Ponytails Are Forever (Especially in Summer)

by Valerie Gladstone — September 7, 2007

If there's one hair style that never grows old, it's the ponytail. Because of its usefulness in getting the hair off our necks and away from our faces, the style always makes a functional alternative. My haircutter Pepe leaves my hair a little long in back in the summer, just so I can pull it into a ponytail. The long ponytail is a great choice for summer, especially fastened low on the head with a few simple touches that transform it from common to elegant.

How to Do It

Start with clean, straight hair. Mist all over with a light-weight shine spray. Brush through from roots to distribute the product evenly. Without forming a part, sweep hair back with a paddle brush. Secure the ponytail just above the nape of the neck with a snag-free elastic.

Gather a small section of hair (the width of a pencil) from the underside of the ponytail and lightly coat the strand with a dab of pomade. Wrap the hair around the elastic band until you run out of length and fasten with a bobby pin on the underside of the elastic.

Separate the tail into three equal sections. Spray one section with hair spray, wrap it around a one-inch barrel curling iron, hold for 15 seconds and unroll. Repeat with the remaining sections, then twirl the entire ponytail around three fingers to form one curl.

Tips

• Make sure hair is completely dry before pulling it back and don't wind the elastic too tightly around the ponytail.
• Blonds shouldn't use colored elastic bands because the color can bleed.
• If you have bangs, sweep them to the side, rather than foreword. Lightly mist with aerosol hairspray to keep them in place.
• Spritz flyaway strands.
• If the curl drops, pin hair into a bun and leave there for half an hour to refresh.

Styling Products

T3 Tourmaline Professional Paddle Brush ($22 at www.sephora.com)
Alberto VO5 Dazzling Shine! Ultra Light Shine Spray ($3.50 at drugstores and www.vo5.com)
Pantene Pro-V Style texturize! texture & Shine Defining Pomade ($16 at drugstores and www.pantene.com)
Ojon Flexible Finishing Hairspray ($23 at www.ojon.com and www.nybeautysecrets.com)