10 Pretty Braided Hairstyles You Need To Try In 2020

You promised yourself to learn new things in 2020, and one of the items on your list is to master braided hairstyles. You're now ready to graduate from the usual ponytail, congrats! Whether you've been wanting to perfect the complicated French braid or be an expert in fishtail braids, we've collected easy-to-follow YouTube tutorials to step up your hair game. Scroll down to get started!

How to braid hair: Things you'll need

First things first: Gather your styling products and tools before you start braiding.

• Fine-tooth comb - to section the hair
• Dry shampoo or styling mousse - to give the strands a grip and to add texture
• Hair elastics - to secure the braid
• Hairpins - to tuck in stray strands
• Hairspray - to lock the hairstyle in
• Mirror - to see your reflection, of course!

Now that you're equipped with the right tools, it's time to pick the braided hairstyles you want to master. We've arranged these 'dos based on your hairstyling skills:

1. Basic braid

   The three-section braid is the most basic type of braid you'll need to learn. When you've mastered this, you can create different braided hairstyles and move forward to more complex braids.

   Difficulty level: Beginner

2. Rope braid

   If basic braids are *too much* for your fingers to handle (that's totally okay, by the way!), try your hand in rope braiding. You'll only work with two sections of hair so it will be easier to accomplish compared to the basic braid.

   Difficulty level: Beginner

3. Fishtail braid

   The fishtail braid was a big hit back in 2014, but we believe that you can wear this boho hairstyle anytime. While doing this may look challenging, it's actually pretty easy, even for beginners.

   Difficulty level: Beginner

4. French braid

   We know a French braid can be intimidating and confusing. Acing the complex braid calls for practice. To help you, memorize this short and sweet technique: Take three sections of hair and alternately cross the outside piece over the middle section. Keep grabbing little sections of hair until you reach the tips.

   Continue reading below ↓

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   Difficulty level: Intermediate

5. Halo crown braid

   Also known as the milkmaid braid, the halo crown braid is a sophisticated updo you can wear for any occasion. Whether you aim to upgrade your look for a wedding or you just want your hair away from your face during a gym sesh, this braided hairstyle will never fail you.

   Difficulty level: Beginner

   BTW, this version is made for short hair!

6. Dutch braid

   The Dutch braid is quite similar to the French braid. What makes them different is when doing a Dutch braid, you cross the piece under the middle section, whereas for the French braid, you cross a chunk over the middle piece. This technique makes the braid appear three-dimensional.

   Difficulty level: Intermediate

7. Waterfall braid

   The cascading waterfall braid is too pretty not to try, but like other non-basic styles, the weaving technique can be confusing. Watch this step-by-step tutorial to guide you.

   Continue reading below ↓

   Difficulty level: Intermediate

8. Mohawk Braid

   When you want to be cool and unlike everyone else, turn to a mohawk braid. BTW, this braid can downplay plump cheeks, too. To make the braid appear fuller, spritz dry shampoo near the roots before weaving the sections. You may also loosen the braid after securing it with a hair tie.

   Difficulty level: Advanced

9. Lace braid

   Attending a friend's wedding soon? Try a lace braid updo. In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a braided bun and  how to master the basic lace braiding techniques. The hairstyle might seem complicated at first, but you'll get a hang of it with enough practice.

   Difficulty level: Advanced

10. Chain link braid

    We won't lie: The chain link braid can be hard to do on yourself, so we highly suggest that you and your BFF learn this together. This way, you can do the braid on each other—problem solved! What makes this challenging compared to other braids is that it calls for four sections instead of three.

    Continue reading below ↓

    Difficulty level: Advanced

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