My hair–like most Asian hair–is a braiding nightmare. It’s fine, flat, and almost incomprehensibly smooth, which all sound like they’d be good attributes… except what they add up to is hair that, unless you apply product first or start with wet hair, just can’t hold a braid.

Kérastase aims to fix all us straight haired gals’ problems this fall, though, with a brand new Matéraliste Thickening Spray Gel ($38 CAD) and a 100-page e-book full of tips, tricks, and tutorials. 

Nowadays, I only really give hair tutorials in person (compulsively and enthusiastically, but uh… only after at least three shots of tequila), so you’re going to have to rely on Kérastase’s Book of Braids for your late summer/back-to-school braid training.

The book is “for all those who dreamed of artful braids but couldn’t,” so in the spirit of dreaming, here’s a special, 30-braid gift for all of you guys, illustrated by Jessica Durrant.

» Click here « to access your complimentary copy of the Book of Braids!