A creative bun hairstyle is the ultimate way to give your fine hair a fuller, elegant look – without having to sell your soul so you can afford countless hair products. All you need is to learn a few pro tips and tricks to give it a fuller, Audrey Hepburn-inspired look. Luckily, we’ll be sharing these with you today!
Read on to find out how a bit of twisting and tugging can create lovely bun hairstyles with volume your fine hair has never seen!
1. Elegant Bun Updo: Step-By-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Start by separating a small section of your hair at the crown of your head and tying it with a small elastic. Make sure it isn’t too tight – tying it a couple of inches above the crown will make the next step easier.
Separate a small section of hair at the crown
Step 2: Now, make a hole right above the elastic, and ‘topsy tail’ the hair – flip it over and into this gap. Once you have an inverted ponytail, we’ll work to create the much-desired illusion of fullness. Tug at the pieces along the crown slightly to give your hair a lift but be careful not to pull it apart too much. The desired outcome is a volume boost from the roots while maintaining a neat, elegant look. Spritz it with hairspray lightly to keep things extra smooth. Not sure which hairspray to go for? Our shortlist of best hairsprays will help!
Make a hole right above the elastic, and ‘topsy tail’ the hair
Step 3: Grab the hair from the back of your head, and brush it down using a fine-tooth comb to make sure tangles are out. Pull your hair up and brush it in upward motions to get rid of the kinks, then secure your ponytail with an elastic and a couple of bobby pins (aka DIY hair bungee). What you’ll want to do is prepare yourself a hair bungee by hooking the elastic into two bobby pins. Place the first pin into your ponytail on the right side, then wrap the elastic around your ponytail a few times. Slide the second bobby pin into the ponytail to hold it in place. Hold the ponytail up and spray a dash of hairspray under it to avoid any kinks or flyaways sneakily appearing later on.
Pull hair up and secure a ponytail with an elastic
Step 4: An elastic doesn’t look too aesthetically pleasing, so we’re going to make sure no-one knows it’s there! Grab the hair you’ve tied at the top of your head and wrap it around the ponytail, from right to left. Once that’s done, secure the hair underneath the ponytail with two bobby pins, creating a cross pattern.
Grab the hair you’ve tied and wrapping it around the ponytail
Step 5: The following step – backcombing the ponytail – is crucial for keeping your bun full of life for longer. Separate a section from the top of the ponytail, and tease it using a fine brush. Carry on separating and teasing small strands from the ponytail, until you’ve backcombed the whole ponytail.
Separate a top section of the ponytail and tease it
Step 6: Now, take the top part of your ponytail, forming a ‘fluffy’ bun. Secure it with a small elastic and smooth down the rest of the ponytail with your fingers to make sure the strands are nice and straight.
Form a ‘fluffy’ bun from the top part of your ponytail
Step 7: Once you’ve tied your hair into a loose bun, use the rest of the ponytail to wrap around the base of the bun, nicely hiding the elastic and the pins. No need to wrap it too tightly – loose bun will give your hair look thicker. Finally, take the ends of the ponytail, tuck them under the base and secure with a few bobby pins. Finish up by curling the front pieces of your hair with a curler or straightener to give them a more elegant look.
Wrap the rest of your ponytail around the base of the bun
Elegant Bun Updo
Elegant Bun Updo Tutorial
2. Pull-Through Low Bun: Step-By-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Start by brushing your hair with boar bristle brush to ensure smooth and knot-free strands. From the right side of your head, separate the top part of your hair and tie it with a small elastic.
From the right side of your head, separate the top part of your hair and tie it with a small elastic
Step 2: As with the previous hairstyle – you’ll want to pull through (‘topsy tail’) the ponytail. Once the strands are inwards, tug at them slightly to loosen a little. Repeat these two steps on the left side – tying the top part of your hair with a small elastic, pulling through the small ponytail and giving the strands a little tug to loosen.
‘Topsy tail’ the ponytail
Step 3: Now grab the hair from the middle of your head, and repeat the same steps, also pulling at the strands to give the style a volume boost.
Grab the hair from the middle of your head and repeat the same steps
Step 4: Next, take the hair that’s down between the middle topsy tail and the one on the right, incorporating the front section of your hair – and tie it with a small elastic. Invert it the same way as before – this little trick helps us achieve more voluminous, retro-inspired hairstyle. Repeat the same step on the left side.
Take the hair that’s down between the middle topsy tail and the one on the right, and tie it with an elastic
Step 5: The same principle will apply as you move down towards the middle of your neck – continue tying the hair that surrounds your ponytails with an elastic, then pulling it through – until you’re out of hair on the sides and are left only with the hair in the middle of your neck.
Continue tying the hair that surrounds your ponytails moving down towards the middle of your neck
Step 6: The next step is creating an illusion of a thick-looking braid. This is a wonderful little trick for girls with fine hair – doesn’t everyone want a fuller looking braid once in a while? Grab the hair from the sides of the ponytail, tie it with an elastic, then invert it. Pull it apart slightly to make it look fuller and looser – and repeat the same steps until you get to the end of your hair. Once the braid is done, tie it with an elastic band.
