A style with Gabriella Killpack
Step one: Start with center-parted hair and brush out any tangles. “It’ll make it so much easier to braid and feed hair in as you work your way down if there are no tangles,” says de Leon. “You also want to make sure your part is as straight as possible—you can use the bridge of your nose as a guide and follow upwards with a tail comb.” It should feel like the part is in the middle of the nape of your neck once you reach the bottom. Place a section of hair over each shoulder.
de Leon recommends prepping the hair before braiding with a gel or pomade to ensure a clean surface to feed the hair in and also to help the Dutch braid maintain its hold. Ouidad’s Clear Control Pomade ($26) tames all the hair down for a clean finish without feeling heavy.
Step two: Grab three small pieces (about half an inch or less) at your hairline. The key point to remember with Dutch braids is to weave each piece under rather than over (basically the opposite of a French braid). The piece on the right goes under the middle, and then the piece on the left goes under that.
Step three: Repeat the pattern of crossing the right section under the middle strand, and then the left section under the middle strand. Keep adding more hair (about a half- to three-quarter-inch) from the root each time you weave a new section.
Step four: Once you reach the nape of your neck, switch to a regular three-strand braid.
Step five: Tie it off at the end with a clear hair tie.
Hair Styles with Gabriella Killpack 