Ever wake up in the morning and wonder, “What should I do with my hair today?” Well, if you’re tired of the same hair styles that require leaving your hair down, here are 15 new up-do styles to try for the summer. These new takes on ponytails and messy buns will amp up any occasion. These styles are used by celebs and will guarantee a spicy look when boring hair styles just wont do.
Braids of Glory
How to do it: Make a deep side part. To get Amanda Seyfried’s sexy, of-the-moment braid, your hair should have lots of body before you start. Use plenty of mousse throughout (we like Garnier Fructis Style Volume Inject Mousse, $4.) and a root lifter at the scalp for ultimate volume. If your hair is fine, you may even want to set it with rollers before you begin. Pro tip: If you normally wear your hair to the left, switch to the right, and vice versa. Styling your hair in the opposite direction of what it’s used to will give a bit of natural lift at the root, says Maggiore. Gather hair at the base of the neck and make a loose braid. Use an elastic the same color as your hair for a softer look. Then, with fingers, tug and separate the braid all over so it becomes messy and uneven—this final part is the key to the updated ‘do.
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The Sleek Fishtail
How to do it: Blow-dry hair using fingers until it’s three-quarters of the way dry, then work in mousse from root to end. (Try TRESemmé Naturals Lightweight mousse, $4.50.) Use a paddle brush to finish blow-drying and smoothing strands. Make a deep side part and swoop the rest of your hair over to the opposite side, slightly behind your ear. “If you’re doing it yourself, you may want to secure into a low pony to hold in place, then undo at the end,” says NYC stylist Jay Palaniuk. To start the fishtail braid, divide hair into two sections. Work your way down by taking a thin piece from the outside right section and joining it with the left. Next do the reverse: take a thin piece of hair from the left section and join it with the right. Continue until you have about 1 inch left at the end. Secure with an elastic—preferably one that’s the same color as your hair—and smooth on an anti-frizz product, like Smart Girls Who Surf Care For Hair Sun Protector, $13. It helps to control flyaways and also contains SPF.
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How to do it: To get Sandra Bullock’s no-fuss style, apply mousse to damp hair and blow-dry. Create volume by using a medium-barrel curling iron just at roots to get lift. Use a light spray, like Garnier Fructis Style Flexible Control Anti-Humidity Hairspray, $6, to hold. Divide hair into two horizontal sections. Tease the underside of the top half and smooth out over the top of the head without losing the volume. Form a pony tail and secure with an elastic. Take the bottom half of your hair and pull into a pony tail directly beneath the first one and secure with an elastic. Twist the top pony loosely until it coils into itself and secure with bobby pins. Repeat with the other pony, leaving the ends free. To make this look, coil the bottom pony halfway and wrap the remaining hair around the top bun and secure with pins.They should look like one big bun. Pro Tip: Mist a large blush brush with a finishing spray and smooth hairline, advises Frankie.
Low Pony, High Volume
How to do it: By adding just a bit of volume up top, Katrina Bowden’s low pony goes from everyday to glam. To get the look, start with hair that’s damp, not soaking wet, says Palaniuk. Use a root lifter at scalp and work mousse, like John Frieda Luxurious Volume Bountiful Mousse, $6.50, from mid-shaft to ends—the combination will help achieve the volume needed for the look. Using a paddle brush, blow-dry hair up and away from face until completely dry. If you have bangs, section them off and smooth with a round brush. To get the signature volume here, divide hair into 1-inch horizontal sections—from ear to ear—and lightly tease, one at a time, with a fine-tooth comb. Pull hair into a low pony, lightly smoothing over top pieces with fingers or small comb. Finish with a combo of hairspray and light teasing in the pony to give it that last bit of oomph!
