I Like Big [Hair] Buns {And I Cannot Lie}

It's no secret that I d r e a d washing my hair. As odd as it sounds - I work all week to build up that grit and style and wiping the slate clean just bums me out! But, when you typically go 5+ days without washing {go ahead and shudder, but I'm saving my hair from stripping its natural oils. Now what?!}, the styles you wear throughout the week must evolve with the grit build-up. By Day 6 it is almost always UP, because, let's be real - no matter how incredible Kenra products smell, on day 6 they get a little stale {more shuddering}. My go-to Day 6 'do is the big ass ballerina bun - brought, taught and coveted by ballerina babe Lauren Conrad. 

Now, I'm going to tell you something that may shock you. Ready?...

I don't know how to do the actual "sock bun." Not in the sense of when you're using an actual sock. Or a fake sponge-sock thingamabob. Or whatever it is you crazy kids use to fill out your ballerina buns. I just don't get it, and my stylist hands can't maneuver it. Thanks to LC, I never have to succumb to the sock. All I use is my god given natural locks, and a few essential materials. 

Materials

Hair elastic

Few bobby pins

Few hair pins (yes, there's a difference)

Teaser comb (I like one with a bristle brush)

Kenra Finishing Spray 

{Photo cred to the hubs <3}

Step 1: Gather your hair into a high tight pony, using the elastic hair tie. {Stylist tip: I like to spray the sides/top/bottom of my hair a bit with the finishing spray and smooth back with the teaser comb for a super sleek look.}

Step 2: Using your teaser comb, back-comb the pony until it's a huge, bristle, ratty, knotted mess. Get in there and MESS that pony up - don't be shy! The puffier the ponytail, the bigger the bun, ya'll. 

Step 3: Now L I G H T L Y smooth just the outer edge of your ponytail - but leave that teased poof in the middle so it still has some good girth. I very lightly smooth just the outer later. {Stylist tip: We're not going for Nutcracker-perfect-ballerina-buns here. Messy is sexy. Don't worry about those flyaways - no one's looking at them - they're all looking at that fab bun.}

Step 4: Now twist your pony just a little, but not too tight that you flatten the thickness of your "tail."

Step 5: Loosely wrap the tail around your head and tuck the ends under the bun once you've fully wrapped around. Don't worry about making the bun's circumference, placement and shape perfect right this moment - we'll mold that baby shortly. 

Step 6: Secure the bun in place with your hairpins. I typically use one at each directional point (north, east, south, west). Here's where you want to make sure the placement of the bun on your head is where you want it to be, because you'll be securing it in that spot. It's bulky and sturdy enough for you to just kind of push around until it's center {see why we gave it such good girth early on?!}

Step 7: Now fluff out with your bun out! I like to make my B I G. Using my hands I just lightly stretch, pull and "fluff" until it's as big as I want him to be {yes, my bun is a guy - I don't stereotype on ballerinas}.

Step 8: Now that you've tossed your bun about, you've likely caused a little disruption of that smooth outer shell. Go back over your bun and LIGHTLY - I emphasize LIGHTLY - comb around the outer shell just to smooth to your liking. Again, remember, we're not trying out to be a sugar plum fairy. Modern buns are NOT perfect. Actually, they are. They are perfectly imperfect. Once you have smoothed and secured your bun, go ahead and spritz with your finishing spray, smooth any flyaways on your sleek sides, and shellack that bun in place. {I didn't think I needed a picture step for how to use hairspray. If you haven't figured out how to pop off the top and spray, this tutorial may be a little advanced for you ;-)}

Step 9: Rock out with your non-sock-bun out!!

XO,

Nikki