5 Easy Hair Buns for Beginners: Messy, Ballerina, & More

In a rush before school or work? Try a hair bun! In less than a minute, you can have your locks looking prepped and chic for the entire rest of the day. In this article, we’ll offer expert tutorials on 5 quick and easy hair buns you can try on the go (with no experience necessary). Whether you’re a master stylist or a complete beginner, keep reading to turn bedhead, frizz, and other bad hair days into fashionable dos.

This article is based on an interview with our master hairstylist and colorist, Christine George, owner of Luxe Parlour. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

Start by gathering your hair into a ponytail and securing it with a hair tie.
Wrap your ponytail tightly into a bun for a more polished, ballet-like look. Leave your hair with a few loose strands for a messier yet equally chic style.
Add style by braiding your hair before tucking it into a hair tie or by separating your hair into multiple strands and twisting each one together.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Ballerina Bun

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1
Gather your hair into a ponytail and secure it with a hair tie. A ballerina bun is a classic style that keeps your hair tight and elegant. All buns begin with a ponytail, so start by flinging your hair over your head, and then rapidly flinging it back again so it falls freely. ^{[1]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.} Then, hook your dominant hand around your loose hair and lift it to your desired height. Secure your ponytail with a hair tie or scrunchie.
- Your ballerina bun can be high or low. For a low bun, grasp your ponytail near the base of your neck where your hairline begins. For a higher and tighter style, lift your ponytail up past your ears.
- It might help to quickly go through your hair with a brush or wide-toothed comb before you fling it, so it doesn’t knot or tangle later on.
- If you need some texture to make your hair easier to shape and secure, add some sea salt spray or dry shampoo before styling it.
2
Twist your ponytail into a tight rope. Twist your ponytail clockwise or counterclockwise until it wraps around itself and you have one long, twisted strand.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- For an extra bit of style, leave one thick strand of hair loose. Once you’ve secured your bun, you can braid this strand around the base of the bun for added flair and sophistication.
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3
Wrap the hair clockwise or counterclockwise to create a bun. Bring your fully twisted strand of hair head towards your head, and wrap it in a circular motion in the same direction you twisted it. As you spin it, your hair will begin to coil tightly into a bun.^{[3]
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- For a slightly looser ballerina bun, twist your ponytail about halfway, then circle into a bun, leaving some of the end strands loose. Take the loose strands and spread them over the top of the bun, holding them in place with your palm before securing them with a pin or hair tie.
4
Secure the bun with a hair tie or bobby pins. Hold the entire twisted bun with your dominant palm. Then, use your other hand to get a hair band from your wrist or another nearby location. Wrap the hair band around the base of the bun until your hair is secured tightly..^{[4]
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- Secure any loose hair strands by tucking them under your bun and using a bobby pin to keep them in place.
- You can also ditch the hair tie entirely and secure your bun using 4-8 bobby pins. You may want to cover the bun with a scrunchie to hide the pins when you’re finished.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Braided Bun

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Braiding your bun is an elegant yet understated way to style your hair.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Jamie Bushman
Master Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 16 September 2021.} Begin by giving your hair a quick brush. Then, fling it back and grasp it into a loose ponytail anywhere on your head. Hold the ponytail in place with one hand and use the other to smooth out any knots or tangles. Finally, secure this ponytail with a hair tie.
2
Braid your ponytail. Braid your ponytail by separating it into three strands. Cross the right strand over the middle strand. Then, pull the middle strand to the right. Cross the left strand over the middle strand, and continue repeating this process until you have braided all the way to the end. Secure the end of the braid with a hair tie.^{[6]
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- A simple braid works best for this bun, but if you’d prefer a more elaborate look, you can try making a fishtail braid (which takes about the same amount of time).
- For a looser braided style, try gathering your hair at your neck and creating a loose braid with no hair tie. When you get to the end of your ponytail, secure only two of the three strands, leaving one strand free.
3
Wrap the hair in a circular motion to create a bun. Take your braid and circle it around your hair tie, swirling it into a bun. Hold the bun in place with your dominant hand. Then, tuck any remaining loose ends of your hair (as well as the hair tie itself) underneath your bun.^{[7]
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- If you’re styling a braided bun with one strand free, hold the loose strand and push up the rest of the braid until it creates a messy bun.
4
Secure the bun with a hair tie or bobby pins. Finish making your braided bun by sewing 4-8 bobby pins into the base of the bun to secure it tightly in place.^{[8]
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Research source} You can also use another hair tie to achieve this. To create a seamlessly blended look, select a tie or bobby pins that are similar to your hair color.
- For the loose braided bun, tuck the loose strand under the bun and secure the bun with bobby pins.
Jen Atkin, Celebrity Hairstylist

You can salvage a bad hair day. "Play with hair accessories — put your hair up in a ponytail or a bun and add a few statements pieces and clip-in accessories, that’s my quick fix. I’m always a sucker for a really nice chic chignon, and just having the hair off your face."

