Beginner-Friendly Colorful Box Braid Tutorial

May 26, 2021

box braids, curly hair, Hair Care, Natural Hair

Zoe loves trying fun and creative hairstyles. She loves posting videos on Youtube for you to follow along. Try this beginner-friendly box braid tutorial, it’ll teach you how to braid like a pro.

Below are the detailed steps from hair prep to take down for this cute hairstyle.

Materials

Rubber bands
Rattail comb
Denman brush
Pre-stretched braiding hair (colors of your choice)
Hair oil

Hair prep

Wash and condition your natural hair
Deep condition your hair
Moisturize your hair
Blow-dry your hair (don’t forget to use heat protectant before blow drying)

Braid Install

Step 1: Gather all materials

Step 2: Part your hair into four quadrants. Down the middle for two even sections and then from ear to ear to create four sections.

Step 3: Start sectioning each quadrant of your hair into smaller parts. The larger the part, the larger the braid, so section your hair for the number of braids you want.

Step 4: Rubber band the section of hair that would be in one braid.

Pro-Tip: Soak rubber bands in hair oil for a protective coat. The protective layer prevents dryness and breakage on your hair.

The rubber band method is optional. We used rubber bands in this tutorial for beginner braiders who may have difficulty gripping the hair tightly at the root for a neat hairstyle. This method helps with neater parts and hairstyle longevity.

Step 5: Rubber band all of your sections of hair. Make sure your rubber band sections are not too tight. They will get tighter once the braiding hair is added.

Step 6: Get the pieces of braiding hair you want to use.

Step 7: Insert your index finger and thumb at the root of your hair under the rubber band.

Step 8: Pull the braiding hair through the section and tighten the rubber band at the root of your hair.

Step 9: Split the braiding hair with your natural hair into three even sections. Begin braiding down until the end of the braid

Pro-Tip: When splitting the hair, make sure your hair is tucked under the braiding hair.

Step 10: Repeat the braiding process until you finish the braids.

Remember, practice makes better 😊 The more braids you do, the neater they’ll be. Also, take your time. Your hair will come out so cute!

Braid Take Down

The takedown process is just as necessary as the install. You want to ensure that you’re retaining length and adding moisture when taking out your braids. This will ensure that your style protects your hair and does not harm it.

Materials

Scissors
Water spray bottle
Denman Brush
Hair clips

Step 1: Gather all the materials.

Step 2: Examine each braid and note where your natural hair ends. Cut 2 to 4 inches below your hair end

If you cannot see where your hair ends, cut the braids longer than expected to ensure you’re not cutting your hair. Cutting the braids saves time when taking them out.

Pro-Tip: Keep a plastic bag near you to discard the hair as you take it out. This makes it easier to clean up after you finish.

Step 3: Start taking the braid out from the bottom. When you get to the top, cut the rubber band only.

Step 4: Slightly finger detangle, taking all of the braiding hair out of your hair.

Step 5: Continue this process until all of your braids are out

We recommend taking your braids out in sections. After one section is complete, detangle the section with water and your Denman brush, then two-strand twist your hair, so the hair stays detangled.

Zoe encourages all of her curlfriends to have fun with their hair by trying new hairstyles. If you try this look, mention us on Instagram @healthyrootsdolls. Also, subscribe to Zoe’s Youtube channel to see all of her hair videos.