‘The Braid Up’: How to Create These Cute Zigzag Stitch Braids

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On this week’s Braid Up, we’re giving you a style that’s near and dear to my heart: stitch braids. Stitch braids are one of my go-to looks for a reason—they basically guarantee you an extra-cute braided style that’ll last you weeks. Plus, they’re pretty easy to whip up, so you won’t have to sit in a chair for hours and hours waiting for your stylist to finish. The look in the video above isn’t just any regular stitch braid style though. Our guest braider, Nastacia Crook-Brady, gives the classic look some flair by ditching the typical straight parts you’d associate with stitch braids. Instead, she parts wavy, zigzag lines into the hair for a cool and graphic twist.

Here’s what to keep in mind when you recreate this look:

1. Feed in ombré braiding hair. The two-tone look instantly takes your braids to the next level. The braiding hair used in the video starts off dark and then it transitions into a subtle, dark-blonde shade, but feel free to play around with other colors.

2. Keep your scalp hydrated. Spritz your scalp every a.m. with a leave-in conditioner to lock in moisture. This is v important if you want to keep your natural hair from drying out and eventually breaking off.

3. Fight frizz with hot water. Dip your braids, from mid-length to ends, into a pot of boiling water to seal the ends and clean up any rogue flyways. Pro tip: Wrap a microfiber towel around your braids to dry them off.

4. Don’t sleep in your edge control. I know—the thought of waking up with already laid edges is super tempting, but don’t do it. It can lead to acne, tension, and even hair breakage, so be sure to rinse it out every night with some sulfate-free shampoo.

Hair: Magic Fingers Studio; Associate Beauty Editor: Ama Kwarteng

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