Putting Your Hair Up With a Pencil

PERFECT for when you’re on the run, in the midst of a project, or otherwise adventuring and too busy to fuss with your hair. This skill is best practiced on hair that is at least shoulder-length long; otherwise, a quick ponytail with a rubber band is your best bet.

We’re using a pencil, but you can really use anything that’s handy and stick-shaped—a toothbrush, a fork, a chopstick. Just make sure to have the sharp side of the implement pointing up, and you’ll be good to go. (We’re also assuming a righty here, so if you’re a lefty, reverse the rights and lefts in the directions.)

First, find a pencil.

Gather your hair into a tight, high ponytail with your hands—you don’t need to use a rubber band.

Hold your hair with your left hand, and with the right, grab your pencil, sharp side pointing down.

Turn the pencil sideways, then slide it, end-side first, through your hair just next to your left hand that’s creating the base of your pony tail.

Change your grip with your right hand so that you are grabbing both the pencil and your hair, and with your left hand, pull the ponytail down, loop it behind the pencil, and pull the end of the ponytail straight up.

Shift the pencil, turning it clockwise so that the sharp end is down and the eraser end is up. Push the end-side of the pencil down a bit so that just a small part of it sticks out.

Flip the pencil over by lifting the sharp side up and pushing the end side down. Keep pushing until the end part pokes through the underside of your hair.