How to Do a Professional Ponytail

Co-authored by Shun Pittman

Last Updated: December 4, 2021

Grabbing your hair and forcing it through a rubber band does create a ponytail, but not one to be proud of. Give the crown of your hair careful brushing attention to create a ponytail with height, life, and no pesky flyaway strands.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Preparing your hair

1
Blow dry your hair so it's smooth. Start with freshly shampooed hair, then blow dry it with a paddle brush or Denman brush so it's sleek, smooth, and completely dry.
2
Apply hair serum. Two or three drops of hair serum will make your hair shiny and smooth. Massage it into the full length of your hair, from the roots to the ends.
- If you prefer, you can apply the hair serum before you dry your hair.
- If you have highly textured hair, you can use a natural oil such as coconut oil or olive oil. To avoid greasiness, use only a couple drops, and keep it away from your scalp.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Styling your ponytail

1
Brush your hair. Use a thin-toothed comb if you have straight hair.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Shun Pittman
Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
Expert Interview. 7 September 2021.} Use a wide-toothed comb or brush if you have curly or afro-textured hair. Slowly run this downward through your ends until there are no more tangles. Repeat with the rest of your hair, starting from a higher point each time.
- A bristle brush also works well for this.^{[2]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Shun Pittman
  Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
  Expert Interview. 7 September 2021.}
- If your hair is tangled, start by detangling it with a wide-tooth comb before you brush.
2
Part your hair. Make a part starting right above the center or edge of one eyebrow, and part it over to the equivalent location on the other eyebrow. This will separate the hair on the crown of your head from the rest of your hair. Keep this hair in place with a hair clip.
3
Brush any remaining hair to the back of your head. Brush the remaining hair to a central location at the back of your head, just underneath the part. Use your other hand to hold this hair in place as your brush. Brush until all of this hair is smooth, then secure with an elastic hair tie.
4
Brush the hair on your crown. Remove the clip, then slip the hair tie over the ponytail and push it as close to the scalp as possible. Hold the end of the ponytail firmly with your non-dominant hand. Brush as follows to make your ponytail smooth and tall:
- Brush straight upward until the hair is smooth and bump-free. You may need to briefly relax the hand holding the ponytail so excess hair can slip through. Clamp down again immediately.
- Place the brush midway up the ponytail. Brush a few strands at a time, first rolling them back slightly, then sweeping them down to the back of your head. Repeat until all the hair in the ponytail has been brushed back.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Securing your ponytail

1
Secure the two section of hair together. Slip another hair tie over the two sections of hair. Adjust your ponytail and the hair around it until you're satisfied with the appearance, brushing down any loose strands or bumps.
- Optionally, take a small portion of the first ponytail and wrap it around the hair ties. You can even braid it first for a fancier appearance.
2
Spray the hair around the ponytail. Press down on your head with one hand, and hair spray the hair around the ponytail. Once your hair is dry, you will have no fly-away strands, and your hair will exude a shiny, sleek, professional style.
- You can spray the ponytail itself very lightly, or leave it as-is.
- Pomades and hold gels are also great options.^{[3]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Shun Pittman
  Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
  Expert Interview. 7 September 2021.}
3
Finished.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you make a simple ponytail look good?

Shun Pittman
Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
Shun Pittman is a Master Cosmetologist, Author, Owner, and Founder of Corps d’Elite Salon and Corps d’Elite Beauty. With over 25 years of international experience, she is dedicated to and specializes in providing luxury salon services to all hair types and textures and every skin tone and shade. Her services include hair conditioning treatments, cutting, coloring, styling, extensions, and makeup application. Shun has experience working with, coaching, training, and mentoring beauty professionals from multiple companies including L'Oréal, Wella, Matrix, Paul Mitchell, Redken, Big Sexy Hair, and Toni & Guy. She is also a host for national and local media outlets and her work has been featured in The Washingtonian, The Cheddar Network, and WJLA Good Morning Washington's Beauty and Fashion Police segments. Shun is the author of “50 Things Your Hairdresser Wants YOU to Know (and a few things we don’t...)".

Shun Pittman

Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author

Expert Answer

You should invest in the right products and tools. Brush your hair with a bristle brush and use a pomade for a really sleek and smooth ponytail. You can use a hold gel, but be careful when taking the ponytail down — it's best to shampoo the product out before raking your fingers through your hair, or you could break the strands.
Question

Is a low or high ponytail better?

Shun Pittman
Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author
Shun Pittman is a Master Cosmetologist, Author, Owner, and Founder of Corps d’Elite Salon and Corps d’Elite Beauty. With over 25 years of international experience, she is dedicated to and specializes in providing luxury salon services to all hair types and textures and every skin tone and shade. Her services include hair conditioning treatments, cutting, coloring, styling, extensions, and makeup application. Shun has experience working with, coaching, training, and mentoring beauty professionals from multiple companies including L'Oréal, Wella, Matrix, Paul Mitchell, Redken, Big Sexy Hair, and Toni & Guy. She is also a host for national and local media outlets and her work has been featured in The Washingtonian, The Cheddar Network, and WJLA Good Morning Washington's Beauty and Fashion Police segments. Shun is the author of “50 Things Your Hairdresser Wants YOU to Know (and a few things we don’t...)".

Shun Pittman

Master Cosmetologist, Global Salon Educator & Author

Expert Answer

Well, they can all work in different situations. It's great to diversify and switch them up from time to time, so that you don't have the tension from the elastic band always at the same location of the head, as that would promote breakage.
Question

How do I make a very tight and beautiful ponytail?

Community Answer

A few things you can do are make sure you pull your hair tightly through the hair tie, use hair clips, wrap some hair around the hair tie, braid your hair, or wear a headband.

Warnings

Avoid rubber bands, which may cut into the hair when applied or removed.

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Don't brush too hard. Wet hair is stringy and more likely to break.

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You may need to try this several times before you get a look you enjoy. It can get frustrating, but the end result is worth it.

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