Hands up who's stared at women with epic dutch braids and thought: 'How did you manage to do that??'
Yup, us too.
Generally speaking, a messy top knot is all our Monday morning brains can manage, and that's on a good day.
Until now. Determined to master fashion's favourite braid style, we turned to pro hairstylist and the man behind J Lo and Kim K's A-list 'dos, Chris Appleton, to pick his brains on how to master doing a dutch braid on yourself, without losing the will to live.
Read on for his step by step tutorial to creating your best single dutch braid ever...
How To Do A Dutch Braid
Step 1
Take a section of hair at the front of your head and split into three inch wide pieces ready for plaiting. The closer the section of hair is to your hairline, the higher up your plait will start.
CHRIS' TOP TIP: If you've got super fine hair or you washed it recently, spritz some dry shampoo into the roots to give it more grip so it braids better.
ELLE Edit: 15 Of The Best Dry Shampoos For The Warm Days Of Summer
R+Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo
A transparent formula loaded with rice protein to strengthen damaged hair while vitamin E brings extra nourishment. It adds extra body and undone, beachy texture to limp locks, too.
Drybar Detox Clear Invisible Dry Shampoo
This perfectly clear dry shampoo refreshes greasy hair with minimal product build-up on the scalp. It doesn't weigh down fine hair and you'll find no tell-tale signs of white powder thanks to the invisible formula. The coconutty, vanilla scent is delicious, too.
Olaplex No.4D Clean Volume Detox Dry Shampoo
Everything Olaplex does is designed to be kind on very damaged strands, and this dry shampoo is no exception. Along with rice starch to absorb excess sebum, it also contains the brand's patented Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate to leave hair feeling healthier. We love how it creates just enough texture for that tousled, French-girl look.
Aside from taking care of greasy roots and zhooshing flat-looking hair, this lightweight Oribe powder also contains mango leaf extracts to help maintain a healthy scalp microbiome along with glycerin and olive oil to restore hydration. Plus, the petite packaging is great for throwing into your handbag.
Amika Perk Up Plus Dry Shampoo
Lazy gals, listen up. This hard-hitting dry shampoo promises to refresh not just second and third day hair, but even fifth day locks and beyond. The clever formula, which contains mandelic acid and antioxidants to tackle unwanted odour and the effects of pollution respectively, revives unwashed hair without making the scalp feel heavy with product and it leaves no dusty residue behind. One to pack for all your summer festivals.
L'Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Length No Wash Air Volume Cleansing Dry Shampoo
Yes, this dry shampoo ticks all the boxes when it comes to sorting out greasy hair. But more than that, it works as a 'style extender' to make sure your blowout stays bouncy fresh for days on end.
Arkive The Reset
Trust hairstylist Adam Reed to formulate a dry shampoo that not only effectively takes care of excess oils, but does so without completely stripping away essential moisture and imparts an uplifting green scent of tomato leaves and bright rhubarb.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo
Can you improve on perfection? Living Proof certainly did. We loved the brand's original dry shampoo, but this latest version exceeds expectations by eliminating excess oils, sweat and grime all while promising noticeably softer strands. Our gym bags are never without one.
Violette_FR Frange Puff - £39
NGL, make-up artist Violette Serrat (better known as @violette_fr) has graced many of our beauty moodboards. She created this handy dry shampoo with a removable, washable brush to refresh her perfectly-imperfect French Girl hair on the go. Dust gently on the roots for a quick refresh or to perk up a lacklustre fringe. It's refillable too.
Philip Kingsley Flaky/Itchy Scalp Dry Shampoo
If your scalp's feeling itchy, flaky, or just generally unhappy, a spritz of this skin-caring formula will help calm things down. It's packed with aloe vera to soothe itching and zinc to target dandruff-causing bacteria.
Ouai Super Dry Shampoo
This volcanic mineral and rice starch-infused dry shampoo is a dream for oily hair as it absorbs excess sebum without leaving your hair dusty and white. Formulated by A-list hair stylist Jen Atkin, you know you're in good hands.
Bouclème Root Refresh
Specially formulated for locs, protective braids, curls and coils, this gentle formula not only keeps your style feeling fresh, it also boosts hydration thanks to aloe juice, honey and plant extracts. There are probiotics in here to calm any scalp irritation too.
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
This classic French pharmacy staple absorbs excess oils and product build up whilst moisturising parched hair with oat milk extract.
Hair by Sam McKnight Lazy Girl Dry Shampoo
When backstage legend and hair maestro Sam McKnight creates a dry shampoo, you know it's going to be good. An ultra lightweight spray, this gives any lank looking 'do a second day overhaul.
Batiste Original Dry Shampoo
The first and (still) the best, you can't go wrong with Batiste's Original dry shampoo, and less than a fiver a pop, it's a bargain.
Step 2
Start to weave the pieces like a regular plait, but this time instead of plaiting the outside pieces of hair inwards, you want to pull the middle section out and over, swapping it with one of the side pieces, alternating either side as you go.
So it should go as follows:
Middle piece swaps over the right, so the right piece sits in the middle.
Then the middle piece swaps over the left, so the left piece sits in the middle.
Step 3
Work your way towards the back of your head making sure you pull in hair from each side as you go. Each time the hair should feed in and add to the section being folded into the middle, so that the plait becomes bulkier as you go and starts to form one plait that sits on top of your head.
GOOD TO KNOW: If you're already a pro at doing french plaits, then use the exact same method for this, but weave the hair out instead of in, so the plait sits on top of the hair.
Step 4
Keep feeding in hair until you reach the nape of your neck, then carry on with a regular plait to the ends of your hair and tie off with a small elastic.
ELLE Edit: Snag-Free Hair Ties
TIP: Add bulk and texture to your braid by lightly pulling out each section. This technique is known as 'pancaking'.
How To Style A Dutch Braid
'It's about keeping it modern and not too straight and perfect,' says Appleton. 'A dutch braid always looks more fashion when it's messier, otherwise it can look a little dressage.'
TIP: If you've got grown out roots that show up even more when plaited, use a root concealer to lightly touch up the colour.
37 A-List Braid Styles For All The Plait Hairstyle Inspo You Could Ever Need
Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.
In need of more inspiration, thoughtful journalism and at-home beauty tips? Subscribe to ELLE's print magazine today! SUBSCRIBE HERE
