The Dressy Ponytail

• 1). Comb your hair back from your hairline and work out any tangles with the comb.
  
  
• 2). Part your hair horizontally from the front of your left ear to the front of your right ear. Comb this section forward over your face.
  
  
• 3). Back-comb or tease the hair at the crown of your head near the horizontal part you've created. Thick hair needs little teasing to produce volume, but you'll get a small lift at the crown, giving the finished ponytail a more polished appearance.
  
  
• 4). Flip the front portion of your hair back and comb it into place, taking care not to disturb the back-combed underside of the section so you'll retain the volume at your crown.
  
  
• 5). Rub a dime-sized dollop of gel between your palms and run your hands over your hair to distribute the gel evenly. The gel will help keep your ponytail sleek, but using too much could diminish shine. A small amount is sufficient even for longer hair because you don't need to distribute it along the length of your hair, just the crown and sides.
  
  
• 6). Pull your hair into a ponytail with one hand, smoothing the rest of your hair and securing it with your other hand until your head looks smooth at the roots of your hair. Hold your hair at a level parallel to your ears for a lower, more formal ponytail.
  
  
• 7). Wrap the ponytail elastic around your ponytail as many times as you need to secure your hair.
  
  
• 8). Spray your hair lightly with hairspray and use your hands to smooth down any flyaway pieces. Comb the length of your ponytail with the comb or with your fingers if you have curly hair.
  
  

The Casual Ponytail

• 1). Work a quarter-sized amount of hair gel between your hands and run your fingers through your hair. More gel will give thick hair more visible texture and create a more casual ponytail style.
  
  
• 2). Comb your hair back and gather it just below the crown of your head, holding it loosely.
  
  
• 3). Wrap the elastic around your ponytail as many times as necessary to secure it.
  
  
• 4). Split your ponytail in two roughly equal pieces and pull gently at the halves to scoot the ponytail elastic closer to your scalp.
  
  
• 5). Fasten stray pieces of hair with plain or decorative bobby pins. Part of the charm of a casual ponytail is that it doesn't look perfectly smooth, so it's fine to leave some tendrils loose.