Trying Out Those Famous Braids
Okay, so I kept seeing pictures of JLo, you know, with those sleek, tight braids pulled back. Looked sharp, looked clean. And I thought, “Hey, I could probably do that.” Famous last words, right? It looked simple enough in the photos, just a couple of braids going back. How hard could it be?
So, I decided to give it a shot one afternoon when I had some time. Didn’t really prep much, if I’m being honest. Just grabbed my usual stuff:
- A comb (the one with the pointy end for parting)
- Some hair ties, the small clear ones
- A bit of gel I had lying around
- A mirror, obviously
First hurdle: getting the part straight. My hair doesn’t always cooperate, and trying to get that super sharp middle part like hers? Took me a good ten minutes and a lot of squinting in the mirror. Felt like I was drawing a map on my own head.
Getting Down to Braiding
Alright, part sorted, kinda. Then I started on one side. The idea was to do a tight Dutch braid, or maybe French? Honestly, I just started braiding close to the scalp, pulling hair in as I went along the hairline, aiming towards the back. My arms started aching almost immediately. Holding them up like that? Not my usual workout.
Getting the braid tight was the real challenge. JLo’s always look like they’re glued down, super sleek. Mine? It started okay, but then bits started puffing out. I tried adding a bit of that gel, smoothing things down as I went. It helped a little, but it wasn’t that super smooth finish I saw in the pictures. It was more… textured. Yeah, let’s call it textured.
Finished the first side, tied it off. Looked in the mirror. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t JLo either. More like JLo’s distant, less coordinated cousin. My arm felt like jelly.
Round Two: The Other Side
Deep breath. Started the second side. Tried to make it match the first one in terms of height and tightness. This is where things usually go wrong for me – getting things symmetrical. It was a struggle. One braid felt tighter, the other sat a bit higher. I undid the start of the second one maybe three times before I just sighed and went with it. Perfection is overrated, right?
Finally got both braids done, tied off at the back. Smoothed down the flyaways around my face with more gel. The final look? Well, it was definitely inspired by the JLo braids. From a distance, maybe. Up close, you could see the effort, the slightly uneven parts, the frizz halo the gel couldn’t quite tame.
It took way longer than I thought – maybe 45 minutes all up? For two braids! And my arms were killing me.
The Verdict?
So, the JLo braids attempt. Was it a success? Eh. It was an attempt. It got my hair out of my face, which was a plus. Did it look like the superstar’s? Not really. It takes serious skill (or a seriously skilled hairdresser) to get that flawless look. Mine was more of a homemade, slightly lopsided version.
Would I do it again? Maybe if I had a lot of patience and stronger arms. It wasn’t a disaster, but it wasn’t the sleek, power look I was hoping for. It’s definitely harder than it looks. Respect to her stylists, seriously. For now, I think I’ll stick to my usual messy bun. Less arm ache involved.