Braided with a Twist
How to do it: Emilia Fox gives her braid a facelift with a simple twist and a fun accessory. Start by working mousse through damp hair and then blow-dry using only your fingers. This will help create allover texture and volume. Next, find your natural side part and loosely twist a 3-inch front section of hair back and to the opposite side. Secure with bobby pins. “Remember, this style isn’t about perfection, so don’t overthink it,” says Syfu. “You can even customize your look according to your hair length and thickness by twisting back several random sections.” Bring the rest of hair over to the side of part and create a braid starting just behind the ear. Fasten with a fun-colored elastic or accessory. Use a light finishing spray like Dove Flexible Hold Hairspray with Natural Movement, $3, to hold the look.
Pony Express
How to do it: With a few expert tips, you can get Anna Kendrick’s grown-up pony—a real showstopper. Apply a spray gel along hairline and use a flat nylon-boar bristle brush to blow-dry hair away from face. Be sure to keep the nozzle attached to blow-dryer to get the smooth finish. Mist your brush with a light styling spray—we like TRESemmé No-Frizz Shine Spray, $4.50—and brush hair back into a pony. Keep your head forward and straight for a tighter, cleaner-looking pony, says Syfu. When your head is tilted down it stretches the nape area causing hair to loosen. Secure with a bungee elastic—the kind that has hooks on both ends. (Try Metagrip Ponytail Hooks, $3.50, from sallybeauty.com.) Smooth out uneven areas with a fine-tooth comb, paying special attention to baby hairs. Use a thin strand from pony to cover elastic. Pro tip: For maximum control, curl this section with a small iron before wrapping. Finish with a holding spray.
The Low Down
How to do it: If you like to rock a low, side pony but want an upgrade, try Olivia Munn’s look. “Yes, it’s perfect for the red carpet but can work just as well at your neighborhood block party,” says Palaniuk. Work a volumizing mousse, like TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse, $4.50, through damp hair then use a paddle brush to dry hair and smooth out frizz. To get her soft front curl, divide hair diagonally on either side of the middle part (your hair should look like an upside-down letter “y”) and curl each side with a 1.5-inch iron away from face. Set these two pieces aside and curl the rest of your hair also away from your face but starting from mid-shaft down. Next, to create volume, tease hair at root in 1-inch horizontal sections—from middle part to hairline on each side. Leaving two front sections aside, gather hair into a low, side pony, secure and then separate into two sections. Lightly backcomb each. Wrap first one loosely around elastic, randomly twisting and pinning with bobby pins as you go. Repeat with the second in the opposite direction. To finish, smooth front pieces back and pin into bun to create a polished finish.
How to do it: This chic ‘do is easily translated into a laidback look. Get Kate Hudson’s style with a few simple-to-do braids. Start with a root amplifier to give hair a lift. We like TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Root Boosting Spray, $4.50. Blow-dry strands with fingers to create texture until it’s 90 percent dry. Apply mousse all over, then comb out a 1-inch horizontal section of the front of hair and use to create five braids going along the hairline. Blow-dry plaits until completely dry, then pin out of the way. Make sure remaining hair is also dry and tease in 1-inch sections to create lift and volume. Release the braids and use your fingers to rake them back over the rest of hair. Create a loose low ponytail at mid-back of head. Be careful not to make it too tight or you’ll lose the volume and texture, says NYC stylist Jay Polaniuk. Wrap a thin piece of hair over elastic to keep it hidden. Scrunch and pin ends with a combination of hairpins and bobby pins to get the rough-looking feel of this ‘do. Finish with a medium-hold spray like TRESemmé Naturals Finishing Spray, $4.50.
Tea Party Proper
How to do it: Eva Longoria looks proper enough for a tea party, yet casually elegant. This is a modern look that goes anywhere. To start, side part the hair. To get more lift and body, part it the opposite way it usually sits or tease. Twist hair into a rope to one side of the nape of the neck. Wrap the length around itself to create a knot and fasten with bobby pins. You can chose to leave a little hair out like Longoria has done here or you can have it all pulled back for a sleek look. For a more relaxed look, don’t twist the hair as tightly so the knot is lose and pull small strands of hair out by the ears before pinning the knot back. If you don’t have bangs but want something extra in front with this look, try twisting a small portion of hair and pinning it back to make a poof before twisting your hair into the knot. Secure with pins.
