How to Make Mulan's Hairstyle

Co-authored by Ashley Adams

Last Updated: January 9, 2021

Mulan is a famous, legendary Chinese warrior. Her most popular incarnation appears in the Disney movie of the same name; when most people think of Mulan, this is the version that they imagine. Mulan is unique in that she has two different versions of herself: one where she is dressed as a woman and one where she is dressed as a man. Best of all, her female (Mulan) and male (Ping) hairstyles are simple and easy to do.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Doing Mulan's Hairstyle

1
Start with brushed, long, straight hair. Your hair should come well past your shoulders for this style to work, at least mid-arm. If it isn't this long, consider using a wig instead.
- If your hair is wavy, blow dry it straight.
- If you have very curly hair, you will need to straighten it with a flatiron.
- If you are using a wig, pin it to a Styrofoam wig head, and place the wing onto a wig stand.^{[1]
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2
Part your hair and section off the hair in front of your ears. Part your hair down the center first. Next, use the handle of a rat-tail comb to create a vertical part going across your head, like a headband. The part should extend from ear-to-ear, a few inches/centimeters from your hair line.^{[2]
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- Drape the separated hair over your shoulders. If it's too short, tie it under your chin like a beard.
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3
Gather the rest of your hair into a high ponytail. Secure the ponytail with a black hair tie.^{[3]
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Research source} For a more accurate style, keep the bottom part of the ponytail loose so that it poofs out.^{[4]
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- If you are using your natural hair color for this, use a hair tie that matches your hair color instead.
4
Twist the ponytail into a bun. Twist the ponytail into a rope first, then coil it into a bun. Tuck the ends underneath, then secure everything with black bobby pins.^{[5]
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- If you are using you natural hair color, use bobby pins that match it instead.
- If your hair is too short to coil into a bun, try a sock bun instead.^{[6]
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- If your hair is still too short for a sock, try a faux bun, which can be purchased at local beauty supply stores.
5
Tease the separated hair to either side of the part. Create a deep side part first. Mist the hair at the roots with hairspray, then tease it with a comb. Return the part to normal, then repeat this step for the other side.^{[7]
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- Make sure that you return the part to normal after teasing the other side.
- Some wigs already come teased at the front. If your wig is like this, you can skip this step.
6
Pull the separated hair back towards the bun. Take the left side of the separated hair, and pull it back towards the bun. Keep it loose so that it drapes over the top of your ear. Drape the hair over the bun and secure it with bobby pins. Repeat this step for the other side.^{[8]
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- If your hair is very long, you may have to wrap it around the bun and pin it.
- Leave a few strands hanging loose across your forehead. If you are using a wig, you can cut the loose strands shorter—about eye level.
7
Set the style with hairspray. The basic style is complete, but you still need to add some accessories to make it look like Mulan's.
8
Wrap a red ribbon around the base of the bun. Choose a shade of red that matches your cosplay. The may be a bright red, a pinkish red, or even a shade of burgundy. Tie the ends of the ribbon under the bun, then tuck the ends out of side.^{[9]
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- Wrap the ribbon a few times around the bun. Don't tie it into a bow.
- Choose a ribbon that is 3/4 to 1 inch (cc to 2.54 centimeters) wide.
9
Tuck a white flower into the side of the bun. You can use a fake flower or a flower comb. Use a flower with pointed leaves, such as a water lily or a poinsettia.^{[10]
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Research source} If you want to be even more accurate, you can make the comb yourself to resemble the one from the movie.
- Keep the flower small—no larger than your finger. Anything too large will look tacky.
- Do not use roses, daisies, or other types of flowers. They will not give you the right look.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Doing Ping's Hairstyle

1
Start with straight, shoulder-length hair. When Mulan decides to take her father's place in the war, she cuts her hair so that it falls just past her shoulders. Your hair should be about this length in order for this style to work. If it isn't, you could always use a wig, preferably a wig with a widow's peak.
- If your hair is curly or wavy, straighten it using a hair straightener.
- If you are going to use a wig, pin it to a Styrofoam wig head and set it onto a wig stand of sorts.
2
Pull your hair up into a high ponytail. Place a black hair tie around your wrist first. Gather you hair into a high ponytail that sits on the back of your crown. Hold your hair in the hand that has the hair tie on it.^{[11]
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- If you are using your natural hair color for this, use a hair tie that matches your hair.
3
Tie the hair tie around your ponytail, then pull your hair into a bun. Wrap the hair tie around your ponytail twice. On the last wrap, pull your ponytail only halfway through the hair tie so that it forms a bun instead.^{[12]
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- Make sure that the ends of your ponytail are facing down.
4
Set the style with hairspray. You are almost ready to go, but there are a few more things you need to do first.
5
Wrap a strip of green cloth around the base of your ponytail. You can use green bias tape, ribbon, or fabric. Try to match the green to your cosplay as best as you can; in most cases, this will be a grayish green. Tie the ends under the ponytail.
- Leave the ends of the tie handing loose.
- Ribbon is not the best choice because of how shiny it is. If you must use ribbon, opt for grosgrain.
6
Add a widow's peak, if desired. Mulan has a widow's peak in this hairstyle. If you want to get more accurate and don't have a natural widow's peak, you can draw one in using an eyeliner or eyebrow pencil that matches your hair color. Be sure to set it with lots of setting powder so that it doesn't rub off.
- Alternatively, a widow's peak can be drawn in using temporary hair spray.
- If you are using a lace front wig, you'll need to vent in extra hair into the lace to give it a peak.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Mulan's Comb

1
Get a large, crescent hair comb. The comb needs to be about 4 to 5 inches (10.16 to 12.7 centimeters) long. It should be shaped like a semi-circle. You can find these online and in beauty supply shops.^{[13]
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2
Paint the comb's handle with turquoise with acrylic paint. If you want to get fancy, you can use paint with a pearly finish (not glitter, however). For an even more accurate comb, paint the teeth dark green. Keep in mind that the teeth won't be visible in the end.^{[14]
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- Let the paint dry before moving on.
- Even though you'll only be decorating one side of the comb, it would still be a good idea to paint both sides.
3
Add a gold petal design to the top of the comb. Mulan's comb has several overlapping lily petals along the top edge. You can draw these onto the comb using gold puffy paint, gold glitter glue, or gold nail polish. Let the paint/glue dry completely before moving on.^{[15]
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- Puffy paint and glitter glue take hours to dry. Be patient!
4
Get a white flower with pointed petals. Choose a fake flower that's about the same height as the comb—a little smaller would be even better. It should have pointed petals, such as a water lily or a poinsettia.^{[16]
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- For a more accurate comb, paint the stamen/center red.
5
Glue the flower to the center of the comb. Pull the flower off of the stem first. Draw a swirl of hot glue on the back, then press it into the center of the comb's handle. Be careful not to get any glue in the teeth, or you won't be able to use the comb.^{[17]
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