Get out your shell-phones and spread the word: DIY Colorful Fishtail Braids are the hair do' for the summer! The whole ocean is talking about it and if you've ever wondered what a mermaid fart sounds like, watch the video above!…it's actually pretty gross…this hair do is much more pleasant.
Who doesn't want Ariel/mermaid hair? But most of us have to fake it, like me, with extensions. I love this set of clip-on extensions that I got at my local hair shop - actually called The Hair Shop, but check your local yellow(tail) pages for a wig shop and see if they carry clip on extensions. If they don't have pre-made strips, you can DIY your own by sewing on your own clips! I used clip-on colored hair extensions as well to get this full and colorful fishtail braid but you could add color with some DIY hair chalking! Sorry, gotta go, Nemo's dad keeps texting me…he's trying to find him.
Prep It:
- teasing comb
- colorful and regular hair extensions (from your local hair or wig shop) or no need if you have mermaid hair - also try hair chalk to get color (but beware it washes out in the ocean)
- clear hair elastic (i get mine in a big package from the drug store)
- hair clip if using hair extensions
- optional: bubbles and mermaid tail
DO IT!:
- for the extensions and the color: divide your hair in a section horizontally across the back of your head, about half-way down - use your clip to hold your hair in place.
- tease at the part to create an area for your clips (on your extensions) to hold on to and clip on your extensions. depending on how many extensions you have, you may want to divide your hair again, higher up on your head and add another row of extensions.
- add your colored extensions, the same way you did the other strips, around your head, making sure the clips don't show when the top layer of your hair is down. If chalking your hair, choose pieces to color with chalk - I would advise not chalking the extensions because it may be hard to wash out.
- for the braid: start halfway down the back of your head (like you were going to put your hair half-up, half-down) and divide your hair into two sections. this process is similar to doing a french braid only your doing a fishtail braid which uses two sections of hair instead of three, like a normal braid.
- create the french fishtail braid by grabbing a piece from the outside of one of your sections and bringing it across to join the opposite group. continue this process with the other group, grabbing a piece from the outer edge near your face and bringing it across the back of your head to join the other group. keep grabbing hair that wasn't in your original two sections so your gathering up all your hair on your head to create the "french" braid look until it all forms into one group at the nape of your neck.
- continue the fishtail process down the length of your hair, grabbing a piece from the outer edge of one group and bringing it to join the other group. see another example of a fishtail braid and video tutorial here! and watch the very first (bad) video I made for YouTube where I attempt a fishtail braid.
- seal your braid with your clear elastic and optional: plump up your braid with your fingers, loosening it a little to make it look disheveled and mermaid-y.
- dance in some bubbles!
