How to Style Your Hair in a Perfect Ponytail

Pulling off the perfect ponytail is easy once you know a few tricks.

Step 1: Start with day-old hair The perfect ponytail starts with hair that hasn’t been washed in the past 24 hours. Freshly shampooed hair is more difficult to control.
Step 2: Moisten the ends Moisten the ends with a leave-in conditioning creme.
Step 3: Brush your hair Brush your hair to the back of your head with a natural-bristle brush.
TIP: For a high ponytail, brush the hair up toward the crown of your head. For a low ponytail, brush the hair down and over your ears, gathering it at the nape of your neck.
Step 4: Secure the hair Wrap an elastic ponytail holder around the gathered hair. For a polished finish, remove a small section of hair from beneath the ponytail and wrap it around the holder a few times before tucking the end into the holder.
TIP: Tilt your head back before you tie the ponytail to prevent bunching.
Step 5: Smooth the tail Smooth the tail by running a flat iron over it once or twice, or wrapping it around a round brush and blasting it with your hair dryer on hot for 20 seconds.
Step 6: Prevent flyaway hair Holding a can of hair spray about 12 inches from your head, mist your entire hairdo.
Step 7: Pull out some pieces If you’d like some locks to frame your face, gently pull out a few front pieces of hair.
FACT: An Indian man pulled a 39-ton train 33 feet with his 12-inch ponytail in April 2008.