With the summer months finally here, there's one hairstyle that every girl should master in her repertoire: the high ponytail. From sleek and sexy to playful and perky, ponytails have been a style staple for women since the 50s, and don't seem to be leaving anytime soon. Not only are ponytails a summer essential simply because they're functional, but the perfect high ponytail can take your summer outfit from "I just threw this on" to "It's a look."
So, what's the trick to creating that perfect ponytail to complement your summer looks? From Ariana Grande's signature larger than life ponytail to Beyonce's recent Met Gala look featuring a high ponytail, we're sure we can all agree that the key to the perfect high pony lies in thickness, volume, and texture. If you have fine, thin hair, stay tuned. This week, we're revealing the secret to get a celebrity-status textured high ponytail with volume, regardless of your hair type. It all starts with clip-in hair extensions, the trick to adding instant length and volume to your hair.
Watch the video tutorial below, or read on for full instructions on how to achieve the perfect tousled high ponytail with volume.
In this tutorial, Catherine uses her Seamless Blonde Balayage Luxy Hair extensions, which transition from a darker Dirty Blonde shade to a lighter Ash Blonde shade at the bottom. Seamless hair extensions are perfect for this ponytail hairstyle, as they are bound with silicone at the root of the weft, allowing them to lie completely flat against the head.
Tousled high ponytail with volume
Step 1
As any prom or bridal hairstylist will tell you, second-day hair is the best kind of hair to work with for textured and volumized hairstyles, as the hair tends to hold better with minimal hairspray or hair product required. If you can't wait a day before wearing this hairstyle, give your hair a quick spritz of sea salt spray to add some grit and texture.
Step 2
Separate a section of 2-3 inches at the front of your face on either side. If you need, clip the rest of your hair away to hold it back. In order to create a lifted look at the back, apply some dry shampoo at the roots and backcomb your hair with a teasing brush for added volume.
Step 3
Separate a section of hair at your ears. Then, take a 4-clip weft and clip it in upside down at the roots, in the direction that the ponytail will be gathered. This will allow the wefts to lie completely flat without pulling at the roots.
Step 4
Separate another section of hair at the crown of your head and clip a 3-clip weft in upside down. If you have naturally thicker hair, you can add a few more layers of wefts, or even stack 2 wefts together to a create a thicker weft.
Step 5
Once you are satisfied with the placement of your wefts, gather your hair into a ponytail (leaving the front sections from earlier out) and secure it into a high ponytail.
Step 6
Separate layers of your ponytail and tease each layer at the roots with a teasing brush to add extra lift.
Step 7
Moving toward the front of your head, clip two 1-clip wefts in behind the separated section of hair, toward the back. Then, gather your natural hair over the wefts, and clip all the hair back for now. Repeat on the other side.
Step 8
Gather both front sections of hair, including the 1-clip wefts, brushing the hair back with a Loop Hair Extensions brush. A loop brush will ensure that the wefts do not pull at the roots, as it glides easily over clipped in wefts. Then, join all the hair into the back ponytail, securing with another elastic.
Step 9
Spray some hairspray underneath the ponytail as well as over your head to smoothen down flyaways.
Step 10
Now for the tousled look. Using a 1 inch curling wand, wrap 1 inch pieces of hair from the ponytail around the wand. For a messier look, curl each section in alternating directions.
Step 11
Once everything is curled, use a dry salt spray or texturizing mousse to mess the ponytail up and create a more beachy, tousled look. Apply the product on the ends of the ponytail, and scrunch upwards for extra volume.
Step 12
Using a teasing brush, tease the top of the ponytail again for even more volume, then add some cute hair clips to complete the look.
We're totally crushing on this ponytail for the summertime, as it keeps frizzy hair at bay and keeps your hair off your face and neck during those hotter, humid days.
Do you have any go-to ponytail hairstyles? Will you try this high ponytail with volume? Let us know in the comments below!
