Running short on time but still want to look great? Don’t worry, there are loads of quick hairstyles that you can try! Obviously, everyone’s definition of what makes a ‘quick’ hairstyle is a little bit different, but there are plenty of gorgeous styles that only take a few minutes!
Quick hairstyles for hair down
If you’d like to leave your hair down, but need quick hairstyle ideas to make it a little neater and prettier, the easiest options are either to try a half-up hairstyle, to curl it, or to add beachy waves. The choice is up to you – it all depends on what sort of occasion you need a quick hairstyle for.
Quick curls
Everyone has their own favorite method of curling their hair, and there are dozens of different ways to get messy curls, retro waves, Victoria’s Secret curls – there’s a method out there for everyone! If you’re in a rush, however, it may be best for you to try out the ponytail curling method. It’s super easy!
- Put your hair up in a ponytail on the very top of your head.
- Separate it out into two, three or four sections, depending on the thickness of your hair.
- Wrap each section around a curling iron or wand for a few seconds, and let the curls cool before undoing the ponytail. This is one of the best ways to get a quick hairstyle with a curling iron!
Half-up, half-down hairstyles
Like curling, there are dozens if not hundreds of variations on this simple and quick hairstyle! Basically, it involves pulling the top part of your hair up and away from your face, while leaving the rest of the hair down. It’s great when you need to keep your hair out of your face, or want to add a little more polish to your look without spending too much time!
You can take slim parts of hair from the front of your face and pin them back for a super-fast style, or spend a little more time neatly arranging the top and sides of your hair in a criss-cross pattern. If you’re fast at braiding, try pulling back your hair in one or two braids for a very pretty but very quick hairstyle. If braiding will take you too long, using a twist instead looks just as pretty but takes half as long!
Easy beach waves
Some of you may be lucky enough to already have gorgeous natural waves, in which case you don’t need a tutorial! For everyone else, messy beach waves are a great way to style wet hair with minimum effort, or you can even plan ahead and wake up with great waves!
To style beach waves on damp hair, you’ll want some sort of texture spray. Most hair brands sell a beach or sea salt spray, so try a few out and see what works for you! If you’d rather save money, it’s actually easy to make your own sea salt spray. Mix up a few teaspoons of sea salt in a spray bottle of warm water, and mix in a little texture paste or gel, and perhaps some leave-in conditioner. You may have to experiment with different qualities before you find the perfect version for your hair.
Once you have your salt spray, it’s simple – spray it on wet hair, scrunch and twist, and then leave your hair to air dry!
If you have no time in the mornings and would rather wake up with hair that’s ready to go, you can still get gorgeous beach waves! The night before, spray your hair with a little water or sea salt spray to get it slightly damp. Braid it in three or four sections (depending on how thick it is), and secure the braids. Loosen them in the morning for lovely easy waves!
Quick ponytail hairstyles
A ponytail is the ultimate quick hairstyle, and a lot of you probably already use this style when you’re in a rush! It doesn’t always look great, however, so try adding an extra few minutes, and get a perfect ponytail!
Add a little volume
A ponytail will automatically look classier and more polished with a little volume at the crown. Add some volumizing powder to your roots and tease the hair a little before smoothing it back into a ponytail. For a really elegant five-minute look, slip on a black headband!
Add some braids
Either braid your entire ponytail, or braid back your bangs before typing the ponytail. You can even French braid your hair all the way back to where your ponytail starts! Just like with a half-up style, if braids take you too long, you can always do a speedy twist instead to keep your bangs out of your face and add a little interest to your ponytail.
Quick hairstyles for hair up
If you’re really in a rush, putting your hair up is probably the best way to get a quick hairstyle that still looks good! With your hair up, you don’t need to worry about problems like frizz, greasiness or general mess in the same way that you would with it down. You probably already have a way to throw your hair up into a quick messy bun, but try one of these styles to add a little more polish! Have a look at the pictures to get a better idea of how to do each style.
Easy chignon
For a super elegant quick hairstyle, try a chignon. The name sounds fancy, but this is actually very easy once you get the hang of it! Begin by tying your hair into a loose low ponytail and pull the elastic down to the ends. Now hold the end of the ponytail and roll it up around your fingers (or hold and roll the ponytail with a pair of chopsticks!). Twist it around so that it lies flat against your head in a sort of sausage shape. Begin to pin it in place, making sure to hold the bottom part of hair up so that it doesn’t sag. If you’re careful, you can slip all of your bobby pins into the roll of hair so that none of them are visible.
Quick hairband updo
This is an especially popular hairstyle for boho or festival style, and also for 1920s or Gatsby-themed dressing up, if a gorgeous beaded headband is used. Don’t worry, this is far easier than it looks!
Start by placing a hairband across your forehead and over your head, with all your hair still underneath. If this doesn’t make sense, just have a look at the photos! Starting from the front and working backwards, take small pieces of hair, about an inch wide, and tuck them over and into the hairband. Keep going until all of your hair is tucked into the headband, and pin any loose parts. The best part of this hairdo is that if you carry a few bobby pins, it’s incredibly easy to touch up any loose hairs on the go – you don’t even need a mirror, just feel for which pieces have escaped.
Twisted easy updo
For a super easy updo, put your hair into a low ponytail. Divide the hair just above the elastic into two, creating a hole, and push the entire ponytail down through this hole and out the other side. It’s just like the twisted ponytails you probably used to do when you were younger! Keep bringing the ponytail over and through the hole until it gradually begins to twist upwards. When you reach the end of the ponytail, pin the ends in place, and you have a gorgeous twisty updo that looks like it took ages!
Easy messy updo
For a nice easy updo, put your hair into a ponytail, but don’t pull it all the way through on the final wrap – leave it folded in two for a loose bun shape. Wrap the remaining hair around the base of the bun and leave it all in place. If this is a little too basic, there are a few ways that you can upgrade this quick hairstyle without too much effort.
- Make your usual messy updo look instantly better by adding a pretty hairband!
- Similar to the ponytail idea, braid or French braid your hair before pulling it into a bun.
- Try teasing the roots on top of your head before you pull your hair it back into a bun. This will give you a lot more texture and volume.
Criss-Cross bun
Try a criss-cross bun for something a little prettier! Separate your hair into three sections – a larger central section, and two smaller sections from in front of each ear. Make the middle section into a ponytail, and then wrap it around itself and pin for a small bun. Take the right hand section, and wrap it over the top of the bun and underneath. Pin in place. Take the left hand section and do the same, so that it crosses over the first section. Tuck any loose ends out of the way, and you have a beautiful quick hairstyle!
For an extra twist, try braiding the two outside sections before you wrap them around the bun.
