School mornings can be chaotic, and with a million and one things to remember before you leave the house, it can be easy to neglect the time you spend getting yourself ready for the day. If you’re a busy parent, the same likely applies to getting your kids ready for school too. Amongst preparing lunch boxes, school bags and homework, you want your child to feel confident and comfortable as they head off to school, and styling their hair can be a big part of that. Let’s face it, no one has time for fancy updos or heat-styled looks that take up the most amount of time only to not look how you’d imagined it to anyway.
Equally, looking well put together for work or school is necessary to help you and your children feel your best so that you can work better and more productively. Still, looking good shouldn’t throw off the rest of your morning routine and take up so much time that it makes you stressed or late. In this article, we will share quick and easy hairstyles you can use for busy mornings.
Sleek Low Ponytail
A sleek low ponytail is the ultimate hairstyle for several different occasions. Perhaps you’re looking to get your hair out of the way on a hot summer’s day, or look professional and confident for an important work meeting, or maybe you’ve left it a little too long to be washed, so leaving your hair down isn’t an option. Instead of doing a regular ponytail, this variation is easy to do and looks as if a professional hairstylist has done it. For this hairstyle, you will need the following items:
- A hair cream, oil or gel
- An elastic hair bobble
- A boar bristle brush or smoothing brush
- Hair spray
- A bobby pin/hair grip
This hairstyle is best when used on dry hair, preferably not freshly washed, although it can still be achieved at any time. Start by outlining a middle or side parting for the ponytail and gather the hair towards the back of the head, ensuring the ponytail sits low and close to the neck. Using the hair cream, oil or gel and the boar bristle brush, carefully brush the hair smoothly into the bobble, making sure to maintain the side or middle parting you created earlier.
Secure the hair with an elastic bobble, tight enough so that the ponytail stays in place even when the head moves around. Take a small section of hair from the left or right side of the ponytail, and neatly wrap it around the bobble so that all the hair covers it. Secure this with a bobby pin and lightly finish with hairspray to hold the hair in place.
Read: How to Match Fragrance With Your Lifestyle
Half-up Topknot
This next hairstyle is great for busy mums and families with young kids as it works well for hair of all lengths and face structures. It also requires minimal equipment, and can be achieved with as little as an elastic band and a few bobby pins. To achieve the look, gather the top section of your hair, about a third to one half of your hair and take it to the crown of your head, loosely securing it with an elastic band. Be sure not to brush the hair back into the bobble, as this look is supposed to be natural and messy.
Next, separate the ponytail into two sections and neatly cross them over to tie a knot between the two. Then, repeat the same, tying a second knot in the ponytail and lifting the two sections of hair to the crown of the hair when you do so. Finally, grip each section of the hair closely to the bun and let the free pieces of hair naturally dangle from the knotted bun. Finish with a small amount of hairspray.
Low Braided Ponytail
Our final hairstyle inspiration is a low-braided ponytail. This hairstyle can be achieved in a matter of minutes, making it the perfect go-to style for days where time is limited or you need to get ready for the day on-the-go. This hairstyle works best on freshly washed hair, as the clean, smooth texture allows it to sit neatly, whereas hair that is matte or greasy can make the style appear tighter and more defined. With layered hair or hair that’s cut with bangs, start by separating these sections at the front of the hair from the back. With the back section of the hair, separate it into three equally-sized sections and start by taking the far right section and placing it over the top of the middle section.
Repeat the same on the other side, taking the left piece of hair and placing it over the top of the middle section. Repeat this motion all the way towards the ends of the hair and tie with an elastic band or scrunchie so that the plait stays in place. To complete the look, apply your favourite lip gloss, rosy cream blush and a generous spray of your best perfume.
