Finding 10 easy updo hairstyles for long hair feels like striking gold when your heavy locks are driving you completely crazy. I know the struggle of brushing your hair for twenty minutes just to throw it into the exact same boring bun. We are going to explore some gorgeous options that actually keep the heavy hair off your neck. You will learn to recreate these beautiful looks at home without spending hours staring into the bathroom mirror.
The Classic French Twist Easy Updo for Long Hair
This timeless look gathers your heavy length and pins it smoothly at the back of your head. It works perfectly for women who need a professional vibe that also looks great at dinner. Creating this style is simple once you master the basic roll and use enough strong hairpins. I wore this to my best friends wedding last summer and it stayed put through hours of dancing. It looks amazing on oval face shapes and medium to thick hair.
The Messy Top Knot Simple Updo for Long Hair
This look piles your hair high on your crown for a wonderfully relaxed silhouette. It is perfect for busy moms who need their hair out of the way but still want to look cute. Just gather your strands loosely and secure them with a soft scrunchie before pulling out some face framing pieces. I rely on this look almost every single morning when I am rushing out the door. It flatters round face shapes and works beautifully for all hair types.
The Elegant Low Chignon Everyday Updo for Long Hair
This romantic style involves rolling your hair gently at the nape of your neck into a soft shape. It looks beautiful on anyone wanting a soft aesthetic that pairs perfectly with statement earrings or a nice necklace. You just tie a low ponytail twist the length around the base and secure it tightly with bobby pins. I always choose this style when I want to feel polished without trying too hard or spending much time. Heart face shapes and straight or wavy hair look best with this lovely option.
The Braided Crown Effortless Updo for Long Hair
Embracing this romantic look gives you an angelic halo of stunning detail that frames your face. It beautifully suits anyone attending a summer festival or a garden party where you want to look soft and feminine. We just weave two simple braids on either side of your head and pin them securely across the top. I genuinely feel like a princess whenever I take five minutes to create this beautiful crown. Square face shapes and thick hair are absolutely perfect for this magical style.
The Sleek High Ponytail Quick Updo for Long Hair
Sometimes simple styles bring the most relief to a chaotic morning routine when you are running late. You brush your strands straight back into a tight secure hold at the very top of your crown. It instantly lifts your face and highlights your cheekbones beautifully without needing any extra makeup or contouring. I love how this tight style makes me feel energized and ready to conquer my extremely busy day. Oval face shapes and straight hair look incredible with this powerful and chic silhouette.
I have always struggled with the sheer weight of my hair especially during those sweltering summer months. Finding styles that actually keep my hair up without giving me a massive tension headache completely changed my life. I truly love sharing these looks because I know exactly how much relief a comfortable style brings to a busy day.
The Twisted Halo Crown Fast Updo for Long Hair
Your natural texture provides the perfect canvas for this incredibly fast and beautiful styling option. You simply take two front sections twist them gently toward the back and pin them securely together. The hair naturally bends away from your face while leaving your gorgeous length flowing free in the back. I think this is the absolute sweetest look for a casual weekend brunch or a quick coffee date. Diamond face shapes and curly hair look totally stunning in this romantic style.
The Double Bun Half Updo Style for Long Hair
This completely playful look brings out your joyful inner spirit and adds massive fun to your everyday aesthetic. You section the top half of your hair and create two small buns sitting right on top of your head. It brilliantly keeps hair out of your eyes while showcasing your incredible length and natural texture underneath. I wear this whenever I need a little mood boost because space buns always make me smile big. Round face shapes and medium density hair are ideal for this playful and unique look.
The Bubble Braid Ponytail Casual Updo for Long Hair
You can easily achieve this trendy look in under five minutes which makes it a total morning lifesaver. You secure a high ponytail first and then add small clear elastics down the length of the tail. Gently pulling each section outward creates a voluminous bubble effect that takes absolutely zero braiding skills to achieve. I always get asked how long this took me when it is actually the fastest style I do. Oval face shapes and thick hair look amazing with this voluminous and fun look.
The Claw Clip Twist Lazy Updo for Long Hair
A beautiful large claw clip truly saves you on your absolute busiest mornings when time is short. You gather all your hair at the nape of your neck twist it completely upward and fasten the clip. Letting the excess ends cascade over the top of the clip creates a trendy and effortless aesthetic. I keep a claw clip in every single room of my house just so I can throw my hair up instantly. Square face shapes and all hair types work beautifully with this simple and chic accessory.
The Pinned Waterfall Roll Romantic Updo for Long Hair
This chic style perfectly mimics a complicated salon masterpiece without requiring any professional training or tools. You simply roll horizontal sections of hair inward starting from the top and pin them carefully down the back. It creates a stunning cascading effect that looks incredibly elegant from every single angle you view it from. I feel so proud of my styling skills whenever I manage to complete this beautiful roll myself. Heart face shapes and fine to medium hair are perfect for this elegant and soft option.
How to Style Your Updo
Creating a beautiful foundation makes the entire styling process incredibly smooth and totally frustration free for anyone. You should always start by applying a liberal amount of texturizing spray all over your completely dry strands. Freshly washed hair is notoriously slippery and will constantly slide right out of your clips and bobby pins. Adding this essential texture ensures your styles hold perfectly and look voluminous from the early morning until night. It gives your hair that necessary grit so everything stays exactly where you originally pinned it.
