High Ponytail

The high ponytail is power-styling in one move — instantly lifting, snatching and elongating the whole face. Sleek and shiny it's red-carpet; with a little wave in the tail it's playful and youthful.

The secret is a smooth, tension-free base and a hidden elastic. Here's how to slick it without breakage, add height and longevity, and keep the tail glossy all day.

How to get the look

1. 1

   Start on clean, towel-dried hair and mist with heat protectant.

2. 2

   Rough-dry, then section and shape with a round brush or wand.

3. 3

   Define the style — waves, volume or sleekness — working in small pieces.

4. 4

   Set with a flexible hairspray and break it up with your fingers.

What you'll need

Hand-picked products — tap to shop on Amazon or Google Shopping.

• Round brushOlivia Garden ceramic round brush
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• Ionic blow dryerDyson Supersonic hair dryer
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• Heat protectantColor Wow Dream Coat heat protectant
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• Curling wandghd curve curling wand
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• Sectioning clipsDiane sectioning hair clips
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• Texturizing sprayOribe Dry Texturizing Spray
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• HairsprayLOreal Elnett hairspray
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Your step-by-step product routine

Use them in this order for the best, longest-lasting result.

1. 1

   Protect. On damp hair, mist a heat protectant (Color Wow Dream Coat) from root to tip — it shields the strand and cuts heat damage by up to 70%.

2. 2

   Rough-dry. Take hair to 80% dry with an ionic dryer (Dyson Supersonic) to fight frizz, then smooth and lift the roots with the round brush.

3. 3

   Section. Clip hair into sections (Diane clips) and work one at a time — small sections give a far cleaner, longer-lasting result.

4. 4

   Shape. Style each section with the wand or brush (ghd), curling away from the face and leaving the ends out for a modern bend.

5. 5

   Texture. Once cool, work in a little texturising spray (Oribe) for grit, separation and movement.

6. 6

   Set. Mist a flexible hairspray (Elnett) and break the shape up with your fingers so it moves instead of helmet-setting.

Pro tips

• Leave the very ends out of the wand for an undone, lived-in finish.
• Tip your head upside down for the last minute of drying to build root volume.
• Smaller sections give cleaner, longer-lasting results than big ones.
• Curl away from the face for the most flattering, modern bend.

How to make it last

To keep the style fresh overnight, loosely pin or pineapple it and sleep on silk.

• Silk pillowcase = less frizz, smoother mornings
• Refresh with dry shampoo and a quick re-curl, not a restyle
• Avoid over-touching — it flattens the shape

Common mistakes to avoid

• Brushing out curls completely instead of breaking them up by hand.
• Skipping heat protectant, then wondering about the breakage.
• Curling everything in one direction so it looks stiff.

FAQ