3 chic ponytail tutorials to lift your everyday hair game

We all wear ponytails every day but your everyday hair doesn’t have to be boring. Here are three simple twists on your basic ponytail to give you good hair days all through the week.

Brought to you by L’Oréal Paris Elvive

So what lifts a boring ponytail and makes you look more polished? With the help of a few simple product tips, you can switch your bedhead into a sleek style in minutes.

I’ve created three easy ponytail hairstyles with just a knot, braid or twist to add in some detail. Use your hair as an accessory and have fun with your style. Compliments guaranteed.

Now to tame that bedhead, I’ve use a few drops of L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil and gently brushed out any tangles before starting. This helps to soften my hair and also add in shine for the finished styles.

If you have curly hair you’ll love these looks too. In my curls, I’d use a few drops of oils to soften my hair and reshape any messy curls but skip the brush. Dry curls + brush = bad hair day!

Let’s begin with the first tutorial – the easy knotted ponytail – and check out the braided and twisted ponytails below. I’d love to know which is your favourite style.

The easy knotted ponytail tutorial

What you need:

• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Optional: Elvive Extraordinary Oil

Step-by-step tutorial:

1. Separate a one inch section of hair on either side of your face. These sections will become your knot later.
2. Gather the rest of your hair into a low ponytail near the nape of your neck. Secure it with a hair elastic.
3. Define the front section with a drop of hair oil. This helps you smoothly create the knot and adds shine.
4. Cross the two sections over at the back of your head above your hair elastic. Loop one side over and through to create a simple knot.
5. Cross the loose ends of your knot together again underneath your ponytail.
6. Pin the ends in place with a bobby pin underneath your ponytail.
7. You’ve now covered your hair elastic and added a chic detail to your basic everyday ponytail!

Styling tip:

• If your hair is long, try a double knot over your ponytail. You can also knot your hair under your ponytail before pinning it in place.

The sleek braided ponytail tutorial

What you need:

• 2 hair elastics
• Bobby pin
• Hair clip

Step-by-step tutorial:

1. Start by separating a thin section of hair along your part at the top of your head. Leave a small piece out at the front for the start of your braid. Clip the top section out of the way for now.
2. Create a Dutch braid along your hairline. A Dutch braid is the reverse of a French braid, sometimes called an inside-out braid. Instead of crossing over, you cross under so that the braid stands out.
3. To make your braid look thicker, add in larger sections of hair from the side of your head. As in the image above, these sections will be hidden later.
4. Keep braiding to your ear, then finish in a regular braid. Secure the end with a small hair elastic.
5. Stretch out your braid. The most important step! This helps to even out your braid and make your hair look thicker. Gently pull at the sides of your braid to widen it.
6. Unclip the top section of hair to hide the side of your braid.
7. Gather all your hair back into a low ponytail and secure it with an elastic.
8. Cover your hair elastic by wrapping a small piece of hair around and pinning the end in place with a bobby pin. Here’s a bobby pin trick to help.

Styling tips:

• If you have fine hair, this secret braid will help make your hair look thicker. Remember to stretch out your braid to make your braid really stand out.
• For an extra variation, why not make a second braid on the other side to match the first. This way you’ll look great from every angle.

The chic twisted ponytail tutorial

What you need:

• Hair elastic
• Bobby pins
• Optional: Elvive Extraordinary Oil Light Mist Spray

Step-by-step tutorial:

1. Separate out sections on either side of your head above your ears. These will become your twists so leave as little or as much hair as you like.
2. Gather the rest of your hair back into a low ponytail just above the nape of your neck. Make it just high enough so that you can pin the twists underneath it.
3. Define your hair for the twists using hair oil so they stand out in the finished style. For this style I love the L’Oréal Paris Elvive Extraordinary Oil Light Mist Spray as it’s so light and adds shine to each section.
4. Split the left side in three and take the first section back. Twist it and cross it over your ponytail. Pin it in place under your ponytail.
5. Repeat on the right side, splitting the section in three and taking the first part over your ponytail. Twist it as you cross it over and pin it in place underneath your ponytail.
6. Continue with the remaining sections, crossing over from the left then the right until all the hair from the sides is twisted back. Pin each section under your ponytail with bobby pins.

Styling tip:

• The more hair you twist back, the more it wraps down your ponytail to create a banded look. You can add a final spritz of the oil spray for extra shine or use hairspray for added hold.

Say goodbye to boring ponytails! Which of these tutorials is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below.