How to Make a Teased Poof

Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi turned her hair poof into her trademark.

The word "bouffant" comes from French and means "puffed." Stylists create puffs or poofs of hair in bouffant hairstyles to give the illusion of volume. Like a souffle, these styles involve incorporating plenty of air into the design. Back-combing or teasing the hair gives it a fluffy texture that the stylist can then mold into a poof atop a ponytail -- or an all-over beehive design.

Things You'll Need

• Comb
• Mirror
• Firm-hold hairspray
• Hair elastic (optional)
• Hairpins (optional)

Instructions

1. Comb your hair flat and smooth. Wavy or curly hair may not lie flat, but that won't affect the final poof shape.

2. Section off the portion of your hair that you intend to back-comb and turn into a poof, unless you want to create a bouffant-style with your entire head of hair. Check the mirror after you part your hair into sections to ensure that your finished poof will remain even on both sides of your head.

3. Pull a section of hair at the crown of your head straight up. The section should be about half an inch wide and three inches long, depending on the thickness of your hair; thick hair will require a narrower section, while fine or thin hair necessitates a wider section.

4. Insert the comb into the upheld section about three to four inches from your scalp and move the comb toward the roots of your hair, combing it against its direction of growth. This back-combing action should create a puffed-section of hair near your scalp; this is the foundation of the poof.

5. Repeat the back-combing process, until the section of hair resembles cotton candy, then spray the puff of hair in place with hairspray.

6. Continue lifting sections of your hair and back-combing them, then spraying the resulting nest of hair -- until you form the rough-shape of the poof you want.

7. Comb the uppermost layer of the poof smooth and spray it into place, pushing the teased hair beneath the poof gently into shape with your fingers as you work.

8. Smooth the surface of the poof with your hands and pull the rest of your hair into a ponytail, securing it with an elastic band. If you prefer to leave your style loose, pin wayward strands of your poof into place at the base, or weave the ends into the rest of your style.

Tips & Warnings

• Back-combing is hard on hair, so alternate poofed styles with flat styles for your hair's well-being.

• Skip back-combing if you have very curly hair; back-combing essentially creates a controlled tangle, so you'll have trouble releasing curly hair from its teased state.

References

• Online Etymology Dictionary: Bouffant
• "Daily Mail"; Oh, Do Beehive! Meet the Woman Who Created a Buzz by Inventing Sixties Hairdo; Tamara Abraham; January 2011
• Hair Boutique; Backcombed Hairstyling Tips; Karen Marie Shelton; January 2009 (revised)