3 Steps to the Perfect Knotted Updo
By Jesa Marie Calaor. Photos: Getty Images.
Adir Abergel has styled the hair of nearly every A-lister for awards shows. His calling card: updos that are sexy, messy, and cool. Here, he creates a knotted updo in three easy steps.
1. Create textures. (Yes, two of them.) “The duality of a sharp architectural knot and softness everywhere else is what makes them so beautiful,” says Abergel. He starts with a smooth blowout, uses pomade to sculpt the knot and smooth down the sides, and sprays a texturizer everywhere else.
2. Think about where to place your knot. On short hair, a slick low knot gives length; on thick hair, like Rooney Mara’s, a half-up look removes bulk; and on fine hair, a topknot can be teased before it’s twisted to give the illusion of fullness.
3. Go for sculptural. Once you’ve nailed down the placement, gather your hair into a ponytail and secure with an elastic. Split the tail into two sections and give them a tug so that the sides tighten and the top stays soft. Then twist your ponytail until it coils on itself and secure it with two pins. There's your knotted updo.
Supplies: One of the biggest hair mistakes you can make: swiping or spritzing on too much product. “That can take away much of the luster from the hair,” says Abergel. In his bag, he keeps products that are too light to overdo: Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray, Bumble and Bumble Semisumo pomade, and Oribe Superfine Hair Spray.
This story originally appeared on Allure.
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