How to do a corn braid at home? Take a look at a complete guidance from hair enthusiasts to achieve this fashionable hairstyle and turn your appearance.

How to Do a Corn Braid for Your Hair Completely

The usual hairstyles for long high include body waves, straight hair, layers, or curls. If you want to make something more interesting, you might love the idea of braided hair. At the same time, there are different braid options for you to choose, including d

0readlocks, twist outs, and cornrows. They are all popular and fashionable styles for young people.

This article by Jen Hair aims to give you complete guidance from hair enthusiasts on how to do a corn braid at home. Do not hesitate to dive in now!

Among the various options like dreadlocks or twist outs, cornrows are a popular and fashionable choice. (Source: The Emory Wheel)

Overview about braids and cornrows

Definition of cornrows

Cornrows are a distinctive braiding technique where hair is woven tightly against the scalp in row patterns. This style involves braiding hair strands from the roots to the tips, working upwards and inwards. The braids continue along the full length of the hair, creating a seamless look.

Originally, cornrows featured straightforward, linear designs. However, over time, they’ve evolved to include complex and creative patterns. These intricate styles showcase the versatility of the technique.

The roots of cornrows can be found in African culture, where both men and women traditionally sported this hairstyle. While the style has ancient origins, it has maintained its popularity, especially among women, into the present day.

Cornrows have transcended their cultural beginnings to become a widely appreciated and adaptable hairstyle. They offer both practicality and aesthetic appeal, allowing for personal expression through various designs and patterns.

Differences between cornrows and braids

Two braided hairstyles, the Dutch braid and the French braid, look similar but they are different. Both involve splitting the hair into three sections.

For a Dutch braid, you take the left section and cross it under the middle, then take the right section and cross it under the middle. You keep repeating this pattern by going under with the left and right sections.
For a French braid, it’s the opposite. You take the right section and cross it over the middle, then take the left section and cross it over the middle. You keep going over with the right and left sections.
Cornrows are braids that use a technique like the Dutch braid by crossing the hair under, but opposite from the French braid which crosses over.

However, while Dutch and French braids typically consist of two to three sections on the head, cornrows come with more than three hairlines on the scalp.

Cornrows share a similar technique with Dutch braids but are the opposite of French braids. (Source: Harper's BAZAAR) — Cornrows share a similar technique with Dutch braids but are the opposite of French braids. (Source: Harper’s BAZAAR)

Use Your Fingers for Braid Visualization

To avoid confusion regarding the placement of each hair section, there is a helpful technique. Employ your thumb, index, and middle finger to separate the sections. Then, assign each finger to represent a specific section – the left, middle, and right sections of hair, respectively. This method will aid in visualizing and organizing the braid more effectively.

Begin the Braid

To begin how to do a corn braid, first cross one section of hair over the other section, making an X shape, just like when you begin a regular braid. Start with the side sections of hair, either the right or left, and cross the hair over the middle piece of hair created by your index finger.

Then, take the middle section of hair and bring it to the side, replacing the piece of hair that you just used to overlap it. After crossing the sections over each other, use your fingers to bring in a new piece of hair from the side into the middle section. Be sure to keep each piece of hair held tightly so the braid doesn’t get loose.

Within the section of hair you are braiding, create a small, horizontal parting. (Source: Instructables)

Create the Cornrow

As you start braiding, keep a firm grip on the hair. Take a small piece of hair, about half an inch wide, from the loose unbraided section. Then combine that small piece with the middle section of hair you’re braiding. Repeat this step, crossing both left- and right-side sections over the new center section as you continue down to the nape of your neck.

Braid the Ends

As you near the back of your head, secure the ends of your hair by braiding them together in a traditional manner. Cross each side section over the center and smoothly switch fingers to take each side section over the centerpiece. Since you are approaching the end of the braid, there is no additional hair to incorporate into the braid at this point.

Start by crossing one section of hair over the other in a crisscross pattern. (Source: Popsugar)

Secure the Braid with an Elastic

Continue following the previous steps until you reach the very end of your hair length, and then use an elastic to secure the braid in place. Repeat steps one through the end for the remaining areas of your hair. And there you have it — you have successfully created cornrows for yourself.

How to cornrow braid your own hair with extensions

When it comes to how to do a corn braid with extensions, follow these guidelines.

Here’s another way to rephrase it in simple terms:

Begin by separating your hair into the sections you want braided into cornrows. As an optional step, you can apply Cream of Nature Argan Oil Edge Control to help lay your hair flat and make it easier to manage. If doing thicker, larger cornrow braids, using a hair gel or pomade can provide extra grip and help keep the braids looking tidy.

Next, divide the hair into three sections at the starting point of the cornrows. As you start doing the cornrow braids, keep picking up and adding in new pieces of hair from the sides with each stitch. If you want to add hair extensions, feed them into the braid as you go along. Use your pointer finger to hold and control the new extension hair while gradually braiding in the rest of its length. Keep doing this, adding hair from the sides or extensions, until you’ve cornrowed your whole head.