Grab the hair from the sides of the ponytail, tie it with an elastic, then invert it
Step 7: And now, the most exciting step – turning the braid into a beautiful, elegant bun! Fold it up gently and bring it to the back of your head. One bobby pin should fix it in place – but use two if you need to. Twist the ends of the braid around your fingers and use a few bobby pins to secure it underneath the bun. If there’s any hair left at the nape of your neck – roll it up and fix it at the base of the bun with a few bobby pins. Spritz it with hairspray to make your hairstyle last longer – and you’ve got yourself a beautiful pull-through low bun!
Form a bun using bobby pins
Pull-Through Low Bun
Pull-Through Low Bun Tutorial
3. Twisted Side Bun: Step-By-Step Tutorial
Step 1: Separate a small section of hair on the right side of your head – that won’t be touched for a while. Now take the remaining hair and tie it on the right side of your head (using a DIY hair bungee we’ve learnt to make before!). This is a little handy trick to make sure the ponytail doesn’t droop. Pin the first bobby pin into the middle of the ponytail, wrap the elastic around the ponytail a few times – and slide in the second bobby pin to fix it in place. Then, tug at the top part slightly to avoid the hair sticking lifelessly to the top of your head – that is not the look we’re aiming for!
Take a small section of hair on the right side, pin a bobby pin into the middle of the ponytail and wrap the elastic around it
Step 2: Next, divide the ponytail into three equal parts. We’ll work with these three sections to create full and loose-looking rope twist braids – the essence of this elegant hairstyle. Often perceived to be more complicated than they are (maybe because of how sophisticated they look!), twisted rope braids are actually pretty simple. Take the first strand and divide it into two equal parts. Twist each strand to the right, then cross the right strand over the left one, creating the pattern of a twisted rope braid.
Divide the ponytail into three equal parts and make twists
Step 3: Continue braiding by crossing the right strand over the left one, occasionally tugging at the hair strands to create larger, looser loops (but be careful not to pull it apart entirely). When you pull at the strands, make sure you’re holding on to the ends tightly. Once the rope twist braid is done, secure the end of the braid with a small elastic.
Continue braiding crossing the right strand over the left one, secure with elastics
Step 4: Repeat the same steps with the other two sections of your ponytail, turning them both into loose twisted rope braids. Finish with a bit of hairspray to create a smoother look and a longer lasting hairstyle.
Continue the same steps for other strands
Step 5: Now, let’s turn our attention to the front section of hair. The principle is the same – divide it into two equal parts, then twist both to the right, crossing the right one over the left one until your braid is done. Remember to pull at the loops while holding on to the ends to create a fuller look.
Divide the front section of hair into two equal parts and twist both to the right
Step 6: Take the first of the three rope braids, and roll it into a loose, flowery bun. Once shaped like a lovely, airy bun, use one or two bobby pins to fix it in place.
Make a loose bun, securing with bobby pins
Step 7: Grab the second braid and add it to the bun, wrapping it around the first braid, so that the bun looks even fuller. Fix it in place with a bobby pin, but make sure to hide it well – bobby pins are a great tool and can look cool, but we don’t want to see them poking out of this particular hairstyle. Take the third braid and roll it around your fingers, creating a small bun. Now add it to the bottom of the bigger bun and fix it in place with a few bobby pins.
Grab the second braid and add it to the bun
Step 8: Finally, grab the fourth twisted rope braid from the front and incorporate it into the bun, wrapping it around loosely from the top down (or from the left to the right). Doesn’t that look lovely?!
Incorporate the fourth twisted rope braid into the bun
Twisted Side Bun
Twisted Side Bun Tutorial
Video Tutorial How to Create 3 Bun Hairstyles for Fine Hair
Choose the Right Toolkit
Creating these hairstyles isn’t rocket science with an easy-to-follow video tutorial, but you may wonder if there are any other secrets we can share to make your fine hair look its best. And – we do! To give your hair an extra boost, you may want a little help from styling products. Not just any products – but products that actually do the job and give your hair a long-lasting volume boost.
Luckily, we know just the right toolkit that will assist in creating these lovely hairstyles. The products we’ve chosen will work perfectly for all three updos, making the hair look fuller and the hairstyles last longer.
- Nexxus Diametress Volume Shampoo. If your hair’s flat and fine, volumizing shampoo will be your best friend. This Nexxus shampoo, enriched with green tea, will increase the diameter of each hair strand, making your hair look seriously thick.
- John Frieda Luxurious Volume Blow Out Spray. This blow-out spray is a blessing for those who haven’t been blessed with thick, voluminous locks we’re constantly seeing on hair models. Activated by heat, the spray gives your hair a visible boost – and forms the perfect base for a voluminous bun hairstyle.
- Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray. Make your style last longer with this citrus-scented, 24-hour hold hairspray from Herbal Essences. Spritz it lightly over your finished hairstyle or between the steps to ensure a smooth, long-lasting and flyaway-free hairstyle.
With these volume-boosting tricks, a bun hairstyle can transform even the finest hair into an elegant, voluminous updo.
Learning to create a bun hairstyle that makes your hair look full of life can be life-changing for someone who has ultra-fine, lifeless hair. Probably one of the most versatile hairstyles there is, an elegant bun will be an accessory you can ‘wear’ to any special occasion, from a fancy evening affair to a sophisticated wedding.
And – remember that these hairstyles will be easier to create on fine hair than on very thick (and often, difficult to manage) hair… so consider yourself lucky!
