8 Easy Updos That You Can Totally DIY for Prom
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram1/10There’s a certain time of year when visions of elaborate chignons start dancing through your head — and that time is prom season. True, the intricate updo might seem like a daunting task better suited to the skills of a professional, but what if we told you it could be simplified and still impress? Thanks to the best source of beauty inspiration around (AKA Instagram), we’ve been studying up on the components of an easy — yet suitably gorgeous — prom hairstyle. Our findings: 8 awesome looks approved by the pros. For the full tutorials, we deferred to the wisdom of seasoned updo experts: scünci hair ambassador Laura Polko, Dove celebrity stylist Mark Townsend, and consulting hair expert for L’Oréal Paris Mara Roszak. Grab a notebook, and get ready for your best prom ever.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@laurapolko2/10The Wispy Topknot
We’ll start with what might be the easiest updo ever: this romantic topknot worn by Shay Mitchell. To get a similarly beachy texture, Laura recommends working Sun Bum Salt Spray through the hair before gathering it up into a high pony. “Wrap the pony around itself until it twists into a bun, then secure with bobby pins,” she instructs. To achieve wispy softness around the face, gently run the palms of your hands over your hairline to loosen everything up.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@laurapolko3/10Braid Meets Bun
This style leverages the three-strand look of a braid to create a bun that looks way more effort-intensive than it actually is. Laura parts the hair into three, vertical sections — then starts braiding each one at the base of the head. For a simplified version, you can skip the parting and stick to one low braid. From there, it’s as easy as wrapping the braid around itself until you get a bun, then pinning it into place. If you’re going for an extra-sleek finish, she recommends “blow-drying hair straight back with a fine-tooth comb and Oribe Superfine Hair Spray.”
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@marktownsend14/10The Way Casual Chignon
For a wavy chignon, you must begin with wavy hair. Mark recommends loosely wrapping sections of hair around a 1-inch curling iron before spritzing through with Dove Refresh+Care Volume & Fullness Dry Shampoo. Leave a few loose pieces out by your face and gather the rest into a loose braid at the nape of your neck. Wrap it up into a bun, and secure with bobby pins — experiment with gold ones for a little extra sparkle. “Loosen hair enough to get a bohemian, textured feel,” he says. Now grab those face-framing waves and swoop them back, securing with additional, gold bobby pins. And since this style needs to stay put through hours of dancing, “top it off with Style+Care Strength & Shine Extra Hold Hairspray for lasting hold.”
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@marktownsend15/10The Accessorized Updo
We love hair tools that pull double duty, and oversized, metallic hair pins are the perfect fit for prom. “Start by applying Dove Regenerative Nourishment Serum-in-Oil to damp hair and blow-dry for shine,” says Mark. “Pull your hair back and twist it around into a bun, securing it with 2 YS Park 4” Rose Gold Hair Pins — large hair pins can secure even the thickest of manes!” Here’s where it gets next-level genius: he coats a mascara wand in hairspray and brushes it over the nape of the neck and hairline to keep everything looking polished all night long.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@marktownsend16/10The Half-Up ‘Do
Dakota Johnson’s playful, half-up hairdo works great for short and long styles alike. Mark’s pro trick for getting lived-in texture involves running a flat iron over a few braids before letting them out (for an easier alternative, try a texture spray like Oribe Dry). “Pull half of your hair back into a high ponytail on top of your head,” he says. “Braid the ponytail and twist it into a topknot, loosening it for maximum playfulness. Secure with bobby pins and spray a generous amount of Oribe Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray for gloss and bend.”
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@mararoszak7/10Ponytail Perfection
The trick to making an everyday ponytail feel prom-appropriate rests in adding maximum volume and a few beachy waves. “On damp hair, apply L’Oréal Paris Boost It Volume Inject Mousse all over, working it in from roots to ends before blow-drying,” says Mara. Create loose waves using your favorite method, whether that involves salt spray or loosely curling the top pieces. She adds Boost It High Lift Creation Spray for more texture before teasing the crown and gathering everything into a high ponytail. “Secure with an elastic and wraps a piece of hair around the ponytail to disguise the elastic,” she explains. To lock the look in place, use a strong-hold hairspray.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@mararoszak8/10The Undone Bun
“The idea of this style isn’t for it to look perfectly done,” says Mara of Emma Stone’s enviably tousled updo. She recommends L’Oreal Paris Txt It Tousle Wave Spray and a rough dry for maximum texture before parting the hair off-center. Hair goes back into a mid-height ponytail before being secured with an elastic. The most important step to creating an undone bun, as Mara taught us, is to not overthink it. And how do you accomplish this? “Pin as you wrap,” she explains. “Allow pieces to naturally fall around the face and use hair pins to pin back any unwanted loose pieces.” Finish it off with a trusty, stylist favorite: Elnett Satin Hairspray Strong Hold.
Photo: Courtesy of Instagram/@mararoszak9/10The Crisscross Chignon
Listen up: this last one tiptoes into low-intermediate territory, but if you’ve mastered the rest, then it’s nothing you can’t handle. Blow-dry your hair (Mara likes to apply L’Oréal Paris Quick Dry Primer Spray to speed things up) and part it down the middle, leaving two, face-framing pieces out. Gather the rest into a low ponytail, and secure with an elastic. Tuck the ends under so your ponytail forms a loop — if you have longer lengths, roll your ponytail under itself — and pin it into place. To add an optional (but very chic) upgrade to that chignon, take the face-framing pieces and crisscross them around your looped chignon, securing them with bobby pins. Mist with more Elnett Strong Hold, and you’re ready to go.
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