How to Make a Bun

Co-authored by Danielle Chiz

Looking for a quick, easy way to keep your hair up and out of your face? A bun may be just the hairstyle you’re searching for. We’ve got you covered with a versatile variety of tutorials, from messy buns, top knots, and ballerina buns to braided buns, sock buns, and regular buns. In a matter of minutes, you’ll be ready to rock a ton of new looks in just a few simple steps.

Method 1

Method 1 of 6:

Making a Messy Bun

1
Prep your hair. Brush your hair to remove any knots and tangles that may be present. Don’t worry about parting your hair – pulling your hair back to create the bun will erase your part.
2
Pull your hair back. Without brushing your hair, grab it all starting at the front near your face and collecting all your hair into one hand. Hold the hair at the location where you want to have your bun.
- If you like, you can let a few strands or your bangs/fringe hang loose to frame your face.
- To create a sophisticated mod look, pull your hair up very high near the top of your head. For a more professional look, your hair should be drawn to the center of the back of your head. To create an easy carefree messy bun, pull your hair to the nape of your neck.
- You can choose to make your bun off-center for a more playful look if you would like. This look works best if your bun is placed either very low or very high.
- Because you are going for a messy bun look, don’t brush your hair or run your hands through it too much as you draw it back. Simply pick your hair up, resisting the temptation to finger brush it.
- Be sure to pick up any loose strands, and make sure that all of your hair has been included in your handful.
Advertisement
3
Wrap a hair tie around the hair, making a ponytail. Take an elastic and wrap it around your hair. It should take you about 3 wraps of the band total to get a tight fit. On the third wrap of the hair tie, don’t pull your hair all the way through the band. Instead, leave ½-⅓ of your hair hanging out the bottom as a tail, while the remaining portion of your hair will create a loop in the upper part of the ponytail.
- If you need to stock up on hair ties, you can buy some online here.
4
Secure your hair with a hair bungee if you need to. If you have thick hair, it may be hard to get a hair elastic around the entire handful of hair. Try using a hair bungee or making your own.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- To make a hair bungee, slip two bobby pins onto a hair elastic. Slide one of the pins into your hair at the top of the ponytail, where the hair is gathered. Wrap the elastic around the handful of hair until there is no more slack. After a few wraps, slide the other bobby pin in toward the center of your ponytail to pin the elastic in place.
- Make sure to make a loop with your hair on the final wrap, instead of just letting it hang down in a regular ponytail.
- If you need to purchase bobby pins, you can find them online here.
5
Create the messy bun. You should now be left with your hair in a large loop, with a tail of hair sticking out below it. Take the tail and wrap it around the base of the hair tie, covering the band. Use 2-3 bobby pins to secure the tail around the base. Then, part the loop down the center and pull the two sides to your scalp, and pin.
- You don’t need to create a direct part through the loop, you are only trying to pin the body of it to your head so that it doesn’t retain its ring-like shape.
- Feel free to pull out little pieces of your hair to let hang loose or to pin in other directions to enhance the messy look.
- You need to have fairly long hair in order to create this look.
6
Finish the bun. Spritz your hair with a bit of hairspray to keep your bun long lasting, and add any decorative hair accessories you might have. A cute headband or small pin near the base of the bun is a great way to add a bit of extra interest to your bun.
- If you need to purchase fresh hairspray, you can find a variety of high-quality options here.

Method 2

Method 2 of 6:

Making a Topknot

1
Prep your hair. Use a comb or brush to remove any knots or tangles in your hair. The topknot style does not use a part, so you can choose to brush your hair straight back for a smooth look, or use your hands to pull your hair back for a messier appearance.
2
Pull your hair up high. Gather all of your hair starting at the front and then working your way towards the back, into a handful on the top of your head. Make sure that there are no loose strands and that all your hair has been gathered into your handful.
3
Twist your hair into a knot. Take the entire handful of hair and twist it in the same direction, creating a rope-like piece. Then, wrap it onto itself to create a knot-like spiral.
4
Add a hair tie. Wrap a hair tie around the topknot you have created, making sure that the elastic doesn’t get caught on strands in the middle or top of the bun, but lays flat against your head at the base of the bun.
- Pull out strands of hair to give it a messy appearance, or leave it as-is.
- If you have very long hair, your knot might be a little too ‘vertical’ for you. In this case, you can lean it to one side and pin it. Otherwise, allow the knot to stand upright.
- If you have thick hair, you may wish to use a hair bungee instead of a regular hair elastic.^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
5
Finish the look. Because this style sits on the top of your head, you may have hairs at the nape of your neck that didn’t manage to be included in the look. Pin these into your hair with a clip, and then give your entire head a quick misting of hairspray. Add any hair accessories you may want.

