Style Hair Hair Tools & Techniques How To Braid Hair When you have little time to style your hair (or your daughter's), a braid is an easy and quick solution, as you'll see in this video. Braiding your hair takes only about two minutes of your time—and the only styling tools you need are a brush and a hair band. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 26, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email When you have little time to style your hair (or your daughter’s), a braid is an easy and quick solution, as you’ll see in this video. Braiding your hair takes only about two minutes of your time—and the only styling tools you need are a brush and a hair band. What You Need brush, elastic hair bands Follow These Steps Brush and gather hairBrush through hair to eliminate bumps and tangles. Then gather it at the nape, securing it into a ponytail with an elastic band.Divide hair into three sectionsDivide the ponytail into three equal parts, making sure each section is smooth. Hold the left section in your left hand, the right section your right hand, close to the palm, and the middle section between two fingers of your right hand.Weave hair into the middleCross the left section over the middle section (the left section now becomes the new middle section), switching it from your left to your right hand, then cross the right section over the new middle section, switching it from your right to your left hand, and so on.Tip: Pull sections fairly tight, so the braid won’t be too loose and fall out, and smooth hair as you go.Secure with hair bandRepeat Step 3 until you’ve braided the entire length of the ponytail. When you reach the end, secure the bottom of the braid with a hair band, wrapping it snugly around the hair. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit