What’s the quickest way to your client’s heart? Send her out the door with a great braid hairstyle after her cut or color appointment and make her feel extra special. Pureology Artistic Director Jamie Wiley’s @jamiewileyhair shows the value of braids when it comes to finishing hair. In fact, she’s such an expert on the topic, Wiley teaches her techniques to fellow stylists and has been nominated for North American Hairstyling Awards and a Global Image Award for her work. But like everything else, braids evolve, and it’s important to keep up! Here are some of Wiley’s tips and tricks on the topic to stay ahead of the game.

1. Keep Sections Clean. “Clean sections are imperative with braid work,” Wiley says. “It’s common to spend as much time sectioning as it does to braid the hair. I like using Pureology Colour Fanatic Leave-In Treatment Spray  and a metal tail comb to section, and I always clip all hair that isn’t being braided tightly out of the way.”

2. Move with Your Braid. “Move your body in the direction you want the braid to move,” suggests Wiley. “It sounds basic but when you’re caught up in the hair, it’s easy to forget little things like your body position.”

3. Braid Direction Guides the Eye. Braids create a line that draws the eye toward the face or away from the face, Wiley points out. “Keep that in mind when creating a hairstyle. For example, a crown braid will draw the eye around the entire head. A Dutch braid draws the eye up while a fishtail draws the eye down.”

4. Hand Placement is Critical. Watch your hands as you braid and make sure they are moving in the right direction. For example, Wiley explains, when you are creating a Dutch or visible braid, your hands should move from “watch” (palm down) to “wrist” (palm up) as you’re braiding.

5. Product Accessibility Tip. “I like to use a priming product like Pureology Mess It Up Texture Paste to control hair while I’m braiding,” Wiley says. “I’ll often place a dab on the back of my hand so it’s easy to access as I’m braiding.”

6. Maintain Proper Tension. Tension keeps braids nice and close to the head, which prevents bumps and bulges, especially in the nape area. “Depending on what type of braid you’re doing you want to keep the backs of your fingers or your palms close to the head,” Wiley says. “And don’t be afraid to move your client’s head into a position that helps you keep the hair taut. Don’t torture yourself—she can tilt her head for a few minutes!”

7. Double Braid Duty = Style + Set. “This season, I was really inspired by Dion Lee’s sleek New York Fashion Week braids and I’ve been incorporating them into my salon work,” Wiley says. “I tell my clients this can be a great day-into-night technique. Use Pureology Beach Waves Sugar Spray to create one or two sleek, three-strand braids, depending on hair density, then remove the braids and tousle for messy waves. The sugar cane extract in the spray provides memory hold and your client gets two styles for the price of one! It’s also a quick set technique I teach clients to create beach waves at home. Clients who want waves but aren’t comfortable using curling irons love the idea!”

8. Braid, Braid, Repeat. “You have to do a braid at least 18 times for your brain to ‘get’ it,” Wiley says. “Many hairstylists struggle and then quit after only practicing a few times and decide they’re just not very good at braiding! But you have to invest the time to practice. After 18 to 30 times you will be able to ‘memorize’ a braid technique.”

9. Master the Foundations, Then Break the Rules. “The basics for every braid are the same, just like the basics for cutting hair,” Wiley says. “You have to master things like body position, sectioning and hand position. Once you do, go ahead and break the rules. But only when you have a firm grasp of the essentials!”

10. Have fun!

Discover how Pureology products and education can help you raise your braiding game!