So beautiful creatures...today I am going to talk about the clean girl aesthetic. Why? Because it was dancers whom created the original clean girl aesthetic Centuries before it was actually a thing! True story and no, it was not Heiley Bieber. The phenomenon of the clean girl look extending beyond the dance community can however certainly be attributed to our darling pop culture goddess Hailey. It is little wonder that the smooth hair ponytail and smooth back hair bun are being so broadly embraced by the lovers of the clean girl look. Have you ever thought about how a look can be classic, yet modern. Practical yet elegant. Yes, clean girl hair is a vibe and it will continue to be.
To create the ultimate slick up-do, it’s all about a combination of good product and the right brush so I am going to give my tips on how to achieve the clean girl hair aesthetic for all you beautiful creatures who are sick of crunchy, greasy and sticky hair. I will focus on the smooth and slick back ponytail given I have already written about how to achieve the perfect ballet bun.
Before you start make sure you have within reach:
- A fine mist spray bottle filled with water
- A smoothing hair brush
- A firm toothbrush (yes, you read correctly!
- An essential part of any clean girl's hair kit) Hair ties the same colour as your hair (I use three for this look) and an open jar of the Ballet Balm
A note on hair spray
I am not a fan of hair spray given most hair sprays I have used make hair very crunchy sticky and dry which can result in breakages. I do acknowledge that hair spray may be required if you are getting hair ready for a performance or competition and need extra hold. I am still working on finding the perfect one and will report back once I get to a point where I am happy with performance and ingredients.
Step 1 - Hair prep
Hair should also be dry and cleanish...dirty hair is also fine and infact, this hairstyle is perfect for those wash days where you actually cannot be bothered to actually wash! Brush hair thoroughly to ensure all knots are out.
Step 2 - Apply The Ballet Balm
Take a small amount of The Ballet Balm and melt it by rubbing in between your fingertips. Smooth The Ballet Balm through the hair, particularly over the surface of the hair that will be held tightly into the ponytail. This initial application is to prepare the hair for the ponytail and initial smoothing.
Step 3 - The ponytail
First, take a triangle section at the front centre of your hairline and remove from the intended ponytail section - keep it away as this will be the last pieces you will smooth into your ponytail. Now, are you doing a low or high ponytail? Make that decision and then gather hair and position into position. If low, position about 3 cms (approx 1 inch) from the nape of the neck. If high, the ponytail position should be centre crown of head. The clean girl look really takes smoothing to the next level - smooth like glass which some refer to as slick. To achieve this look, spray the hair with a fine mist of water and lightly spray over the hair surface and brush through as you work to remove the bumps. The objective is not to make hair wet, just lightly damp so the canvass is easier to smooth. Melt some more Ballet Balm in between fingertips and smooth over the hair brush (secret technique) and directly onto the hair itself. Continue to brush hair until smoothed and secure with smooth hair tie. Adapt the water and Ballet Balm quantity based upon the look you are seeking to achieve as well as your own individual hair texture. With the final section of hair smooth through The Ballet Balm, middle part and smooth one side of the middle part section back into your ponytail and secure with hair tie, then take the other side and brush back into the ponytail careful to ensure there are no bumps and the hair is smooth like glass.
Step 4 - Smoothing
If you find any flyaways or feel better with some extra hold, take a small amount of The Ballet Balm, melt again between fingertips and apply to the hair surface that needs smoothing. A secret that works for me is to pick up your toothbrush and rub the toothbrush into the melted hair balm so it covers the bristles of the toothbrush. Use the toothbrush to smooth any cheeky flyaways that continue to evade you. Now you have the perfect clean girl hair to complete your look! And when will clean girl no longer be giving slay? Hard to say but what I do know is that whatever clean girl evolves into, healthy smooth hair worn by confident and happy creatures has always been a vibe and always will be.
Remember to dance like nobody is watching and always to #makeyourpointe
Love,
AmberFounder, Pointe Hair Company