We thought we’d twist it up a bit, give our nails a break, and review three braided hairstyle tutorials. We picked these:

1. The Beauty Bean‘s waterfall braid
2. My Kiss and Tell‘s “boho” headband braid
3. Just Bebe XO’s braided bun

Waterfall Braid

We’ve been seeing versions of this braid all over Pinterest and Instagram, and we were dying to try it even though it looked complicated.

Our results!

Here’s how: 

1. Take a large section of hair from the side that you part your hair.
2. Section the braid into three and begin braiding. On the fourth twist, drop one of the sections. Pull that strand down so it falls with your other hair.
3. Choose another piece of hair and braid it in. Drop and repeat. Tighten each dropped piece by pulling it down after each twist.
4. Complete the braid by choosing a section of hair similar to the starting piece for the last braid. Bobby pin the braid, and tuck any hair left over under the braid.
5. If you’re feeling the urge, you can also braid any leftover hair.

Our first few attempts — not so great, but we improved with practice!

In conclusion: The waterfall braid wasn’t easy, but with some practice it’s doable and looks great. Make sure to keep the braid tight and don’t be afraid to pull on the strands you’ve already dropped so it looks nice and neat.

Skill level: Medium.

Cheat Waterfall Braid

If your hair is too smooth or you found it too difficult, we found an even easier “cheat” method. Here is another great tutorial from Cute Girls Hairstyles for a simpler two stranded waterfall that ends up looking just as nice.

Our final result.

Here’s how: 

1. Take a section of hair from the side that you part your hair.
2. Section it into two pieces and twist them around each other twice.
3. Then, section off another piece of hair from the top of your head and drop it in between the two strands, so it falls through them like in the actual waterfall braid.
4. Twist the two strands again.
5. Repeat until you reach the other side of your head, and secure with bobby pins.

A close-up of the “cheat” waterfall braid.

In conclusion: Success! This braid was the simplest of all the hairstyles we tried, and great for thinner or less-textured hair. Twice as easy, just as beautiful.

Skill level: Very easy.

Boho Headband Braid

Help! This braid got us all twisted up. We thought it sounded easy: Braid around a headband for a messy-chic look.

Our inspiration.

However, we do have a few tips for those of you brave enough to try:

• If you’re having trouble getting your headband to stay, try using bobby pins or even a looser headband. Thin elastic headbands are also harder to keep in place.
• Twist your hair away from your face – the braid tends to look better.
• Use second-day hair.

Do you know a better way? Send us pictures or your own instructions if you succeed at hi@beautybagg.com! Our respect will gladly be given.

Skill level: Very advanced.

Braided Sock Bun

We saw this gorgeous updo all over Instagram and thought it would be a perfect way to upgrade on the basic sock bun.

Our inspiration.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Tie your hair up with an elastic, then put the bun maker over your hair.
2. Flip your head over so that the hair falls over the bun maker. Start braiding small pieces of hair, between 4-7 depending on how thick your hair is, and try to spread them out evenly. Secure them with little elastic bands.
3. Pull another elastic over your hair, creating a bun. Pull your braids out a bit to make them more noticeable.
4. Twist remaining hairs around the base of the bun, hiding the elastic. Secure with bobby pins.

It might sound a little complicated, but this was one of the easier hairdos because it’s so easy to cover up mistakes. A few more notes:

• With layered hair, don’t worry about braiding the full length of your hair, since most of it gets wrapped around the bun anyway.
• Keep your braids tight and relatively thin for best visual effect.
• If you don’t have a bunmaker, just use a sock!

These were our final results:

We added a flower hair clip for extra cuteness.

In conclusion: Successful! The braided sock bun was a lot easier than we thought it would be and turned out beautifully. We definitely encourage you to try this one. It’s a great updo for those hot summer days when you want to keep your hair out of the way and feels very secure.

Skill level: Medium.

There you have it, four beautiful braided looks for summer. Let us know if you try these. We’re also open to any suggestions or other hairstyle requests, so don’t be shy!