At long last, here’s the frequently requested bouffant updo hair tutorial! This is one of my go-tos for a quick and easy updo, and it can be done on short or long hair (you’ll just tuck longer ends, with the latter). While this can be polished, I don’t have the patience – or even desire! – to do so. I prefer full, messy hair, and tend to like this bouffant updo more and more, as the day goes on and it loosens up. Since my hair is fine and flat, I rely on a lot of products. Since working with Living Proof, I’ve switched over to the Full Shampoo and Conditioner (I used to use Perfect Hair Day, but Full is better for my type of hair). I then add a small amount of Full Thickening Mousse from root to tip, and spritz the Full Root Lifting Spray at the roots, then do a rough dry with my head flipped over. I let it cool before flipping it back over, and my hair has so much more volume. If you have fine, limp hair like mine, I recommend you begin with that — it helps to have some volume and texture (which the product takes care of) to start with, so it doesn’t fall flat. Now, onto the step by step bouffant tutorial!

1. Start with your hair down. Second or third day hair works well with this updo, but if it’s newly washed, follow the aforementioned steps to give it a little more volume and grip.
2. Beginning with a small section at the front, gently tease with a comb, pulling the back of the section toward your head. It will make something that looks like a rat’s nest, and that’s okay.
3. Spray with hairspray (I used Flex Shaping Hairspray).
4. Blow it dry. This is what stylist Chris McMillan taught me, that has changed my teasing game: tease, spray, hit it with a blow dryer, repeat. It sets it and keeps it from falling flat.
5. Repeat in small sections, going further and further back.
6. At this point, you probably look like you did your hair with a weed whacker. That’s okay! We’ll fix that.
7. Pull those teased sections back, and smooth out the top. It will hide all of the teased hair underneath.
8. Pull it all back into a low ponytail (don’t secure with a band, just hold it in place).
9. This is where it’s a little hard to explain/demonstrate, but it’s easy to do. Pull it tight, then twist the ponytail section in an upward motion — I twist clockwise and then pull it up. It will create a vertical roll. You can just fold it (like a french twist), but I like doing the twist to keep the bottom from drooping or falling out, since I have shorter hair.
10. Tuck the ends under.
11. Secure with pins. I use both the U-pins and bobby pins, and I use a lot.
12. Loosen it up on the sides and top. If it’s a little lopsided, it can easily be fixed by loosening up one side or the other.
13. Set it with hairspray. Done!