How to Do a Sleek Ponytail

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: September 9, 2020 References Tested

Who says ponytails aren't elegant? The tight, pulled-back ponytail is a favorite for dressy events. You've probably even seen this sleek hairstyle on the runway since it adds drama to any look. Fortunately, it's easy to do. The trick to a chic ponytail is a lot of brushing and styling products to tame frizz. Don't worry if your hair isn't very long; you can always add an extension clip or wrap weft around your ponytail to add length.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making a Chic Ponytail with Natural Hair

1
Blow dry your damp hair while you brush it. It's a good idea to start with clean hair that doesn't have product in it, so you might want to wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Once your hair is clean and rinsed, blow dry it and use a round brush to detangle your hair as it dries.^{[1]
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- For extra smooth hair, you can run a flat iron through your hair after you blow dry it.
2
Rub a coin-sized amount of hair cream or serum through your hair. Squeeze the product into your hand and rub your palms together. Then, run your palms through your hair, starting near your forehead and working towards the crown of your head.^{[2]
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- The hair cream or serum gives your hair a glossy look and provides hold so your hair stays flat.
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3
Brush your hair with a paddle brush so it's smooth and flat. Take a paddle brush that has nylon and boar bristles and use it to brush from your scalp to the tips of your hair. Keep brushing the top and sides of your head to detangle your hair and help it lie flat.^{[3]
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- The combination of nylon and boar bristles reduces static that makes your hair frizzy.
4
Pull your hair up and gather it on the crown of your head. For the sleek ponytail, put your palm against the crown of your head and use the paddle brush to brush the hair towards it. Then, grip the ponytail with one hand to hold it in place.^{[4]
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- If you'd rather make a low ponytail, pull the hair together towards the nape of your neck. A low ponytail is great if you have short hair that's hard to pull up into a high ponytail.
5
Spritz finishing texture spray onto the brush and run it through your hair. Protect the shiny, smooth style by spraying the bristles of your paddle brush with finishing texture spray. Then, brush your hair a final time to work in the product.^{[5]
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- The spray provides hold, which means that it keeps the fine hairs from coming loose and looking frizzy. It also makes your hair look fuller.
6
Wrap an elastic bungie tie around the ponytail. Instead of using a circular stretchy hairband, buy an elastic bungie tie that has a hook on both ends. Stick the hook into the top of the ponytail and wrap the bungie around the ponytail a few times. Then, hook the other end into the ponytail and pull the hair a little to tighten it.^{[6]
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- If you don't have an elastic bungie tie, use a regular elastic hairband, but try to keep the top of your hair smooth as you secure it around the ponytail.
- The bungie tie is great since you don't have to move both of your hands as you secure the elastic. This prevents bumps or ridges from forming on your smoothed hair.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Creating a Sleek Ponytail with Weave

1
Apply heat resistant serum or spray to protect your hair. Squeeze a coin-sized amount of heat resistant serum into your hand and rub your palms together. Work the product through your hair, starting from the scalp and going towards the ends. If you have a spray, spritz it evenly over your hair and run your fingers through it to distribute the product.^{[7]
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- Heat resistant products protect your hair from the damage of hot combs and flat irons since high heat can dry out and weaken your hair.
2
Run a hot comb through the hair near your forehead and temples. Smooth the shorter hair near your edges before you pull your hair back into a ponytail. Heat an electric hot comb set to your hair type and slowly comb it through 1 segment of hair at a time.^{[8]
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- Work the hot comb through 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of hair at a time so it effectively heats and smooths the section.
3
Use a flat iron to straighten your hair. Heat a flat iron to low and run it slowly through a 1 ¹⁄₂ inches (3.8 cm) section of your hair. Start near your scalp and iron down towards the ends of your hair. Repeat this all around your head so your hair lies flat and smooth.^{[9]
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- Even though you've applied a heat resistant product, it's still a good idea to limit how often you use a flat iron on your natural hair.
4
Dab hair wax or pomade along your edges and roots. To help your hair lay flat, rub a little hair wax or pomade between your thumb and fingers. Then, rub the product near your scalp so the hair lays flat against your head. This gives you a sleeker hairstyle when you pull the ponytail back.^{[10]
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- Wax does build up in your hair, so use a clarifying shampoo to strip it when you're ready to wash it out.
5
Brush your hair into a tight ponytail and secure it with a hair tie. Use a boar bristle brush to brush your hair straight towards the base of your neck. Once you've brushed your hair smooth, gather it into a ponytail about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from your neckline and wrap an elastic hairband around it.^{[11]
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- If your hair is long enough to pull into a high ponytail, gather your hair at the crown of your head and tie the ponytail with a band.
6
Braid the ponytail and wrap a hair tie around the end. Divide the hair of your ponytail into 3 equal sections and weave them together to make a simple braid. When you reach the end of the braid, wrap a hair tie around it to keep the braid secure.^{[12]
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- Try to weave the braid tight so the weft has something to hold onto.
- The weft hides this braid so it's not visible under the ponytail.
7
Wrap a long weft around the braid to create the ponytail. Take an 18 to 30 in (46 to 76 cm) weft of hair that matches the color of your natural hair and push a bobby pin through the edge of 1 end. Insert the pin through the bottom of your braid and wrap the weft around the braid. Work from the bottom up towards the base and keep wrapping until you've used all the weft. Then, push another bobby pin through the base to keep your ponytail in place.^{[13]
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- Choose a wavy, curly, or straight weft to give your ponytail the texture you like.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Polishing Your Look

1
Wrap hair around the base of the ponytail for a natural look. If you don't want the elastic hair tie to be visible once you've made the ponytail, take a 1 inch (2.5 cm) segment of hair that's hanging from the ponytail and brush it so it's smooth. Then, wrap the segment around the ponytail several times and tuck the end under the elastic.^{[14]
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- Secure the end of the segment underneath the ponytail so you don't see stray hairs sticking out.
2
Apply hair spray to the top of your head to smooth frizz. Keep your sleek look in place by spraying your hands with hair spray. Then, run your palms over your hair. Start near your forehead and gently bring them towards the ponytail. This smooths down flyaway hairs.^{[15]
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- Run a fine-toothed comb over the top of your head one last time if you see slight ridges.
3
Apply edge control product to the fine hairs around your forehead. Everyone has pesky fine hairs around their temples and forehead that can stick out. To smooth them down, rub a dab of edge control product or gel between your thumb and forefinger. Then, spread it onto the fine hairs and use your fingers or a toothbrush to brush the hairs flat.^{[16]
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- You can work the tiny hairs in the direction of the ponytail so they blend in or brush them into decorative swirls along your temples.
4
Curl or straighten the ponytail to get the texture you want. Once you've finished pulling back your hair, look at the ponytail itself and decide what style you're going for. To get a wavy, textured style, use your curling iron to make several loose waves and curls. If you want a super sleek look, heat a flat iron and run segments of your ponytail through it so it's completely smooth.^{[17]
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- If you have fine hair and want to add volume, get your ponytail damp and rub a little texture cream or foam into your hair. The product gives your hair texture and lift.
5
Add hair extensions if you want to make your ponytail longer. If your hair is short or thin, buy a hair extension that matches the color of your hair. To insert the extension, either push the clip into the base of the ponytail and wrap a segment of the extension around the hairband or braid your ponytail and wrap the weft around around the braid so it adds volume.^{[18]
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- Use the clip extensions if you want to temporarily have a sleek ponytail. For a longer-lasting style, wrap the weft around your hair.