Ponytail tricks every girl should know

Ponytail has always been every girl’s go-to hairstyle. Whether you’re going for a casual look to wear at the movies, or a fancier but low-maintenance ‘do to wow everyone with at a party, there’s always a ponytail hairstyle for you. You could be having a bad hair day or running late (or both)—pulling your hair up into a ponytail offers the easiest, fastest solution to get you looking fresh and ready for the day. It’s a no-brainer!

We’ve put together the most practical hairstyle tricks for you so you can hack your way to the perfect ponytail. Go ahead and make the pony gods and goddesses proud!

Ponytail hairstyle tips

1. Keep your ponytail in place

Girls always wish for a shiny, silky-smooth hair. It’s everybody’s #hairgoals—until you put your hair up in a ponytail and your shiny, silky-smooth hair makes it impossible for your hair band to stay on.

To keep your ponytail from sliding down your head all day long, tease the part where you’re placing the elastic which holds your ponytail. You may also apply texturizing products such as dry shampoo or a few spritzes of hairspray before securing it with elastic (we love TONI&GUY Matte Texture Dry Shampoo and TRESemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray). This should give your ponytail a more secure hold that’ll last all day.

2. Add length to your ponytail

Did you recently get a cut and feel like your hair’s not growing fast enough for you to achieve the hair-tail-style you’re going for? Add a bit of length to your pony by parting your hair into two sections: top and bottom. The top section is all the hair from your ears up, and the bottom section is all the hair from your ears down.

Put the bottom section into a low ponytail at the nape. Then, gather the top section and secure it in place with an elastic about three to four inches from the first ponytail. Make sure the top ponytail is big enough to hide the bottom ponytail. This will instantly add about four inches to your ‘do!

Editor’s Tip: If you’re tired faking it, you can also wash your hair regularly with shampoo and conditioner like Sunsilk Strong & Long Shampoo and Sunsilk Strong & Long Conditioner, which help your hair become stronger as it grows. This pair nourishes your strands, making them stronger, longer.

3. Avoid hair damage and split ends

Yanking off the elastic when you’re ready to let your hair down can cause multiple hair problems—hair loss, damage, and split-ends being some of them. To make it easy for the rubber band to slide off without harming your strands, coat it with a leave-on conditioner before wrapping your hair with it. It’s also a good idea to stay away from hair elastics that have metal clasps. Choose seamless, fabric ones as they are much less harsh. Your hair will thank you for it.

We recommend: Cream Silk Standout Straight Leave-On Cream. Not only will it help your elastic slide off easily, it will also make your hair soft, smooth, and frizz free.

4. Avoid the headache

Ariana Grande always looks amazing with her high-and-tighty ponytail, and we’re pretty sure you could pull it off just as well. Our only piece of advice? Please don’t do it every single day. Some may be more sensitive than others, but putting your hair in a super tight ponytail pulls the nerves in your scalp. This is the reason why your head starts to throb when you put your hair up. Instead, opt for a loose-and-low ponytail style that doesn’t restrict the scalp. Then, keep the base of the ponytail fastened loosely and rested near the nape of your neck.  

Different pony hairstyles are aplenty and a quick search will lead you to hundreds of ponytail ideas. So keep these tips in mind and you’ll soon be a pro at rocking the good’ol ponytail.