Lets be honest, I’m super lazy when it comes to my hair, I only straighten or curl it occasionally when I’m going out and have always told my hairstylist to give me easy cuts that I can wash & wear without the stress of products and heat styling on a daily basis. But on many days, when I have shoots or important meetings, I don’t want to look unkempt or frizzy, and that’s when I turn to some very easy hair tricks to make myself looked put together and well-dressed. I’ll sometimes even do hairstyles I can open up and wear at night after a long day if I know I’m headed out later. So here are some of the easiest, quickest hair tutorials ever (I wear these myself all the time, so I can tell you if its genuinely easy or not). You have no excuses for boring hair any longer! These will keep you looking fresh despite the heat, upcoming monsoon & humidity. Its a win-win situation for both your precious morning sleep time & your need to feel like a boss lady when you get to work.
The Ballerina Bun
What you need: 1-2 hair ties, bobby pins, tail comb, light hold hairspray
Inspired by the pristine vibe of the ballet dancer, this chic, sleek bun really makes you look like you mean business. Perfect for second day hair, damp hair or to tame the frizz, this hairstyle takes about 5 minutes to do and you really can’t go wrong. If you have short hair or a lot of layers you may need a sock or a round bun insert to give you the proper shape and neatness required of this look. The method is super simple; brush your hair thoroughly to get rid of any tangles, gather hair neatly at desired height and secure into a ponytail (make sure the rubber band is nice and snug otherwise it will keep drooping with time), take your tail comb and using the pointy end loosen your hair a bit around the face and make it look even & neat with some volume, now take the rest of your hair, start twisting it into a spiral shape and twirl around the rubberband to form a circular bun. Secure with bobby pins & U pins, and tuck in any stray hairs from your bun. Finally, take a tiny drop of smoothing serum or light hold hair spray in the palm of your hands and smooth over any baby hairs around the face and at the back of the neck. You can also spray hairspray on an old toothbrush and then use that to tame flyways.
If you have a very long face try to not keep the bun too far up on the head as this will accentuate the longness of your face- instead keep the bun at the upper part of the back of your head. If you have very long/heavy hair then using 2 rubber bands on your ponytail will really help your bun to feel more secure. And voila! You’re ready to own your day in comfort & style with very minimal effort.
Stylist Tip- You can add a pretty hair accessory or headband if you want to make this slightly dressier. The way to take this style into the night is to simply undo the bun and open up your hair, brush just the roots slightly (not your ends, just finger comb those a little bit), maintain the wave your hair has naturally formed, and re-tie into a high ponytail a la Ariana Grande, complete with a gorgeous soft curl at the ends. Pull out a few face-framing strands of hair and you’re ready to rock.
Image Source: Oriflame Cosmetics
Image Source: US Magazine
The Twist & Pin
What you need: hairbrush, smoothing serum, bobby pins
There’s something timeless & romantic about the twist and pin hairstyle, and its one of those things that will never go out of style. Its perfect for days you feel slightly more feminine, or when you want to leave your hair open without it being in your face all the time. I turn to this hairstyle at least a few times a week and it never fails me. Also, it’s so easy that your 5 year old sister could do it. Make sure your hair is fully dry while doing this, or the sides will seriously frizz up over the course of the day. Start by brushing out your hair gently and then smoothing it down with your hands a bit, make a parting of your choice (centre or side) and divide the hair in two sections, take one side at a time and hold the front part of the hair near your forehead, taking care to leave some hair to cover your ears, and start twisting until you like the way it frames your face. Bring to the centre back of your head and secure with 2-3 bobby pins, repeat process on the other side. Take some smoothing serum in your palms and massage over the open parts of your hair to tame any frizz.
Stylist Tip- This hairstyle is perfect for straight to wavy hair, or work & then date night. It’s pretty enough to make you feel ladylike and can easily be refreshed in under a few minutes if you’re heading out directly after work. This style suits every single face type, so go ahead and try it!
Image Source: Cosmopolitan
Image Source: The Beauty Department
The Fishtail Braid
What you need: hair brush, hair tie, bobby pins (optional, depends on your hair length)
I always thought this would be so complicated to achieve but I could not have been more wrong. Watching a YouTube tutorial is great for this too, that’s how I learned, but I’ve provided some pretty straightforward tutorials below. It’s so much cuter than the simple side braid and makes it look like you spent at least an hour doing your hair in the morning. I’ve found this is easiest to do on slightly damp hair as it tends to slip less. The technique involves dividing your hair into 2 sections, as opposed to 3 in a regular braid. You basically just take pieces of hair from the back of the 2 sections and bringing them around the front- but it sounds so much more difficult than it really is so look at the images below carefully. It may take you a few practice rounds to get this absolutely perfect, but once you achieve it you’ll be sporting this cute style almost everyday. If you have shorter hair in the front then twist it back and secure discreetly with bobby pins.
