How to Recreate 5 Celebrity Braided Hairstyles at Home

By Amanda Flores

Need a new way to tame your tresses when the mercury rises? Follow our easy pro tips to recreate these gorgeous braided 'dos at home. Then get ready to turn heads at your next barbecue or beach party!


The Sleek Fishtail

A braid like Dianna Agron's is the perfect way to stay-and look-cool on hot summer days. Keep it sleek and polished to go seamlessly from poolside to nighttime party.

How to do it: Blow-dry hair using fingers until it's three-quarters of the way dry, then work in mousse from root to end. Try TRESemmé Naturals Lightweight mousse, $4.50. Use a paddle brush to finish blow-drying and smoothing strands. Make a deep side part and swoop the rest of your hair over to the opposite side, slightly behind your ear. "If you're doing it yourself, you may want to secure into a low pony to hold in place, then undo at the end," says NYC stylist Jay Palaniuk. To start the fishtail braid, divide hair into two sections. Work your way down by taking a thin piece from the outside right section and joining it with the left. Next do the reverse: take a thin piece of hair from the left section and join it with the right. Continue until you have about 1 inch left at the end. Secure with an elastic-preferably one that's the same color as your hair-and smooth on an anti-frizz product, like Smart Girls Who Surf Care For Hair Sun Protector, $13. It helps to control flyaways and also contains SPF.

TRESemmé Naturals Lightweight mousse available at drugstores; Smart Girls Who Surf Care For Hair Sun Protector available at www.smartgirlswhosurf.com

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Photo by PR Photos


Braided Beauty

This sweet, sexy style is perfect for medium-length, layered hair, says celebrity stylist Frankie Foye. Bonus: It'll keep you cool and looking hot as Victoria's Secret super model, Alessandra Ambrosio does here.

How to do it: Work mousse into damp hair and blow-dry smooth. With a medium-barrel iron, curl small sections all over, then break them apart with fingers to create a wavy, imperfect texture. Use a fine-tooth comb to tease at roots then smooth over-once again, use only your fingers. Leaving a middle part, scoop hair to one side and french braid, but be careful not to make it too tight. Face-framing pieces should fall out naturally. Secure with a small elastic, then gently pull parts of the plait to loosen it a bit more. For a more polished look, wrap a tiny piece of hair around the band to hide from sight. Finish with a shine serum like Victoria's Secret So Sexy Style Brilliant and Glossy Shine Mist, $14.

Victoria's Secret So Sexy Style Brilliant and Glossy Shine Mist available at www.victoriassecret.com

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Braids of Glory

To get Amanda Seyfried's sexy, of-the-moment braid, your hair should have lots of body before you start, says Riccardo Maggiore, owner of Riccardo Maggiore Salon in New York. Use plenty of mousse throughout (we like Garnier Fructis Style Volume Inject Mousse, $4) and a root lifter at the scalp for ultimate volume. If your hair is fine, you may even want to set it with Velcro rollers before you begin, he suggests.

How to do it: Make a deep side part. Pro tip: If you normally wear your hair to the left, switch to the right, and vice versa. Styling your hair in the opposite direction of what it's used to will give a bit of natural lift at the root, says Maggiore. Gather hair at the base of the neck and make a loose braid. Use an elastic the same color as your hair for a softer look. Then, with fingers, tug and separate the braid all over so it becomes messy and uneven-this final part is the key to the updated 'do.

Garnier Fructis Style Volume Inject Mousse available at drugstores.

Related: Get Soft, Beachy Waves for Summer
Photo by PR Photos


Smooth Move

Lauren Conrad's iconic braid is a great choice for all hair lengths-not to mention super easy to recreate. Keep it loose for a sexy, young look, says Frankie.

How to do it: Start by applying a smoothing lotion, like Dove Frizz Control Therapy Taming Cream, $4, to damp hair and then blow-drying with a large round brush. Once hair is completely dry, run a styling cream through to separate strands creating a piece-y texture. Make a deep side part and start a braid about 5 inches away from it. Secure plait to the back of head with two small bobby pins. Apply a texturizing balm and a bit of finishing spray to ends of rest of hair and break apart using fingers. Try Garnier Fructis Style Survivor Rough It Up Putty, $5.

Dove Frizz Control Therapy Taming Cream and Garnier Fructis Style Survivor Rough It Up Putty available at drugstores.

Related: Dye Your Hair at Home-and Get Salon-Style Results!
Photo by PR Photos


Braided with a Twist

Emilia Fox gives her braid a facelift with a simple twist and a fun accessory. Get the same look in minutes with these simple steps.

How to do it: Start by working mousse through damp hair and then blow-dry using only your fingers. This will help create allover texture and volume. Next, find your natural side part and loosely twist a 3-inch front section of hair back and to the opposite side. Secure with bobby pins. "Remember, this style isn't about perfection, so don't overthink it," says NYC stylist Jeanie Syfu. "You can even customize your look according to your hair length and thickness by twisting back several random sections." Bring the rest of hair over to the side of part and create a braid starting just behind the ear. Fasten with a fun-colored elastic or accessory. Use a light finishing spray like Dove Flexible Hold Hairspray with Natural Movement, $3, to hold the look.

Dove Flexible Hold Hairspray with Natural Movement available at drugstores.

See 15 More How-Tos for Hot Celeb Hairstyles!
Photo by PR Photos

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