Some people think that if you’re going to be putting your hair up, whether totally or partially, styling beforehand isn’t necessary. This simply isn’t the case. If you want your style to stay in place and look picture perfect, preparing for the all-important up do is an essential part of the process. It doesn’t matter whether your hair is going to be tightly wound in a bun or whether the fringe and bangs will remain loose. If you want your hair to look sleek, shiny and stylish, you need to put some time and effort into putting it up.

Tying your hair up isn’t the natural way your hair likes to sit. If you want it to stay where you tell it to, it’s a good idea to use complementary products. Not just firm hold hairspray after you tie it up, though: there are loads of shampoos, conditioners, leave in masks and instant sprays and mists designed to prepare your hair for styling, leaving it more manageable and less likely to protest when you start shaping it. You need your hair to be in complete agreement with the style you shape it into, lest strands and kinks begin to appear, working themselves free of the up do and ruining the effect.

Straightening is also an important pre element of putting your hair up. You may question why, as the hair won’t be hanging straight in most cases – but straight hair has already been subdued and will take whatever shape you then mould it into, whereas hair left curly or even slightly wavy is more
likely to escape its bonds. Be sure to use a high quality styler so as not to damage your hair with the heat – the IV range from ghd is a great place to start, and many of their complementary products are designed to perform the tasks described above.

A good styler can also be useful in adding finishing touches to your up do, once the preliminary work and the styling itself has been completed. Your fringe may not be sitting quite right, or you may wish to add a gentle curl to your bangs to prevent them hanging limply from the up do. For little flairs like
this, a mini styler like the ghd IV Mini Styler is perfect, helping you to complete the hairstyles of your dreams – in this case a sleek up do that will stay in place as long as you need it to.