The Secret To Getting More Volume in Your Ponytail

When you want to give your ponytail a boost, sometimes it takes more than just teasing. Whether your hair is too long and heavy or so fine that it won’t really take to backcombing alone, this technique works to give you more height—even on a high pony. Celebrity hair stylist Creighton Bowman shares the trick here, step by step.

You Will Need

• hair elastics
• hair clip
• comb and/or brush
• hairspray
• bobby pins

1: Make a part starting right behind one ear and continue all the way across your head, so that you separate hair into 2 sections as pictured.

2: Clip the front section out of the way.

3: Gather the back section into a ponytail, positioned at the top-back of the head and secure with an elastic. Spray with hairspray.

4: Unclip the top section and tease for volume; spray lightly with hairspray.

5: Gather top section up and back toward the crown, creating a pony around the bottom one, so that it looks like one seamless ponytail. Instead of pulling hair tight against the head, leave a little slack to let the teased part add volume, and secure with an elastic.

6: If necessary, loosen hair a bit more by pulling strands on the front segment lightly with your fingers; then spray into place. Repeat until you’re happy with the shape. 

7: For extra polish, take a small strand from the ponytail and wrap around the base to conceal the elastics. Bobby pin to secure, and spray the whole head.

That’s all it takes. Leave the ends sleek, like we did here, or go all out and tease and/or curl them with a curling iron, fluff, and spray.