Mexican braids are ‘in’ now, appearing as an explosion of styles that stand unique to the ones who wear them. There’s so much that you can do with them that alterations are a common phenomenon. But how much do we really know about where they came from?
Here’s a little bit about braids before we jump into hairstyles. Why the history? It’s actually pretty interesting since so many details have been lost with time. Braids are originally said to be a Mexican art form. Women from the country have hairstyles as varied as any other Northern women, even more on certain occasions.
Traditionally, Mexican women kept their hair long making it difficult to manage in the subtropical climate. Eventually, they came up with the idea of Mexican braids to keep the luscious locks tucked away from the shoulders to prevent the hair from interrupting daily activities.
Although they are a common sight when you step into Mexico, the land of braids, people all over the world started adopting their hairstyles because they are so attractive and unconventional. Who wants to do the same old hairdo every single day? So we decided to press the pedal and get the game on for your hair with these flashy yet elegant hairstyles.
Mexican Braids also help the hair from getting overheated, letting you work in peace. To know whether this is true, check out these Mexican braided hairstyles that get all eyes on you if you pull them off just right.
If you’re not familiar with braiding your hair for a refreshing Mexican hairdo, here’s how to start off getting your basics right.
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How to Braid Your Hair for Mexican Braided Hairstyles
So you’ve decided to start, but you haven’t done this before. Not to worry, we have that covered. Firstly, what you need to do is detangle your hair since braiding is easier when the hair is knot-free.
Next, you’ll need to divide your hair into a few sections preferably. Do this at the nape of your neck. Depending on the style that you want to try out, the number of sections will vary. As you’ll see later on, some styles require several sections while others require fewer ones.
Once you have divided the hair into sections, you’ll need to take one section over the other so that one crosses over the other. Take the part that’s over the other, lead it to underneath, and over the top again. You’ll need to do this for each section simultaneously so that the branding is done properly.
Finally, continue the braid, alternating on right and left sides until you only have a few inches of hair left. Pull the sections tight to keep the braid secure. Once you’ve done this, check out the following 5 hairstyles that instantly make you cheerful.
There are certainly a lot more than these five styles but they are far simpler, to begin with and carry on different occasions. In addition, Mexican braids might require a lower level of maintenance as mentioned by those who’ve been carrying braids for years together.
7 Hairstyles With Mexican Braids That Get All Eyes On You in 2022
Mexican braided hairstyles are actually up and coming in 2022. That’s why we’ve put together a bunch of the best ones for you to try out. If you’re new to this, this should be even more exciting as you’ll learn different hairstyles and above all, experience the vibrance that comes with getting it right in the later trials.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right into the seven styles to get all eyes hooked on you.
Long Ponytail Mexican Braid
The long ponytail braid is one of the most common braids that you’ll find Mexicans doing. Even though it looks pretty easy to create, it’s best to take things slow. This style is ideal if you’re out with friends, and family or having a dine-out plus drinks with people from work.
The first step is to part your hair into three separate sections. Taking the middle section, start by doing a dutch braid. Keep braiding down the back of your head, making sure that everything’s done tight. As you continue going lower, add in a few extra pieces from the middle section to turn it into a plait. Once that’s covered, it’s time to secure your hair with an elastic.
Take the remaining hair from the left and right sections, and start a French braid on top of the first one. Keep grabbing pieces and finish the braid. In order for you to do it perfectly, it’s best to keep a rear mirror so that you’re able to pull off the long ponytail braid properly.
Frida Kahlo Braid
If you’re not familiar with Friday Kahlo, she was born on July 6, 1906, and was a famous Mexican artist. She was most popular for her self-portraits among other works as well. She had a very unique way of wearing her hair by blending her own signature touches with traditional styles. Even though this was a long time ago, Frida’s style is still popular today, and you can try it out as well.
Firstly, you need to make a center part and brush it out to the top. Next, use hair elastics to make pigtails that could either be low (if you have short-length hair) or they could be started from the mid-top (if you have moderately long hair).
Next, you need to braid the pigtails while keeping them tight. In order to give the braids more volume, massage them lightly by pulling them a little outward. Then you’ll have to pull the braids and pin them in place. Pull one braided pigtail over the top, and press them flat using a bobby pin. Bring the other braid up and over, and pin it into place.
