Spring Hair

A new season always brings new opportunities to shine, so why not put some well-deserved life into your hair? Along with spring and summer comes heat and humidity, so what a better way to attack it than with a cool braided do. I’m always trying so hard to straighten my hair with a ton of products, a straightening iron, and lots of wasted time, so I caved to the cowlick and started to experiment with my hair. The result? A manifestation of new plait-spiration to try at home. Want this cool trendy turban, shown below, made completely out of braids? Yeah, me too.

H&M sweater, get a similar one here by Marc Jacobs. Photo: via Refinery 29

Twists, plaits, and fishtails are now considered an essential part of every girl’s coif repertoire —and if you’re not well-versed on this hair lexicon, don’t worry. Although this is not a tutorial, a DIY, or a how-to on braids, (leave it to the folks at Honestly WTF or The Beauty Department to take care of that) with a hot-crossed bun made for even those with short hair.

For those of you that may be intimidated by this seemingly complex style, all it takes is sections of braids (the messier, the better) and a handful of bobby pins to help them stay in place. Where to start? Take a peek at the products you might want to have handy:

Collage by Carina Gupta

1. Ouidad Climate Control Heat and Humidity Gel. A must-have styling aid to control frizz in all climates.

2. ghd Candy Collection hair styler

3. Sephora hair ties for when you need to tie your hair back in a pretty pink wrap.

4. DryBar yellow brush perfect for detangling

5. DevaCurl Flexible Hold Spray for the final touch

6. Carol’s Daughter Loc Butter looks like something I want to eat, made with soybean oil and natural shea butter but it’s food for the hair. This pomade intensely moisturizes twists, coils, braids, and “locs.”

Perfect for that weekend prom, or wedding coming up in the next month…Happy Braiding!