8 Coachella-Worthy Braids You Can Definitely DIY
1/10Listen up: flower crowns are great, but they’re not the only style you should have in mind for festival season. Personally, we’ve found that braids are just more practical for a weekend spent running around and listening to your favorite bands. Plus, when released, they transition into the prettiest heatless waves — so you get two hairstyles in one. The only thing that occasionally holds us back? Braids can get kind of complicated! Luckily, we happen to know people who know hair, and we’re sharing their wisdom just in time for Coachella. For a lesson in slaying the festival beauty game, we looked to the collective Insta-wisdom of some of our favorite celeb hairstylists: Lacy Redway, Sarah Potempa, Kristin Ess, and Riawna Capri. From the basic three-strand to the fancy fishtail, you’ll have plenty of options to peruse. And in the interest of time (you’re there for the music, after all), these styles are designed to take no more than 10 minutes.
You know the drill: ready, set, braid!
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@lacyredway2/10The Face Framer
Amandla Stenberg is taking face-framing hair to the next level, and we are here for it. To get the look, Lacy parted Amandla’s hair down the middle and applied Carol’s Daughter Monoi Conditioning Mousse before blow drying. “This keeps the parted section flat and in place,” she explains. From there, she sectioned skinny, vertical parts on either side of the hairline to create cornrow braids. “I added Beauty Works hair extensions to extend the braided section for more of a dramatic look,” she says. Finish with an application of SheaMoisture Jamaican Black Castor Oil to soften the hair, and stretch the curls out using a paddle brush (Lacy recommends one from Harry Josh).
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@kristin_ess3/10The Texturized Pony
Combining three hairstyles into one look is easier than you think. This cool style by Kristin is a plain ponytail on one side, and a French braid and basic three-strand on the other. To get the look, begin by French-braiding a section of hair on one side of our head. Stop when you hit around parallel to your ear, and transition to a three-strand braid. When you hit the bottom of your hair, tie it off with a clear elastic — and loosen your braid a bit for an extra-boho vibe. Now gather your two-part braid into a single, high ponytail. Bonus: if you’re into unicorn hair, this is a super pretty way to show off those pastel tones.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@lacyredway4/10The Crown
If you remain attached to the idea of a flower crown, why not compromise and do a braid crown? “It wraps around the hairline,” says Lacy of this look she did on Lupita Nyong’o. “I used Jane Carter Nourish & Shine all over the hair before starting the braid behind the right ear.” Go one step easier than the three-strand and do a rope braid; take two, twisted strands of hair and wrap them around each other (going in the same direction) for your 'rope.' You'll want to gather hair from either side of your twist as you build it (think French-braiding techniques). “Continue braiding until you reach the other ear," she says. If your hair is on the shorter side, secure the ends behind your left ear for a single-strand rope (trust us: it still looks amazing). For a double-strand braid like the one Lupita wears here, keep twisting (without French-braiding) until you reach your ends, and tie it off. Fold the extra length back across your head, and secure with bobby pins. Consider yourself crowned.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@sarahpotempa5/10The Double Twist
This two-strand twist Sarah created on Hailee Steinfeld is the perfect example of casual cool. Start by sweeping your hair into a deep side part, then focus on the smaller side for your braids. “Section two strands of hair for two different braids,” says Sarah. Your top braid will go near the part, while the bottom braid will follow the curve of your ear. While Hailee wears two small French braids, Sarah showed us this chic shortcut: “To make this fast, you can do two-strand braids. Essentially, twist the hair and add more as you go back.” When you get to the base of your head, tie the two strands together with an elastic. For loose waves like Hailee’s, Sarah recommends going over the hair with a 1.25” Beachwaver.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@sarahpotempa6/10Middle-Part Perfection
A single braid can still make a major statement, as evidenced by this eye-catching style on Camila Costa. “Section your hair down the middle of your head and use Darby Clips to hold down the two sides,” instructs Sarah. You’re going to create the braid using only the middle section, so the clips help keep the rest of your hair out of the way. “Start in the front and create a French braid going backwards,” she says. When you’ve reached the bottom, secure everything with a small elastic.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@sarahpotempa7/10The Triple Plait
For those who believe more is better, we offer this three-braid style. “It looks complicated but is actually really simple,” promises Sarah. “Take a large section of your hair on the top and braid it back. Secure with an elastic and pancake out the sides to make it larger.” Note: pancaking refers to gently pulling out the sides of your braid for an easy boost of volume. Now, create two small brands on either side, and connect all three with a clear or colored elastic — you decide.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@kristin_ess8/10The Backswept Fishtail
Braids offer a great way to keep hair away from your face, particularly if you have bangs. This fishtail accent by Kristin works on literally any hair length, and is particularly pretty on ombré strands. Completely new to fishtail braiding? We recommend watching this detailed step-by-step from The Beauty Department, which teaches you how to recreate the technique in less than three minutes. Once you’ve got that down, you’re ready to get braiding. Create a deep side part, and begin your style on the larger side. You’ll want to start off with a French braid to keep everything pulled back from your hairline. Once you hit the middle of your head, transition into a fishtail braid. Tie it off when you’re a few inches away from the bottom, and let the ends blend in with the rest of your hair.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@riawnacapri9/10The Criss-Cross Rope
The rope braid makes another appearance in this half-up hairdo by Riawna. This style pairs best with loose waves, so consider curling hair with a large barrel before you get started. You can even try wearing a different, braided style the day before, and take advantage of the heatless waves on the second day. Once you have your texturized base, create large rope braids on either side of your head. Braid until you hit the nape of your neck, then tie them off. To help blend the braids with your waves, go in and get pancaking! Now, for the fun part: criss-cross your braids to create a half-up style, and secure them in place with bobby pins. Once they’re set, remove your elastics, and you’re left with the coolest #festivalhair ever.
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