How to Make a Snake Braid

Creating the Braid

Start with hair that’s clean and dry. The snake braid will work best with clean, healthy, and moisturized hair that’s completely dry. In the shower or bath, wash your hair with a mild cleanser to remove dirt, oil, and styling products. Condition your hair with your favorite conditioner, and after you rinse it out, towel dry your hair and let it air dry. If you're in a rush and need to blow dry your hair, apply a heat-protecting product beforehand.

Choose where to make your braid. Like a regular braid, you can make a snake braid from a section of hair anywhere on your head, and you can also make it any size. If you're going to be creating a specific style with the braid, use that to guide you regarding where and how large to make the braid. To practice a basic snake braid, part your hair normally. On one side of your part, grab a small to medium section of hair from the center of your head, and use this to make your braid.

Divide the section. To make a snake braid, you first make a regular braid. Comb the section with a wide-toothed comb to remove knots, and then divide the section of hair into three equal parts.

Braid the hair. To make a basic braid, hold the left section of hair in your left hand, hold the middle section of hair with the thumb and index finger of your right hand, and hold the right section of hair with the remaining fingers on your right hand. Twist the right and middle sections of hair so the right section comes over top and becomes the middle section. Then, twist the left and middle sections so the left section comes over top and becomes the middle. As you weave the hair, be sure to shift the sections back and forth between your hands as they alternate between being the left, middle, and right sections. Continue alternating the twists with the right–middle and left–middle sections so that the three sections become woven into one another. Stop when you reach the end of the sections and only have about one inch of unbraided hair left.

Snaking the Braid

Grab the center section of hair from the braid. Pinch the ends of the braid with the thumb and index finger of your left hand so the sections don’t unravel. With your right hand, separate the unbraided ends of the three sections and pinch the middle section. As you hold the end of the middle section, continue pinching the end of the braid with your left hand.

Slide the braid up the center section. Hold down the center section of the braid and gently slide the other two sections up the shaft of the braid with your other hand. If the snake gets caught, move to the top of the braid and gently slide the top portion of the braid up. Then move to the center and slide the braid upward from there, and then go back to the bottom and continue sliding the braid from the bottom.

Loosen the braid. After you slide the braid up the center section, the snake braid will be all bunched up, and you'll have to loosen it and reposition it to give it the true snake form. Starting from the top of the braid, gently work the two side sections back down the center section of the braid, spreading the loops downward as you go. Work your way down the braid until you have loosened the entire length of the braid. The finished product should look like a snake wrapped around the center section of hair.

Position the braid. You can either tie the ends of the braid with a clear elastic and let it hang, or you can position the braid on your head the way you like and fasten the braid in place with a bobby pin. For instance, you can wrap the braid around to the back of your head and pin it in place there. After you pin the braid, you can cover the pin with another section of hair if you want to hide it.

Creating Hairstyles With Snake Braids

Angle the braid in the direction it will be styled. If you're going to be creating specific hairstyles with your snake braid, you want to ensure the braid is going in the right direction, otherwise it will create a funny bump. For instance, if you want a braid near your temple to wrap around to the back of your head, comb the hair toward the back of your head and weave the braid in that direction when you start the first couple weaves of the braid.

Make a snake braid halo. A braid halo wraps around the top of your head from ear to ear, and it’s a unique and attractive way to keep hair back and out of your face. You do, however, have to have pretty long hair to make this work. To create a snake braid halo: Make one small snake braid on either side of your head using the hair from right behind each ear. For the moment, fasten each braid with an elastic. Comb back the rest of your hair so it’s away from your face. Take the snake braid from behind your left ear, wrap it around the top of your head (over your combed back hair), and use a bobby pin to secure the end of the braid behind your right ear. Do the same with the right braid, lining it up beside the other braid, and pinning it behind your left ear. Use your loose hair to cover the pins. You can either leave most of your hair back behind your shoulders, or you can bring it forward to sit in front.

Make a side braid band. Part your hair to one side, and use the hair at the very front of the heavy part to make a large snake braid. Tuck any excess hair from the heavy side of your part behind the ear on the same side. When you're finished the braid, tuck the end of the braid behind your ear with the rest of your hair, and pin it in place with a bobby pin. Bring some hair forward to cover the pin and the end of the braid.

Create a side braid wraparound. Make a small or medium snake braid using hair at the front of your head. You can make the braid anywhere, but to start, try from your temple or at the top of your part. When it’s finished, wrap it around to the back of your head and pin it in place with a bobby pin. Cover the pin with a section of hair. For the best results, don’t pull the braid too tight, and instead let it hang slack so there's a slight droop in the braid. For a braid headband wraparound, make a similar braid on either side of your head and pin them both back at the same spot at the back of your head. To create an even more interesting and intricate style, make two small snake braids on each side of your head. Try making one just above and behind each ear, and make the second set of braids near your temples. Making sure all the braids have some slack, pin the ends of all four braids behind your head.