Piggyback Braids or Twists is where you have sections within rows.  Starting off with the first section in the row, you join it onto the next section and so on until the end of the row.    Style can be achieved with dry or wet hair.  You may like to use hair gel or wax to hold the style in place. 

1              Slice the hair into an 8 slice pizza. 

2                 Within each row (slice of pizza), create 4 sections. 

3                    Tie first section from hairline with a band.  This is optional using hair bands. You may like to place a bead on top of the band. 

4                    Braid or Twist hair to the next section, tie hair with a band.  Continue this step until you get to the end of the row.   

5                    Once all rows have completed, tie hair into a ponytail.  You may like to complete ponytail with Braids or Twists.   Once you’ve accomplished the 8 slice pizza piggyback, you may like to try pigtails or slicing the hair from forehead to neck.

Cornrows are a traditional African hair art formed by braiding the hair along the scalp in different patterns.  Cornrows are like an inside out French braid and can be done in 1 or 2 simple rows binding the hair back  or to a more complex style of  lots of small cornrows swirling all over the scalp.  The difference between cornrows and single braids are cornrows are attached to the scalp whereas single braids move freely. 

1                   Part the hair in the desired number of rows. 

2                   Using the same instructions for braiding, take a small amount of hair from the point where you will want the cornrow to originate, and braid two stitches. You may like to use hair gel or wax to hold the style in place. 

3                   Pick up some loose hair and add it to the middle section whilst keeping the hair held tightly.  Braid one stitch, pick up loose hair, braid one stitch, pick up loose hair, and so on. 

4                   Finish off with a band or snap or continue into a hanging braid. 

Note: Whilst trying to make the braids secure, don’t pull hair too tightly as you may cause bumps and scalp problems resulting in hair loss.

Braids are an inside out Plait.  Plaits are done over handed, whereas Braids are under handed.   

1          Separate the hair into 3 equal proportions – one, two and three, from left to right

2          Position hands close to the scalp 

3          Pulling tightly, cross section one under section two. Section one is now positioned in the middle with section two now on the left.  Cross section three under the section in the middle  (section  one). Now place the hair on the left under the middle section, then the hair on the right under the middle section and so on. 

Once you have mastered basic braids, you can do smaller braids over the head by parting the hair into small boxes.  Then you braid each box of hair.  These are called Box Braids.

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How to Create a Ponytail Holder - Dangling Hair Jewels 

1.    Take a piece of ribbon (or shoelace or rope), about 40cms in length and knot one end.  You may need to knot it more than once, so that beads won’t slide over it.

2.    Add beads to 1/3 of the ribbon and tie off with a knot.     

3.    Leave the next 1/3 of the ribbon free, then knot.

4.    Add beads to the last 1/3 of the ribbon and tie off with a knot.   

5.    Lastly, take a hair band and secure the middle of the ribbon on to the hair band. 

How to Create a Ponytail Holder - Hair Jewels  1.    Take a piece of elastic and thread beads onto it.

2.    Finish off with a knot      

Easy Beader Instructions 

1.       Load beads onto the Easy Beader

2.     Place the end of the braided or twisted hair into the hole of the Easy Beader  

3.     Slide the beads up the shaft of the Easy Beader onto the hair 

4.     Pull the Easy Beader off the hair 

5.     Finish off with a Snap or foil or band

You can load up the Easy Beader until it is full with beads.  This saves you from re-loading every time, and you’ll be able to bead multiple braids, instead of one braid at a time.   

Some of the decorative beads are a little trickier to use with the Easy Beader, you just need to make sure you are using thinner braids or twists.

  Flat Twist Instructions 

Flat Twists are similar to cornrowing but instead of using the braiding technique you use the 2 Stranded Twist technique.  Style can be achieved with dry or wet hair.  You may like to use hair gel or wax to hold the style in place. 

1                    Part the hair in the desired number of rows. 

2                    Select your first row and clip the other hair out of your way. 

3                    Starting from the hairline, take 2 small strands of hair and twist twice by twisting right section over left. 

4                    Now with each twist add some loose hair. 

5                    Once you’ve finished the cornrow along the scalp, you can secure with a hair band or snap or continue into a hanging twist or braid.

Twist Instructions 

Twists are quick and easy to create.  Here I explain the Two Stranded Twist which can be accomplished with either dry or wet hair.  

1                    Part the hair in the desired number of sections ie in boxes or triangles over the scalp or use the hair from a ponytail.   

2                    Divide the hair into 2 even pieces. 

3                    Twist each piece in the same direction. 

4                    Now Twist the hair in the opposite direction  together by crisscrossing the right piece over the left, and so on.  The twist will resemble a rope. 

5                    Secure ends with a hair band and decorate with  beads and snaps. 

  Once you’ve accomplished the Two Stranded Twist, why not try 3 or 4 strands.      

To help the twist last longer, try using hair styling products like gel or wax by adding to wet hair at Step 2. 

Assist the twists to sit better, by finishing off with beads and snaps, which add weight to the ends.