How to Rock Pull-Through Pigtails

Summer is a time of mini dresses, short shorts, sandals, and pulled-back strands. We know our way around the hairstyle trends of the world and, ladies, we’re here to let you in on a little secret. If you’ve been dreaming of recreating the voluminous braided pigtails overflowing your social media feeds but have no idea where to start, sit down and listen up. While these bigger-than-life braids might seem like they require super-thick hair and exceptional weaving skills, you’ll be glad to know that, as with many beauty trends, there is a shortcut to get the look. Allow us to introduce you to the pull-through braiding technique. Designed to mimic the look of Dutch braids, this method incorporates a series of segmented ponytails pulled through one another to create a double-tap worthy look that’s sure to last through all your daily summer fun. Sound like your kind of hairstyle? Here, we introduce you to the hairstyle products and the step-by-step approach to achieving the season’s coolest look.

What you’ll need:

L’Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle BLOW DRY IT Thermal Smoother Cream

Boar bristle brush

Rat tail comb

Clear mini elastics

L’Oréal Paris Elnett Precious Oil Satin Hairspray

Get the look by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Blow-Dry Your Hair

Some hairstyles look super-pretty when they’re slightly disheveled—this is not one of those styles. While you can certainly wear it with second-day hair, to make the most of this selfie-worthy hairstyle we recommend starting with a blowout. After you hop out of the shower and towel-dry your hair, apply some heat protectant and wrap your hair around a boar bristle brush to smooth your strands as they dry.

Step 2: Part Your Hair

After you’ve finished drying your hair, use your rat tail comb to part your hair down the middle. Using the tail end of the brush will allow you to create a super-precise part that will help make your overall hairstyle that much more head-turning.

Step 3: Divide a Small Section of Hair

Use the tail end of your rat tail comb to section off a three-inch section of hair along your hairline. Tie this section off into a mini pony with a clear elastic. Then wrap another mini elastic about two inches down the ends of this ponytail.

Step 4: Pull Hair Through

Right below your first section of hair, use the tail end of your comb to cleanly section off another chunk of hair. Pull this section of hair through the sectioned off area of your first ponytail.  Split the ends in half and secure them underneath the ends of your first ponytail with another clear elastic.

Step 5: Repeat

Continue sectioning and tying off until you reach your ends. After tying off one fully completed pull-through pigtail, move on to the other side of your head following the same technique.

Step 6: Fluff, Spritz, and Finish

Gently tug each section of your pull-through pigtails to give them a more voluminous look. Once your ponytail is perfectly plumped, spray it with hair spray and repeat the process on the other side of your head.  

Look who looks like a braiding pro! If you want your pull-through pigtails to appear even more intricate, in between each regular pull-through stitch, you can braid the sections of hair you’re using. It will make your pigtails look super-professional while still being incredibly simple to achieve. In addition to sprucing up your pull-through pigtails, now that you know the pull-through technique, you can incorporate it into any number of hairstyles. Whether you want to achieve the appearance of a braided crown, updo, or bun, this technique can help make your hair goals a reality.

Ready to try your hand at some more intricate braids next? Check out our article, How to Create a Skeleton Braid, to get the ball rolling.