Look Like an Angel: Halo Braid Tutorial

Sure, you like straightening, curling, and crimping your hair. You may even have a thing for weaving a braid or twirling a twist. But in the spirit of adding some pizzazz to your mane, why not learn a new hairstyle that can take your overall beauty look a step further? One of our favorite hairstyles that is equal parts playful and sassy is the halo braid. Weaving a Dutch braid into a halo-like loop and adding softly curled tendrils into the mix, you can expect to look like a real-life angel. Intrigued? Read on to find out how to master this gorgeous hairstyle trend.

What you’ll need:

Wide-tooth comb

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle CURVE IT Elastic Curl Mousse

Clear mini elastics

Bobby pins

Curling iron

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle LOCK IT Bold Control Hairspray

Get the look by following these simple steps: 

STEP #1: DETANGLE YOUR HAIR

When you hop out of the shower, use a wide-tooth comb to gently work through any knots and tangles from your ends to your roots. This is more key than you might think, as you don’t want to encounter any knots while braiding your strands.

STEP #2: BUILD YOUR WAVES

Once your hair is detangled, add an egg-sized amount of curl mousse to your strands, scrunch, and let your hair air dry. If you want your waves to have more definition, feel free to use a hair diffuser to get the job done.

STEP #3: PREP YOUR STRANDS

Start by parting your hair down the middle of your head. Next, section off small face-framing strands on either side of your face—you’ll leave these out of your braid. Pull the rest of your hair behind your ears to make it more obvious what will and won’t be included in the braid.

STEP #4: WEAVE YOUR DUTCH BRAID

Now, it’s time to braid. Begin on one side of your head and take a medium-sized section of hair from above your ear. Split this section into three and start to Dutch braid it. Continue the Dutch braid, adding more hair as you go, all the way around your head. The braid should weave along your hairline, going behind your head and around the nape of your neck, then back up to loop around above your forehead. This creates the halo effect.

Once you’ve run out of hair and you’ve Dutch braided your strands to the ends, tie them off. Then tuck and pin the tail of your braid under the fuller portion of the plait.

Editor’s note: This part may take a little practice, so don’t be afraid to mess up and start over a few times. Braiding all the way around your head is definitely not a beginner’s skill, so you’ll need to put in the work to master it.

STEP #5: PANCAKE YOUR BRAID

We tend to think halo braids look their best when extra full and voluminous. While you can leave your braid untouched—which isn’t such a bad idea if it was hard to get just right—you can also pancake the Dutch braid to make it look fuller. Carefully tug at individual sections of the braid to fluff it up and give it a thicker appearance. So pretty!

STEP #6: CURL YOUR FACE-FRAMING STRANDS

It’s time to go back to those face-framing strands. If you have naturally curly hair, your mousse may have already done enough to define these strands. If not, break out your curling iron to give them a soft bounce and curl. Use the iron without its clamp and wrap each strand around the barrel, then hold for about 30 seconds to give the tendrils a loose curl.

STEP #7: LOCK IN YOUR HALO BRAID

Spritz, spritz, spritz with a strong-hold hair spray to help ensure your style stays in place. See, don’t you look positively angelic now?

Now that your hair is on point, why not turn your attention to your makeup? For an angel-like glow, check out our article, Your Glowy Makeup Look: Makeup Tips for Glowing Skin.