How to Do a Half Up Half Down Hairstyle - Easy Twisted Version

Start with hair that has a soft wave or loose curl. Lainey uses a clipless curling wand (her favorite is the Beachwaver) and wraps one-inch sections around the barrel for a few seconds each. If your hair is already wavy or naturally curly, you can skip this step entirely. Straight hair holds the twisted half-up shape best when there's a little texture to it, so even a quick once-over makes a difference.

Watch the wand demo at 0:50.

Mist a texture spray all over your hair, focusing on the back and at the roots. Lainey uses Amika Undone, a yellow-can dry texture spray that adds grip without making your hair feel greasy. The spray lifts the hair away from your scalp so the half-up section has volume to work with later. This step is the trick that replaces teasing - same effect, no damage.

Watch her spray pass at 1:20.

Use your fingers to gently pull the curls apart so they look less defined and more piecey. Lainey describes it as roughing up the hair until it doesn't sit flat to your head anymore. The goal is a soft, undone texture - not perfectly polished ringlets. This step is what makes the finished half-up look modern instead of bridal-stiff.

Watch the shake-out at 2:00.

Take a section of hair from the very center of the top of your head, roughly the width of your eyebrows. Lift it straight up and back, then push it forward slightly to create a soft poof. Smooth the front with your fingers so there are no obvious bumps. The poof gives the finished style some shape and lift - without it the half-up just looks flat.

See the gather at 3:10.

Hold the center poof against the back of your head and twist the gathered section once or twice to give it some structure. Slide a bobby pin up into the twist from below so the pin is hidden underneath. Lainey uses Sally Beauty metagrip bobby pins - the strong kind that actually hold, not the flimsy drugstore ones. Cross a second bobby pin over the first in an X to lock the poof securely.

Tug gently on the poof to make sure it holds before you move on. Watch the pin technique at 3:40.

Grab a section from one temple, about an inch thick. Twist it back, then gently pull on the twist to loosen it so it looks soft and full instead of tight and skinny. Drape the twist across the top of the pinned poof so it covers your bobby pins from the first round. Slide another bobby pin up into the twist where it meets the center to hold it in place.

That gentle pull on the twist is what makes the style look romantic instead of rigid. See the side twist at 4:05.

Take a matching section from the opposite temple, twist it the same way, pull to loosen, and drape it across to meet the first twist in the center. Pin it in place so the two twists cross over the center poof. Tuck any flyaway sections under the twists and mist with a light-hold hairspray to set. The finished half-up should feel secure when you tug gently and look full from the back.

See the final result at 4:50.