French braids are the ultimate in sleek, understated hairstyles. If you’re interested in creating a French Braid that you’re really proud of, you can find a guide to French braids that will help you understand this deceptively simple hairstyle. However, knowing how to do the hairstyle and knowing how to master it are two completely different things. Here are four tips that will seriously improve your French braids if you implement them.

1. Keep Your Hands Super Close to the Braid

Part of the charm of a French braid is that it’s very sleek and tight. One of the ways that people get this look is by keeping their hands incredibly close to the actual braid itself. The closer you keep your hands to the braid, the more control you’ll have, and that means you’ll get a better overall look for your braid. It’s one of the best ways to make your French braid look better overall.

2. Be Consistent With When You Add More Hair to the Braid

Another thing you can do to immediately improve your French braid game is to make sure you’re consistent with when you’re adding hair to the braid. If you add in two plaits, then three, then two again, then one, your braid will look incredibly uneven and very strange. However, if you instead add a little bit of hair every plait or every two plaits, the braid will look very even. Create a consistent strategy and stick to it.

3. Make Sure Your Tension Is Consistent

This requires a bit of practice overall. If you want to keep your braid looking as high-quality as possible, you need to make sure that you’re maintaining the same level of tension throughout. The braid will retain whatever tension you’re using in specific spots. That means if you drop or increase the tension at some point, the braid will show that, and it’ll make it look very uneven. With practice, you can maintain the same level of tension the whole way through.

4. Go Over the Braid With Styling Gel Afterward

Styling gel is one of the ways that you can make your French braid look downright professional. A little bit of styling gel run over the French braid, especially over flyaways, can create a sense of sleekness and make sure your braid lasts much longer. A high-quality styling gel will allow your French braid to look better and perform better over time.

Conclusion

French braids look very complicated, and that’s one of the reasons they’re so popular. Once you break them down, they’re actually surprisingly simple. However, that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the basics of French braids at all times. If you know a few little tips and tricks, you can make your French braids look incredibly professional. Use these four tips to make sure that your French braids always look as high-quality as possible, whether you’re doing them on yourself or you’re helping someone else.