Defining Your Personal StyleDefining Your Personal Style

As a cosmetology student, you need to understand how to make a dizzying array of hairstyles, including the cornrow. This style, which originated in Africa, has become popular with a wide group of people, including men, women, celebrities, and even athletes. Master these cornrow basics and you can start crafting beautiful variations in no time.

Making Basic Cornrows

Mastering cornrow braiding is the first stop in your crash course in cornrows. If you know how to expertly craft individual braids, you can move on to using them to create unique and highly personalized styles.

• Wet the hair with a spray bottle filled with a mixture of water and detangler.
• Brush the hair to remove tangles and to spread the water through the strands evenly.
• Part the hair down the middle of the head in the front.
• Collect a portion of hair into your hand and separate it into three sections.
• Create a basic braid by alternately pulling the right and left stranded over the middle.
• Secure the individual cornrow with a snap bead, hair clip, end bar, barrette, or bolo tie clip.
• Braid the rest of the hair in this fashion.

Cornrow Variations

Now that you know how to make cornrows, you need to understand a few basic styles. That's right, not every cornrow hairdo will look the same. Some of the most common cornrow styles include:

• Straight cornrows: the most basic cornrow hair design. Braid the entire head of hair and let each braid hang loose and free along the face.
• Hybrid cornrows: features a few sections of cornrows pulled back into a pony tail to create a contrast between braided and non-braided hair.
• Zigzag cornrows: intricate braids that cross the scalp in a variety of patterns.
• Circular cornrows: cornrows fashioned in multiple circular patterns on top of the head.
• Buns: collect several of the braids at the back of the head, curl, and pin into a tight bun.
• Mohawk: pulls full-headed cornrow braids onto the top of the head for a faux-mohawk look.

Appropriate Uses of the Cornrow

The cornrow is a very adaptable hairstyle that is appropriate for a wide range of situations. The most common variables when choosing appropriate cornrows is the width of the individual braids and the tightness of the style.

Thinner braids in loose patterns are generally more appropriate with casual cornrow styles, such as circular or half-braids. Formal situations generally require thicker, more tightly woven cornrows, such as the goddess cornrow.

This adaptability makes the cornrow something of a challenge for beginning hairstylists like you. Which is why you need to get practicing it right away. Talk to your cosmetology school teacher and try to schedule a lesson plan on cornrows. They can help you master the subtle variations of this always fashionable hairdo. To find out more, contact a business like Capilo Institute.