How to Wear Your Hair Up

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Co-authored by Ndeye Anta Niang

Last Updated: May 3, 2024 References

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Ponytail

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High Bun

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French Twist

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Expert Interview

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

Looking for different ways to keep your hair out of your face? We’ve got you covered! In this article, we’ll teach you 3 quick and easy hairstyles that you can create, whether you have thin or thick strands. We’re also providing tips on how to keep your hairstyle in place so you don’t have to worry about touching up your hair throughout the day.

Best Way to Put Your Hair Up

Brush out your hair to remove any knots or tangles.
Gather all of your hair where you’d like to position the ponytail.
Secure the ponytail with an elastic and pull on your hair to tighten it.
Hide the elastic with a strand of hair for a sophisticated look, then secure with a bobby pin.
Pull the ponytail through above the elastic to create twirls on either side of the base.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Ponytail

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1
Brush out your hair. To create a neat ponytail, your hair should be as smooth as possible. Run your favorite brush or comb through your hair to remove any tangles or knots.^{[1]
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- Ponytails work well with all hair types. However, if your hair is curly or wavy, you can straighten your hair before creating the ponytail for a sleeker look.
2
Gather all of your hair where you’d like to position the ponytail. You can use your brush or fingers to pull all of your hair back and hold it in a single hand. Collect the hair where you want the finished pony to be -- the middle back of your head, just beneath the crown, is a traditional spot, but you can go higher at the actual crown or lower at the nape of your neck if you prefer.^{[2]
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- While ponytails are usually positioned at the back of your head, you can also create one that’s off to the side just behind your ear if you prefer.
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3
Secure the ponytail with an elastic. Holding your hair in hand, use your free hand to wrap an elastic around your hair right against your head. Wrap the elastic as many times as necessary to hold the pony in place, and once the pony is secure, pull on the tail just behind the elastic to tighten it.^{[3]
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- You don’t necessarily have to use a hair elastic to secure the ponytail. A hair clip or ribbon can work well too.
4
Hide the elastic with a strand of hair for a sophisticated look. A basic ponytail can look neat and polished, but you can dress up the style a bit by hiding the elastic with a strand of hair. Use your fingers to lift a piece of hair from the side of the tail behind the elastic. Wrap the hair around the base of the pony so the elastic is concealed, and secure the hair in place with a bobby pin.^{[4]
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- Try to wrap the hair around the elastic so the end of the strand is on the underside of the ponytail to ensure the bobby pin isn’t visible.
- For an even fancier look, create a thin braid from the strand of hair that you lift from the ponytail before wrapping it around the base.
Loosen your ponytail a bit by sliding the elastic toward the end a bit to create a gap between the elastic and your head. Pull the tail of the pony over the elastic and through the gap until the entire tail is lying flat again and there are pretty twirls on either side of the ponytail’s base.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

High Bun

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Brush through your hair to smooth it, and gather it into a traditional ponytail beneath the crown of your head. Secure it with an elastic so it rests just below the crown of your head.^{[5]
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Twist the hair around the ponytail base to create a bun. Grab the end of the ponytail with your hand, and carefully wrap it around the base of the pony to form the bun. Keep it fairly tight as you wrap, so the hair will stay in place.^{[6]
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- If you have fine or thin hair, you may want to use a sock or hair donut to shape the bun. It can help bulk up the bun.
3
Secure the bun with bobby pins. Once you’ve wrapped the ponytail around the base, use bobby pins to keep the bun in place. Use at least 4 pins to secure the bun on all sides.^{[7]
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- If you have particularly thick or coarse hair, you’ll likely need more than 4 bobby pins to keep the bun in place.
To ensure that the bun stays in place all day, spray your entire head with a light coat of hairspray. Use a flexible-hold formula to avoid winding up with stiff, sticky hair.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

French Twist

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1
Tease the top section of your hair. Gather the top layer of your hair that falls over the crown of your head. Hold the hair straight up, and use a teasing comb to brush down against the hair about halfway to the roots to add volume. When you’re done, flip the hair forward over your forehead to keep it out of the way.^{[9]
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- If your hair is particularly thick, you may want to divide the top layer into 2 or 3 sections for teasing.
2
Gather your hair at the base of your neck. Use your fingers to lightly brush through the rest of your hair. Collect all of it at the nape of your neck as if you were making a low ponytail.^{[10]
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- Once you’ve gathered the hair, comb through it with your fingers once more to ensure that it’s as smooth as possible.
Starting at the base of your neck, begin twisting the hair from the roots toward the ends. Keep it very tight, and continue until you’re approximately three-quarters of the way down the hair.^{[11]
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Holding the hair carefully to keep the twist in place, pull the hair up so it rests against your head. Continue twisting the hair as you go, so it’s rolled all the way to the end, and push bobby pins into both sides along the twist to hold it in place.^{[12]
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Pull any loose hairs at the end of the twist into a tiny bun, tucking any stray pieces beneath the twist. Stick a few more bobby pins through the ends and down into the twist.^{[13]
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Pull the teased section back and smooth it into the twist. Use your fingers to carefully bring the hair back toward the twist and lay it over the twist. Work the pieces into the the twist so they’re fully incorporated, and pin them in place.^{[14]
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- If the teased section seems a little too messy, you may want to use a brush or comb to smooth it.
To keep your hair in place all night, apply a light layer of hairspray over your French twist. A flexible- or medium- hold formula is the best option because it won’t make your hair stiff.^{[15]
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Common Questions: Tips to Tie Your Hair Up

How can you pin your hair up easily?

Insert a standard bobby pin into your hair, with the wavy side facing your scalp. If you’re doing a bun or updo, hook the ends of a hairpin and slide it in place to secure large sections of hair.^{[16]
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How can you make your ponytail look thicker?

Use a teasing brush to backcomb your roots, or apply a volumizing spray or texturizer for instant lift.^{[17]
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Research source} You can also create a double ponytail, where you stack one ponytail on top of another, to give the illusion of a fuller ponytail.

How do you create a messy updo?

Tie your hair in a high ponytail and tease the bottom to add volume and texture. Divide your ponytail into 2 sections, wrap the first section around the base of your ponytail, and secure it in place with bobby pins. Wrap the second section around the base, pin it in place, then pull out some strands for a messy look.^{[18]
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Tips

No matter what type of updo that you choose, it’s always a good idea to finish with a light layer of hairspray. This will keep pieces of hair from falling out of the style.

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To give any updo a softer look, pull a couple of strands of hair loose on either side of your face to frame it. You can even use a curling iron to add a soft wave to the strands for a romantic look.

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