Securing your hair correctly requires using the right tools and knowing exactly where to place them for maximum hold. You should generously apply dry shampoo right at your roots even if your hair is perfectly clean and fresh. When placing your bobby pins always push them in wavy side down and crisscross them in an x shape. This specific technique anchors the heavy weight of your long hair so it stays completely secure all day. You will never have to worry about your beautiful style falling flat during an important event again.
Finishing your look requires locking everything in place so you can completely forget about your hair and just relax. You want to hold a flexible hold hairspray about ten inches away from your head and mist it evenly. Flexible hold is crucial because it tames the annoying flyaways without making your hair look frozen stiff or crunchy. You will feel totally secure knowing your beautiful style is completely protected from the wind and heavy humidity. Just a light mist is all you need to keep those little baby hairs perfectly smoothed down.
Mistakes to Avoid
Washing your hair right before attempting a complicated style is the absolute fastest way to guarantee failure and frustration. Clean hair lacks the natural oils required to hold a shape and it will constantly fight against your pins. The best solution is to wait until your hair is on its second or third day after a thorough washing. If you absolutely must style clean hair you need to heavily prep it with volumizing products to fake that grit. Skipping this prep step will leave you annoyed when your pins slide straight out of your silky strands.
Using the wrong type of elastics causes severe breakage and completely ruins your beautiful long strands over time. Traditional raw rubber bands aggressively rip your hair out and create terrible split ends that travel up the shaft. You need to immediately switch to soft silk scrunchies or seamless nylon elastics that glide smoothly over your hair. Your hair will remain incredibly healthy and you will never experience that awful snapping sound again when removing them. Investing in good quality hair ties is the cheapest way to protect your long and beautiful locks.
Making your style entirely too tight creates massive tension that leads to severe headaches and potential hair damage. Many women mistakenly believe that tighter equals better hold but it actually just causes incredible discomfort and emotional stress. The solution is to secure the base of your style firmly but leave the face framing pieces slightly loose. This creates a much more flattering visual aesthetic and ensures you remain completely comfortable from morning until night. You should never have to sacrifice your personal comfort just to have a beautiful hairstyle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Updos
What face shape suits this best?
Most of these styles act exactly like customizable contour makeup making them universally flattering for absolutely everyone. Your stylist simply adjusts the volume at the crown and the amount of face framing pieces to match your features. Oval and heart face shapes naturally look incredible with almost any gathered style you choose to wear. Round faces benefit heavily from adding a little extra height right at the top to elongate the face.
Is this good for thick hair?
These styles are absolutely wonderful for thick hair because they distribute the heavy weight evenly across your head. We use heavy duty hairpins designed specifically for thick density to ensure everything stays secure and tight. A simple crisscross pinning technique anchors the thickest hair perfectly without causing any pulling or tearing. You will feel totally comfortable and perfectly supported throughout your entire busy and chaotic day.
How do you keep an updo from falling out?
The absolute secret to lasting hold is properly prepping your hair with texturizing products beforehand to add grit. You also need to master the technique of interlocking your bobby pins to create strong and immovable anchor points. Finishing your look with a generous mist of flexible hold hairspray guarantees your style survives even the windiest days. Taking these three simple steps completely changes how your hair behaves and holds a beautiful shape.
Can you do an updo on freshly washed hair?
You can technically style freshly washed hair but it is notoriously difficult and incredibly slippery to work with. Clean strands lack the necessary grit so you will need to apply a significant amount of texturizing dry shampoo. Most stylists strongly recommend waiting until your hair is unwashed for the absolute best styling results and hold. It simply saves you so much time and unnecessary morning frustration when you work with second day hair.
Do updo hairstyles cause headaches?
They can certainly cause tension headaches if you pull the hair too tightly in one specific spot on your head. The trick is to distribute the weight of your long hair evenly across your head to avoid pressure points. Avoid pulling the hair aggressively around your delicate front hairline at all costs to prevent traction damage. Using soft velvet scrunchies or large claw clips drastically reduces the tension on your scalp keeping you comfortable.
How many bobby pins do you need for an updo?
The exact number completely depends on the incredible thickness and length of your unique and beautiful hair. A simple messy bun might only require three or four strategically placed pins to look totally finished and beautiful. A complicated french twist on very heavy hair might require upward of twenty pins for complete total security. Always keep an extra pack of pins in your purse just in case you need them for an emergency fix.
What is the easiest updo for beginners?
The absolute easiest option for total beginners is undeniably the large claw clip twist because it is completely foolproof. It requires zero technical skills and gives you a beautiful salon worthy result in mere seconds. You simply gather your hair twist it upward and clamp the beautiful accessory right in the middle of the twist. The messy top knot is another incredibly forgiving option because it actually looks better when it is beautifully imperfect.
Conclusion
I truly hope you feel completely inspired to try out these beautiful styles and finally get that heavy length off your neck. Finding the perfect 10 easy updo hairstyles for long hair absolutely transforms your daily routine and boosts your confidence in the best possible way. Please drop a comment below and tell me which of these gorgeous styles you are going to try tomorrow morning.
