Here's the deal:

Anytime you pull your hair straight back, it keeps people's focus at eye level.


But when you pull your hair up in a high ponytail, your hair is more on a diagonal in line with your cheekbones, drawing others' eyes upward and instantly creating the illusion of a different face shape.


Don't get me wrong, the "face lift" is subtle, but pulling your hair high up on top of your head (think right at the top of the crown of your head) does make a difference in how you look.

The tighter and more severe you make the pony, the stronger the impact.


Garrett Markenson, hairstylist and owner of Reverie (a badass product line), helped execute these two looks above on seven different staffers and each high pony suited them perfectly.