6 Celebrity-Inspired Updos to Copy on Prom Night
Prom season is in full effect. If you have your dress, shoes, and accessories locked down, the only thing left (other than a date) is the right hairstyle to complete your look for the dance.
While prom hair has come a long way from the stiff hair-sprayed and over-gelled upods you've seen in your parents' yearbooks, trying too get too intricate when doing your hair for the main event can go wrong quicker than tripping in your new heels.
To take some of the stress out of your prom planning, we've rounded up six simple celebrity-approved updos that you'll love, no matter your personal style. Keep scrolling to find which star's style you'll be dying to copy on prom night.
Emma Watson
Emma Watson's tousled upo adorned with loose plaits and feathers is one of the most romantic hairstyles we've ever seen—and your date will agree.
Watson's stylist Adir Abergel coated her layers with Leonor Greyl's Au Lotus Volumizing Mousse ($46; nordstrom.com) from mid-shaft to ends and rough dried it to bring out her natural waves. Next, he took a 3/4 inch curling iron to create loose waves at the ends of Watson's hair, and seperated them with Leonor Greyl Baume de Rose Styling Balm ($49; saksfifthavenue.com). While maintaing volume at the crown, Abergel created a few deconstructed braids all over and tied the star's hair into a loose chignon at the nape of the neck. He completed the look with his Adir x Lelet NY Gold Quill Halo ($688; leletny.com) and a shield of Leonor Greyl's Voluforme Styling Spray ($36; nordstrom.com).
1 of 6
Chrissy Teigen
If you're more indecisive about your hairstyle than you were picking out your dress, you can do no wrong with a retro-inspired low chignon like the updo Chrissy Teigen wore to the Oscars.
Teigen's stylist Jen Atkin prepped her damp hair with Ouai's Wave Spray ($26; sephora.com) through the mid-ends and Christophe Robin's Instant Volumizing Mist ($39; sephora.com) at the roots. She blow-dried Teigen's hair using a round brush and Dyson's Supersonic Hair Dryer ($399; sephora.com) with the styling concentrator nozzle to build extra volume around the face. After adding in a hair piece for extra fullness, Atkin sprayed Ouai's Texturizing Hair Spray ($26; sephora.com) from roots to ends for texture, and curled Teigen's ends with the Beachweaver S1 Curling Iron ($130; target.com) to create natural bends. Letting the hair fall around Teigen's face naturally, the pro twisted her hair into a chignon and pinned it in place. A spritz of Rita Hazan's Root Concealer in Dark Brown/Black ($25; sephora.com) along the hairline and a veil of Kevin Murphy's Sesson.Spray Strong Hold Hairspray (kevinmurphy.com.au for salons) completed the look.
2 of 6
Olivia Culpo
A low pony may be your go-to when you only have a few minutes to fresh up after gym class, but adding a few extra details makes the style prom night-ready.
To create Culpo's Oscars style, celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan prepped her damp hair with TRESemmé Extra Hold Gel ($4; target.com) at the roots and TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Shine Serum ($5; target.com) at the ends, then blow-dried it using ghd's Air Hair Dryer ($199; sephora.com). For extra smoothness, Marjan followed by veiling Culpo's hair with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Heat Protect Spray ($5; target.com) and ran ghd's Platinum Styler ($249; sephora.com) throughout.
While Marjan added extensions in for extra length, you can recreate the actual pony with all your own hair. The pro seperated the front and back sections of the hair and tied them into a low pony.
After wrapping the base of the pony with velvet ribbon and pinning it, spray a clean toothbrush with TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Hairspray($5; target.com) and brush the top for a flyaway-free finish.
3 of 6
Chloe Grace Moretz
Chloe Grace Moretz's undone ponytail looks effortlessly pretty, and it's actually simple to recreate, too. Before gathering your hair into a low pony and securing it with an elastic mid-way down the tail, spritz a volumizing spray allover like Living Proof's Full Dry Volume Blast ($29; sephora.com) to add body and grit to the style.
4 of 6
Zoë Kravitz
A top-knot is always a good idea. It's simple to do, and vary rarely can you mess it up. If you love the updo but want to give the style a little something extra for prom night, look no further Zoë Kravitz's chic, braided knot. If you have box braid's like Kravitz's, divide them into three sections to create one, big plait before twisting them up.
5 of 6
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez's simple curled ponytail is proof that a minimalist look can still stand out on a dancefloor of updos.
Gomez's haistylist Nikki Lee added a few extra details to her pony like a slick center part and curled the tail to elevate the style for the red carpet. To get your hair as glossy as Gomez's, wash your hair with a shine boosting shampoo and conditioner combo like Pantene's Ice Shine Glacial Glossing Complex ($5 each; walmart.com).