I’ll admit, I was intimidated by this look at first. I have a lot of hair, and it’s not particularly silky or cooperative. But I decided to give it a go anyway, and it turns out that with the right products (and a little practice), this look is actually quite easy to achieve. Here’s how you can get the look at home and actually achieve: the super-sleek, tight, non-bunhead-like topknot.
Start with clean, dry hair. If your hair is on the oilier side, you may want to start with day-old hair or use a dry shampoo like Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk ($20) to soak up any excess grease. If your hair is on the drier side, you may want to mist it with a light leave-in conditioner like Bumble and bumble All-Style Blow Dry ($32) to help protect your strands from heat damage.
Next, brush your hair back into a high ponytail at the crown of your head and secure with an elastic band. If your hair is particularly slippery, you may want to use a texturizing spray like Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray ($22) before brushing it back to help give your ponytail some grip.
Now begins the tricky part: creating the perfect twist for your topknot. To do this, divide your ponytail into two sections and begin twisting each section around itself clockwise until it forms a rope-like coil. Once both sections are coiled, wrap them around each other in opposite directions (one clockwise, one counterclockwise) and tuck the ends underneath so they’re hidden. Secure everything in place with bobby pins crisscrossed in an X pattern.
At this point, you can either leave your topknot as is or take things one step further by wrapping a small section of hair around the base of the knot (this will help conceal any flyaways and give the illusion of an even sleeker style). Finally, mist your topknot with a strong hold hairspray like L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray ($24) to keep everything in place all day long.
Summertime is all about fun in the sun – but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your style! These high (non-pinhead-y) topknots are perfect for keeping your hair off your face and neck while still looking chic and put together. And best of all, they’re easy to achieve! Just follow these simple steps and you’ll be rocking this look in no time…