I’m fairly low-maintenance when it comes to my hair. Sure, being a curly girlie, my 2B waves require their fair share of moisturizing and texturizing products after I shower to hold the shape and fight excess frizz, but I’m also a fan of the air dry and a prayer method most days. Occasionally, however, I need to step it up a notch and arrive at an industry event, a friend’s wedding, or a particularly saucy date night looking slightly more polished. Over many years of trial and error, I’ve finally decided that my best bet for a foolproof updo that feels like me without requiring hours of styling, or more than a handful of styling products, is a braided ponytail.
We are definitely in a ponytail revival at the moment, with street style stars and celebrities all showcasing their version of the look. The braided version (either a traditional three-strand or a fishtail braid) with a slicked-back finish always helps me feel sexy, slinky, and put-together.
The best part? If I have all my products ready to go, I can pull the hairstyle together in under five minutes. Here’s everything I use to perfect my signature braided ponytail for a stylish night out.
Boar or Bust
I have a hefty collection of hair brushes at this point in my life, but to get that super smooth front with little to no frizz, I need a boar bristle brush. It can be a little pricier, but it’s worth every penny for the sleek look it achieves, I swear.
Perfectly pint-sized to angle around my ears and neck, this chic mint green style is always on my vanity for a braided ponytail moment.
Sticking to your beauty budget? No problem with this no-nonsense option. It easily smooths hair and calms flyaways while you’re styling.
Yell for Gel
The secret to a slick-back style is plenty of hair gel. What makes the biggest difference is using a quality formula that doesn’t flake throughout your evening, but still delivers hold and shine. Apply it from the roots to the base of where your ponytail will start before you go in with your boar bristle brush and your hair will be sleek all night long.
The name here does not lie—this strong hold formula locks in the front of your hair for all-day hold. I love that it keeps my baby hairs and wiry grays from escaping when I’m in my braided ponytail era.
This baby is the OG when it comes to gels for a slick-back look. The hold lasts for hours and the shine is unrivaled.
Flyaway Wands FTW
I remember the days of using clear brow gel to calm my frizz. Now, flyaway wands are quickly becoming one of beauty’s hottest categories, and my new must-have for styling a braided ponytail.
This formula is so good at calming frizz and unruly hair, I keep a spare in every bag I own. Who knew a tiny wand would become so essential to my braided ponytail routine?
Your hair can never be too shiny for a glamorous night out. I love this drugstore formula to keep my edges smoothed and add a glossy finish.
Get Some Closure
I never want my braided ponytail to look too casual or weighed down by bulky hair ties. I always reach for small invisible elastics for the ends, and then a metallic hair cuff to cover my hair-colored ponytail holder at the base for a bit of extra glam.
This pearlescent pony cuff is the epitome of elegance. I already have the silver chrome style but I think this ethereal option needs to join my hair accessory collection for fall and winter parties.
Are these the most glamorous products in the world? Not necessarily. But they keep my braid in place and help the end look weightless through hours of dancing, dining, and whatever else the night brings my way.
Finishing Touches
The beauty of a braided ponytail is that it doesn’t require much to achieve the look. Still, I like to go in with some oil on the ends to minimize the look of split ends and a touch of hairspray to really lock the style in place.
Not only does this nourishing oil help calm frizz, add shine, and smooth the ends of my braid, but it also smells incredible. There’s no chance of dry ends when I add this to the end of my braid styling routine.
I’ve been loyal to this no-nonsense hairspray formula for over a decade. It keeps my hair in whatever style I’m feeling at the moment for hours, which, for a braided ponytail look, means the updo will look just as good at the end of the night as it did hours prior.
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