Master stylist Patrick Melville shows us how to slick back a bob, make a perfect bun, and more.
Sleek and Tight
There's a reason ballerinas are partial to the tight bun. You can work up quite a sweat and still not have a hair out of place. This version, perched high on the head, is simple to do with long hair that's not too layered. First, comb a generous amount of styling cream through dry hair, from the roots to the ends. (Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom, $18, adds beautiful shine without looking greasy. If your hair is wet, use a gel instead. Try Aveda Confixor Liquid Gel, $17.) Then brush your hair back and up, pulling it taut with each stroke, and fasten it into a ponytail (because you want it supertight, you might want to use a hair "bungee," like Rickycare Invispin Bungee, $5 for four, that you can wrap as many times as you need to and then hook). Coil the length of the tail around the elastic and secure it with two or three bobby pins. A little hairspray at the hairline will tame flyaways.
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Short and Simple
Even bobbed hair can feel suffocating when it's falling in your face. The simplest solution: a strong-hold gel (like Paul Mitchell Super Clean Sculpting Gel, $7). Just run a quarter-size dollop through damp hair with your fingers-starting at your hairline and moving back toward your crown, then through to the ends. Use your fingers to flip your hair up a bit in the back. The gel will set within a few minutes and keep your hair off your face for hours. (And if your last gel experience was with Dippity-Do, take note: Gels today give firm hold, but they don't dry into a crunchy helmet.)
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Twist and Turn
Haven't washed your hair in a day or two? Good work-you've got a jump start on this style. It looks best on hair that's less than silky clean (if yours is freshly shampooed, use a mousse to add texture). First, gently tease your hair all over at the root with a fine-tooth comb. Then use a soft-bristle brush to smooth out the top layer. Pull the upper half of your hair up and away from the temples and fasten it with a couple of pins in the back just below the crown. Now take the bottom half of your hair, twist it up, and pin that section on either side like a loose bun. The style will require fewer pins than you might think-our model's hair hung midway down her back and needed only eight. When you're done, slide a slim elastic headband an inch or two back from the hairline (leaving out bangs if you have them); it'll smooth flyaways. This is a very casual take on the French twist, so don't try for anything close to perfection. "Embrace the beautiful mess!" says master stylist Patrick Melville.
RELATED: See 2 more cool, humidity-proof updos
Tell Us: How are you wearing your hair this summer?
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