While there's plenty of room in all of our lives for cool hair accessories and trending '90s hairstyles, sometimes basic is best when it comes to hair. Case in point: a classic bun. Chic, simple and always stylish, it's the go-to hairstyle of choice for celebs like Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Alexa Chung whether they're relaxing on holiday and dressing up for the red carpet. Basically, it's the hairstyle that works for every occasion.
However, while it might look effortlessly cool, there is some art to creating a basic bun on your own hair. All too often I've attempted to scrape my strands into a carefully disheveled updo only to find that the final effect is more ready for a face wash than off-duty model.
Thankfully, Rosie HW—the queen of the bun—revealed her secrets for creating the perfect one over on Rose Inc. this week. Sleek, shiny and (most importantly) simple, I can confirm that these tips will have you rocking a cool girl bun in no time. In fact, Rosie was even kind enough to fill us in on her favourite hair styling products too.
Keep scrolling to find out exactly how to do a bun at home and to shop the Rosie-approved products that will make it even easier.
Step 1. Wash and towel dry
Rosie describes her basic bun as a "a polished easy updo that I end up wearing most days" and gets started by washing her hair with the Rahua Color Full Shampoo and Conditioner.
"I've really loved using this because it has the silver tones in it so it really helps tone my hair and keep my colour for as long as possible," Huntington-Whiteley said.
Before cracking on with the rest of her routine, Rosie wraps her hair in the Aquis Hair Turban to help it dry. "It's incredible for absorbing all the water and much more comfortable than wrapping it up in a giant towel."
Related: Meghan, Rosie and Zoë All Swear By This Cult Concealer
Step 2: Brush and prep
Next, Rosie brushes through her towel-dried hair with a brush from Sheila Stotts (sadly not available in the UK). "One of the things that's really important for me to do is to start at the bottom and work your way up higher and higher," explained Rosie.
Then Rosie sprays the Christophe Robin Volumizing Mist through the roots of her hair to add some volume before following with Christophe Robin Moisturizing Hair Cream. "It helps to prevent the appearance of split ends and breakage so it's kind of a dream product...and it hydrates the hair and makes it shinier," she said.
Related: 21 Cool Hairstyles for Every Single Life Occasion
Step 3: Blow dry
Rosie then blow dries her hair, opting for the Dyson hairdryer. "I was a little dubious about this to be honest because it's a hairdryer and it has quite a big price tag attached to it but after using it for the first few times it truly, truly blew me away. No pun intended," Rosie laughs.
Once her hair is about 95% dry, Rosie takes her Mason Pearson brush and brushes through her hair. To add extra volume and get a really smooth finish, Rosie then takes a large round brush, tips her head upside down, and finishes blow drying.
Step 4: Smooth and shine
Now, for the bun itself. Rosie starts by tying her hair back into a tight, low ponytail at the nape of her neck. She then twists her hair around the ponytail to form a bun and pushes hair pins into her hair all the way around to secure it in place.
Related: Rosie Just Shared the 9 Beauty Essentials She's Packing for Her Summer Holiday
To finish the look, Rosie sprays a fine tooth comb with hairspray and combs through the front of her hair to smooth any flyaways. She then takes a balm, warms it between her hands, and smooths it over the top of her hair. "It's really great for keeping down those flyaways," Rosie explained. "It's almost like a lip balm for your hair."
Next up, VB and Meghan both swear by this celeb facialist—these are her best products.