How-To: Festival Fishtail Braid

Coachella may be over, but festival season has only just begun. Over the next few months, music lovers will flock to festivals like Governor's Ball, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, and they'll be looking to you to help them dress the part. “Festival hair is all about the attention to fun details with an effortless approach,” says Anna Peters, Sam Villa ArTeam Member. And with the season running through August, there’s plenty of time to teach guests how to play along by adding texture and braids.

RELATED: 16 Coachella-Worthy Hairstyles That Don't Require a Flower Crown

Here, Peters breaks down the step-by-step for a dainty fishtail braid that packs a big style punch. “Place the braid in the front near the face for a festival fun feel,” Peters adds.

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Hot Tip: Don’t worry about being too perfect; the wispy hair hanging around the face gives it that perfect effortless touch.

  • Start with a two-inch section of hair near the temple a couple inches back from the hairline. Using the Sam Villa Signature Series Texture Professional Texturizing Iron, gently compress all the way down the hair to create 3X the volume.
  • Divide the section evenly into two sections holding one in the right hand and one in the left.
  • Take a very thin section of hair from the outside of the right section and cross it over to the inside of the left section.
  • Take a very thin section of hair from the left section and cross it over to the inside of the right section. *Keep sections thin to add more detail. Continue this process all the way down until you have the desired length of braid.
  • Holding onto the ends, start gently pulling each side apart to create fullness. Start at the bottom and work up. 
  • Secure ends with an elastic.
  • Spray with Redken Triple Dry 15 medium control dry texture finishing spray for a matte, lived-in finish and a touch of holding power.