Igor’s basic braid tutorial

This is the braid I do on my lazy days. It’s comfortable, doesn’t look so lazy and will stay acceptably neat for a day or two

You need

• A chair you can comfortably lean back on
• Comb
• Elastic
• Set of chop sticks or hair sticks

Start off with damp hair (Actually I work with mine between damp and wet)
Distribute around one palm full of leave in conditioner in length (I use coney stuff)
Detangle length

Sit on chair and lean back slightly.
Comb hair backwards (I guess how much depends on your head shape. If I don’t comb mine backwards, I end up with these loose parts that fall “down” and forward during the day)

Grab hair sticks and separate hair horizontally at “where ears connect to the skull” level.
I do this by running the sticks from before the hair line all the way back until they connect and overlap in the back of my head.

Then I run my thumbs along the stick length until I gather the top portion of hair in my hands.
Grab top portion with one hand and put hair sticks down.

Get the comb and smooth the top portion back.

Separate the top portion in 3. The middle part needs to be slightly thicker than the two side ones. (The two side parts will get bigger once the bottom parts are added)
Braid 3 “moves”. Side, side and middle. Stop (Demonstrated here on a Dutch braid)

Now separate the bottom portion in two vertically.
Tilt head back to make the “neck portion” short. Tug each bottom portion gently to keep it from sagging during the day and bring it into the braid with each a side, top portion of hair.

Braid a couple of times, and then comb the length to make sure you don’t get loose bits.
Braid down the length as far as you can comfortably reach back behind your neck.

Now I stand up. Bring the braid forward in front of your shoulder. I’m right handed and find it the most comfortable to bring it in front of my left shoulder.
(Ignore bad skin day. Thanks!)

Keep braiding and detangling all along the way down. Here, I will often catch little bits with my thumbs for that little “loop” poking out of the braid

I have a special “braiding grip” where I hold all 3 separated strands in my left hand so I can detangle with the right.
When I approach the end of length, I switch to a different grip on the hair, where I hold the portions more with my fingertips than between my fingers

Start wrapping the elastic around the end. I start tying off on top of the braided portion because it can keep the elastic from slipping. Tie from the bottom and go upwards. I use both hands in a sort of “weaving” fashion. Back, forth, cross elastic over itself along the way.

When you run out of elastic, tug it back and forth a little to distribute the strength over the tie and keep it smooth.

Reach behind your back and tug gently to make sure the braid length isn’t twisted.

Done!