Use a paddle brush or a denman brush to brush your hair while blow drying it. This will help position it better as well as make it smoother. Lean forward when blow drying the hair on the back and sides of your head; it’ll make things easier. While not completely mandatory, this will help “train” your hair to lay in a certain direction and reduce bumps.

For example, if you blow-dried the hair on the back and sides of your hair, then pull the flat iron upwards rather than down. If your hair is naturally straight or thin, you can skip this step. If your hair is thick, curly, or textured, straightening it will make it flatter, sleeker, and more manageable.

This is completely optional.

This may seem a like a lot of extra work, but working in 2 parts is key to getting a sleek, bump-free ponytail.

This is where your high ponytail will end up, so play around with the position until you are happy with it. Creating a double ponytail is ideal if you have very thick hair.

Keep going until you get the smoothness you desire. Do the top and sides. Make sure that the teeth of the comb reach your scalp. If you need extra smoothness, apply a light-weight gel to your hairline, and slick it back towards the ponytail. This will reduce frizz and flyaways, helping your ponytail become smoother and sleeker. [7] X Research source

Be sure to smooth your hair down as you pull it into the hair tie. This completes the first stage of your bump-free ponytail!

Try to get the hairs as smooth as possible for this. You shouldn’t have to use any gel for this.

Make sure that the elastic is new; older ones that have lost their stretch and elasticity won’t hold your style for very long. [11] X Research source Consider using a bungee ponytail holder instead. It’s a piece of looped elastic with hooks on each end. [12] X Research source At this stage, your ponytail is complete. If you want to upgrade it, read on!

Focus on the ends of your ponytail, especially if you have layered hair. You don’t need to use more heat protectant, since the initial coating you did when you first straightened your hair should be enough.

Always do the underside of each section, not the top. If you do the top, it’ll be visible in the finished look.

If you don’t have a toothbrush to spare, you could try a boar bristle brush or a smoothing brush instead.

For a nicer finish, smooth the end of the strand down with gel before you bobby pin it. This is a great way to hide a bungee-style hair tie.

If you’re just looking for extra hold, focus on the hair that’s going into the ponytail. If you’re looking for extra shine, focus on the tail itself.

It’s best that you do this after you’ve finished spraying your hair, as hairspray can damage or dull a nice hair accessory.