Hair Tutorials & DIY:
Every Style, Explained
From your first French braid to cutting your son’s hair at home — RaDona’s step-by-step tutorials break down every technique into moves you can actually follow. Written guides plus real salon videos for every skill level.
🧶 Braids · 🌀 Updos & Buns · ✂️ Haircuts at Home · 🌊 Wavy & Curly · ▶ Video Guides
- Tutorials on this page
- Braid tutorials
- Updo tutorials
- Haircut guides
- Styling guides
All tutorials include: written steps, difficulty rating, tool list, and a real salon video.
Braid Tutorials
Braids are the foundation of dozens of hairstyles. Master the French and Dutch braid and you can do virtually any braid variation — they’re the same three-strand technique with one key difference in direction. Start here, practice twice, and you’ll have it.
French Braid
The classic — strands cross over the middle as you add hair from the sides
Medium difficulty · ⏱ 8–12 min · Ages 6+
The French braid is the gateway to almost all braid styles. Once it clicks, everything else follows naturally. The key is adding hair from the sides with each cross — keep sections small for a tighter, neater result.
- Section: Gather a triangle of hair from the crown. Divide into three equal strands.
- Start braiding: Cross right over middle, then left over middle — one complete cycle.
- Add hair: Before crossing right over middle, pick up a thin strip of hair from the right side and add it to the right strand. Cross over. Repeat on the left.
- Continue: Keep adding hair from both sides with each cross until you reach the nape, then finish as a regular three-strand braid to the ends.
Dutch (Reverse) Braid
Strands cross under the middle — creates the raised, 3D effect
Medium difficulty · ⏱ 10–15 min · Most popular
The Dutch braid is the French braid’s raised sister — same technique, strands go under instead of over. That one change creates the eye-catching raised effect. Perfect for volleyball, school, and character-inspired styles.
More Braid Styles
Updo & Bun Tutorials
Updos are the most versatile hairstyle category — they work for school mornings, sports, formal occasions, and everything between. These three styles cover 90% of situations where you need hair up and out of the way.
Messy Bun in 5 Minutes
The quickest polished updo — works on any length from shoulder to long
Easy · ⏱ 3–5 min · All ages
The messy bun looks better when you don’t try too hard — that’s the whole secret. Pulling, twisting, and deliberately leaving pieces loose creates a look that a perfectly neat bun never can.
- Gather: Pull hair into a high ponytail. Secure once loosely.
- Twist: Twist the ponytail around itself loosely — don’t tighten.
- Secure: Wrap the elastic around the base 2–3 times, leaving the ends loose.
- Loosen: Pull gently on pieces from the bun to add volume. Pull a few face-framing pieces forward.
Competition Bun (Dance & Gymnastics)
Tight, slick, stage-ready — holds through any performance
Medium · ⏱ 10–15 min · Performance ready
The competition bun is in a different category from the messy bun — it needs to survive lighting, movement, and a three-hour event without budging a millimeter. Gel and a hairnet are non-negotiable.
- Apply gel: Work firm-hold gel through the hair from roots to ends before gathering.
- Sleek ponytail: Gather into a high, tight ponytail using a bristle brush to smooth. Secure firmly.
- Form the bun: Wrap hair tightly around the base. Pin with 8–10 bobby pins in an X-pattern.
- Net and spray: Cover with a color-matched hairnet, secure with final pins, then mist firmly with strong-hold hairspray from 8 inches away.
Haircuts at Home
Cutting hair at home is learnable. The key is having the right tools, understanding a few fundamentals (working in sections, consistent guard usage, and blending), and managing your expectations for the first few attempts.
Essential Tools Before You Start
| Tool | What it does | Budget pick | Worth spending more? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordless clipper set | Main cutting tool with adjustable guards | $30–45 | Yes — cheap clippers pull hair |
| Haircutting scissors | Scissors cut, detailing, texturizing | $15–25 | Yes — craft scissors create split ends |
| Cutting comb | Sectioning and guiding cuts | $5 | No — any fine-tooth comb works |
| Spray bottle | Keeps hair damp for even cutting | $3 | No |
| Cutting cape | Catches clippings | $8 | No — an old towel works fine |
| Handheld mirror | Checking the back | $5 | No |
Boys’ Haircut at Home
Clipper technique for toddler through teen — saves $20–30 per visit
Medium · ⏱ 15–25 min · Any age boy
The key principle: work in sections, always move the clipper against the direction of hair growth, and blend by using one guard size larger where two lengths meet.
