How to Keep Your Ponytail Up

Co-authored by Christine George and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: July 28, 2021 References

Ponytails are a cute and bouncy hairstyle that give an added touch to your overall look. If you have long or thick hair, you may struggle with keeping your ponytail sitting high up on the crown of your head. Try a few different ways of propping your ponytail up to add height and keep your ponytail in place all day long.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Merging Two Ponytails

1
Pull the hair on the crown of your head back with a hair tie. Leave your face framing hair down and pull all the hair on the crown of your head up, leaving your bottoms layers down. Tie it back with a hair tie where you want your ponytail to sit.^{[1]
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- Use a hair tie the same color as your own hair for the most subtle look.
- This small amount of hair acts as an anchor for the rest of your hair.
2
Tease your hair in the ponytail for extra volume. If you’d like to add some height to your ponytail, use a rattail comb to gently back comb the hair nearest the hair tie by combing the hair in the wrong direction back towards your roots. Stick to the top of your ponytail to add volume.^{[2]
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- If you have thick hair, you don’t need to add volume to it by back combing.
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3
Comb your face-framing layers onto the crown of your head. Use a wide brush to grab the hair around your face and brush it on top of your ponytail. Grab your hair with your hands to keep it in place.^{[3]
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- You can pull a few face-framing layers out with your hands if you’d like to keep them loose.
4
Grab your bottom layers and pull them onto your ponytail with a second hair tie. Keep 1 hand in place holding your face-framing layers onto the ponytail. Reach down with your other hand and pull your bottom layers up onto the ponytail. Wrap a second hair tie around all of your hair with the small ponytail in the middle.^{[4]
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- You can use a brush to grab your bottom layers if you need to.
- Plastic cord hair ties give the most hold without leaving creases in your hair.
5
Fluff your ponytails together with your hands to merge them. Flatten out any lumps in your ponytail and make sure the center hair tie is covered. Brush your ponytail if you need to smooth it out more.^{[5]
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- Use a thin layer of hairspray to keep down any flyaways around your face or neck.
Tip: If you are worried about the center hair tie peeking out, wrap a large scrunchie or bow around your hair to hide it.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Bobby Pins

1
Pull your hair into a high ponytail on the crown of your head. Brush your hair backwards and situate it on the crown of your head. Tie it back with a hair tie and make sure it is secure.^{[6]
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Tip: If your ponytail often slips out, try using a plastic coil hair tie for extra grip.
2
Poke 2 bobby pins into the underside of your ponytail through the hair tie. Lift up your ponytail and hold it in the air. Grab 2 bobby pins and insert them vertically into your ponytail through the hair tie.^{[7]
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- Use bobby pins close to your hair color to make them blend in more.
- Adding bobby pins props up your ponytail and makes it stand up taller.
3
Brush your ponytail and smooth it out. Smooth out any lumps or bumps in your ponytail by gently brushing it. Gently scrunch your ponytail from the bottom up to give it some volume and hide the bobby pins.^{[8]
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- Even if your hair isn’t super thick, the base of your ponytail is thick enough to hide the bobby pins.
- Spray a thin layer of hairspray to smooth down any flyaways around your face.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I ensure my ponytail stays up all day?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

A fiber-wrapped elastic is the tightest ponytail you can get, and you can try doubling up on the elastic to make it more secure. I wouldn't suggest a tight ponytail every day as that can cause tension and breakage to your hair, but a fiber-wrapped elastic will be the best option for a tighter ponytail.

Things You’ll Need

Merging Two Ponytails

2 hair ties
Brush
Rattail comb (optional)

Using Bobby Pins

2 bobby pins
Hair tie
Brush

Warnings

Keeping your hair in a tight ponytail every day can eventually lead to breakage and damage. Switch to a loose ponytail with a scrunchie for an every day style.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}

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Always wait for your hair to dry before putting it up in a tight ponytail. Styling wet hair in a ponytail can leave your hair more vulnerable to breakage.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}

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