You may have heard of a butterfly braid before, but with so many different choices and styles for your hair, you might not be completely sure exactly what it means.
This article is here to take you through each step of butterfly braiding, including what exactly a butterfly braid looks like and two different techniques with step-by-step guides on how to do them.
We’ve also included a handy FAQ section to walk you through some of the most important questions you may have.
What Is A Butterfly Braid?
First, we need to learn exactly what a butterfly braid is. A butterfly braid is made from two big braidings on each side of the head that meet together into one single braid at the back of your head.
If braided well and looked after, butterfly braids are likely to last for 3-6 weeks.
It’s important to note here that a butterfly braid is not the same thing as the modern braiding style in which your hair is braided at the back to look like a bow-shaped butterfly.
Although these two styles sometimes have the same name, they are separate styles.
How Do I Create A Butterfly Braid?
Technique 1 – Sewing
You start by separating your hair into two sections. It’s important to leave at least a few locks at your crown so that you will be able to attach your braiding hair.
After this, attach your braid and create one long, loose braid. Braid this hair all the way down, depending on how long you want it to be.
Next up you will do the exact same thing but on the other side of your crown.
We recommend making your braid the same length as your first one so that it will be easier to connect and look more even.
We recommend leaving a little bit of loose hair at the back so that you can connect them easier. You can add color to your braid at this time if you like.
Here you will want to use a needle and thread to attach the loose braids.
Now you will want to use that loose bit of hair at the back of one of your braids to connect the two together.
You will braid the loose hair onto the woven braid and braid all the way down until you run out of hair.
This is a great technique that will give you thick, strong butterfly braids that are sure to last for quite some time.
Technique 2 – Pin
With this technique, you will be able to attach your crochet hair without having to sew it in as with the previous section.
First, you want to make two short braids on your crown with your own hair – with one side larger than the other which will end where your hair parts.
Next, you will want to get your crochet hair and part it in two. Now you will take hair from the middle and add it to each side so that it will be even when you braid it.
This is the part that can be the biggest pain, so take your time and make sure you get each side even.
Once it’s even you can start to braid it loosely – and keep in mind that you have not yet attached it to your crown, this can all be done in your hands.
Next up is to pin the entire crochet braid onto the larger braid on your own head that you made earlier. You can pin it by using bobby pins – take your time here and make sure that it’s properly attached and even to your crown.
Now that one side of the crochet hair is attached to your head, you can start working on the other.
Make sure that the bobby pins you’re using embed deep into the braid that’s underside your crotchet braid.
Once both sides are on you can begin to braid them together. Providing you braided them loose enough to begin with, it should be easy to begin connecting the two together.
This is a great technique if you’re looking to easily remove your braids.
Sewing braids on can be difficult to remove quickly so if you want some braids just for one night then this is the technique for you!
Final Thoughts
These are just two of the most basic ways you can create awesome butterfly braids that look for good on a variety of different occasions.
We hope that by showing you a way in which you can pin and a way in which you can sew gives you enough variety for whichever version you were looking for.
Below is a short FAQ section to answer some of the more common questions about butterfly braids.
Happy braiding!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do Butterfly Braids Last?
Butterfly braids can generally last between 3-6 weeks, depending on how well looked after they are.
As with any braids that are made with crochet, proper preparation time and technique are vital for how long they will last and look good.
There any many different ways you can care for your braids so make sure you research well before committing.
What Kind Of Hair Do You Use For Butterfly Braids?
The perfect prosthetic hair for butterfly braids is wavy hair – we recommend 2 packs at around 26 inches if you can find them.
This will ensure enough hair for thick braids, but not so much that they’ll be too long or overly difficult to prepare or wear.
Can You Do Butterfly Braids On Normal Hair?
You can do butterfly braids on normal hair, but the outcome you will get depends massively on the type of hair you have and how much of it there is to braid.
The main reason we’ve recommended crochet hair for these braids is that they give you a huge amount of hair to work with. Butterfly braids generally look great with thick layers of braiding.
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