Beauty 4 Moms

I'm sure we would all love to have elegant up-dos or flowing wavy locks on a regular basis but the truth is most of us have busy schedules, long hours, and crazy mornings. Spending an hour on hair each morning simply isn't a reality.

That's why I love styles that make me look put-together and pretty, but only take about as long as my Keurig takes to brew my coffee. That is why I’m all about a stylish ponytail!

To create a stylish ponytail all you need is 1 bobby pin, 1 no-damage elastic hair band, a tail comb {a comb with the long skinny handle}, and your choice of hairspray.

1. Comb hair into ponytail leaving a tiny section out from the base of the ponytail and wrap elastic band around the ponytail.

2. Add height to the crown area by inserting the tail of the comb through the hair above the elastic and lift away from the head {just a little bit at a time}.

3. When you've reached your desired volume, lightly spray any fly-aways and gently smooth over using the tail of the comb. Then take the left out lock of hair and wrap it around the base of the ponytail, covering the elastic band.

4. Place a bobby pin around the end of the wrapped lock and tuck underneath the ponytail and elastic to secure it. Lightly spray again if needed.

If you’re going for a messy ponytail don't comb your hair first but simply finger hair into ponytail and follow steps 2 – 4 above.

If you want a super sleek ponytail run a Hot Tools ceramic flat iron through it before you follow steps 1-4 above.

Step 1:

Towel dry your hair. Lightly coat fly-aways with a styling product. You can use a mousse for a soft hold or a light gel for a stronger hold. Don't use a silicone serum right now.

Step 2: It's key to get your hairline smooth and everything else will fall into place. If you have bangs dry them first. Then gently pull sections of your hair from along your hairline with a brush and start drying at the roots, working your way to the ends. Repeat for your entire hairline and then gently brush through it.

Step 3: This is an area that is easy to rush through but you won't be happy with the results unless you take a little extra time here. Separate your hair into four or five sections and clip all but one section up. Using a large round brush, pull the section tight and toward the floor, rolling it either out or under at the end. Follow the brush with your blow dryer but be sure to keep the dryer a few inches away from the brush as to not burn your hair. The nozzle of the dryer should be pointed downward to keep your hair as flat and smooth as possible. Repeat this process with each section. A boar hair brush is recommended as it adds natural oils to your hair but it's not necessary.

Step 4: Begin styling small sections of your hair with your flat iron (ghd's gold hair straighteners are my favorite). Start at the root and work your way downward. If you want to keep a little body you can start around your ears to get the same smooth effect without loss of natural body. Be careful not to leave the iron on one place for too long and if you wish to flip your hair out or under do so with a quick flick of the wrist to avoid burning your ends. Don’t try to iron too much hair at the same time in an effort to finish quicker because it will actually take you longer and you won't get the results you want.

Step 5: Silicone serums and creams are wonderful products that can give your hair a healthy shine and help minimize frizz. Just like most great hair care products, less is more. It's easy to apply too much and it will quickly weigh your hair down or make it look greasy instead of shiny. Add only drop to the ends of your hair after you've finished styling.