Medium Hair Styles: Creating A Soft, Casual Braid Look

Creating soft, easy and casual braid styles is simple.

Creating a casual and soft look with braids can be fun and easy if you know how to do it. The trick is finding the best style for your hair texture and length. Three good styles to consider are loose braids and/or plaits, French braids and cornrows. Before you begin, you will need gel or mousse, a comb, hair clips or two to three large rubber bands and a bag of small rubber bands. For fine hair: Using a product such as mousse or gel is recommended for all textures of hair, but for fine hair, applying product is mandatory.

Loose braids and/or plaits

1. Start by combing or brushing through your hair.

2. Take a comb and separate your hair into two sections, top and bottom. Secure the top half with a rubber band or clip.

3. Start at the nape of the neck and use the comb to section off a small square of hair. The size of the braid depends on how big the square is. For larger braids, section off a square the size of a tall Lego. For smaller braids, the square should be no larger than a Chicklet. Once you have sectioned off the hair for the braid, separate surrounding strands with a clip or rubber band.

4. Rub a small amount of hair gel or mousse to this section of divided hair and rub it in thoroughly.

5. With your fingers, divide you're hair in three sections.

6. Begin braiding by bringing the far right strands across the middle ones. Bring the right strands across the middle ones next and repeat the motion.

7.Once the braid is complete, secure the end with a small rubber band.

8. Undo the bottom half of your hair, section off a portion for braiding, making sure it is uniform with the previous braid's size and begin steps 4-7.

French Braids

1. Comb hair away from your face.

2. Take the comb and part down the center of your hair, creating two equal halves.

3. Secure the side you are not braiding with a clip or rubber band.

4. Dab fingers with a little gel or mousse.

5. Place your finger two inches away from the part and begin gathering the strands nearest to your forehead. Using your fingers, separate the hair into three part and begin braiding; right section over middle and then left section over middle. For tight braids, stay close to the scalp when braiding, using the shape of your head as your guide. For looser braids, slowly lift away from the scalp, still using the shape of your head as your guide.

6. When you have finished braiding, secure the end of the braid with a rubber band. Neatly comb any loose and stray strands up around the braid, which should look like a perfectly braided piecrust.

7. Undo the other side and repeat steps 4-6.

Corn Rows

Corn Rows are a lot like French Braids. The only difference is that there are more cornrows, usually 5-10, depending on the size of the braid, the amount of hair you have and the shape of your head.

1. Comb hair away from your face.

2. Use the comb to part a section of your hair from your forehead to the nape of your neck. Secure the other part of your hair with a clip or rubber band.

3. Dab fingers with gel or mousse.

4. Using your fingers separate hair into three sections and begin braiding (right section over middle, left section over middle, repeat).

5. Braid close to your scalp, using the shape of your head as your guide.

6. Secure the end with a rubber band.

7. Free the rest of your hair and repeat steps 2-6.

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