How to get Naomie Harris’ polished braids

For our December cover, industry-renowned hairstylist Peter Lux styled Naomie Harris’ braids to create dramatic do’s, here’s how you can get the look

Last month the Marie Claire team descended on a studio in London to shoot our December cover star, Noamie Harris. The film star arrived on set with polished braids which the hairstylist left to flow and piled on top of her head. Follow these 3 simple steps to get cover-ready braids.

Step one: Prep the hair

The best way to clean your curls before braiding is to double shampoo. After wetting your hair, use a clarifying shampoo like the L'Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Clay Re-Balancing Conditioner, £4.99 to get rid of excess product build-up and reset your curls to their natural pattern. 

After giving this a good rinse, lather up the Dream Lengths Long Hair Shampoo, £4.99 to give your hair an immediate boost of hydration. The product is enriched with keratin and castor oil so it will protect against breakage too.

Step two: Moisturise

Braids and twists are a great way to protect your hair from breakage but if you try to create the style when your hair isn’t nourished it can cause even more damage. That’s why conditioners, serums, enriched oils and creams are your best friend before braiding. 

Start off by smoothing a big squeeze of the Dream Lengths Long Hair Conditioner, £4.99 and leave it in your hair for around three minutes. You could also pop on a shower cap whilst you wait to increase absorption. 

After rinsing this out go in with the holy grail moisturiser, L’Oréal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Wonder Water, £9.99. By combining moisturizing agents and amino acids with Lamellar Water Technology, the water-based formula fights frizz in 8 seconds. If you have textured hair, you should work two to three doses of the product into the lengths of your hair. 

If your ends need a little more love, take two to three pumps of the Dream Lengths Sleek Frizz Killer Serum, £8 and twist your hair between and around your fingers.

Step three: Style

Rinse your hair well and divide it into several sections using a wide-toothed comb. Slather some of the No Haircut Cream, £8 onto each section to protect it from heat and start to blowdry each section applying tension to each piece. 

Once your hair is fully dry, separate it into neat sections starting at the back of your head. Divide each section into three pieces and begin to braid or twist the hair - this is when you should add extensions if you want to create a longer braid. 

Once Naomie’s stylist, Peter Lux, had followed these simple steps he intertwined the braids with a Valentino Garavani silk scarf to add some colour and shape to a coil on top of her head. For another look, he created a simple twist with all of Naomie’s braids and allowed a few to fall around her face which enhanced the twists and softened her features.

All products listed by L'Oréal Paris

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