Braided rose hairstyles are the new most Instagrammable trend for 2018
It's safe to say that the beauty industry has gone berserk in recent years. Putting aside our enduring love of extreme contouring and highlighting, 2018 has already seen a plethora of trends so bizarre and so unwearable that they somehow remain lodged at the top of our social media pages, championed by some of our favourite beauty bloggers.
I mean, you must have been living under a rock if you haven't seen the ladies of the internet donning nose hair extensions, McDonald's eyebrows and tinsel eyelashes, alongside more innocuous (but still out-there) styles such as floral eyeliner and now... the braided rose hairstyle.
What this 'do lacks in bizarreness, it more than makes up for in prettiness. And now that April has rolled around, and the first of the summer rays are starting to grace our parched winter bods, I hereby declare this the hairstyle of the spring.
Braided rose masterpieces have been flooding Instagram lately, and we can thank Connecticut hairstylist, Alison Valsamis, for the inspiration. Valsamis, the veritable braid whisperer of Instagram, boasts over 15.3K followers on the photo-sharing app, and she's become known for creating incredibly intricate updos.
The braided rose 'do, however, is perhaps her most complex style yet. Combining standard and dutch braiding techniques, Valsamis manages to create 3D flowers using nothing but hair.
But while you may assume that you'd never be able to replicate these Pinterest-worthy plaits, Valsamis stressed that even hairstyling rookies can achieve the look at home.
"To create these roses, I start with a small 3-strand braid rolled up to serve as the centermost part," the hairstylist told Allure. "Next, I alternate between standard fishtails and Dutch fishtails pulled apart to create depth. I finish with a Dutch 3-strand braid only pulled out on the outermost side to create the large petal feel of a rose in bloom."
To break it down further, Valsamis posted a how-to video on Instagram. In the demo, the hairstylist shows how she rolls a single braid around itself to form the centre of the rose. Next, she pins several fishtails around the centre to give the rose dimension. Finally, the key to giving the 'do texture is pulling apart the strands of the fishtail braids to loosen them - et voilà.
Well, it doesn't look too tricky after all, does it? I guess it's time to start honing our fishtail braiding skills, ladies. I mean, if you weren't already excited for the summer months, these braids are sure to get you in the spring mood. Whether you're hitting the festivals, or have weddings to attend, it's likely that this is the style we'll be seeing all season long.
Want more hair inspiration? We've got you covered. Paris Jackson has debuted the new unicorn hair style and she looks totally transformed