin by brushing your hair into a ponytail of your choice. I chose a half-up ponytail, but a regular or side ponytail would also work well.

2) Split the ponytail into three sections.

3) Braid and tie off one of the three sections.

4) Braid and tie off a second of the three sections. Leave the third section as is.

5) Begin braiding the three sections together, making sure that the section without a braid lies flat.

6) At the end of the hair, tie off with a small hair elastic.

I have another hair tutorial this week just so I can get my posts back onto the same hair and nail rotation as before. Next week will be back to a nail tutorial followed by alternating hair and nails every Sunday. Today’s tutorial is a crown braid that is a little different than the variations of this style that I’ve done before. In this version, one side of the braid gets pancaked which adds a different texture to the look.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) 3 Small Hair Ties

Procedure:

1) Start by brushing your hair.

2) Separate two sections of hair; one from each side of your head.

3) Braid both of the sections, tying off each with a small hair tie.

4) On the right side of the left braid (the side that faces the centre of the head), begin to pull each stitch of the braid out to make it flatter and larger.

5) On the other side of the head, pancake the left side of the right braid (again, this is the side that faces the centre of the head).

6) Take the two braids and tie them together in the middle back of your head, ensuring that the pancaked side faces up. Remember to remove the hair ties of the excess braids.

In order to add a bit more “professionalism” to a ponytail, it’s always nice to wrap a little piece of hair around the hair tie so that it’s hidden. But what if we used that wrap as part of hairstyle itself? This ponytail uses the technique of wrapping as both the concealer of the hair tie and as an accessory to the look. It’s subtle, but different and adds a new impact to any ponytail.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) Hair Tie

3) Bobby Pins

Procedure:

1) Begin by brushing your hair into a tight high ponytail.

2) Separate a quarter of your hair.

3) Rope twist this section of hair down to the bottom.

4) Tug at the different areas of the twist in order to give it more texture.

5) Begin to wrap the twist around your hair tie. Don’t be afraid of it being big or building up taller.

6) Finish by bobby pinning the ends of your twist in place.

Welcome to my first Sunday tutorial!! In case you missed it, my weekly tutorials are moving from Fridays to Sundays now. I had so much fun creating my last bobby pin hairstyle that I couldn’t help but make a second! I think colourful pins are one of the best ways to change up a basic hairstyle -- and it only takes a couple of extra minutes! Play around with different colour combinations to make the style truly yours.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) Hair Tie

3) Two bright colours of bobby pins (minimum of 4 of each colour)

Procedure:

1) Begin by tying your your hair into a slick middle ponytail.

2) On one side of your head near the front, place one colour of bobby pin on a diagonal angle.

3) Place a same-coloured pin directly below the first, but on an opposite diagonal so it makes a V-shape.

4) A half-inch behind the first set of pins, repeat steps 2 and 3 with a second colour of bobby pins. 

5) Go back to your first pin colour, and add another chevron shape behind the second.

6) Continue creating the chevron pattern as you move towards the back of your head, stopping once you reach the ponytail.

This week’s hairstyle is definitely Christmas-inspired, but you can choose how festive you want to make it. This version of a pull-through braid gives off Christmas tree vibes, without having to be super flashy. However, if you want to add fun accessories (to look like ornaments) to the tree as well, be my guest! I went for a happy medium of a plain tree, but adding something that resembles a star at the top.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) Small Hair Ties (minimum 7)

3) Large Hair Tie

4) Large Hair Clip

5) Optional: Small accessories (small pom poms, bells, stars, anything Christmas-y works!)

Procedure:

1) Begin by brushing through your hair.

2) Pull the top middle of your hair into a ponytail using a small hair tie. This will be ponytail #1.

3) Clip ponytail #1 up and and out of the way. Pulling a little bit of hair from both sides of your head, tie ponytail #2 below the first.

4) Unclip ponytail number one and split it in half.

5) Bring each of the halves around and under ponytail #2, while simultaneously clipping ponytail #2 up and out of the way. Using the halves from ponytail #1 and adding in additional hair from both sides of your head, tie a new ponytail (#3) below.

6) Unclip ponytail #2 and split in half.

7) Bring each half around and below ponytail #3 while tying a new ponytail (#4) using the hair from ponytail #2 and new hair from both sides of your head.

8) Continue this process until you get to the nape of your neck. I would suggest trying to get a minimum of 5 pull throughs in order to get the tree effect.

9) Using a large hair elastic, tie the last of your hair into a low ponytail.

10) Go back and begin pancaking the braid. To be shaped like a tree, you want the width of each pull through to gradually get larger as you go down the head.

11) Optional: Really create a Christmas tree effect by adding small hair accessories onto your braid, such as a pom pom star at the top. Finish everything off with hairspray.

This week’s tutorial is a quick one on how to easily take your ponytail to the next level.  This criss-cross and wrap technique is a great way to hide your hair tie, especially for middle and low ponytails.  

Materials:

1) Brush

2) Comb

3) Hair Tie

4) Bobby Pins

Procedure:

1) Start by brushing through your hair.

2) Use your comb to separate approximately two inches of hair along the front of your head.

3) Tie the rest of your hair into a ponytail at the back of your head.

4) Take one half of the separated hair and bring it across the back of your head.

5) Wrap the piece over the hair tie and pin it in place below using a bobby pin.

6) Take the second half of separated hair and bring it across the back of your head, making an “X” with the first piece.

7) Wrap the piece over the hair tie, pinning it under the ponytail with another bobby pin.

8) To definitely secure the pieces in place, use more bobby pins below the ponytail.  Finalize with hairspray.

Can’t decide between a French Braid or a Fishtail Braid?  No problem!  Get the best of both worlds with the French Fishtail Braid instead!  The concept of the French Fishtail intimidated me at first, but I actually found it to be much easier than I thought.  If you’re not the most confident with Fishtail Braids, make sure to check out my previous tutorial on regular Fishtails here.

Materials:

1) Brush

2) 2 Small Hair Ties

Procedure:

1) Begin by brushing through your hair.

2) Gather a small amount of hair into a ponytail at the top centre of the head.

3) Split this ponytail into two sections.

4) Take a piece of hair from the outer right section and cross it over to the left section.

5) Take a piece of hair from the outer left section and cross it over to the right section.

6) Repeat by taking another strand of hair from the outer right section, but this time, incorporate a piece of hair from outside of the ponytail as well.  Cross over to the left section.

7) Take a strand of hair from both the outer left section and the left side of the head.  Cross over and into the right section.

8) Repeat this process of fishtail braiding and adding in hair down the head.

9) Once all of the hair is incorporated into the braid, continue with a regular fishtail braid down to the bottom of your hair.

10) Tie off with a second small hair tie and hold together with hairspray.

Run out of hair bows?  No big deal, you can make your own!  This tutorial teaches you how to create your own bow out of just your hair!  Use more or less hair to alter the size of the bow!

Materials:

1) Brush

2) 2 Small Hair Ties

3) Bobby Pins

Procedure:

1) Begin by brushing your hair.

2) Tie your hair into a half up ponytail at the middle back of your head.

3) Using the second hair tie,  re-tie your ponytaill, but do not pull all of your hair through on the last loop.

4) Split the loop of hair into two.

5) On one side, flatten the loop down by twisting it towards your head so it looks like the side of a bow.

6) Bobby pin to hold in place.

7) Repeat steps 5 and 6 on the other side.  Hold all together with hairspray.