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How To Style A Mermaid-Inspired Fishtail Braid For Halloween

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Halloween is just around the corner, which means you only have a few days to get a killer costume together. If you’re sick and tired of piecing together random articles of clothing in hopes that they’ll look like a costume, we’ve got an idea for you that’s all about the hair: a mermaid fishtail braid.

Whether your mane is ash blonde or you’re more of a dark brown hair girl, this fishtail braid is going to make you feel like you just came from under the sea. We teamed up with Jackie Litscher, Redken artist, for this not-so-spooky style.

 

Prep Your Hair

Apply Redken’s Full Frame 07 All-Over Volumizing Mousse throughout your hair and use a large paddle brush to comb any snarls out of your hair so that your hair is smooth and detangled before you start styling. The conditioning hair mousse volumizes from root to tip, with volumizing polymers for added lift and body. Then, section off your hair into six parts: one at the top of your head, one at the crown, one on either side of your head, and two in the back of your head.

 

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Pump Up The Volume

Working with one section at a time, take a random 1-inch segment of hair and spritz it with Redken’s Iron Shape 11 Thermal Holding Spray. This lightweight spray protects your hair from flat irons and curling irons up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit while adding shine and reducing frizz. Use a crimper to crimp the 1-inch segment of hair from the roots to the ends. Crimp a few more random segments of hair before moving onto the next section. Continue these steps until you’ve crimped your entire mane. Crimping your hair before you braid it helps to create volume at the roots and all over your head, ensuring you get the voluminous fishtail braid of your dreams.

 

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Begin Braiding

Part your hair beginning from the right side of your head, moving all the way across to your left ear. Secure the rest of your hair up and away from this section. Starting at your hairline, begin to craft a fishtail braid with the sectioned-off hair. To create the fishtail effect, take a half-inch section of hair from the outside of left ponytail and cross it to the right ponytail. Repeat the process on the opposite side, taking a segment from the outside of the right ponytail over to the left.

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Continue crafting your braid until you get a little more than halfway down your hair and secure your braid with a hair clip, leaving about three inches of loose hair. Then, part your hair on the left side of your head to create a center section. Beginning at your hairline, craft a second fishtail braid with the center section of hair. Continue crafting your braid until you're left with about three inches of loose hair and secure the braid with a hair clip.

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Move on to the last section of hair and begin crafting a fishtail braid at your hairline. Once you’ve completed a third of the braid, switch your technique from a fishtail braid to a traditional three-strand braid. Continue your three-strand braid until you reach the end of the hair and apply Redken’s Move Ability 05 to your ends. Use a fine tooth comb to rough up your ends and create texture before pancaking your braid to create volume and secure the braid with a clear hair elastic.

halloween mermaid hairstyle

Finishing Touches

Unclip the third braid from the crown of your head and roll it to create a rosette effect, before pinning the rosette to the side of your head. You may have to use several bobby pins to ensure the braid is secure.

halloween mermaid hairstyle


Clip the third braid at the crown of your head, away from the other two braids. Then, gather the loose ends of the first two braids and braid the loose ends together to create one fishtail braid. Secure the braid with a hair elastic and use a bobby pin and a small section of hair to create a seamless finish. For a final touch, create some more texture on your ends, so it looks like you’ve just been swept ashore from the sea.


Just like that, your mermaid hair is ready to take first place in the Halloween costume contest!

Interested in having your hair professionally styled this Halloween? Use our salon locator to book an appointment with a stylist near you.

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