Stylist Tip- The cute thing about this style is that it will gradually become messier through the day, and at the end of it you’re left with a gorgeously boho braid, or lovely soft kinks in your hair if you wish to open it out. Either way, its a simple one-step style that takes you through the entire day and night. You can also add a cute hairband to dress it up.
Image Source: Parlor Diary
Image Source: Pretty Designs
The Night Wash
(Sorry, no Jon Snow here ladies)
What you need: shampoo& conditioner, hairbrush, soft towel, hair ties, serum, texturising spray
I do this a lot, only because it makes for zero hair effort the next morning and saves me a lot of time since I have long hair & wash it pretty much everyday. This method is self explanatory, wash and condition your hair the night before, towel dry your hair thoroughly with a soft, smooth cloth such as thin cotton (thick towels sometimes make your hair frizzier) and add a product like Moroccan Oil before gently combing out your tangles. Now divide your hair down the middle into 2 even sections and either make two braids or two neat spiral buns on the tops of your head. The buns will give a soft, even wave, and the braids with give your ends a beachy texture, so pick whichever you prefer. And thats pretty much it, go to bed on a soft pillow cover and wake up to gorgeous locks! Just open up your hair, add a touch of product like Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturing Spray and scrunch your hair a little before leaving home!
Stylist Tip- India is very humid place, and with summer around the corner, a lot of the world with be faced with hot humid days as well. This style is gorgeous for the warmer months and helps you embrace the bit of wave & frizz that comes with the heat. This has a very relaxed yet sexy vibe about and it works even if your hair is a little messy. The heat doesn’t have to be your hair enemy ladies, embrace the wave in style.
Image Source: iCraveBeauty
Image Source: Style Caster
The Ponytail Wrap
What you need: hairbrush, hair tie, bobby pins, hair straightener (optional)
So simple, so effective, and so often overlooked, the wrapped ponytail is the elegant sister of your standard, run-of-the-mill ponytail. Its ridiculously chic and works amazingly for the office or even a black tie event. You can wear it high, low, or in the middle, with a side parting, centre parting, or no parting whatsoever; such is the versatility of this trend. It works best on straighter hair, or on hair you’re too lazy to wash and was straightened the previous day. Brush out your hair gently and gather it into a ponytail at your preferred height, secure tightly with a hair tie. From the bottom part of your ponytail, take a small chunk of hair and smoothly wrap this around the rubber band before locking it in place with a couple of small bobby pins. If you have time, run a pre-warmed hair straightener on large amounts of the pony tail at a time to smoothen it out and give it better shape without making the hair perfectly straight. If you have natural waves you don’t need to do anything! They are gold just the way they are.
Stylist Tip- This is a great look to wear when you want to look focused and in charge at work, and works equally well at night if you have big earrings on, or bare open shoulders that you want to show off. I love these at all heights, but for a more formal look, stick to a low ponytail instead of a high one.
Image Source: Style Me Pretty
Image Source: I Know Hair
The Messy Pony
What you need: hair tie, comb, hairspray (optional)
We all have those days where we wake up not feeling our best after a night of partying, and thats when you want something simple and achievable in under a minute, because frankly, you probably feel like you’re dying and hair is the last thing on your mind. This is as simple as it gets and definitely won’t fail to make you look cuter than you feel. It’s actually one of my all time favourite styles and I find myself recommending it for shoots & celebrity clients alike. The effortless chic of this hairstyle can’t be beat. Take a comb and tease (backcomb) all of your hair, gather into a high, tight ponytail and tease the top of the ponytail near the hair tie. Next, smooth the hair slightly with comb, making it look neater while maintaining the volume, using your fingertips make your roots a bit looser with more volume and pull out a few face framing strands of hair. A little bit of hairspray is optional. And done! Now get to work before you change your mind and decide to go back to bed again.
Stylist Tip- For some reason, I’ve found that this style is really accentuated by a little smudgy eye-liner on your lower and upper lash lines & a bit of mascara. This will also help you hide dark circles, make your eyeballs look whiter, and not let anyone suspect you were up till 6 am being naughty.
