Messy Bun Hair Piece Tutorial

Having long hair can sometimes be a pain—especially when it comes to styling it in different ways. Whether you want to wear your hair down or up, you will inevitably need to tie it back at some point. Hair elastics may work for some, but they can leave your hair creased and misshapen, causing you to lose volume and texture as well as being super uncomfortable. If you’re looking for an alternative that won’t make your hair look like it’s going through puberty again, try using the messy buns hair pieces instead!

Start with damp, clean hair

Run a comb through your hair to remove any tangles and snarls. Next, divide your hair into sections. Remember that a messy bun works best with fairly long hair—though even shoulder-length locks should work in a pinch. For each section, use a scrunchy to put it into a ponytail near your head. If you don’t have an elastic band handy, consider using barrettes instead.

Part your hair into two sections

The easiest way to achieve a messy bun is to make a part down the middle of your head. This makes it easy to split your hair into two sections, one on each side.

Twist your two sections in opposite directions

I used to make a messy bun by twisting my hair in two sections, one section clockwise and one counterclockwise. I held them both in place with a scrunchie. The key to making sure it stays is to tie that sucker tight! But if you have fine hair like me, chances are you’ll find your hair slips right out of those little elastics. Enter: a messy bun hair piece!

Backcomb the ends of each section

If you’re not familiar with backcombing, it’s a styling technique used to create volume at your crown. Start by gathering all of your hair at your crown and hold it as close to your scalp as possible.

Gather both sides around your ponytail holder (or elastic band if you don't have one).
To create your messy bun, simply gather both sides around your ponytail holder (or elastic band if you don't have one). Secure with a hair tie and you're done! So simple to do, but always looks amazing. The best part is that you can use a messy bun hair piece to compliment any outfit: wear it at work, out running errands or even at night with jeans and a tank top! With so many cute styles in lots of different colors available, there's definitely one for everyone.

Tuck the ends under your ponytail holder

Start by pulling your hair as much as you can back in a ponytail. The higher up you pull your hair, the higher up your bun will be and vice versa. Tuck in any stray hairs or pieces that may fall out at an awkward length. Then, wrap your hair around itself to create a circle (or oval) shape. Secure with a bobby pin—the closer to the base of your ponytail holder, the more secure it will be. If needed, pin additional bobby pins around to make sure it stays put! Voilà! You’ve got yourself a messy bun hair piece!

Viola! You've got a messy bun hair piece.
You don’t have to pull your hair into a ponytail, ball it up on top of your head and secure it with a scrunchie, or spend an hour perfecting that messy bun you see all over Pinterest. And if you want to add some oomph to your look, try out a brand new hair piece: scrunchies!