This is the first of a three-part series made in collaboration with Juut Salonspa. We’ll be talking hair, skincare and spring makeup during the month of April! First up: a new spring up do we’re calling “The Deconstructed Ponytail”

Achieving the perfectly tousled ponytail has long eluded me. It seems like a simple trick, but I’ve found many women have similar woes. Too high, too tight, not enough lift- the ponytail has never been a go-to look for me. Lastly, due to years of ponytail envy, I’ve wrongly dubbed the the look as not for me, or worse, kind of boring. I’m here today to say that I have been proven wrong.

When I shared my woes with Juut Salonspa, they suggested we do a ponytail makeover. Let me tell you- this totally changed my ponytail game. I walked away with great new-to-me tips that will hopefully come in handy for you too! We played with a few different styles and decided to share this tutorial for the “deconstructed” ponytail. It can be simplified based on the look you’re going for, and I promise, it looks more complicated than it actually is! Let’s break it down into 4 steps:

Do the pony

1.Add Volume.

Rub your fingers through the front part of your hair and let it fall into it’s natural part. In a zig-zag motion, select a small section of hair a few inches behind your natural part, near the very the top of your head. We want to avoid using a straight line here, as it helps keep the back comb volume. Sprinkle some Pure Abundance Hair Potion at the root of the hair and back comb the section no more than an inch from the base of your scalp. Spray with hair spray. Repeat this step 3-4 times with small sections of hair, moving down your scalp. Once you’re finished, lightly smooth the back combed sections with your finger or wide tooth comb.

2. Find the Perfect Placement.

There are two places a ponytail best flatters your face. Hold a comb along the your jaw line, just under your ear, to locate it. For a lower ponytail, angle the comb down along your eyebrow and ear line. We decided to add lift at the top of my hair and secure the ponytail at the nape of my neck. This tip blew my mind.

3. Secure Lift and ponytail base.

Once you decide where you want to place the ponytail, secure lift at the top of your head by combing/smoothing the top section of your hair back, leaving hair around your face. Twist this section once, and secure with a few bobby pins. This allows the back combed area of hair to be free from the weight of the ponytail. Follow this step by create a small ponytail at the nap of the neck, leaving hair around your ears and either side of your face.

4. Add Texture.

Separate the hair on either side of your face into two sections. You’ll make four loose braids in total, two on either side of your face. Start with the section closest to the nape of your neck on the opposite side of your part (if you have a side part). Once you’ve loosely braided the section of hair, sprinkle it with some hair potion and lightly slide your index finger and thumb up the braid. Release the braid and pull it apart slightly with your fingers. Take the loose braid, drap it slightly around the side of your head, and wrap the end around the small ponytail at the nape of your neck. Secure it underneath your ponytail with bobby pins. Continue this technique with the other sections of hair. Remember to keep it loose and let some of the ends stick out slightly. You could do up to loose six braids if you really want to amp up the volume, or two for a simpler look. The braids allow for the ponytail to look loose and messy without falling apart immediately.

Additional Tips:

It helps if you style with day-old hair. Your hair has more texture and the natural oils help for a more secure updo. If you loose lift through out the day, carefully stick your fingers into the back combed section of hair and lightly scrunch the area to reactivate the pure abundance hair potion. Add hairspray to this section if needed. If your ends start to get frizzy, twist them lightly in between your fingers. You can also simplify this process by creating two braids instead of four. I’ve recreated this look with only two braids in under 5 minutes and the look is still really great!

This experience changed the way I traditionally thought of “updo” appointments. You don’t have to reserve them for weddings or a special night out. Consider taking the opportunity to take some pictures to your stylist to learn new ways to style your hair for spring! What I love most about this relaxed look is it’s versatility. With a smoked eye, it easily transitions into a great date night look. It is also casual enough to wear running errands around town. Once I was all made up, we thought it would be fun to take the new ‘do out for a spin for post work errands and a happy hour cocktail.

So Melissa, Ashley (the lovely Marketing Manager at Juut Salonspa) and myself headed over to the North Loop to stop by The Foundry Home Goods to see what was new, and grab a drink at Marvel Bar. I’ve come to love this growing neighborhood, and shops like The Foundry Home Goods, Arrow, and Askov Finlayson continue to make 2nd and 1st St my favorite shopping destination. We ran into Chris Drees , head of visuals at Askov Finlayson (pictured above), while snapping pictures, and I couldn’t help but take a picture with him in our head-to-toe denim outfits. Thanks to The Foundry Home Goods letting us stop by and shoot in your your gorgeous space. And to Peder for mixing me my favorite Marvel Bar libation, The Waldorf. It was a great way to end a fun afternoon.

If you have any questions about the updo, leave your comments below! I’d be happy to follow up with you. If you’re curious about the products and clothing featured, you can find the info below. Stay tuned for some spring skincare advice

Hair Products available at Juut Salonspa: Air Control (best hair spray ever), Pure Abundance Hair Potion, and hair elastics, bobby pins, back combing brush.

Clothing: chambray shirt available at Parc Boutique, jeans by Zara (alternatives at Parc Boutique), shoes by Manolo Blahnik (JCrew has a fantastic alternative), trench by Ann Taylor (similar one from A.P.C, and ASOS.com , and my can’t-live-without clutch by J.W Hulme.

Photography by Melissa Oholendt

Special thanks to Liz at Parc Boutique for pulling for us!

* This post was sponsored by Juut Salonspa

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.