Get The Perfect Messy Bun In 5 Simple Steps

The classic bun is more than just the go-to hairstyle for tall and lithe ballerinas twirling on their tippy toes. In fact, every glam woman with serious sex appeal knows how to tie her hair into this chic ponytail alternative.

Things You'll Need to Create The Perfect Messy Bun

  • Texturizing cream
  • Texturizing spray
  • Small-bristled brush
  • Large-bristled brush
  • Small elastic hairbands
  • Bobby pins or hairpins
  • Shine-inducing pomade

5 Steps to the Perfect Messy Bun

To ensure you have a season ticket into beauty’s style high club, here's how to twist and coil your medium-length or long hair into a tight bun.

Messy Braid Bun Tutorial

  1. Begin with day-old hair. Freshly shampooed hair is the enemy of hairpins. Day-old hair allows pins to adhere to your dry strands easily.
  2. Apply a dollop of texturizing cream to your hair. For women with fine hair, spray a texturizing spray at the roots to boost limp and lifeless strands.
  3. Gather hair into a low ponytail at the nape of the neck. Brush and smooth hair with a small-bristled brush. Secure the ponytail with a small elastic band. Brush the ponytail with a large-bristled brush to separate any tangled strands.
  4. Twist the ends of the hair around the base of the ponytail to create a ball shape as you bend the hair. Once you’ve created the desired round shape, secure the bun with small bobby pins.
  5. Mist with a light-hold hairspray to set the style. To prevent short wisps from falling around the hairline, add a pea-sized amount of a light, shine-inducing pomade to your hairline.

Perfect Messy Bun Dos & Don'ts

  • Conceal the elastic hair band by wrapping a section of your hair around the base of the ponytail. Tuck the ends into the bun shape with a small bobby pin.
  • To transition the style from old-school librarian to modern femme fatale, add a jeweled brooch in the center of the bun for an unexpected dose of sparkle and shine.
  • Image Source

Grab the spotlight with a classic and unfussy hairstyle appropriate for both prim and proper librarians or women with a taste for sleek and chic hair.