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Three-Twist Bun

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1
Divide your hair into three sections. Use your fingers to loosely separate your hair into three large, equally-sized strands at the base of your neck. Secure each strand with a hair tie or spray them with dry shampoo so they hold in place.^{[9]
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- If you need some extra texture, try adding curling cream to give your bun volume.^{[10]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Christine George
  Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
  
  Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
2
Twist and secure the right section of your hair. Once you’ve divided your hair into sections, start with the right side and twist each strand clockwise all the way to the tips. After you have twisted the right strand, wrap it close to your head, producing a tiny bun. Secure this strand with bobby pins or by using a foam clip.^{[11]
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- For a messy, chic look, let some strands fall out so it doesn't look like a severe, tight bun.
3
Twist and secure the middle and left sections of your hair. Take the middle strand and twist it counterclockwise all the way to the end of your hair. Wrap this strand close to your head to make a mini-bun. Do the same thing with the left strand, twisting it counterclockwise. Secure both strands in place with bobby pins or a foam styling sponge.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.}
- Tug some excess hair from the sides to give yourself a messy, slept-in look.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Tucked Bun

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1
Tie your hair in a ponytail and split it down the center. Brush your hair back into a low ponytail near the nape of your neck and bunch it together with a hair tie.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} Then, use your index fingers to pinch a small hole in your ponytail, directly in front of the hair tie.
- Your ponytail should resemble something like a messy bun before you use your fingers to begin splitting it.
Pull your index fingers in opposite directions to create a large opening in front of your hair tie. The opening should extend about half the width of the entire ponytail.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.}
3
Pull your ponytail through the hole to create a bun. Grab each half of your ponytail and flip them upwards towards your face. Slip both halves of your pony into the hole you just created, tucking any loose pieces of hair into the hair tie.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.}
- If you prefer a messier look, you can leave a few strands of hair loose.
4
Style your bun with bobby pins and finishing spray. Once you’ve tucked your ponytail through the hole near your hair tie, secure your bun with 4-8 bobby pins and cover them with a scrunchie.^{[16]
X
Expert Source

Sarah Kosakowski
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 3 September 2021.} Then, set the style with a finishing hairspray.
- A tucked bun is pretty tight. If you’d prefer to soften this look, pull out a few strands of hair around your face to frame it.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Messy Bun

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Messy buns are the best way to style long hair if you’re ever in a rush. To begin, bring your hair to the back or side of your head and gather it into a ponytail. Avoid pulling all your hair all the way through your hair tie, so you’re left with a free, bouncy loop of hair. You’ll use this free strand to make your messy bun.^{[17]
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2
Pull your leftover hair into a bun and shape it with your hands. Grasp the hair loop you kept outside of your ponytail and pull it through your hair tie to create a bun. Then, with both hands, grab the sides of the bun and pull away from you to widen the bun's radius. You can also pull on the center of your leftover hair loop to give it more of a rounded shape.
- Don't worry about securing your hair perfectly. A quick, easy bun has the ends of the hair sticking out. You probably won’t even need bobby pins!
3
Style your messy bun at different heights to suit your style. If you want more volume and fewer bumps in your hair, style it high up toward the top of your head. However, if you want a lazier (and easier) style, you can create a low-side bun by gathering all your hair into your hair tie in one swift motion and letting any remaining strands hang out.^{[18]
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Expert Source

Courtney Foster
Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Interview. 9 December 2019.}
- You can also add ribbons, barrettes, or clips for decoration.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do I put my hair in a bun fast?

Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist
Christine George is a Master Hairstylist, Colorist, and Owner of Luxe Parlour, a premier boutique salon based in the Los Angeles, California area. Christine has over 23 years of hair styling and coloring experience. She specializes in customized haircuts, premium color services, balayage expertise, classic highlights, and color correction. She received her cosmetology degree from the Newberry School of Beauty.

Christine George

Master Hair Stylist & Colorist

Expert Answer

If these methods take too long you can also use a foam bun tool to make a quick bun. Pull your hair into a ponytail. Then, twist your ponytail around the foam piece and close the metal clasp.

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Question

How can I make a bun that will stay in all day?

Community Answer

The better you secure it, the more it will last. Use any way possible. Bun nets that are often used for ballerinas are very good and can come with decorations or plain, whichever you prefer.

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Question

How should I tuck in the loose hair when I wear a bun?

Community Answer

Bobby pin the loose hairs underneath the bun so they are less noticeable - unless you want people to see it.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

If you do this before you go to bed with wet hair, you'll wake up in the morning with curls. However, it may be uncomfortable to sleep in.
Put your hair in pigtails, then braid the two pigtails into braids and make them into buns.
Don’t pull your hair too tightly. It can result in hair breakage or give you a headache.
Using mousse can help your hair have more body in the bun and lie flatter on your head.
You can get all your hair supplies (bobby pins, hair ties, etc.) from the dollar store.
Puff your hair up with a comb for a messier look.

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