Advertisement

Mom of six creates cute hairstyles for her kids, becomes YouTube sensation

A sloppy side ponytail just isn't going to fly in the McKnight household.

"Mommy-braider" Mindy McKnight, mother of six, has perfected the art of creative updos for kids — and has become a YouTube sensation thanks to her cheerful hair tutorials.

"People were always asking how I styled their hair; how I did a particular braid. And, I thought, 'I'm going to do a blog and put up pictures,'" McKnight, who lives outside of Salt Lake City, Utah, tells TODAY.com. "It was a hobby and a way to document the hairstyles I had done."

Starting in 2009, McKnight and her daughters — of her six kids, five are girls — started uploading one video a week to YouTube. She hasn't missed a week yet.

Also see: Ruining your hair? Here's how to tell

She built a huge fan base with her simple braids, three-minute twists and ponytails. For pop-culture lovers, she offers Hunger Games-inspired hairstyles, and Disney-princess-approved looks.

She shares stories about motherhood, and, for fun, even dared to let her kids style her hair.

Her channel, simply called "Cute Girls Hairstyles," now has more than 1.6 million subscribers, and is a go-to destination for adventurous moms wanting to up their hair game.

Her "Feather Waterfall & Ladder Braid Combo" video racked up more than 13 million views. (In all likelihood, some frustrated amateur hairstylists probably watched the video a few thousand times just trying to get it right.)

Also see: Best hairstyles if you're crunched for time

I can't even French braid my own hair. The "Diagonal Bow Braid" scares me.

For beginner stylists and folks crunched for time, McKnight suggests checking out her "Daddy 'Do" section, which promises hairstyles "so easy, a dad can do it."

"I am a mom. My point wasn't ever to make money or draw an audience. My point was to document hairstyles and [I] thought it would be a cute way for my girls to have it. I had no idea it would resonate with so many people," she says.

Parents, do you style your kids' hair in the morning? Or do you stick with the tried-and-true strategy of brush-and-go?

And would you dare to try this at home?