How to Make a Messy Bun

I’ve spent years twisting my hair up into tight chignons. A small, hard knot of hair is ideal for ballet and combat, but, for less strenuous activities, I prefer a looser, softer look. I also like my buns BIG. Unless you have extremely thick or long hair, the traditional, twisted bun doesn’t create a lot of volume. After studying others’ poufy, messy buns, I’ve come up with the following technique.

1. Start with a ponytail. I prefer an elastic that matches my hair color.

2. Tip your head forward until your ponytail is perpendicular to the ground. Fan the ponytail so that an equal amount of hair is spread in every direction. (I call this step the “hair fountain.”)

3. Cup the center of the “fountain” with one hand, and use the other hand to swirl the ends around the center. You can switch hands if necessary. I swirl clock-wise.

4. Continue swirling until the ends have tucked under the roll. The bun should be loose and barely contained within your hand.

5. Pin the edges to secure. (More on the pinning technique below.)

6. If desired, tease the roll for more volume.

The 90-second, bare-bones, no-makeup, no-narration video version:


Pinning Technique:

The pinning technique is key to maintaining your roll.

1. Position the pin perpendicular to your head, catching the roll with one half of the pin. The pin should penetrate the roll and the hair beneath, just touching your scalp.

2. In place, rotate the pin so that the ends are pointing towards the roll. This twisting motion prevents the pin from slipping out. The tip of the pin (on the side away from the roll), should drag against your scalp. (But don’t hurt yourself!)

3. Slide the pin the rest of the way into the roll.

I’ve used hairpins in this example, but you can also use bobby pins. If using a bobby pin, spread the tips slightly before you start. Catch the roll with the longer tip, rotate, and insert.

Modifications:

Short hair. If you have shoulder-length or shorter hair, you can use a dounut shaped hair rat to create the volume you need to make this bun. Just slip the rat over your ponytail, before the "hair fountain" step.

Side bun. For the Big Messy Side Bun, start with a pony tail 3 – 4 inches behind one ear. You’ll need to leave space between the ear and the ponytail to accommodate the bun’s width…unless you’re going for a Princess Leia look. To make the “hair fountain,” you’ll be tipping your head to the opposite side, rather than nose to the ground.