The simplest steps on how to do cornrows braid by yourself at home

Cornrows is a styling technique giving you a unique look without using heat. For basic cornrows like the front-to-back cornrow, we will give you easy ways to get excellent braids. If you know the fundamentals of braiding before, you’re already halfway to learn how to do cornrows.

1. How to do cornrows braid with detailed steps – Basic cornrows

Let’s prepare your hair – the first step in how to do a cornrows braid tutorial.

1.1. Wash & detangle your hair – The first and necessary step on how to do cornrows braid tutorial

Washing and detangling help prevent hair from breaking or becoming tangled during doing cornrows braid. If your hairs are Stringy hairs you need to handle it firstly.

You should keep your hair clean before doing cornrows by washing it with normal shampoo & conditioner.

While the hair is still damp, detangle it with a comb then apply hair cream to moisturize. When your hair is smooth and moisturized, it will be significantly easier for you to follow the next steps according to our how to do cornrows tutorial.

If your hair is firmly coiled, blow drying is necessary before braiding. Blow drying can help stretch your hair curls and make your cornrows look neater.

1.2. Section your hair – How to do cornrows braid step 2

Section your hair by rows front-to-back (from forehead to neck nape) with the pointed tail of a rat-tail brush.

Use bobby pins or small-tooth clips to hold the rows right in place.

Try to divide them into equal parts so that the cornrows are the same size.

To check more hair styles and taking care hairs tips for fashionable women

1.3. How to do cornrows braid step 3 – Ready to braid

Start braiding the first cornrow on top of your hair. Unclipping it and then dividing the row into 3 even sections by both hands, one holding a hair section and the other hand holding two remaining separate sections.

1.4. Cornrows Braiding – The step that determines whether you can successfully practice how to do cornrows braid

This step can be the hardest when you are a beginner learning how to do cornrows braid because you need to keep your hands tight so the sections don’t come loose.

(1) Beginning with the right or left section of your hands, move it over to replace the center section. Then do the same with the opposite section.

You will always have one hand holding a hair section and the other hand holding two remaining separate sections.

(2) To each stitch after that, add a small hair section from the row below. Repeat braiding as (1) by adding a hair section from below each time braiding a new stitch until the end of this cornrows.

If you do not add more hair to each stitch, the cornrows will be loose and fall out of your head rather than in a cornrow. That is the biggest difference between how to do a cornrows braid and how to do a French braid.

1.5. Finish the cornrow with a hairband – step 5 of how to do cornrows braid tutorial

Once the cornrow reaches your scalp, finish with a hairband to secure it.

At this point, you don’t need to add more hair to each stitch, just continue with the braiding step (1), and then secure with a hair tie when you reach the end of the hair.

1.6. Do the same with the remaining section – The last step in how to do cornrows tutorial

Repeat the braiding technique mentioned in step 5 for each hair section that remains on the head: Unclipping -> Dividing into three even sections -> braiding and after all securing the braid with hair bands.

At this point, if the result is beautiful hair, then you have learned how to do cornrows braid successfully. And if the cornrows haven’t lived up to your expectations, don’t be afraid to try again.

2. After learning how to do cornrows with basic braiding technique, try a more unique style

After you have successfully done the basic cornrows style, you can learn how to do cornrows with a more difficult technique.

2.1. Learning how to do cornrows braid side-swept for a unique look

Try braiding cornrows with a side-swept style if you feel the basic style is too boring. How to do cornrows technique for this style is quite similar to the basic cornrows in the first part, but it starts from one of the two head sides.

Instead of vertically, divide the head horizontally into three equal parts and begin at one ear. Begin each braid near your ear with the same steps as with basic cornrows.

Because the hair will be swept to one side, this hairstyle is suitable for anyone with a balanced face and a personality style.

2.2. Go for how to do cornrows in swirl style

Divide your hair into small sections from the forehead, but rather than parting straight back, creating curves from side to side and vice versa. For the remaining rows, parallelize the newly created row. Then start braiding in pre-divided rows.

You can braid it to the end of your hair or end it at the nape and tie it in a ponytail depending on your preference.

This style is suitable for any face shape and any style but the parting is more difficult than in other styles.

2.3. How to do cornrows braid with a ponytail for an active style

If you like to braid your hair in cornrows but still like to wear a high ponytail then this hairstyle is for you.

​​Follow the same steps as for the basic cornrows, but instead of stopping at the end of the hair, you’ll have to stop at the spot where you defined the ponytail. Do the same with all sections of hair and tie them into a ponytail. You are then free to braid the rest of each row as per your preference.

If you have an oval face and are in love with dynamic outdoor activities, this style is born for you.

2.4. How to do cornrows braid with a zig-zag style

If you’ve already mastered braiding cornrows, try learning how to do a cornrows braid in a zig-zag style for a completely different look.

Start from your forehead and parting sections in a zig-zag with 2-inch lengths. Then braid your hair as usual. This cornrows style can be combined with other styles like side-swept or just do one or two parts zig-zags, the others stay straight.

In general, how to do cornrows braid in different styles is only different in the step in which you section the hair.
You should avoid this style if you have a square face because it will make your face look more angular.

All the hair styles above can be braid from natural hairs or hair extension, a ponytail is suitable for the cornrows if you don’t have long enough hairs, and in this case we suggest you can find the high-quality hair like Cambodian Raw Hairs, Vietnamese Raw Hairs,…cho enhance your hairstyle.

3. How to do cornrows: Some tips to make your cornrows more unique

After learning how to do cornrows in many styles, you can learn some tips to make your cornrows to become more unique and stand out thanks to the below tips:

Use hair accessories that wrap around your hair in a spiral to make you look like a queen.

or you with look like this with your bang decorated with hair accessories:

Or you can choose more colorful accessories for an active style:

Another version makes you look softer and more feminine with part of the hair doing cornrows, the rest left loose:

Ponytail cornrows with colorful hair accessories at the ends of hair.

Spice up your cornrows with gold hair rings

A high bun on the top of the head or using hair extensions are also suggestions for you to have different and outstanding cornrows hair.