Because my wash day routine takes me a whopping one and a half to two hours (that includes washing through styling and here’s my most recent final product) I only shampoo and deep condition twice a week and figure out ways to extend my styles in between. I love wearing my hair down the most as I feel like myself when my curls are fully out and fluffed, but the easiest routine consists of cleaning my curls and braiding them into different patterns and looks. When I aim for braids I usually go for my classic double dutch ones, which you can see worn half up in this post. However, my most recent between wash cycles look is this extraordinarily easy three strand dutch side braid! My aunty taught me how to braid my hair when I was barely in elementary school and I’ve employed the skill every month since then. I loved practicing my french braiding tactics, but I inherently go for dutch braids because I’m left handed and start every braid apparently the wrong way. In order to achieve this three strand dutch braid, I start off by sectioning my hair into two small chunks from my side part to the opposing side’s ear. I braid those tiny sections into two dutch braids until I reach the bottom of the ear and then I braid normally till I reach the end. After tying those pieces off with clear elastics, I start dutch braiding the last of the three strand braids from the opposite ear of the two braid one and work my way across the back of my head, incorporating hair into each new piece. When that chunky side braid gets to the previously mentioned sections of hair, I add one small braided section into that larger braid and regular braid till I’m pau (did that make any sense at all? If not, here’s Missy Sue!). I would normally pull each of the three strand braids apart to add volume, but my curls were frizzy as hell and I liked the definition!
