We just can't get enough of big, beautiful, voluminous braids! This week, we've teamed up with our friend Kassinka, who shows us how to create a side braid with ultra volume, perfect for those summer nights out with your girlfriends. Combining topsy tails with a fishtail braid, this side braid is chic, feminine, and most importantly, super easy to create once you've mastered the basic hair techniques.

Kassinka wears her Seamless Blonde Balayage Luxy Hair extensions in this tutorial for ultra volume in her braid. While this step is not necessary, we recommend using a few wefts from your Luxy Hair extensions for that added volume and thickness in your braid. Click here for more reasons to wear hair extensions.

Step 1

Start by curling your hair into loose waves. You can also curl your extensions separately at this point, to prep them for use. Be sure to use a maximum heat setting of 250F when curling your Luxies, to ensure not to damage the hair. 

Step 2

Bring all your hair to one side of your head, as we want the majority of this braid to be created on the side. Then, separate a section of hair at the temple and clip in a 3-clip weft at the roots. 

Step 3

Gather a section of hair at the top of your head from both sides of your head and create a ponytail, securing with a clear elastic. 

Step 4

In order to create the topsy tail, make a little hole at the top of the hair elastic, flip the ponytail, and pass the hair through it. 

Step 4

Create another small ponytail, adding in hair from the other side of your head and bringing it around. Secure with an elastic, then make another topsy tail.

Step 5

Repeat step 4 until you have 3-4 topsy tails running all the way down to about the bottom of your ear. Be sure to add in hair from the other side of your head when creating each new topsy tail, so that there is no loose hair left on one side of your head.

Step 6

Move the topsy tail-ed hair out of the way, and clip another 3-clip weft at the roots of the loose hair remaining. 

Step 7

Gather all your hair together, separate into 2 sections, and start fishtail braiding all the hair. Can't remember how to fishtail braid? Here's a refresher.

Step 8

Fishtail braid all the hair down to the bottom and secure with an elastic.

Step 9

Once all the hair is braided, start to pull apart little sections to make the braid look even thicker. Pinch the hair and gently pull on it starting at the bottom of your braid and working your way up. Then, tug gently on each topsy tail to give them more volume and loosen them up. 

That's it! Add in some flowers or sparkly accessories to jazz up the braid, or leave it as is.

This braid hairstyle looks complicated but is super easy to create, and we just love how voluminous the braid looks with a few Luxy Hair extensions wefts added.