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Create a perfectly shaped hair bun using a sock or store-bought form for this trendy and polished look. You can also create a looser, more casual donut using a couple of hair bands. In a few easy steps you can style a beautiful donut bun perfect for everyday wear or going out at night.
Steps
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Buy a donut form or find a clean sock. Donut forms can be purchased in the hair accessories section of the drugstore, but it's just as easy to make your own with a sock. You want a large, stretchy tube sock that's easy to roll. Use an old pair because you will be cutting the toe off.- It's best if you have a sock that's similar to your hair color, but any sock will work.
- If using a store-bought doughnut form, skip to step 4.
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Cut the toe off the sock. You now have one long tube that's open at both ends.Advertisement -
Roll the sock down. Take the top edge of the sock and roll it down toward the bottom edge. The sock will begin to form a doughnut shape. Make sure it's tight and evenly shape.
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Put your hair into a ponytail. [1] X Expert Source Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist Expert Interview. 10 January 2020. The ponytail can be high or low, depending on what style you like. If you want your bun to look full, tease your ponytail a bit to create more texture and then smooth the surface carefully with a paddle brush. If you want it to look sleek, comb your hair straight.- A donut bun will hold best in second or third day hair, since it's not as slippery. Use a little dry shampoo if your roots are oily.
- If you're working with clean hair, spray it with a light coating of hairspray to add a little texture to your hair so it will stay in the bun. Use a non-aerosol spray to avoid stickiness.
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Pull the ponytail through the hole in your sock donut. Make sure all of your hair gets through the hole. Slide the sock donut a few inches down your ponytail so that the tips of your hair are sticking out of the hole.
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Spread the tips of your hair around the sock or donut form. Tuck the tips under so that your hair is evenly spread in a donut shape, covering the sock or form.
- This step takes the longest, because you want to make sure your hair is completely covering the sock or form. Try to spread it out evenly without leaving any gaps.
- If your hair isn't thick enough to cover the sock or form, you may want to start over with a smaller sock or try teasing your hair, smoothing out the surface and trying again. You can also spray the ponytail with dry shampoo which will help add bulk to your strands.
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Roll your ponytail into the sock or form. [2] X Expert Source Christine George
Master Hair Stylist & Colorist Expert Interview. 10 January 2020. Begin rolling it down toward the base of your ponytail to create a growing donut shape. Make sure your hair is getting neatly rolled into the donut. Keep going until the donut is flat against your head.- Is your hair too short to roll? No problem! Simply gather your hair over the donut form or sock in a donut shape. Use a hairband to secure the tips of your hair in place or interlock bobby pins in an “x” shape around the base of the bun.
- For extra hold, use bobby pins to secure the tips of your hair in place.
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Check the donut to make sure you can't see the sock or form. Use two mirrors to view the back of your head. Your hair should be completely covering the sock or form to hide it from view. [3] X Research source -
Use bobby pins and hairspray to hold it in place. If the donut seems a little loose, pin it against your head using a few bobby pins. Use firm-hold hairspray to keep your hair from getting messy.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."
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Put your hair in a ponytail. Gather your hair and put it up in a tightly secured hairband. Either a high or low ponytail works equally well. -
Tease your ponytail. Use a flat brush with natural bristles to tease your ponytail. Starting a few inches from the base, gently push hair toward the base, moving up and repeating, forming a fluffy cloud of hair. Then use the tips of the bristles to gently smooth out the top surface. This will help make it easier to handle as well as giving your donut bun more volume.
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Gather your hair into a donut shape. Do this by finding the center of your ponytail and evenly gathering your hair around its base, so that your hair forms the shape of a donut. It may take a few tries before you're able to gather it evenly.
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Secure the tips of your hair with as second hair band and/or bobby pins. Holding the donut shape in place with one hand, use a second hair band to secure the tips of your hair around the base of your ponytail. Wrap it around several times to make sure the bun doesn't fall out. Interlock bobby pins in “x” shapes around the bun to secure additional stray hairs.
- At this stage, check your donut bun in the mirror. Make sure the hair is evenly gathered into a donut shape.
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Pin the donut bun against your head. In additional to securing small hairs, you can use two or three bobby pins to secure the entire bun flat against your head. This will help to prevent it from falling out.
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Finish with firm-hold hairspray. This will keep the bun from falling out as you go about your day.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I make a neat bun?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.It really helps if you find a sock or donut form to help shape your bun.
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QuestionHow do you make the perfect messy bun?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.Pull your hair into a ponytail. Twist the ends of the ponytail a few times to bring the strands together, then wrap them around the ponytail loosely. Secure with a few bobby pins, then use your fingers to spread and soften the bun, allowing some short pieces to come loose.
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QuestionHow do you make a simple bun?Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.You can create a simple bun by starting with a ponytail. Then, twist the tail together until it forms a rope. Wrap it around the base of the ponytail and pin it in place.
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Tips
- Use a bigger donut for longer hair.Thanks
- Try not to make the bun too tight, or it can hurt your head after a while and might give you a headache.Thanks
- You can use the excess hair to make a braid around the bun.Thanks
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Things You'll Need
- Brush
- Sock or donut form
- 2 or 3 elastic bands
- Bobby pins
- Mirror
- Hairspray
References
- ↑ Christine George. Master Hair Stylist & Colorist. Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.
- ↑ Christine George. Master Hair Stylist & Colorist. Expert Interview. 10 January 2020.
- ↑ http://www.seventeen.com/fashion/blog/secrets-to-getting-the-perfect-donut-bun
- Videos provided by ChikasChic
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To make a donut bun with a tube sock, first cut off the toe and roll the top edge down into a donut shape. Make a ponytail and slide the bottom few inches into the sock. Tuck the tips under the sock so your hair is spread evenly in a donut. Roll the sock down to the base of your ponytail and secure it with bobby pins. To make a bun with 2 hairbands, tie a ponytail and find its center. Gather your hair around the base in a donut shape, then wrap a second hair tie around it. Twist the ends around the bun and pin them with bobby pins. For tips on keeping your donut bun frizz-free, read on!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I was rushing to get ready for a party and I was like, what will I do with my hair? Curl will not stay in, braids hurt my head, and I wikiHow'd hairstyles. I was like, hey, I could do a bun! I went to the party looking fantastic, and got tons of good comments on my hair. Love this article! Thanks!" ..." more
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"I was rushing to get ready for a party and I was like, what will I do with my hair? Curl will not stay in, braids hurt my head, and I wikiHow'd hairstyles. I was like, hey, I could do a bun! I went to the party looking fantastic, and got tons of good comments on my hair. Love this article! Thanks!"
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"This tutorial really helped me! I was trying to make a bun out of a nylon stuffed with a towel, which was not working. I searched and found this article, and I face-palmed because I didn't think about the sock method. Thanks!"
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"I love the second method, it really helped me. I was trying to look for videos online, then I found these two methods that really help, especially the second one. Thanks."
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"I've been searching so hard for a tutorial that shows the actual sock bun Velcro as-seen-on-TV thing and I can't find anyone. This was the closest!"
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"The tutorial was well written, and I enjoyed that there were a few pictures to go with it. It was the best one I've read yet."
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