How to Create the Perfect Bun

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“As simple as a bun sounds, the details are what really make it,” says the hairstylist James Pecis. A bun can be casually put together or precisely constructed, piled high or pinned low with no-nonsense finesse. We spoke to three experts who know how to tailor the style to any mood — Devon Teuscher, a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre; Pecis, who runs the brand Blu & Green and will oversee the hair at the Thom Browne runway show this week; and the actress and Pattern Beauty founder Tracee Ellis Ross, whose textured topknots have long been a signature look.

James Pecis, 44, hairstylist

The hair needs to have as much traction or grip in it as possible to stay up. If the hair is dirty, I’ll use Blu & Green’s Dry Shampoo, which is going to stick to those oils. If the hair is clean, I’ll apply a texture dust throughout; Oribe’s Swept Up is good.
When making a ponytail, which will anchor your bun, the trick is to first push back all the hair — down to the scalp — with a detangling brush or a wide-tooth comb. Then, to create a smooth surface, use a boar-and-nylon-bristle brush plus hair spray, like Oribe’s Superfine, which helps to control flyaways.
Back-combing the ponytail before you twist it up will fill out the bun. Wrap the hair tightly around the ponytail base, tucking in the end. The fewer pins you use, the better, because there’s less chance of error. And don’t use anything with sharp ends that could damage the scalp. [The editorial hairstylist] Odile Gilbert makes a single big pin that curves to the head — it’s the simplest hair accessory in the world.

Devon Teuscher, 36, dancer

Ballet buns — like a lot of ballet — are about creating the most aesthetic lines. For a high, classic Balanchine bun, you want a continuous diagonal line from the jaw to your cheekbones, with the bun at the top point.

For performances, our hair and makeup team uses Nigel hairpins, which are high quality and don’t lose their spring or hold. They’re pretty big — about the length of my index finger. They also come in a mini size, for hairpieces or flyaways. They’re not shiny, so they blend into the hair well.
Dirty hair is generally best for ballet buns. We often use Bumble & Bumble Thickening Dryspun Texture Spray to add grit and texture, especially at the roots. That way, if you want a middle part, you can shape the line a bit better. Bumble & Bumble Holding Spray is strong. We also use a small teasing brush with this Japanese pomade called Tancho, which comes in a little stick, to smooth down or shape any extra flyaways.

After every show, I use a Scalpmaster brush with metal bristles for five minutes. When you’ve had your hair in a really tight bun, a scalp massage feels so good.

Tracee Ellis Ross, 52, actor

There’s something about a slicked-back bun that allows my face to do the talking. It allows my favorite jewelry — my cheekbones and collarbones — to be presented. I feel boss. I feel elegant.

An updo with stragglers is not my thing. I’m very meticulous. First I section my hair with Pattern’s clips. I split the bottom section in two and use my paddle brush on both sides; I repeat that on the middle and top sections. I practically soak my hair with Pattern’s Leave-In Conditioner, so the top layer almost looks wet. Then I comb it all back, using my hands, and apply a nice dollop of our styling cream to make it smooth, smooth, smooth. I take a fresh hair tie and go around four times so it’s extra tight around my ponytail. And I brush just the front hairs with our edge tool, so everything’s aligned.

I have three variations of my bun. The topknot is my favorite for driving, for working out, for facials — because if I lie down on a table, a back bun affects the angle of my neck. My low bun is slicked back or middle parted. I call my main version my ballet bun because I follow the line up from my ear. With each of these, I braid the ponytail first before wrapping it around. For a red carpet, I’ll secure the bun with Pattern’s hairpins, which are modeled after my mom’s pins. I usually use three: one on either side and one at the base. Otherwise, I just tuck the end of the braid under the ponytail holder. I don’t know if it looks perfect from behind, but what I can see looks fine to me!