Braid Bars

New York City is always at the forefront of new trends, and this month, it's braid bars. You've heard of nail bars and blowout bars? Well, now you can stop in a salon and get your hair braided for a mere $45 and 20 minutes of your time. Beautylish headed to the John Barrett Salon in Bergdorf Goodman to see what could be achieved at the braid bar.

Upon my arrival, the lovely girls at the salon handed me a "braid menu," a book comprising pages and pages of various pictures of braids, either on celebrities or on models in photos plucked from magazines. I couldn't decide on a specific style, so I described to the stylist, Kaylee, what I had in mind: some sort of braid across the front of my head, and a messy updo in the back. Kaylee came up the idea of wrapping mini plaits around the messy bun, which I loved.

"You can start with clean or dirty hair," said Kaylee. "The best tip is to put a little wax on your fingertips and warm it up before braiding. This helps your fingers grip the hair more easily and helps you achieve a tighter braid." Kaylee then parted my hair and began braiding one side. "Always tease the hair a little at the roots before braiding," she said. "This will help create a little volume so your braid isn't completely flat against your head."

Twenty minutes later, Kaylee had created a gorgeous braid and messy updo, which looked even better with a few adornments. "Braids always look great with a bejeweled brooch or pin," said Kaylee. "And in darker hair, they stand out even more."