The “Faked You Out” Bun

how to do a bun on short natural hair

Wanna know how to do a top bun on a TWA? Yes, you read that correctly. We just did a great post on making buns look amazing but it was for our longer haired sisters. Even naturals with TWAs (teeny weeny afros) can rock the current trend of the top knot. With a little elbow grease and a few handfuls of gel you can achieve that slick, neat bun look. Here’s how to do a bun on short natural hair:

What You’ll Need

• Hair Ties
• Gel (my favorite is Eco Styler)
• Hard and/or Soft Brush
• Satin Scarf
• Marley Braiding Hair (or any hair that matches your texture)
• Hair Pins

Disclaimer: You do need at least enough hair to brush up into a ponytail. For shorter hair that doesn’t fit into one ponytail, try splitting it into two. Just get the two ponytails as close to each other and to the top of your head as possible. You can wrap the hair around both and won’t notice. It doesn’t have to be a big ponytail(s), just enough for the braided hair to hold on to.

Start with stretched hair. Lightly spray the outer sections of your hair, this is so it’s easier to manipulate. If you have kinky 4 type hair I’d recommend not spraying the middle of your head. The water will just tighten your curls and make it more difficult to get into a ponytail. You want the hair as stretched as possible.

Next, take a good amount of gel and begin applying it to the perimeter of your head. If you have kinky 4 type hair you may need to use more gel in order to properly lay down your curls. Take the hard brush (if it’s too hard switch to the soft brush) and brush your hair up into a ponytail. Follow each brush stroke with your hands to ensure all the hairs are smooth and laying. Keep brushing all around and gather your hair into a pony tail at the top of your head, secure with a hair tie.

*For us type 4 girls, the crown of our head can be tricky; this is where, at least for me, the curls are the tightest. If you’re having trouble getting the bun smooth at the crown, take the end of a rat tooth comb and slide it through the middle to pick out the curls and gather it into the ponytail. I like using a big, plastic rat tooth comb for this rather than the small metal version.*

Once all the hair is brushed, smoothed and secure in a ponytail, wrap your satin scarf around your edges so they stay flat and neat. If you like the look of baby hair, do it before putting the satin scarf on. The scarf is the secret weapon, never skip this step! It lays down any flyaways or unruly curls that you may have missed with the brush.

Now you’re ready to add the bun. You can make a natural looking, small to medium size bun or go for an oversize larger style. Section off the amount of hair for your desired size and begin wrapping the ends of the hair around your ponytail. Wrap, tuck and pin until the hair is formed into a bun and you’re satisfied with the look. Remove your scarf and you’re done!

Since a lot of gel is used for this style I usually do it at the end of the week or a few days before wash day; I personally don’t like to leave gel on my hair longer than 2-3 days. This is such an easy and beautiful protective style for all naturals.

Don’t want to use extensions? AskProy has a great tutorial:

So whether you have a TWA or tight curly hair try out this tutorial and tips to achieving that flawless #bunlife.

Nogah Jones

Free Blogging Bootcamp Curls Understood eBook

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