Kate Middleton's simple trick for a thick and bouncy ponytail adds instant volume - and takes minutes to achieve
The Princess of Wales has perfected the art of the polished ponytail
It's no secret that the Princess of Wales has a luscious head of hair, one that we're all in awe of every time she steps out in public.
And while Princess Catherine is blessed with famously great locks, even she relies on simple tricks to give her styles the appearance of extra thickness and volume.
The future Queen has just reminded us that the simplest styles are often the most elegant, and a ponytail done well is all that's needed for a good hair day.
Making an appearance in the village of Pulborough to visit the volunteers who run the West Sussex Minibus Service, Kate looked sleek and chic in a cosy charcoal coat by Jigsaw and a silk Reiss blouse. The fashionable royal complemented the outfit with a perfectly styled updo.
We're used to seeing Kate go for glam and intricate styles when she wears her hair up for glitzy events - but this time her elevated pony was the perfect choice for her day at work.
If you save ponytails for low-effort days when hair isn't a priority, Kate's polished, thickness-boosting style might just change your mind. The Princess of Wales' simple ponytail styling trick ensured her tied-up hair appeared thicker, bouncier and a little more glam.
Instead of leaving her tresses straight as they hung from her hair tie, she added a few loose-yet-bouncy curls to the ends of her signature brown mane. Don't worry about making the curls completely uniform and flawless - look closely at Catherine's ponytail, and you'll notice that the unpolished waves add more dimension to the hair.
Copy Kate's ponytail by taking a hot tong to the ends of your locks and adding some imperfect curls. The ghd Chronos Curve Wand is one of our favourites for simple styling.
The clue is in the name when it comes to ColorWow's Raise the Root spray. The powerful volumiser is a must for anyone who wants an extra boost of texture and body - and it's especially helpful for avoiding flat ponytails.
The John Frieda Volume Lift Root Booster is another one of our favourite styling sprays for giving hair that's fine or thin a helping hand. With a bargain price tag, it's a no-brainer purchase for your hair product stash.
The loose and lived-in bounce of Princess Catherine's gorgeous ponytail is your green light to take a few minutes to grab those tongs and quickly add some curls to the ends of your hair. Don't worry about achieving curl perfection.
According to woman&home Beauty Channel Editor Fiona McKim, "By curling the hair with each section facing in different directions, the curls sit against each other and create the impression of extra volume - it's a classic hair stylist's technique for adding fullness and a modern finish."
The noticeable volume at the crown of Catherine's head is another must for the perfect pony. A lift at the root means your updo looks fuller and creates a gorgeous 'lifted' silhouette.
Adding a spritz of a thickening product like a root spray, texturising spray, or even dry shampoo will easily add the extra va-va-voom required to ruche up the front of your ponytail style.
If you're blow-drying your hair from wet first, misting a thickening spray into the roots before drying with your head upside down and hair flipped over is another way to achieve a major injection of volume, especially if your hair is on the finer side.