To achieve a natural look, braid the hair two to three times before introducing the extensions. This helps blend the extensions seamlessly with your natural hair. Once you have completed the cornrows, apply some hair mousse for added hold. Finally, use Cream of Nature Argan Oil Edge Control to lay your edges and give your hair a polished finish.

Secure the ends of your hair by braiding them together in a traditional manner. (Source: Popsugar)

Typical types of cornrows

Consider the following styling suggestions before starting on how to do a corn braid at home!

Cornrows with extensions feed-in

Currently, this cornrow style is highly popular and fashionable. To enhance the thickness of the cornrow strands, you should incorporate hair extensions in the middle region of the scalp. These extensions can either match the natural hair color or create a contrasting shade. Additionally, you can further enhance the beauty of your hair by adorning the braids with accessories, with an extra touch of allure.

How to cornrow braid your own hair with extensions

When it comes to how to do a corn braid with extensions, follow these guidelines.

Here’s another way to rephrase it in simple terms:

Consider using a hair jam to enhance grip and neaten the cornrows. (Source: Pinterest)

Typical types of cornrows

Cornrows with extensions feed-in

You should incorporate hair extensions in the middle region of the scalp. (Source: Swivel Beauty)

Big cornrow braids

This cornrow hairstyle is similar to the Dutch braid, but with more hair sections involved. It typically features five to six rows of braids across the entire head, so it is a more time-efficient choice. Moreover, this cornrow style is easy to maintain and care for because the larger twists allow for better absorption of essential hair products.

Cornrows braided into a bun

It is challenging to manage the length of cornrow strands for long hair. In this case, generating a bun is a great option. Once you have finished all the cornrow sections, gather them up to a bun. This updo style with cornrows will beautifully enhance your overall look!

Tree braids cornrow

This hairstyle blends cornrows with other braiding methods, offering a unique twist on traditional cornrow techniques. Unlike standard cornrows that run from front to back, this style incorporates small cornrows only at the hairline. The remaining hair is left unbraided and curled, creating a contrast in textures.

For a polished appearance, the loose hair should be styled carefully to harmonize with the braided sections, resulting in a unified and eye-catching look.

This tree braids cornrow hairstyle is a fusion of cornrows and other braiding techniques. (Source: Braid Hairstyles)

Half cornrow braids

For a straightforward and easy cornrow design, you can follow the same initial steps like a traditional cornrow braid. After twisting each section of hair until the base of the neck, secure it with a knot. Then, leave the remaining hair unbraided and styled as desired. You can choose to keep the loose hair curly or straight, as both variations look great with this look.

Jumbo cornrow braids

The Jumbo cornrow style is quite familiar to cornrow enthusiasts, as it is a traditional and well-established style. To achieve Jumbo cornrow braids, it is essential to have naturally thick hair. Or alternatively, you can use weaves for added volume. The hair strands should be straight and tightly braided from the front to the back sections. It is crucial to ensure that the hairlines between each twist are distinct and clearly visible.

The hair strands should be straight and tightly braided from the front to the back sections. (Source: StyleCraze)

Ponytail cornrow

If you are looking to take your cornrow style up a notch, consider gathering the strands and tying them up towards the crown of your scalp. This method creates a ponytail cornrow style, which creates a lively and dynamic vibe. To make the hairstyle even more eye-catching, you can add gold cuffs or rings to each cornrow strand, to make your hair truly stand out.

How to maintain the cornrows

Ensure a clean and moisturized scalp: It is crucial to thoroughly wash your hair and cleanse your scalp before getting cornrows. Use a deep conditioner to minimize flakiness caused by dryness.
Keep the hair strands hydrated: Regularly apply hair oil to moisturize both the cornrow rows and the scalp. Avoid using high-temperature dryers for your cornrow strands after washing. In addition, apply UV-protection oil to your hair before exposing it to sunlight.
Protect cornrows while sleeping: It is also important to take care of your cornrows during sleep. You can use a bonnet to maintain the shape and moisture of your braids. Alternatively, you can use a silk scarf as a substitute for a sleeping hat.
Avoid keeping cornrows for too long: It is recommended not to wear cornrows more than six weeks. It is because over time, the scalp stretches and the hair strands are unable to evenly absorb essential oils. Otherwise, keeping cornrows for an extended period will cause scalp pain, weaken the hair, and lead to breakage and shedding.

It is recommended not to wear cornrows more than six weeks. (Source: Swivel Beauty)

Final Thoughts

When it comes to how to do a corn braid with tight braids and visible hairlines, it is important to choose suitable human hair extensions. Lace frontal/closure and wig hair are the best options as they feature effective bleached knots and provide a secure attachment to the scalp.

To find these hair products, you can explore reputable sellers of human hair extensions online. One such popular destination is the official website of Jen Hair, a leading hair vendor in Vietnam and Asia. We offer a wide range of options and our dedicated K-Hair staff is available 24/6 to provide exceptional customer service and assist you with a convenient ordering process. Contact us today!

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How to Do a Corn Braid for Your Hair Completely