How to Do a Spiral Ponytail

1.

Start with clean, dry hair. If your hair is dirty or oily, the spirals will look greasy and clumpy instead of shiny and smooth. Clean hair will also hold the curls better, so your ponytail won't go limp before the night is over.

2.

Spray in a little curl gel, concentrating on the bottom half of your locks. Since you're only curling your ponytail, you don't need to spray the top portion of your hair. Next, spray some heat protectant on your locks so they don't get fried by the iron.

3.

Decide whether you want a side pony or a traditional ponytail centered in the back of your head. Comb your hair into the ponytail so the top of your mane is nice and smooth, then secure your ponytail band.

4.

Heat up your curling iron. For one big spiral, use the largest barrel available. For multiple spirals, use a skinnier iron with a barrel that's 1 inch or smaller.

5.

Comb out a section of hair that's the width you want your spirals to be. Hold the iron vertically and clamp it around your hair at the base of your ponytail, not at the ends of your hair. Wrap the piece of hair in a spiral down the shaft of the iron, and hold it there for about 10 to 20 seconds.