Summer heat calls for easy, effortless hair that fights frizz and lets your face and neck breathe. Many Fashionistas rely on the popular ponytail to do just that, but why settle on just the everyday pony when you can make your #PonyPop!
Here are my easy-to-follow steps to making your ponytail sparkle this summer in two charming, fun ways.
The Front Facing Braid
Why Is This Style Popular?
This style trend is perfect for wet or dry hair, highlighting a beautiful glowy face, and can be replicated in three easy steps!
Who Is This Style For?
Pretty much everyone, although it works even better on textured or thick hair for gripping purposes. Perfect for shoulder-length hair or longer.
How To Get It?
- Create a very high ponytail and hold it with a rubber band. To create extra volume and a high ponytail, spray the crown of your hair with a root lifting thickening hairspray. Start at the base of the ponytail and begin creating a tight French braid. I recommend doing an inverted French braid to exaggerate its weaved look (which just calls for weaving your three-strand braid from underneath, instead of overtop). Once you’ve braided all your hair, secure with an elastic.
- Start pulling at the sides of the braid, through the entire length to create fullness and to make the braid as thick as it can be. Focus extra attention on the base of the braid, making it as wide as possible.
- Lay the ponytail forward-facing and hold it in place by vertically placing hairpins at the base of the ponytail to secure your ponytail to the top part of your head, allowing you (and others) to view your braid from the front. This reduces the movement of the ponytail. Finish with firm holding hairspray.
The Double Braid
Why Is This Style Popular?
This style trend is perfect for making thin hair appear thicker, and adding loads of interest to a plunging or backless shirt.
Who Is This Style For?
Loads of girls can wear this style regardless of your hair length. Works best for shoulder framing hair and longer.
How To Get It?
- Create a standard mid-rise ponytail and secure it with elastic. Create two separate reverse French braids, like I did here.
- Start pulling at the sides of each braid to make them as thick-looking as possible.
- Connect both braids by joining them together with underpinned, crisscrossed hairpins.
How to achieve a voluminous ponytail with a pull-through braid
I’m constantly on the lookout for new ways to style my hair, so when I came across this way to achieve a full-looking and voluminous braid, I had to share it with you guys! It’s such a lovely and unique way of styling a ponytail.
I love this hairstyle for day-to-day wear as well as a way to do your hair when you go out for a more dressy event or just a night out with friends. It’s a bit fiddly at first, but I promise that once you get the hang of it, it is so easy to achieve and will only take a few moments. The best part is that after you finish the braid, you can pull it out, so it looks super thick, just like a celeb! Think Blake Lively’s envious red carpet beauty looks, but without the hair extensions (or stylist to do it for you).
Have a read of the tutorial below!
What you’ll need:
- Plenty of hair ties — the small clear elastic ones will work best, but any will do
- A large hair clip
Directions:
- Begin by sectioning off the first part of the hair. Section it off at your temple just as if you were doing a half-up, half-down hairstyle and secure with your elastic.
- With the ponytail, you just created, clip it up and out of the way as much as you can.
- Start your next section with the hair just behind your ears and secure with an elastic.
- Unclip the first ponytail, split it into two and take the second ponytail you just made and clip it up out of the way.
- Create your next ponytail by taking most of your hair, just leaving what is at the nape of your neck and with this ponytail; you will combine the two sections from your first ponytail.
- Then unclip the last ponytail you made and split it into two (just like you did before), and clip your new pony out of the way.
- Repeat this process until all of your hair is secured.
- Start with your top section and loosely pull the hair out, and as you pull, you will feel the elastic tighten. Try to do small pieces at a time.
- Keep doing this with every section until you have achieved your desired look!
For a great video tutorial, check out this one by Alex Gaboury.
Tell us, will be you be trying these playful looks this summer?
Photography by Natalie Probst
Hair and Styling by Maritza Buelvas
Makeup by Brenda Arelano
Modeling by Bella Wholey and Raji V.
