Beauty

The 13 Best Holiday Hair Tutorials For Your New Year's Updo

They're so easy to do yourself.

by Rosie Narasaki and Shea Simmons
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
13 of the best holiday hair tutorials for your New Year's Eve 'do.
Getty Images/ lambada
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You've unwrapped presents and are already dreading the day you have to take your decor down, but there's still one more holiday left to celebrate: New Year's Eve. The good news for those who are still figuring out their beauty look? Thanks to the vast holiday hair tutorial selection that YouTube offers, there's a festive 'do for you to try.

From holiday hair updos to low bun styles (and everything in between), there's a New Year's Eve look for everyone. The best part? You don't need to head into a salon to get them, because these hairdos are actually easy to do on your own. So if you're looking to find out how to do your hair for a party — even if it is on Zoom or FaceTime — there's more than a solid chance that you can find a beauty pro demonstrating exactly how to nail whatever 'do you're going for.

Here, you can choose from heat-free updos, classic hairstyles, or simple takes on popular looks that work perfectly for a NYE celebration. Check out these 13 holiday hairstyle tutorials to try 'em out.

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1. Messy Low Bun

Not every hairstyle has to be sleek and put together. This messy, low bun from Sephora is perfect for those who prefer a more undone look.

To get the style, apply a light hold spray to your hair and then curl using a curling wand. Once done, apply a volume-boosting spray and then section off the top part of the hair near the crown and tease it. Once you've got the volume you want, gather the hair into a low pony and leave pieces out in the front. Secure with an elastic, then use a teasing comb to add more volume to the ponytail. Then, wrap all of your hair around the elastic to create a bun and secure it in place with bobby pins.

For a bit of festive fun, you can finish off the look by adding some festive glitter spray to the strands around your face.

2. Tinsel Extensions

For those looking to get extra festive, YouTuber Sophie Hannah's tinsel extensions are the way to go.

To get the style, Sophie braids a one-inch section from the top back of her hair, then secures it along her middle part with an elastic. Next, she takes clip-in tinsel extensions and inserts two to three on each side beneath a top layer of hair. Using scissors, she trims the extensions to her own hair length, and then that's it: You've got an extra sparkly New Year's Eve hair look.

3. Faux Bangs

Want to experiment with bangs without actually cutting your hair? YouTuber Aisha Beau has created a look that gives you faux fringe for your holiday party.

To get the look, Beau begins by sectioning a bit of hair off at the front and clipping it just above her forehead. Then, she gathers the top section of her hair to create the half-up part of her style. Next, she slicks down the sides of the newly formed pony before releasing the clipped section at the front. Holding the newly released section up, she places bobby pins underneath to hold the hair in place, then pushes it back over the pins to form faux bangs.

4. Hair Accessories

YouTuber DisIsReyRey adds a festive touch to this three-ponytail look by using silver rings and rhinestones.

To get the look, she sections the top, middle portion of her hair into three sections. Next, she pulls smaller sections from the existing ones to form three small ponytails in alternating triangular parts and secures them with elastic bands. Once in place, she styles her baby hairs, then uses decorative silver rings over the elastics. For the final touch, she dots rhinestones around her hairline.

5. Sleek Low Bun

Ulta Beauty's holiday hair tutorial is all about the sleek low bun for New Year's Eve. If you're on day four of unwashed hair, this is the perfect 'do to try.

Simply part your hair down the center, and then gather it all in the back. Leave a few pieces out by your ears to frame your face and add to the undone look. Use a hair spray to smooth down the sides for a sleek appearance. Then, split the ponytail into two sections and twist them together, securing with an elastic at the bottom. Next, take the newly twisted hair and wrap it around the top of the secured ponytail, tucking the bottom of it underneath. Finally, secure the bun in place using bobby pins. To accessorize the look, you can also add embellished pins for a holiday-ready pop.

6. Messy French Twist

Aveda partner Missy Sue demonstrates how to create a perfectly messy French twist in just a few minutes — no heat required. For the style, she first refreshes her roots using dry shampoo before applying texture spray all over the hair. Next, she gathers her hair at the nape of her neck. Then, she wraps her hair around her finger as she steadily pulls it upward into a twist. She pins the twist in place, leaving a few pieces out for a messy effect, and voila: That's it.

7. Half-Up, Half-Down Bun

For those with long hair, YouTuber Alex Gaboury's half-up, half-down bun could be a great styling option. Gaboury begins with her hair already curled in loose waves. She then applies a bit of texture spray at her crown before gathering half of her hair just below that. Before securing it, Gaboury twists the gathered hair and curls it around half of the section around her finger to create a bun. She then slips the remaining strands through the middle and pins the bun in place with bobby pins. To finish the look, she refreshes a few of the curls with a wand and sets them with hair spray.

8. Side Braids

YouTuber NaturallyChea's easy holiday hair look features a one-sided braided with some gorgeous gold embellishment. To begin, she first washes and conditions her hair, then separates it into four sections and creates flat twists. Leaving one section not twisted, she then creates three braids against her head and uses gold rings to hide the securing elastics. She also adds tinsel into the braids for a more festive effect. Finally, she takes the twists out and adds styling gel to her freshly volumized curls.

9. Chignon

YouTuber Kayley Melissa creates a perfect messy chignon as a holiday updo that's actually a lot more simple than it looks. To get the style, she sections her hair into three parts. With the bottom section, she begins to make a ponytail but only pulls the hair halfway to create a loop. Next, she lets down the second section and wraps it around the base of the ponytail and secures it with a bobby pin. For the final section, she separates it into two parts and then crosses them over the top of the low loop before securing the ends underneath.

10. Wet Slicked Back

Love the purposeful wet hairstyle Kim Kardashian rocks? This sleek and easy-to-achieve version is probably one of the most simple holiday hairstyles you can do. To get the look, YouTuber Milabu wets all of her strands and then brushes it into place. Then, she uses a pomade with a strong hold and applies with her hands, working it from the roots to the tips of her hair to keep the strands right in place. She then takes a brush and combs through her hair for a sleeker appearance. She sets the look into place using a blow dryer, then spritzing with a hair spray.

11. Textured Ponytail

Another ridiculously easy hairdo? The purposefully messy ponytail. And, according to YouTuber Alegria Jimenez, it works great on unwashed hair. For the look, Jimenez uses oversized ponytail holders and gathers her hair just above the nape of her neck. The trick is to leave a middle part in your hair and avoid smoothing it back. Once her hair is secure, she tightens the holder and begins to move it further up toward the crown which naturally adds volume and creates a messy look. She then places her hands on either side of her head to gently loosen the pony, creating a swooping effect on either side, and pulls a few strands out in front to frame her face.

12. Twisted Fan Bun

This twisted fan bun is a sleek and chic take on the classic bun. To get the look, YouTuber Alexus begins with her hair in braids. She takes them down and separates them, and applies a hair serum to add moisture to her curls. She then combs them through before using a boar bristle brush to gather her hair into a high ponytail. Use a cream to control any flyaways. Once in the ponytail, Alexus takes two sections of hair and creates a twist that she then wraps around the pony. She repeats the same step on the other side. Once both twists are pinned, she gathers the rest of her hair and loops it backward to create a fanned out bun that she pins into place.

13. Hollywood Waves

If you're all about old Hollywood glam, Sazan Hendrix's waves are for you. To get the easy holiday hair look, she first applies heat protectant to her hair before she parts it into a deep side part. Next, she sections her strands and curls the bottom layer with a curling wand, and does this around her entire head. Once finished curling, she applies texture spray to the curls and then gently brushes through them for a soft effect. Finally, she sets the look with hair spray.

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