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Knotted Curls
How to do it: To get Jessica Alba’s effortless look, start by curling the hair in soft waves. Start by using a root lifter to give the hair a more lifted look. After your hair has been curled into loose waves, sweep the hair directly back loosely and pull it up at the center of the head. Alba has pulled various sections of her hair back and pinned them up sporadically. This style is very free with what you do with the back. This can either look like a bun or a twisted knot, the choice is yours.
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Mess of a Bun
How to do it: To get Sarah Hyland’s messy bun that’s elegantly showing off her intricate dress, begin with hair in tight curls. For those girls who have tight curls naturally, this look is one you need to try. Before pulling the hair up, pull a side strand down, or two. You can even pair this bun with a headband. Simply pull hair back right under the crown into a messy bun and secure with an elastic.
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Fast Figure-Eight Bun
How to do it: You know how you twist your hair when you’re bored on a lazy day? That’s the key trick to this style, according to NYC stylist Leon Gorman. Make a low side ponytail, leaving a few pieces loose around your face. Twist the length of your ponytail, and wrap it into a figure-eight shape — smoosh it up against your scalp, and tuck the ends into the loop. Insert a few hairpins or tiny barrettes to lock it all in place. Finish with a mist of lightweight hair spray that’ll give you extra hold minus any stickiness. We like Paul Mitchell Worked Up, $14.95.
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Mixed-Texture Up-do
How to do it: This fun yet simple style is great for the summer weather because you can have your cake and eat it too. Your hair will be up and out of the way yet, as Jessica Lu shows us, its still cute and fun to wear when going out on the town. First, chose which side for the chignon (the knot) to sit on. This would be the time to pull down any bangs or hair you wish to keep down. Then, pull hair to one side and create two ponytails, one in each hand. Tie the hair into a loose knot, like you would tie your shoe. Then wrap one side around to the right and stick a hair pin in to hold. Repeat on the left side and hold with a pin. Spray with a finishing spray to hold it into place.
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TWIST & TURN
How to do it: Haven’t washed your hair in a day or two? Good work—you’ve got a jump start on this style. It looks best on hair that’s less than silky clean (if yours is freshly shampooed, use a mousse to add texture). First, gently tease your hair all over at the root with a fine-tooth comb. Then use a soft-bristle brush to smooth out the top layer. Pull the upper half of your hair up and away from the temples and fasten it with a couple of pins in the back just below the crown. Now take the bottom half of your hair, twist it up, and pin that section on either side like a loose bun. The style will require fewer pins than you might think—this model’s hair hung midway down her back and needed only eight. When you’re done, slide a slim elastic headband (the one here is from Emi-Jay, $5) an inch or two back from the hairline (leaving out bangs if you have them); it’ll smooth flyaways. This is a very casual take on the French twist, so don’t try for anything close to perfection. “Embrace the beautiful mess!” says Melville.
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BOHO BRAIDS
How to do it: Nicole Richie has single-handedly brought boho braids back. Paired with a casual updo and lots of free flowing tendrils, boho braids are an ideally romantic summer look. “Boho” is short for bohemian and these hairstyles refer to gypsy-hippie style. These braids can be paired with either a chignon, a messy bun, a twisted knot in the back, or you can even have several braids that use all the hair. With all your knew knowledge, the choice is yours! However, because the braid needs to be long enough to fit across your head, longer hair is required. Simply take an inch or more of hair (depending on how thick you want your braid) from one side of the head behind the ear and braid. (You might want the starting point of the braid to be a little loose so it will easily bend to go over your head). After you’ve braided the section, simply pull it across your head like a head band and secure on the other side, also behind the ear (or however far it circles around your head). How much or little hair you leave in front of the braids is up to you, but pull those out before starting your braid. If you’re wanting to braid the entire head of hair, start by pulling down a section of hair you want to braid and begin the braid near the nape of your neck. This way you get the full circle look like Richie.
Hope these fun, new hair styles make it into your summer ensemble. Enjoy your new look!