If stepping up your braid game wasn't already on your summer to-do list, it will be after you scroll through the dreamy Instagram account, Aurora Braids.
Run by two young sisters from Mathisdalen, Norway, Linda and Mia Charlotte Sønvis Bech, age 24 and 14, the feed features whimsical braided creations that are fittingly photographed against the snowy, mountainous and wooded backdrops of their pastoral hometown.
On posts of baby's breath-studded fishtail braids, cascading Dutch plaits and ribbon-woven French crown braids, comments from their 200,000 followers frequently contain numerous Heart Eyes emojis.
'As most girls, we learned how to braid when we were young. However, it wasn't until about five years ago that we learned how to create more intricate braids when we came across YouTube videos,' Linda told FEMAIL. 'That's when we started experimenting with different styles as well, and we became obsessed with braiding.'
The long-haired siblings first began posting their styles to Instagram two years ago, with a YouTube channel featuring how-tos following a year later. Already they've released a book, Eventyrlige Fletter og Frisyrer (translation: Fairy Tale Braids and Hairstyles), that contains nearly 70 step-by-step tutorials, as well as a companion app, Flette (or, 'Braids').
Their book and app are currently only available in Norwegian (though the pictures are very detailed), but with so many International fans, it seems it will only be a matter of time before English versions hit shelves.
In addition to fellow vloggers, Linda said that she and Mia find inspiration from Instagram, Pinterest, movies like Lord of the Rings and television shows like Game of Thrones.
'Mia loves messy, boho hairstyles, which usually includes a fishtail. I really like messy hairstyles as well, but I also really love to do soft, romantic bridal hairstyles,' said Linda.
Because the styles are so detailed - they are often made up of several types of braids and include embellishments such as flowers, seashells, ribbons or crowns - the girls either work on each other or on their middle sister, Elise.
'Easy hairstyles normally take between five to 20 minutes to do, while more intricate hairstyles that require some hair prep beforehand can take up to an hour or more,' said Linda.
While Mia's red hair is naturally thick, Linda, who has fine blonde hair, often wears clip-in hair extensions. To achieve even more volume and texture, they'll curl or crimp their hair prior to braiding.
Given their impressive level of talent, we weren't surprised to find out that they also take the compelling photos that fill their Instagram feed. The key to nailing the shots, Linda said, is lighting.
'We love to take pictures outside before or after the sun sets because the light is flattering during this time of the day. We also always try to make sure that our backgrounds look nice and are free of clutter.'
To keep their hair photo-ready, Linda said that they both try to only shampoo and condition once a week using products that are sulfate-free.
Feeling inspired? Give one of their braids a try and hashtag it with #aurorabraids so they can see your work.
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