- Prep: Dampen hair slightly. Use guard #3 or #4 for the sides and back for most school-age boys.
- Sides and back first: Work upward from the neckline with smooth, consistent strokes.
- Blend: Switch to one guard size larger and go over the transition line to blend where you started.
- Top with scissors: Comb the top hair up and trim with haircutting scissors — point cut for texture, blunt cut for a cleaner finish.
- Neckline: Use the trimmer with no guard for a clean neckline. Follow the natural hairline curve.
Trimming Bangs at Home
The one trim most parents need to know between salon visits
Easy · ⏱ 5 min · Girls & boys
Overgrown bangs are the most common between-visit frustration. This is the one cut where a single technique is worth learning — done right, it takes 5 minutes and holds for 3–4 weeks.
- Dampen only the bang section. Dry bangs spring up after you cut them — wet cuts ½ inch longer than you want.
- Comb straight down, then hold between your index and middle fingers at the desired length.
- Point cut: Cut tiny upward snips into the ends (not straight across) — creates a softer, more natural finish.
- Let dry, then check — never make adjustments while wet.
Common Mistake
Never cut bangs straight across in one pass — it creates a blunt, old-fashioned line that’s very hard to fix. Always point cut (snip upward into the ends at an angle) for a soft, natural result.
Wavy Hair Styling Tutorial
Beachy waves are the most-requested “effortless” look — but they do need a few minutes. The good news: once you know the technique, they work on almost any length and texture above straight-fine.
Two Methods: Heat & No-Heat
| Method | Time | Best for | Tools needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curling wand (1″ barrel) | 10–20 min | Any hair type, lasts all day | Wand, heat protectant spray, soft brush |
| Flat iron waves | 10–15 min | Straight hair, crisp waves | Flat iron, heat protectant |
| Overnight braids | 0 min (morning) | Long hair, natural texture | Hair ties only |
| Sea salt spray + diffuse | 5 min | Wavy to curly natural texture | Sea salt spray, diffuser |
RaDona’s Wave Tip
Wrap away from the face on all sections, not toward it. Waves that face away from the face look more natural and modern than the old “toward the face” technique. Also: let each section cool completely before touching — this is what makes waves last all day instead of 2 hours.
Want RaDona to see your hair in person? Book a visit at her Nephi salon.
Curly Hair Tutorials
Curly hair has its own rules — and once you understand them, beautiful curls are reliable and repeatable. The foundation is moisture, the enemy is heat and manipulation, and the reward is hair with natural dimension that straight-haired people spend hours trying to create.
Curly Hair Tutorial — Defining Your Curls
Wash-day technique for defined, frizz-free curls that last days
Easy once learned · ⏱ 20–30 min wash day · Worth it
- Detangle only when wet and saturated with conditioner — always from tips to roots, never roots to tips
- Apply curl cream or leave-in conditioner to soaking-wet hair (not damp — wet). The water is your medium
- Scrunch upward toward the scalp rather than scrunching downward or rubbing
- Diffuse on low heat or air-dry — never rub dry with a regular towel (use a microfiber towel or cotton t-shirt)
- Don’t touch until completely dry — touching breaks curl formation and creates frizz
All Video Tutorials
800+ free videos on RaDona’s YouTube channel — filmed in her Utah salon with real clients. Browse the playlist below or subscribe to get every new tutorial automatically.
RaDona’s YouTube Channel
800+ Free Hair Tutorials
Every tutorial on this page has a companion video filmed in RaDona’s Utah salon. Braids, buns, haircuts, wavy and curly styles — all free to watch and follow along.
Tools & Products RaDona Recommends
Having the right tools makes the difference between a tutorial that works and one that doesn’t. These are the exact tools and products RaDona uses in the salon, available on her Amazon storefront.
Browse RaDona’s Full Amazon Storefront
Every tool and product RaDona uses in the salon — organized by style and technique.
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800+ salon tutorials. New every week.
All tutorial guides
🧶 French Braid Tutorial Video + written steps
✨ Dutch Braid Tutorial Video + written steps
🌀 Messy Bun Tutorial Video + written steps
🌊 Wavy Hair Tutorial Written guide
Where to go next
Want RaDona to do it for you?
Cuts, color and styling by appointment at 465 E 600 N, Nephi. Call or text (435) 580-9160, or watch hundreds more tutorials free on YouTube.