Method 3

Method 3 of 6:

Creating a Sleek Ballerina Bun

1
Prep your hair. Remove all tangles and make sure your hair is completely smooth by giving it a thorough brushing. The ballerina bun is created using hair that is totally slicked-back, so if your hair is frizzy or prone to fly-aways, mist your hair with water to dampen it slightly.
2
Brush your hair into a ponytail. For this look it is important to use a brush to create the necessary smoothness. Comb your hair back into a ponytail at any location on your head. A classic ballerina bun is formed near the top of your head, but you can certainly place it at any location along your scalp.
- Make sure your hair is totally smooth before you add the elastic. This may require a few minutes of brushing, to verify that the hair from every part of your head is smooth and included.
- Once you are sure your hair has been smoothed, use a hair tie to wrap around your handful of hair to secure it tightly. Make sure that the hair tie is not too loose to allow for slippage over time.
3
Create the bun. Without twisting your hair into a rope-like strand, wrap it in a spiral around the base of your ponytail. When you get to the ends, tuck them beneath the spiral and secure with bobby pins.
- Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, you will need to use anywhere from 3-7 bobby pins to keep your bun in place. Avoid using more than necessary though, as you will be able to see if there are many being used.
- Slide the bobby pins in under the bun, so that you can only partially see the very ends. They should slide under (not over or around) the elastic at the center of your bun.
- If you have layers in your hair, you may need to use additional pins to secure the layers to your scalp.
- If you have curly or wavy hair, you may need to use a hairdryer or straightening iron to straighten and smooth your hair before you wrap it.
4
Finish the look. This style definitely needs hairspray in order to be set completely. Give your enter head of hair a go-over with a strong hairspray, and use your fingers to smooth out all of your strands. You’re finished!^{[3]
X
Research source}

Method 4

Method 4 of 6:

Creating a Braided Bun

1
Prep your hair. Brush your hair to remove all knots and tangles. You can choose to have a part or to have all your hair pulled straight back, so brush it accordingly. If your hair is very frizzy consider lightly misting it to dampen it.
2
Pull your hair back. A braided bun can be placed at any location on your head. It can be created using a brush for a very professional and sophisticated look, or finger-pulled back for a more relaxed appearance. Use a hair tie to secure the location on your head.
3
Braid your ponytail. Start at the base, and form a normal braid by splitting your hair into three sections and crossing them over each other. You should start by moving the section on the right over the center piece, and then taking the section on the left and moving it over the center piece. Continue this pattern until you reach the end of your ponytail.
- When you get to the end, simply hold onto it. You will pin it to your head, so there is no need to use an elastic.
- You can also keep your braid from unraveling by lightly teasing the ends, or sliding a pair of bobby pins over the ends in an X shape.
- If you feel that you absolutely must use an elastic with this style, try to use a small clear one to minimize its appearance. Otherwise, you will be able to see it inside your bun.
4
Create your bun. Starting at the base of your braid, wrap it around into a spiral shape. When you get to the ends, tuck them beneath the base of the bun. Secure your hair with a few bobby pins, making sure that your hair will not fall out.
5
Finish the look. If you want, you can pull a few strands of hair outside of your bun to create a messy look. Coat your hair with hairspray, and add any cute accessories you might like. A headband goes especially well with a braided bun for a more bohemian feel.^{[4]
X
Research source}

Method 5

Method 5 of 6:

