10 easy ponytail hairstyles for the perfect up-do

Sometimes you just don’t have time to tame your hair or rock the latest look and all you want to do is grab a hair-tie before you run out the door. We’ve rounded up some cute ponytail hairstyles that will work for any hair type, length and age. You may always want to wear your hair up.

You may have tried this one before, and I wouldn’t blame you if you had put this ponytail hairstyle on the back burner. The real trick for this style is to keep the pony loose to give it that delicate look, rather than a slicked-back George Washington-type of hairdo. Soften the look by pulling a few strands loose to frame the face. The great part about this technique is that it even works for short hair. I know those flowing locks down your back sometimes seem like the way to go, but this ponytail can be just as cute with shorter strands. Hair stylist, Matilde Campos, recommends using a styling cream just before gathering your hair back into any of these ponytail hairstyles. “Rub in the styling cream to your hands like lotion,” she explains. “You don’t want it to be at all clumpy, but you want to allow it to disappear into your hands.

A slicked-back ponytail is a classic, but adding a colourful hair clip will make you look like you tried much harder on your hair than you really did. The accessory just takes the pony up a notch while making the up-do look a bit more put together. For a sleek pony, Campos likes to use a boar-bristle brush. “If you’re looking for a sleek pony, this brush helps to tame down all those fly-aways, and give you the smooth look for the perfect pony,” she claims. “At the end of your styling process, spray a little finishing spray or hairspray on the brush and smooth out all of those bumps and say goodbye to all the static.

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Take your naturally curly hair and scoop it up into a pile on top of your head. The messier the better. This style is playful and takes minimal effort, flaunting your curls while not worrying about having to keep them tame. It may even be easier for those with natural hair because it already has so much volume, you won’t have to worry about it falling flat.

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Yes, scrunchies are trendy again! Add a little extra charisma to your ponytail with this cute and comfy accessory. With an endless number of colours, sizes and patterns, you can find a scrunchie to match any outfit. These are especially great for people with longer hair, as scrunchies will cause less damage than the average elastic that could potentially cause breakage.

Grab your hairspray and get ready to channel your inner mid-2000s Snooki! Just kidding, but her notorious bump serves as inspiration for this style. Kate Middleton is going for a more subtle bump, but as you can see, the volume dresses up your average, run-of-the-mill ponytail. You’ll have to tease the crown of your head before tying your hair back and when you think you have enough hairspray, add a little more just in case. You can also curl the ends of the ponytail just to give it a little something extra, just make sure you curl your hair before tying it back. “Curling, waving, or straightening your hair will always be a better idea than trying to do so once the hair is in the ponytail,” says professional stylist, Megan Curtain. “Styling it beforehand will be easier and will sit better once put up.”

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Pull your hair back as tight as possible for this sleek ponytail. It may help if you flip your head over and begin gathering hair that way before using a brush to pull everything back tightly. The high ponytail lengthens your face, ultimately drawing attention to your cheekbones and making your face look narrow.

Frizz is not your friend and no matter how many anti-frizz products you massage into your hair, sometimes the humidity just wins. The bubble ponytail is perfect to keep the frizz at bay if your hair is prone to puffiness. This style can be worn with a suit or with sweatpants, and most importantly, your hair will stay off of your neck and out of your face. You can even wrap the ponytail around itself and pin it up for a tamed bun.

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Level up your ponytail by adding a subtle side braid. This look can be as clean or as messy as you would like, depending on the occasion, and it works especially well at keeping an overgrown fringe away from your face. Just make sure you have enough bobby pins on hand though, because, in my personal experience, they all eventually go missing. Try adding some dry shampoo to give flat hair a little more texture. “Once your pony is set in place, spray the top part of your ponytail in sections to get it throughout your hair. This will add volume and movement to your pony and it will give it the bounce you’re looking for,” explains Campos.

Similar to the bubble ponytail, this braid keeps your frizz tamed, giving your ponytail a sleeker look. All you need are two hair-ties on hand, and you can create this look anywhere, even on the go! Perfect for a nice dinner, picnic in the park, or even lounging at the beach. When you take your hair down at the end of the day, you may even be able to shake out your hair to create that sought-after beachy waves look for the next day.

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