Hair Ideas: A Braided Undercut How-To From Kristin Ess

Part cornrow, part Skrillex, and worn by celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Cara Delevingne (that's her above), the braided undercut may very well be the hairstyle of the summer. I was pretty sure this look was not for me—I still have nightmares about the beaded cornrows I once got on a trip to Mexico—until my friend showed up to dinner with one side of her hair pulled back in a single French braid. It looked awesome: cool, summery, and a little bit "I couldn't care less what you think of my hair." Turns out, it's also pretty easy to do. L.A.-based hairstylist and cofounder of The Beauty Department Kristin Ess told me how.

1. Make a deep side part that starts right above the arch of your eyebrow. "It would look weird to part it in the middle and braid half of your hair," says Ess.

2. On the side with less hair, make a section that goes from the hairline to the crown and then straight down right behind the ear—think about the shape of a seven. Leaving that part out, lightly spritz the rest of your hair with water and twist into a bun. This keeps it out of the way, and when you take the bun out, you'll have instant lazy-girl waves. "When you do the side braid, you definitely want to have some wave or texture in the rest of the hair," says Ess.

3. Massage a half-pea-size dab of pomade into the roots of the section you're going to braid. This makes the hair easier to work with and gives the braid more texture. "Use a water-based pomade. Oil-based will make the hair slippery," says Ess. She recommends Redken Rough Paste #12.

4. Make a horizontal French braid starting at the temple and working your way straight back. (For a French-braid tutorial, click here.) When you get above your ear, start angling the braid down and continue braiding until you are an inch below the ear. Tie it with a clear elastic and secure it by sliding a bobby pin down through the elastic, then turning it back upward before pushing it into the hair. (Yes, I've been using bobby pins incorrectly, too.)

5. Finish with a spritz of firm-hold hair spray over the whole section, or else the shorter pieces will pop out and it'll get fuzzy fast. Take the rest of your hair out of the bun, add a little hair spray and scrunch with your hands to get messy bedhead waves. "For cool-girl hair, you don't want it to be too shiny or smooth," says Ess.


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