The French braid is one of the first hairdos many of us learn as kids. But if you didn’t learn or are just looking to cut down on the time it takes, there are some gizmos out there that promise to get you the perfect French braid with very little fuss. But do they work? We put two to the test.
We put Conair’s French braider up against a smaller, generic French braider from Amazon and both claim that even a beginner will be able to master the style.
Sana and Ceci chose to try the Conair model, and Dana tried the smaller tool. We actually ended up ditching the smaller tool about halfway through because it was clear it was too small for even medium-thick hair. Lesson: Size matters.
Getting started was a bit of a challenge for everyone. The instructions weren’t super clear, so I definitely recommend watching the video so you can learn from them. Basically, both tools are divided into four slots and you will alternate putting sections of hair into the different slots. Then pull hair from either side of the tool and repeat the pattern. You can also play around with where you start the braid. Most started at the crown of the head and that seemed to work well.
It was also a little difficult to hold the tool AND sort the hair at the same time, so get those fingers loose! I think the braiders were lucky to have me reading the directions because they didn’t have ANOTHER thing to hold. When you try this yourself, I recommend having the braidee read out the instructions – especially for your first time. Or, if you’re braiding your own hair, maybe tape the instructions to the mirror so you don’t have to mess with the paper.
Everyone was satisfied with their end results. This would be great for beginners or dads learning to do their daughters’ hair. The smaller tool wasn’t a complete waste, as the instructions were easier to follow and you can still use them for the Conair French braider, which definitely gets a FAB from me and the team!
