Practical and perfect for combatting the heat, for me a ponytail is the ultimate hair power move. You’ll see it in films—just before a main character is about to save the day you can bet that they’ll tie your hair up. After all, sometimes you just need your hair off of your neck to feel a little more clear-headed. However, there’s no denying that the humble ponytail can be a little drab sometimes, right? And while it might look simple it can be tricky to get right. There’s nothing worse than facing a wiggly parting or lumps and bumps when all you want is a sleek, pulled-back pony.
“This is actually one of the hardest looks to achieve,” says Aaron Carlo, TRESemmé Lead Stylist. “The trick is do it in two steps—you can’t do it one! Firstly, divide the hair in half, start by tipping your head back—this will prevent the bottom of your hair sagging out of the ponytail—and then section the hair from ear to ear and going across to the top of your head and secure that in a ponytail. Then you can begin drawing hair up from the bottom and secure that into the ponytail. This way you have less distance and volume of hair to control and you avoid getting those bits of hair at the back which don’t sit smooth. To finish, Aaron recommends using a strong hold hairspray to lock in the style.
If a carefully curated messy ponytail is more of your zone but you can’t strike the balance then Aaron advises that you work with, rather than against, the natural texture of your hair. If you need to add some guts to the root for texture. “Dry shampoo is your best friend,” Aaron says. work in some of the TRESemmé Day 2 Volumising Dry Shampoo at the roots and then pull the hair into a top knot style and secure it quite tightly. From here you can pull out some face-framing bits, loosen hair at the roots to create that movement and body, and you can pin and place any loose bits of hair to create that ‘I just threw my hair up’ look that you know everyone wants.”
Take a look below for the best ponytail hairstyles that we return to time and time again…
Simple yet effective. Cover your ponytail holder with a section of hair to amplify the look.
Noted: this is how you make a retro hair look a present day trend.
The ultimate ‘second day curls’ style.
Tendrils are back and we’re into it.
Another take on the ponytail + tendrils combo, but this time it’s the braids edition.
The two textures in this ponytail plus the slicked edges are an elite combo.
Pineappling perfection.
An Ariana Grande-esque high, full pony can instantly complete a look.
Not got super thick hair for this look? Fake it with a realistic clip-in like these from Beauty Works.
It’s called laidback luxe.
The baby hairs take this ponytail to another dimension.
If super tight styles aren’t for you then a low, loose look is always in style.
For uniformed waves, secure your hair in place before you wave or curl your strands.
New level unlocked: elevating headbands with braided ponies.
For the perfectly imperfect low ponytail, smooth hair into the ponytail holder and then gently distress by teasing out tendrils.
Flyaways or layers? Smoothing on a gel or pomade will keep your style in check.
Hopefully you no longer need convincing that a casual ponytail is the perfect style for a summer fit.
A padded headband literally takes a low ponytail to new heights. Up next: from wolf cuts to bubble braids, these 6 hairstyles are trending right now.
