Make Your Braid Appear Thicker (For us thin/medium hair folk)

**yellowchariot** · September 13th, 2010, 06:14 PM

I've been trying to find different methods on how to make a braid look much thicker on folks who have thin to medium textured hair, such as myself and others here. I think I have found a great solution! I was surprised by end result I got, and just how much of a difference it looks compared to a standard braid that I do. My hair looks very thick. I did a very very loose braid, using half pulled back sections, smoothing them out, and then crossing them over. I held my hands further out away from my head, as I progressed downward to my neck. This method gave me those cool wide looking sections that I have been trying to learn how to do. I braided as far down as I could and tied off. I had about 6+ inches of loose hair left. So I gradually starting loosening the braid, from the bottom, up. Then I slid the hair tie down, and kept repeating this process until I had no ends left. Here are the pics:

Here is a regular pic of a braid that I normally do:

Here are the pics that I tried with a looser method to make my hair appear thicker.

^ Those wider sections look awesome.

^ I tend to prefer that "fuller" look from the top going down to the bottom, especially when the scalp isn't showing

Let me know if this helps out any of you all who are seeking thicker braids/do's! Peace out!

**IStand4u** · September 13th, 2010, 06:21 PM

Beautiful! I prefer the look of wider sections as well, though I can only have them done in a single french braid like yours compared to the double that I have to wear for dance :P
Beautiful though!

**yellowchariot** · September 13th, 2010, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by IStand4u

Beautiful! I prefer the look of wider sections as well, though I can only have them done in a single french braid like yours compared to the double that I have to wear for dance :P
Beautiful though!

Thanks for the comment, IStand4U
I can only do 1 single braid as well! To much work to do 2 LOL!

**Gumball** · September 13th, 2010, 06:32 PM

Looks like you've got the drape braid technique going on near the end. Having the braid slightly looser does make for a thicker looking one, for sure! My braid varies depending on how cooperatively my hair feels like acting. The fluffier it wants to be, the thicker the braid, like having a bunch of polar opposite magnetic strings trying to repel one another.

**Carolyn** · September 13th, 2010, 06:37 PM

I do something like that too. I put the ponytail elastic on the end of the braid and then loosen up the bottom few crossovers. I think it helps make my braid look more even all the way down.

**MsBubbles** · September 13th, 2010, 07:35 PM

I think it'd work but I don't understand what you mean by: using half pulled back sections, smoothing them out, and then crossing them over. I held my hands further out away from my head, as I progressed downward to my neck. This method gave me those cool wide looking sections that I have been trying to learn how to do.

I'm dense when it comes to braids! Anyway, yeah it looks thicker on you for sure. I'm just not sure how my flimsy hair would stay in the braid. I think it might all slide out again if I did it loose. But I'll try anything to get my braid to look thick(er).

**Roseate** · September 14th, 2010, 12:39 AM

Both versions look great to me, just a different look. I'm a little jealous because my braids can never look so neat and trim as your first example. Looking good!

**Phexlyn** · September 14th, 2010, 01:29 AM

Yes, this method does give me thicker braids. I tend to do less and broader sections anyway since it's just faster. But, and this is a big BUT for me, the more fluffed up the braid is, the quicker it gets messy. And I mean really messy, braiding more loosely and fluffing it up kind of quadruples my flyaways. Which, in the end, means the braid looks nice only for around 30 minutes or so...