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Tie a loose ponytail

A loose ponytail keeps your hair gathered without needing heat or a tight, slicked-back finish. Choose a position your hair reaches comfortably, and leave shorter layers free.

Step by step

  1. A woman holds her dry hair in a low ponytail with one hand, with a mauve scrunchie resting on that wrist.
    STEP 1 OF 7

    Gather at a comfortable height

    • Start with dry, detangled hair and remove any pins or clips. Put a soft covered tie on one wrist.
    • Use both hands to gather the hair low or at mid-height, wherever it reaches without pulling. Hold the bundle with the hand that has the tie on its wrist.
    • Let short front or nape layers stay out. You do not need to brush every strand tightly back.
  2. A woman holds her gathered hair with one hand and opens a single mauve scrunchie around the tail for its first pass.
    STEP 2 OF 7

    Pass the whole tail through once

    • Hold the gathered hair with the tie-wrist hand. Use your free hand to stretch the tie over that hand’s fingertips and around the hair.
    • Draw the whole tail through the open ring, including the ends. Let the tie rest at the base without pushing it toward the scalp.

    If one pass holds comfortably, skip steps 3–4 and go to the check in step 5.

  3. A woman supports her ponytail while holding the empty second loop of one twisted scrunchie open beside it.
    STEP 3 OF 7

    If needed, make another loop

    • If the tie slips, support the hair with one hand and pull the free side of the tie away from the tail with the other.
    • Turn that free side once to make an empty loop, like half of a figure eight. Keep the tail outside the new opening for now.
  4. A woman opens an additional soft-tie loop while guiding the whole ponytail through it.
    STEP 4 OF 7

    Pass the tail through the new loop

    • Hold the new loop open with your fingers and guide the whole tail through it, right to the ends.
    • Ease the loop around the tail. Do not split and pull the ponytail apart to tighten the tie toward the scalp.
  5. A woman checks her front hairline with her left fingertips while her right hand steadies the loose ponytail below the soft tie.
    STEP 5 OF 7

    Let go and check the fit

    • Release your hands and turn your head gently. Check the front, sides and nape for pulling or stinging.
    • If it pulls, undo a wrap using step 6. If the roots still pull, remove the tie and gather the hair lower or more loosely.
    • If it slips, try another wrap only while comfortable. If the next wrap squeezes, use a different tie size.

    The photo shows a fingertip check at the hairline. Also check with your hands off the ponytail, so they are not carrying its weight.

  6. A woman supports her low ponytail with her left hand while her right fingers release the opened loop of a mauve fabric scrunchie around the base.
    STEP 6 OF 7

    Undo the wraps one at a time

    • Support the hair near the tie with one hand. Use the other to open the outermost loop away from the hair.
    • Guide the tail back through that loop to undo the wrap. Repeat until only one open ring remains.

    Stop to free any caught strands with your fingers. Do not drag a tight tie down the lengths.

  7. A woman supports the gathered lengths while slipping an opened mauve fabric scrunchie off the free hair ends.
    STEP 7 OF 7

    Ease the last ring off the ends

    • Bring longer lengths forward if that is easier. Hold the hair above the ring, open it wide and ease it off the ends.
    • Clear shed hairs from the empty tie and put it aside. Replace it if its cover or join is damaged.

About 30–60 seconds hands-on to gather, fasten and check one familiar ponytail, then remove it later. Detangling, drying and wear time are separate.

Editorial estimate, not measured. Learning the hand movements, long hair, awkward reach or refitting can take longer.

You’re done when…

With your hands off the hair, the ponytail stays in place and you can turn your head without pulling or stinging. When taking it down, open the wraps before easing the final ring off the ends.