Lace Braid Updo Instructions

For this hairstyle, I’m going to begin by creating a lace french braid on the left side of my head. 

1 / With my part on the right side, Im going to pick up a section of hair on the heavy side of the part and divide it into three equal pieces. 

I’m crossing the side strands over the middle strand and I’m going to be bringing in smaller sections to the bottom side of the braid. 

I did incorporate one section into the top side of the braid to help anchor it but after that stitch, I’m going to be crossing the side strands over the middle strand while also bringing in new section from along my hair line. 

This will create a lace style french braid where hair is only being brought into one side of the braid. 

2 / I’m going to work my way down the left side of my head, bringing sections until the braid reaches behind my left ear. 

I want to bring in at least a couple sections of hair from behind my ear to help create a draping effect with the braid. This will also help the braid lay smoothly around the bun that I’ll create later. 

3 / So now I’m going to braid the section a little further down, I want to make sure it’ll reach across the top of the bun towards the right side of my head, and then I’m going to slide a couple bobby pins over the bottom of the braid so it doesn’t unravel. 

4 / Now I’m going to repeat those steps and create the same braid on the right side of my head. 

5 / I’m going to begin by dividing off a section of hair on the right side of the part and split it into three equal pieces. 

I’m crossing the side strands over the middle strand and after the initial stitch of the braid, I’m going to begin incorporating sections of hair to the bottom side of the braid.

So I’m crossing the side strand over the middle, then crossing the other side strand over the middle, and I’m dividing off and incorporating new sections into the braid from along my hairline. 

6 / I’m going to repeat these steps and continue the braid, working my way along the right side of my head towards my ear. 

I also want to keep the braid centered along my head so it’s not too high and not too low and it’s always better to braid it a little bit tighter because it’s easier to loosen a braid after it’s done than it is to try and tighten it up. 

7 / Once the braid reaches down behind my ear, I’m going to bring in a few more sections from behind my ear and then I’m going to stop incorporating new sections into the braid. 

8 / At this point, I’m going to continue the braid a little further down the section so I can bring it across the back of my head and then I’m going to slide some bobby pins over the end of the braid so it doesn’t unravel. 

9 / Now I’m going to start the bun portion of the hairstyle, so first I’m going to divide off the crown section and get this pinned in place. 

10 / So I’m dividing off the top section of hair and combining it together at the center of the back of my head. 

11 / I’m going to slightly twist the section together and then slide bobby pins into the right side and the left side of the twist. This will ensure the hair is held in place but also hidden underneath the hair. 

12 / Now I’m going to take my braid from the right side and bring this up so it crosses over the pins of the crown section. 

13 / I’m going to pin the braid in two places, through the braid near the right side and then through the middle of the braid on the left side. 

14 / Now I’m going to take the braid from the left side of my head and drape it around the back of my head, underneath the previous braid. 

15 / I’m going to pin the end of the braid using a bobby pin and then slide another one into the center of the braid, pushing it along the length of the braid on the left side of my head, to help anchor it there as well. 

16 / Next I’m going to combine all of my remaining hair together at the base of the braids and tie it off using a clear elastic band. 

17 / Now I’m going to take my ponytail and divide it into three equal sized sections. 

I’m going to braid my ponytail into a regular three strand braid, crossing the side strands over the middle strand. 

I’m going to braid the ponytail all the way down to the ends, alternating between crossing the side strands over the middle strand. 

18 / Once the braid reaches the bottom, I’m going to take a clear elastic band and tie off the end of the braid so it doesn’t unravel. 

Now I’m going to use this braid to create the bun portion of the hairstyle. 

19 / So I”m going to take my braid and wrap it over the top of the elastic band, tucking the end of the braid underneath the bun at the nape of my neck. 

20 / Now I’ve got to pin the braid in place so I’m going to use bobby pins to work my way around the bun, pinning it down wherever I’m holding it with my fingers. 

I’m not opening my bobby pins when I do this. Instead, I’m going to hook a bit of hair into the pin and the slide it into the hair against my head. This will hold the braid in place against my head. 

I put the majority of my pins on the right side of the bun since this was the end of the braid and I needed to ensure it stayed tucked underneath. I also pinned the top of the braid and the left side as well to make sure it was flush with my head. 

21 / Once the bun was all pinned and felt secure, I went back over it, pinching and pulling on small sections of the braid to help fluff them up a little bit and make the bun a little bigger and more symmetrical.