How to Create a Perfect French Braid in 5 Simple Steps

If you struggle with dry, frizzy hair, we recommend prepping your hair with the Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine 10-in-1 Leave-In Spray before starting your French braid. This leave-in treatment nourishes and adds shine without weighing down your hair or leaving behind greasy residue. 

Now that you’re prepped with the right products, it’s time to start braiding. 

A 5-Step French Braid Tutorial

Step 1: Apply Your Styling Product

Start by applying the styling product of your choice to your hair, making sure to evenly distribute it throughout. During this step, you should also remove any tangles with a brush or wide-tooth comb. 

Step 2: Section Off Your Hair

To begin your braid, start with a small section of hair at the top of your head, leaving the rest out. Using two fingers, divide this hair into three even sections.

Step 3: Start With a Normal 3-Strand Braid

“Take the section on the right and bring it over the middle,” says Potempa. “Then, take the left section and bring it over the middle just like you would for a regular three-strand braid.”  

Step 4: Add Hair From the Root

Next, you’ll gradually start adding in the hair from the root that you left out during step two. “Combine hair from the root to the right section and bring that over the middle,” Potempa explains. “Repeat the same process on the left by adding hair from the root to the left and bringing it over the middle. This is how you transition from a three-strand braid to a French braid.”

Be sure you’re bringing the strands of hair from the right and left sides over the top of the middle section, rather than underneath it, which would create a Dutch braid.

Step 5: Continue Braiding Your Hair Down to the Ends  

“Continue adding hair from the root to both the left and right sections until you’ve reached the hairline,” says Potempa. “Ensure that all the remaining hair has been added to either the left or the right and finish the look by continuing a three-strand braid down to the ends.” Finish with a mist of the L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Hairspray to keep your French braid in place all day.