Creating a Sock Bun

1
Prep your hair. Brush your hair to remove any knots and tangles. Don’t part your hair, as your part will not stay in when you make the ponytail.
2
Pull your hair back. Select the place on your head you would like to create your sock bun. A popular trend now is to have it placed on the top of your head, similar to a topknot. You can have a more classic look by pulling your hair near the base of your neck though. Secure your handful of hair with an elastic.
3
Ready your sock. Take an old (clean) sock, and cut the closed end near the toes off. It is best if you use a sock similar in color to your hair, but any color will do. You should be left with an empty sock-tube. Roll it up (similar to how you would with nylons) so that your sock is no longer a tube, but a donut shape.
- If you don't want to use a sock, you can also use a donut bun shaper to create a bun like this. You can buy a hair donut online here.
4
Put your sock on the ponytail. Take your sock and slide it onto your ponytail all the way to the base. This is to make sure that all of the strands are included. Then, hold your ponytail up and slide the sock all the way to the end of the ponytail.
5
Start the bun. Wrap the ends of your hair around the sock donut, so that they form a loop and the ends are placed in the center hole of the sock.
6
Roll the sock inwards towards the base of the ponytail. As you roll the sock towards the base, your hair will gather in loops around it.
- Move the hair around as you roll the sock, so that it doesn’t all loop around the same section leaving the rest of the sock exposed.
7
When you get to the base, adjust your bun so that it appears how you want it. You will probably need to use a few bobby pins to secure the bun to your scalp, especially if your hair is fine, silky, or has layers.
8
Finish the look. Pull out a few strands if you want to create a messier sock-bun, and then spritz your hair with a bit of hairspray to set it. Include any cute hair accessories you might like, and you’re finished!

Method 6

Method 6 of 6:

Regular Bun

1
Brush out your hair. Starting with dry hair, brush out any knots or tangles. Don’t worry about putting a part in your hair.
- Add hair gel. This step is optional, but if you are going to be moving around a lot, this could help give it some additional hold. Add a glob of hair gel to your hair and spread it around evenly. Brush it through.
2
Pull your hair into a ponytail. Depending on where you would like the bun to be, you can make a low, mid-height, or high ponytail. For thick hair, you may wish to use a hair bungee instead of a regular hair elastic.^{[5]
X
Research source}
3
Twist your hair. Once you have put your hair in a ponytail, grab the end of the ponytail and gently twist. Keep twisting until the ponytail is twisted from ends to base.
4
Wrap your hair into a bun. Once you have twisted your ponytail, wrap it into a circle or spiral against your scalp. Tuck the ends of your hair under the bun.
5
Secure the bun with bobby pins. Once you’ve wrapped the bun, slide a few bobby pins into the bun to keep it in place. You can make the pins extra secure by giving them a twist: slide the pin in toward your scalp, then turn it 180 degrees and push it toward the center of the bun.^{[6]
X
Research source}
6
Add a hair net. This is also optional but can help keep the bun together.
7
Add some accessories to your bun. If you like, you can spice up your bun with a fun ribbon or decorative hair clip.
8
Unroll your bun for easy waves. If you leave your bun in for a few hours, you will end up with curly or wavy hair. For longer-lasting waves, put a little styling product in your hair when you make the bun, and give the bun a hairspray spritz once it’s in place.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do you make the perfect bun in your hair?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Twist firmly, use bobby pins to secure, and finish with hairspray. Then, use a paper towel coated with hairspray to smooth flyaways.
Question

What is a ballerina bun?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

It is a smooth, tight bun placed high on the head, at the top of the crown.
Question

How do you make a messy bun?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist in Georgia. She has been a hair stylist since 2007 and a cosmetology teacher since 2013.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Wrap the hair loosely and secure with bobby pins, then use fingers to soften the shape and pull small bits loose.

Warnings

Always inspect your supply of bobby pins and never use pins that are missing the protective caps on the end. Damaged bobby pins will scratch your scalp and tear your hair.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 76 Not Helpful 15
Avoid wearing this hairstyle (or any other hairstyle) daily to minimize hair breakage.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 83 Not Helpful 24
If you do this hairstyle too frequently, it could mess with your hairline a bit.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 8 Not Helpful 2