How to Create a Bubble Ponytail to Look Chic and Stay Cool This Summer
When the summer rolls around, you might as well throw your tried and true blowout out the window. The last thing you want to do at a rooftop hang is constantly hold your hair up off of your neck so you don’t turn into a sweaty mess.
A ponytail or bun are obvious solutions, but sometimes you want to add a chic factor to your look that a topknot just won’t cover. One ingenious solution that’s here to save your summer is the bubble ponytail. It starts like any other ponytail, only you create a “bubble” effect by using ponytail holders all the way down your hair. To create the look at home, IPSY spoke with Aloxxi’s celebrity hair stylist Michael Duenas to get all the deets. Thank us later when you’re glowing at the rooftop bar—not melting.
Meet the Expert
Michael Duenas is a celebrity hairstylist who is currently working with the hair care brand Aloxxi.
How to do a bubble ponytail
This look may seem intimidating, but it’s totally easy once you’ve nailed down a few simple steps, as told by Duenas.
Step 1: Start with clean, dry hair. This look works best with sleek, blown-out hair or straightened hair. To get hair even smoother, start with a styling cream, like the DRYBAR The Chaser High Shine Finishing Cream. “It will give control, shine, and make your hair a little more manageable,” says Duenas.
Step 2: Gather hair into a low or high tight pony, and secure with an elastic. Try the KITSCH Eco-Friendly Nylon Elastics, which are made from recycled materials. This pack of 20 will come in handy since you’ll need multiple to create this look.
Step 3: Add another elastic about two to three inches lower than the first one. “Continue adding elastics in this manner until you reach about six inches from the ends of your hair,” explains Duenas. If your hair isn’t long enough to create multiple bubbles, try out a ponytail extension, which is easier to attach and blend into hair than clip-in extensions.
Step 4: Expand and pull apart “the first segment in your ponytail closest to the base of your head, pull from the top and bottom and sides to create a ‘bubble,’” says Duenas. “Do this to each segment till you have none left; pull gently and cleanly. Each ‘bubble’ will shorten the length of your ponytail a little, bringing the ends of your hair to your last elastic,” he adds.
Step 5: Smooth any flyaways and seal with a hairspray like KÉRASTASE Laque Couture Hair Spray.
Celeb bubble ponytail inspo
1. Invisible Bubble
Using clear elastics can help give the illusion of a bubble ponytail without the harsh lines of a black or brightly colored ponytail holder. Olivia Wilde’s look is perfect for going out and dancing if you want to keep your hair out of your face (and off of your neck!) all night. Pro tip: Plastic elastics can be hard to work with, so tap your bestie or roommate for help so you find yourself hitting a snag.
2. The Low Bubble Pony
If you’re working alone, Maria Menounos’s style is one of the easiest bubble ponies to create since you can pull your hair forward to work with it. Tease hair at the crown with some hairspray and a thin comb before you gather hair into a low ponytail. It gives a chic ’60s vibe to the modern look.
3. Messy Bubble
If you’re worried about being perfect, don’t be! This messy look on Blake Lively is still chic without being absolutely perfect. To create this look, pull out the bubbles in each section of elastics and don’t seal with hairspray. You’ll be a wispy-haired goddess, just like Lively.
4. Mega Bubble
This look is best to try out if you have extra hair extensions in your ponytail, as thicker hair works best to create a larger bubble effect (seen here on Griff). Make sure to spray immediately after creating the bubble with hair spray.
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