Easy Two-Strand Braid For Lazy Days

I was surprised when some Beaut.ie readers admired the braid that I sometimes wear when I do tutorials, because hair is really not my specialty. Honestly, it doesn't even really deserve the title 'braid', it's really just two strands of hair wound together to make a pretty pattern in the hair. I've been growing my hair out from pixie short for a year, and it's nice to be able to play with it.

If you want to recreate the braid, here's how:

Step One

• Part your hair where you usually would, and then separate a section on either side of your parting, stopping just behind your ear. Then tie up the back of your hair. You'll basically look like you've tied up the back of your hair and left the front down.
• To begin braiding, choose which side of the parting you want to braid first. You'll need to take two sections of hair, each about an inch in width. Make the sections by pushing your index finger from the hairline straight back toward your pony tail. Use the photo for help! I've numbered the strands one and two to make things easier. Number one is the first strand, just beside your parting.

Step Two

• Pull strand two forward and then back, over strand one.
• When you've done this, with the hand in which you're holding strand one, create another inch-wide section of hair as you did in step one. Grab this new section, we'll call it number three, and hold it together with strand one.
• Now, pull strands one and three forward together, and then back over strand two. The photo should help you.
• You should see the braid starting to take shape now.

Step Three

• Continue this process - grabbing a new strand of hair and joining it to the lower strand, then wrapping it first forward and then back over the higher strand.
• Do this until you have braided all of the loose hair.

Step Four

• When you run out of hair at the scalp, you'll have two long tails at your ear. I twist them round each other as in the photo and then attach the strand with a bobby pin as may hair isn't long enough to tie the braid into my ponytail. One bobby pin is enough to hold the entire braid together - it won't budge.

Step Five

• Repeat the process on the other side.

I know it's fiddly, but it's really easy when you get the hang of it. I wear my hair like this most days, and I can finish the look in under a minute. Practice makes perfect!

Do you like braids? And will you be giving this one a go?