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How Experts Get the Perfect Ponytail

Expert hacks for volume that lasts.

We all know that a ponytail looks best when holding it in your hand. It’s transferring it to elastic that’s the hard part. Something happens between looking at it in the mirror and tying up your hair. Sadly, we’re sometimes left with a ponytail that lacks volume and droops. So, how do the experts nail the perfect ponytail every time?

Featured Experts

• Wes Sharpton is a Hairstory Pro & Educator
• Danielle Priano SexyHair Ambassador
• Steven Picciano is a National Artist for Goldwell
• Raven Hurtado is a stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago
• Marie Nino is a stylist and colorist based in New York

How to Get the Ponytail of Your Dreams

The road to the perfect ponytail can start during the drying process. “When blow drying for a sleek pony, think about where the hair will end up when you are finished,” Goldwell national artist Steven Picciano explains. “Directing the roots towards the crown will help the hair lay perfectly flat and lay sleek without any bumps.”

Stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago, Raven Hurtado, adds that a little teasing is her secret to instant volume. “If I want to create volume, I tease the roots at crown for lift and secure the ponytail with an elastic,” says Hurtado. “For a little more volume, I pull at the roots. If I want a pony to look extra full, I add a ponytail clip-in extension like RPZL Human Hair Pony, matching it to the hair color so it seamlessly blends in.”

You’re Using the Wrong Elastic

A major culprit to a falling-flat ponytail can be the elastic itself. And it turns out that many hairstylists aren’t even using regular hair elastic.

“A trick that a lot of professionals use to avoid a drooping ponytail is using a hair bungee,” explains SexyHair ambassador Danielle Priano. “A bungee has two hooks on each side that you secure at the base and then wrap around the hair. This allows you to keep your hand in place while securing the hair, allowing minimal disturbance to the final ponytail. Definitely worth trying out!” This will also help secure your perfect ponytail, meaning no more tightening throughout the day.

“For a secure and neat ponytail, use a hair tie that has two hooks on the end,” adds Hairstory pro and educator Wes Sharpton. “This means you don’t have to loosen the hand holding the ponytail to wrap the ponytail holder. Just wrap the band around a few times until it’s tight. Then hook the hooks into the band to make sure it’s locked in and secure. After securing the ponytail, take a small section of hair from underneath and wrap it around the base of the ponytail to hide the band. You can easily pin it in place with a bobby pin.”

How to Tie the Perfect Ponytail

New York stylist and colorist Marie Nino suggests the double-pony hack if you want to create more volume. This can be achieved with two standard elastics.

“To create a voluminous ponytail, divide your hair into two sections,” she advises. “Secure the top half in a ponytail at the crown. Then, tilt your head back slightly and secure the bottom half into a second ponytail just below the first. Let your head return to neutral, then pull the top ponytail over the bottom one to blend them together for a fuller, longer look.”

Picciano says this method is also useful if you have thick hair. “If you have a lot of hair, multiple hair ties will help keep your pony propped up,” he advises. “Take a section from the top of your head to behind each ear. Brush all of the hair in the back straight up to the crown and secure with a hair tie. Now, take the front section and brush to the existing ponytail. Put a second hair tie over the first and your pony will be well-supported and much more comfortable.”