3 Hot Holiday Hair Tutorials

Step-by-step guidance on how to create the pretties hairstyles of the season!

The season for holiday gatherings and spending time with loved ones and friends has arrived. Rather than the same old look, take you “do” up a notch with these three festive looks created by Melissa Cook of Latest-Hairstyles.com. Here, she walks us through the intricate (but surprisingly easy!) mermaid braid, the twisted side pony and the always pretty embellished faux bob.

Follow these easy steps or follow along with the videos.

The Ultimate Mermaid Braid

Make a statement at holiday parties with this dramatic side French braid. Here’s what you do:

Start with a deep side part and pull all the hair over the opposite shoulder.
Divide out a section of hair at the back of the head on the heavy side of the part.
Divide this into three pieces for the braid.
Cross the back strand over the middle.
Cross the front strand over the middle.
Cross the back strand over the middle, then bring in small section of hair directly below where the braid began.
Cross the front strand over the middle and add in a small section of hair directly in front of the braid.
Repeat steps 6 and 7, pulling in skinny sections until the braid reaches the bottom of the hair.
Once all the hair is braided, tie off the end with an elastic band.

Watch the video:

The Twisted Side Ponytail

A pretty twist on the standard pony, this style is finished off with a chic hair pin. Here’s what to do:

Starting with clean hair, part the hair on the right side then brush it all over the left shoulder.
Separate out a section of hair from the part down to the left ear and clip this aside to use later.
Take the hair on the right side and begin rolling the hair upward toward the top of the head, creating a twist.
Continue rolling the hair upward as you work your way across the back of the head toward the left side, adding in hair as you go.
Once all the hair is twisted and on the left side of the head, let down the section of hair pinned in step two.
Take the loose section of hair and wrap it around the twisted portion creating a wrapped, side ponytail.
Grab a clear elastic band and wrap it over the entire ponytail to hold it all together. The hair wrapped around the ponytail will hide the elastic band and the band will hold it all in place.
Next, fix any pieces in the front by pulling out your bangs or a few strands of hair near the ears.
Add in a pretty hair accessory if desired.
Finish with hairspray to keep everything in place.
Slide an embellished clip into the heavy side of the part.
Finish with a few spritzes of hairspray, and you are ready to go!

Watch the video:

The Embellished Faux Bob

This sassy, “short” style is perfect for an evening out with the girls. Here’s what you do:

Start by dividing the hair, at the ears, into two sections: top and bottom. Clip the top portion out of the way and leave the bottom half down.
Grab your favorite curling wand or iron and carefully curl 1-inch sections away from the face.
Let the top portion down and divide that section into two halves; securing the top with the clip again. Repeat step two, curling the hair away from the face.
Let down the top portion and repeat step 2 once more.
When all your hair is nicely curled, separate the hair again into two sections, top and bottom, clipping the top portion out of the way.
Gently twist the bottom hair that was left out into a small bun at the nape of the neck. Secure the bun with pins. This will be used to secure the top portion of the hair into the bob.
Now remove the clip from the top half and separate it into two halves, left and right.
Beginning on the right side, slowly twist the hair towards the back of the head and wrap it over the top and back around the bun in the back, then pin it into place.
Now, repeat step 8 with the left side.
The hair should feel pretty snug, so gently loosen it by pulling the hair at the top of the head. Be careful not to pull too much so it doesn’t come loose from the pins.
If any pieces do become too loose, simply twist them back under again and pin them at the nape of the neck.