Tree Braids

What is tree braiding? It's a method which allows you to braid and weave loose pieces of hair into beautiful braids. They add the desired amount of volume and length to your hair. Also known as "the invisible braids", they are placed in various parts of the hair to accentuate your overall look. You can definitely save a lot of money by avoiding hair extensions, as tree braiding helps replace them. However, the process doesn't come cheap and can cost you up to US $20 for each strand, learning how to do the braids is your best bet. With added expenses attached with the entire salon trip, some of us get discouraged in doing so.

Try Doing the Braids at Home

Braiding is one of the most popular hair weaving techniques adopted by women, as it is healthy for natural hair growth. With few correct supplies, you too can start making your very own tree braids hairstyles. Following are the steps for cornrow tree braids and the materials you'll need to do it right.

Materials Needed

• Twin Pony Braid Hair
• Rubber bands
• Ponytail holder
• Rat tail comb
• Silver hair clips

Step 1: It will take some time for you to get the hang of doing tree braiding correctly. Open the twin pony braid hair kit and remove it from the package it came in. Cut the rubber band that is holding all the strands with each other. Make 12-15 small sections of your hair, about ¼ inch thin. These sections will help you create the braids you want.

Step 2: Part the hair from the center of your forehead with the help of the rat tail comb. You will begin from the start of the hairline till the base of your neck (near the nape). This will divide your hair in half and keeps it away till you reach the other side.

Step 3: Pick one side and grab the hair strands closer to the ear. Make a small partition about ½ the size of your little finger. Start the tree braiding on your left side of this small partition and hold your hair on the right side of the partition. Place few silver clips to keep the right side away.

Step 4: You will begin the braids by adding in your pony braid you had purchased. Add three strand braid technique, which means, you will have a left strand (ls), center strand (cs), and right strand (rs). It's a simple technique that follows a clockwise method: rs goes clockwise under cs, ls clockwise goes under cs. And you keep repeating the pattern till you reach the second repetition.

Step 5: On the second repetition, take out a tiny strand from the hair and don't add it in with the rest of the pattern. As the second repetition goes, your tree braiding method will be: rs clockwise under cs and ls clockwise under cs. You will follow the entire step till the ends of your hair. Add the additional strand with the extended strand that you pulled out and keep on braiding.

Step 6: Once you reach the ends of your natural hair, place a rubber band so that the braid won't come out. In the end, you can see that you have a cornrow which resembles the trunk of a tree, with each strands hanging outside like its branches. Keep going with all the sections and partitions till your hair looks full.

The braids with curly hair can be a bit difficult as it doesn't give the same kind of pattern straight hair does. You can always use grease or mouse to make the hair slippery, so that the extensions will be perfect. The style promotes healthy growing hair, as it doesn't require any unwanted chemicals. Just keep practicing the three strand braid and you will quickly learn the braids on your own.