

Once you reach the nape and have no more hair to add to the strands, you can continue with a regular braid up to the tips of your hair. From there, it gradually goes down to your nape. Instead of starting at the nape of your neck, French braids start at the crown of your head nearest to the scalp. But every time you cross a side strand over a middle strand, you pick up an extra strand of hair from that side and add it to that strand. Then you cross one section of hair over the other until you reach the tips.ĭoing a French braid basically follows the same pattern: the left strand crosses over the middle strand, then the right strand crosses over that strand. Bringing the hair at the nape of your neck, you divide it into three sections. The only difference is that at every step, a little bit more hair is added to the mix.Ĭonfused? Let’s break it down bit by bit.Ĭlassic three-strand braids are pretty straightforward.
#DUTCH BRAID HOW TO#
If you know how to do the basic three-strand braid, then doing the French braid will be a breeze because it basically follows the same principle. What is a French Braid?Ī French braid is a timeless classic and one of the most popular braid hairstyles in the world. To clear out any confusion and better understand the differences between the two techniques, let’s compare Dutch braid vs. But because they’re awfully similar, even professionals tend to mistake one for the other at times. French braid and Dutch braid are two of the most popular hair braiding techniques in the world. Once you practice, doing French and Dutch braids is pretty easy and you can make it one of your go-to hairstyles to keep your hair out of your face.If you’re new to hair braiding, you probably always confuse French braids and Dutch braids. Continue this pattern all the way down the length of hair. Then from the left side, Marjan says to cross the piece from your left hand under the middle strand, passing it into your right hand. As you cross, you’ll still want to remember to add more pieces of hair each time you braid. Start from the right and cross the piece under the middle section instead of crossing it over like you would when doing a French Braid. Similar to the French braid, you’ll want to separate hair into three sections. Try a smooth product like the TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Keratin Infusing Smoothing Serum or Crown Affair The Hair Oil to nourish strands. She also recommends hydrating hair with a good serum. She says to apply as needed to the base of the hair to help manage frizz and flyaways.
#DUTCH BRAID PRO#
Pro tip: Stevens recommends using a pomade or an edge control gel, like the Cantu Extra Hold Edge Stay Gel, to manage frizz. Continue this pattern down the length of hair.

Then cross the piece from your left hand to your right hand, still making sure you grab hair as you cross over. Marjan says to grab the right section with your right hand, then cross your right hand over the middle piece and put it into your left hand, making sure you grab another piece of hair to add to the braid as you go. Once those three pieces intersect, you’ll start grabbing pieces of hair as you braid. Stevens then says to cross them over one another, while alternating the pieces. “ where the hair is divided into 3 sections and crosses over alternating pieces to make a connection on the head braid,” she says.įirst, section the hair you want to braid into three sections.

Stevens says that a French braid is a braid that looks inverted. “The French braid appears flat and the Dutch braid appears raised,” adds Marjan. “The two braiding techniques are similar but they differ based on the direction the hair is manipulated in, resulting in a different visual outcome,” says Stevens. The TL DR: a French braid is accomplished when each section of hair is crossed over the middle piece when braiding while a Dutch braid is crossed under. What’s The Difference Between A French & Dutch Braid? Stevens and TRESemmé global stylist Justine Marjan to explain how to tell the difference between the two and break down a step-by-step guide on how to do each one. To get a complete guide on both, Bustle asked celebrity hairstylist Angela C. While similar in look and technique, there is a slight difference. Two popular looks, French braids and Dutch braids, often get mixed up. The options are endless and there’s a braided hairstyle that looks amazing on pretty much everyone. You can wear box braids as a protective style for weeks or rock an intricate, one-night-only look (there’s a reason why everyone’s favorite celebrities love braids for a red carpet moment). Braids are one the most versatile - and easiest - ways to style your hair.
