How to Style Long Hair

You have many options for styling long hair.

Long hair can be fun and versatile. It also can be frustrating if you're unsure of how to style it. It's easy to get stuck in a rut by sticking long hair in a ponytail day after day. But you have many other options.

Things You'll Need

• Quality hair dryer
• Round brush
• Smoothing pomade
• Medium-size curling iron
• Anti-frizz product
• Hairspray
• Hot rollers
• Hair elastics
• Bobby pins

Instructions

1. Go for a long and sleek look by blow-drying hair straight, using a round brush to pull it tight as you aim the hair dryer down the hair follicle, slowly pulling the brush from root to tip in 2-inch sections. Part hair in the middle, on the side or with a nondescript, messy part. Run a straightening iron through the same 2-inch sections to calm any waves. Add some smoothing pomade to define and add shine.

2. Get a relaxed, messy "just left the beach" look in five minutes. Start by washing and conditioning hair. Comb any knots out while the conditioner is still on. Rinse. Let the part fall naturally. While the hair is still very wet, "scrunch" it up by letting the ends of hair fall into your open palm and then closing your hand around small sections and pushing the hair upward toward the root. "Scrunch" hair all the way around the head, and let it air dry. With the hair still damp, rub an anti-frizz product in larger sections from the ends upward. "Scrunch" again. If your hair is naturally straight, roll a few 1-inch sections around a medium-size curling iron for a few seconds, and separate the curl a little with your fingers. Spritz with a touch of hairspray.

3. Create a glamorous curly style. While blowing hair straight as described in Step 1, heat a set of hot rollers. When the rollers are ready, use the medium-size rollers in the front, rolling 2-inch sections up and away from your face. Use the large rollers for the back and sides, rolling 2-inch sections in varying directions, using all the hair. Leave the rollers in for about 10 minutes. Separate the curls with your fingers, leaving them loose, and spray with hairspray. When the hairspray is dry, finish with a dime-size amount of anti-frizz or shining product.

4. Try a fancy up-do. Blow-dry hair as in Step 1. Brush all the hair into a high ponytail, and secure with a hair elastic. Brush a 2-inch section of the ponytail smooth, and roll it down around two fingers in any direction, securing it with a few bobby pins to the crown of the head. Create several rolls with the rest of the ponytail, pinning each roll to your head in the same way. Be sure to vary the direction of the rolls. Spray with a firm-hold hairspray, and finish by smoothing a shine pomade onto the front of your hair, and patting the pomade carefully onto the rolls, once the hairspray has dried.

5. Update the ponytail. Take the top front part of the hair and flip it forward in front of your face. Pull the rest of hair back loosely, temporarily out of your face. Hold the hair that is in front of your face straight up high with one hand, and tease behind it with the other hand. Pushing the hair forward into a poof in the front, secure this piece of hair from behind with two crossing bobby pins. Spray with a firm-hold hairspray. Brush the rest of the hair into a ponytail about an inch below the crown of your head. Secure with elastic. Spritz the ponytail with a little hairspray as well.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice these looks before you have to get ready for a big event to determine how much time you'll need.

• Do not brush or comb your hair after rinsing it if you are trying to achieve the "beach look." You should have gotten all the knots out when conditioning, and you will create frizz. Also when creating this look, don't leave the curling iron in for more than a few seconds. You are going for loose waves, not ringlets.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Hair Finder: How to Style Hair
• Long Hair Boutique