Glam 10-minute Half Ponytail Hairstyle Tutorial

Tools and materials:

• Teasing comb with bristles
• Lobster claw clip
• Hair elastic matching your hair
• Hairspray
• 2 bobby pins
• 1” curling iron (optional)

1. Part your hair

First, decide if you want your part on the right or the left.

Make the part at a slight angle using the pointed end of your teasing comb, going back just 2-3 inches.

For this sleek look, be sure you have a nice, clean part that is as exact and as straight as possible.

2. Section off a triangle 

Next, take the pointed end of your comb to the end point of the part, then raise the section of hair in front of that point, flipping it in front of your forehead, which creates a sort of triangle.

This is easier to do than it sounds, but see the video at 1:15 -1:21 if you’re unsure.

Then twist the ends of that section and clip it up, on top of your head in a spiral, just to get it out of the way for now.

3. Brush the rest of your hair back

Here is the part where having a teasing comb with fine bristles is important. Brush the rest of the top part of your hair back into a half ponytail.

The fine bristles help arrange the hair in a super sleek way. 

You might have to use gel or hairspray to make your hairline especially clean and slick. Make sure your half ponytail is pretty high up.

It should be tight, and just about as high as the end of the part that you made earlier.

When it’s tied up, it will be much harder to smooth out any lumps, so take a few moments now to smooth everything out before tying it up.

Once you’re happy with the smoothness, tie up your half ponytail tightly with an elastic that matches your hair.

4. Remove the hair clip

Now, unclip the front section of hair. You can leave this section down like this, letting it do its thing:

Or you can slick it down.

5. Slick down the front section

Add a bit of hairspray around this front section.

Use your fine bristle teasing comb to make any edits to any unruly hair.

Now, hold the front section together, in the direction you’d like to secure it, and give a generous spritz of hairspray to the top half.

While the product is still wet, quickly run the comb through to slick it down from the roots.

Grab the end above your ear with a tight grip, pulling that hair behind your ear. 

Next, pull your ear forward and secure the hair with the bobby pin so that it doesn’t show.

Then, using your other bobby pin, cross over the first one going downward to secure it in place. 

6. Finishing touches

If you want, finish off the look by touching up your curls. I’m using a 1” curling iron.

With this half up half down hairstyle, you can go any texture – wavy, full curls or straight. My preference is to create big waves.

For even more volume, you can brush out the curls. For a more refined look, just use your fingers.

Decorate with some glitzy clips if you want a fancier half ponytail.

Half ponytail

Here’s the final look: 

I love the volume on top and the sleek clean finish around the hairline, giving major Ariana Grande vibes!

You can easily create this smooth, half ponytail style at home. Show your results in the comments below!