Braided Half Up Half Down Tutorial {Easy + Looks Great}

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Hot Tools. All opinions are 100% mine.

‘Tis the season for holiday parties and events. Help your hair look its best this season with this easy and pretty braided half up half down tutorial!

It’s nice to mix it up and to try doing something new with your hair. This easy hairstyle for medium and long hair is a great way to do just that. It’s versatile too- try this braided half up half down tutorial for a casual get together with friends or a nice holiday party.

This pretty hairstyle works for practically any occasion. There are no complicated steps or ninja hair skills required!

To create this look, I used some of my favorite tools from the Hot Tools Signature Series. Many of my hairdressers have used a Hot Tools curling iron, flat iron, and hair dryer on my hair. Hot Tools products are widely used in professional salons.

Because everyone deserves beautiful, these styling tools are now available to everyone on Amazon, at Walmart, and at other mass retailers. Yay!!

Let’s get started with this easy braid tutorial.

Braided half up half down tutorial

Start with clean, brushed hair.

Gather a small section of hair from one side of your head.

Braid the strand of hair and add a ponytail holder at the bottom.

Repeat for the other side so that you have two braids, one on each side.

Starting at the top of a braid, use your fingers to pull the hair in the braid outward to the sides. This will make the braid look nice and wide. Keep pulling outward on the braid from the top to the bottom. Stop when the braid is your desired width. Take the two braids and bring them together in the middle back of the head.

Wrap one braid under then over the other one, like you are tying the beginning of a knot with the two pieces.

Take the two hanging braid pieces and twist them around each other. Use a small ponytail holder to attach the two pieces together, then remove the other two ponytail holders that were holding each individual braid.

This braided half up half down hairstyle looked good, but it definitely needed some pretty curls to take it over the top! I heated up my Hot Tools curling iron and curled the hair in small sections.

I love that I can adjust the temperature depending on the thickness of my hair. Thinner hair doesn’t need as long and uses a lower setting, while thicker hair takes a few more seconds at a higher setting.

The curls all turned out perfectly with my Hot Tools curling iron, even with very long thick hair!

Isn’t it pretty? It’s a really easy way to do something different that’s quick and gorgeous too! If you can braid and tie a knot, you can totally do this! Be sure to check out the new Hot Tools Signature Series curling iron, flat iron, and hair dryer. Because everyone deserves beautiful!

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