Image Source: Pintrest
Image Source: Nasty Gal
The Braided Bun
What you need: hairbrush, hair tie, U pins
A cute, boho option for those days you feel like a hippie and a boss at the same time. Perfect for pretty earrings & summer days at the office, at home, or out, and absolutely ideal for the heat, keeping all your hair off the neck and securely in place. The method is ideal for the lazy girl, who wants edge without effort. Brush all your hair and gather at the back of the head, make a standard braid, taking care to be neat and tight, secure end with hair tie. Next spread out the braid a little bit by pulling both sides at the same time and making it wider. Twist the braid into a bun and secure with U pins. Its okay if the bun is slightly messy and has some hair sticking out, it makes it look even cuter. Untuck the hair from your ears so it slightly covers the top parts of the ear and loosen your roots with your fingertips. Done and done!
Stylist Tip- Pair this with floral/paisley/boho printed outfits for a match made in heaven! Add some pink stain to your lips and hint of blush to the apples of your cheeks for the perfect warm weather vibe. This looks far more intricate than it really is, so you get all the style minus the effort 🙂 It also looks lovely when opened up at the end of the day.
Image Source: Missy Sue
Image Source: The Beauty Bean
Image Source: Once Wed
The Man Bun
What you need: hair tie
This seems to be what I gravitate to naturally when I’m hanging at home or have a long day of running around for my styling work. It’s not really appropriate for offices with dress codes, or corporate work environments, as it’s super casual and a little bit on the trendy side even. But if you work in a creative field, run your own business or want a look for those chilled out days spent lounging around, then this is your style. I like it because it takes me 15 seconds to do, looks great messy, and keeps hair off my face while still being cute. There is no method, just grab a section of hair from the top and tie your rubber band half way, so you create a loop with your hair. Make it messy & loose around the face with a small bun at the back of your head.
Stylist Tip- Don’t make the bun too large as its not flattering with this style. A small to medium size one thats messy without too much hair sticking out is what you want to aim for. Pair this with sneakers and ripped jeans for effortless cool.
Image Source: Pintrest
Image Source: Cosmopolitan
The Boho Braids
What you need: 2-4 small rubber bands
Who doesn’t love a good boho inspired hairstyle? There’s something so stunning about that perfectly unkept hair, a few braids thrown in for good measure, and a relaxed, carefree attitude to match. This is similar to the twist and pin but has a completely different feel to it. Start with a centre parting on dry hair, take two sections of hair from centre of your face and pull to the back. Join the two sections and make a braid at the centre back, loosening it out when you’re done. Add a braid to one side of your hair on the open parts, and on the other the same thing but 2 braids and much, much thinner. Add a little sea salt or texturising spray, scrunch your hair, and get prepared for cute hair compliments all day.
Stylist Tip- If you don’t have sea salt spray, you can make your own! You need a spray bottle, 1 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, a few drops of good quality coconut oil, and one teaspoon of water based gel or hair spray. Combine, shake, spray, and scrunch your hair for that gorgeous ” I just left the beach” look.
Image Source: Barefoot Blonde
The Pull Through Ponytail
What you need: hairbrush, hair tie, hair spray (optional)
I remember my mom doing these for me when I was a kid and being fascinated at how quickly it made my hair look pretty. I still love this style just as much, and its perfect for those rushed morning and long days. Start by making a medium to low pony tail at the centre of your head that is nice and tight, now slide the rubber band slightly down making the ponytail looser and create a hole in the centre of the hair, the hair will flip upwards and pass down through this hole, creating a pretty & dainty ponytail. Just neaten up the hair a bit, make the ponytail a little tighter by pulling either side and you’re good to go!
Stylist Tip- You can even do this style with a side ponytail or just half your hair for a variation. It transforms the hair instantly and gives a lovely softness around the face. You can use this look for formal & black tie events by accentuating the style with something sparkly or even looping the ponytail through till it becomes a low bun.
Image Source: Buzzit
Image Source: The Steel Maiden
So that’s my definitive list of hairstyles that will take under 5 minutes & instantly elevate your look by about 1000 points. Perfect for lazy mornings, long days, and longer nights! If you loved this article or tried any of these hairstyles, then we’d love to hear from you! Send us a picture & you could be featured on the blog! I’ll be back next Tuesday with a fresh new post, till then check out my personal travel dairies & some of my favourite natural skincare products! xxx
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