The icing on the cake is made by the flowers. You can use flower clips or craft something up on your own. Dahlias are native to Mexico so you could try using them as well.
Mexican Braids With Beads
This is probably the most popular hairstyle that has gained even more attention recently. The best part about this hairstyle is that you can easily make this unique using beads of your choice. Larger beads are preferable as they give you more space to pull your hair through them. Moreover, you can place numerous beads or just a couple of them depending on your preferences.
Big hole beads that likely range from 5mm to 8mm should be just fine. What you’ll need to do first is line up the beads according to the combination that you have in mind and then insert them into a beader. An important point to note is that the bead you put into the hair beader tool first will be at the bottom of the braid.
After you have pulled your hair through the beader, you need to make sure that the beads don’t fall out. For that, you could fold the end of the braid until it reaches above your last bead by a centimeter. In addition, a rubber band could save them as well.
Mexican Braids With Ribbons
Although this style is more suited to children or girls who are still attending school, it still suits anybody who can get the right combination of the style and the ribbons. This is a difficult one in the sense that it’s always easier if you have someone to do this for you rather than finding your own way through the process.
The main attraction lies in the ribbons that you choose to go with the braids. Since the style is based on ponytails that are later turned into braids, you need to ensure that the ribbons are longer than the ponytail. First, you need to make a ponytail and add the ribbon, and then part out a small section of hair from under the ponytail. Make a microband, and wrap it around the base of the tail.
Next, you need to take small sections from both sides of the ponytail but you don’t want them to be too close to each other. Braid and secure the ends afterward. Then, you’ll have to use the ribbon as your middle strand and make a regular braid.
The hardest part is to keep the micro braids in place and do the needful along the way. If you’ve aced that, you can add another ribbon to make things even more colorful.
Braids With Rings
These weren’t really popular in the past since beads made up a major portion of people’s preferences. However, this style has become popular in recent years. There’s a bit of a ‘bad-girl’ attitude you can pull off with this one. Well, we’re guessing that’s the point of it!
Take rings of any kind, preferably smaller but not too small. Then, you’ll need to pick one of two options. Either you could do multiple braids or stick with two/three. The better option would be to go with multiple braids since that makes way for more rings to be placed on the braids.
There are attachable rings you can find online. Get the ones that you like and simply clip them on to your braids. This hairstyle is fairly simple and doesn’t really require a lot of effort once you’re able to do Mexican braids properly.
Latina Red Ponytail With Braids
This is the bonus style that you could try out. Mexicans are usually called Latinas when they live in America, but there are a bunch of different countries (including Mexico) that are known to be of Latin origin. Hence, you could join hands with sisters in other nations and pull off a style that represents the color within their hearts!
This hairstyle is about three things – color, a high ponytail, and braids. What you need to do first is create a high ponytail after you have braided your hair. Next, you need to make sure that the ponytail is held tightly so that there’s more volume going down your back. All of this is made flashy using a highlight that revs things up!
You could use red, purple, violet, blue, or any other color that you find attractive. There are other colors that are more easily washable so you could try using them instead before going for the long haul.
FAQs
You might have a few questions that are related to maintaining and styling your hair using Mexican braids. That’s why we’ve put together a few frequently asked questions that might come in handy.
Do Mexicans Do Box Braids?
Mexicans generally do not do box braids since it bears such a strong connection with Africans. However, if you want to try them out, you most certainly can but box braids are unique to Africans.
How Can I Protect My Mexican Braids During Showers?
It’s actually pretty easy. All you need is a plastic bag and you need to clip your braids together. Once that’s done, put a large shower cap or the plastic bag over your head before taking a shower.
What Is The Most Trendy Mexican Braided Hairstyle Now?
Currently, the most trendy style is anything with beads. The section on the style with beads will help you pull off this hairstyle at ease.
Final Thoughts
Braids were originally developed by Mexicans but somehow, the knowledge of this tradition got lost along the way. That didn’t come in the way of the rising popularity that Mexican braids have brought to this world.
It’s the uniqueness and the unconventional style of the braids that make them so popular. Once you know how to braid your hair, you actually have a range of styles that you could try out. As you become an expert in wearing various styles, you can even merge two together to see how it looks!
