How To Make Your Holiday Updo Last All Night
Bring on the hairspray!
BEST FOR SHORT TO MEDIUM HAIR
This appears elaborate but is deceptively easy to re-create. The key to this hairstyle is lots of piece-y, wispy texture, which can be achieved with two tools—a teasing brush and texture spray. Start by dividing hair into four sections. Section by section, twist hair in 1-inch strands. Lightly tease twisted strands, and spray generously with texturizing spray, giving extra focus to pieces around the face and at the crown. Using fingers, pull hair loosely to the back of the head, leaving a few pieces to frame the face. Starting at the ends of hair, roll toward the scalp in a vertical cylinder. Secure with bobby pins along the seam side of the French twist. Use fingers to work front pieces loosely into updo. Work these pieces upward and back, putting as much movement in them as you like, and use texturizing spray to finish and hold.
ACCESSORIZE WITH: baubles that are especially breathtaking from the back. Carolee Multi-Strand Faux-Pearl Necklaces, from $110; dillards.com
DIY STYLE: Create a true original by dressing up pearls with vintage clip-on earrings (attached to the hidden clasp of the necklace with craft wire). We found this pair from Florida-based ShopFlashbacks for only $10; shopflash backs.etsy.com.
Tis the season for holiday hair! With our calendars packed with parties and events, it gives us an excuse to book a few extra salon appointments. While a bouncy blowout is always a safe (and stylish) bet, there’s no better time to experiment with a fancier do. However, if you’re going to spend the time—and the money—for a more intricate style, you want to make sure it’ll stay put all night.
So what type of updo can last through an evening out? We bet the answer will surprise y’all: “A whimsical, effortlessly undone updo is actually more long-lasting than a secure, structured and polished chignon, because if a hair is out of place, it won't look it,” explains Giovanni Vaccaro, creative director of GLAMSQUAD. “Pieces left out will actually work to accentuate the look.” That way if you’re boogying down on the dance floor, any rogue strands will look like they were intentional.
It’s also important to use the right technique to secure everything in place. Vaccaro suggests teasing the hair at the root before using bobby pins, so they have something to latch onto. Then cross the pins to lock them into your head. After your do is complete, reach for hairspray. “I love Ouai Medium Hair Spray. It will hold the look perfectly place without being too sticky,” he says of his favorite finishing formula.
WATCH: How to Style a Windswept French Twist
Post-party, we know how tempting it is to collapse into bed (especially if you had an extra glass of bubbly), but try to avoid hitting the pillow until you’ve removed all of your hair pins. According to Vaccaro, it’s not smart to sleep in your updo since it isn’t good for your mane or your head. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t get a second-day style out of your hair: “To add life back into your hair the next day, take a flat brush and brush through, use a texture spray to shape the leftover style and use a lightweight oil throughout for added shine and radiance,” he advises. If you have another party that night, simply add a sparkly hair accessory or a fun braid and you’re good to go for round two!