Updos & Buns

Messy Bun

A loosely gathered bun sitting mid to high on the head, deliberately uneven, with soft pieces left out at the temples.

BeforeMessy Bun

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Both renders come from the same edit instruction HairGlam uses for this look, applied to a studio portrait. In the app the style lands on your own photo instead.

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Free on iPhone and iPad. 12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks, no paywall in between. Or try it free in your browser.

Hair is pulled into a ponytail, twisted or looped through itself, then pinned so the ends fan out rather than tuck away. The looseness is built in after the fact: strands are pulled free at the hairline and nape once the pins are set, and the crown is tugged upward for height. Second-day hair with a little grit holds it far better than freshly washed hair, which slides straight out of the pins.

Suitsoval, round, square, heart face shapes. Height at the crown adds a vertical line that offsets width across a round or square face, while the loose temple pieces break up a wide forehead on a heart shape.
Hair typefine, medium density, thick, wavy. Grip matters more than density, so unwashed or texture-sprayed hair holds the pins, and fine hair can fake bulk because the shape is supposed to look uneven anyway.
UpkeepTrims on a ten to twelve week cycle stop the ends fraying inside the knot, and day to day it is an elastic, two pins and about two minutes.
Ask forTell your stylist to keep the ends blunt through the length and cut face-framing pieces to cheekbone level so they fall out cleanly once the bun is pinned.

HairGlam Hair Studio: one face, a row of different haircuts

In the HairGlam app

Try Messy Bun on your own photo

Add one selfie. Front on, even light, hair off your face. No account.
Tap Messy Bun in Hair Studio, or any of the other 298 looks.
See it in seconds on your own face, then save it for your stylist.

12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks. No paywall in between, no account.

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Questions about Messy Bun

Who does the Messy Bun suit?

It works best on oval, round, square, heart face shapes. Height at the crown adds a vertical line that offsets width across a round or square face, while the loose temple pieces break up a wide forehead on a heart shape.

Does the Messy Bun work on my hair type?

Best on fine, medium density, thick, wavy hair. Grip matters more than density, so unwashed or texture-sprayed hair holds the pins, and fine hair can fake bulk because the shape is supposed to look uneven anyway.

How much upkeep does a Messy Bun need?

Trims on a ten to twelve week cycle stop the ends fraying inside the knot, and day to day it is an elastic, two pins and about two minutes.

What do I ask my stylist for?

Tell your stylist to keep the ends blunt through the length and cut face-framing pieces to cheekbone level so they fall out cleanly once the bun is pinned.

Can I try the Messy Bun on my own photo first?

Yes. HairGlam puts the Messy Bun on a photo of your own face in a few seconds, so you can judge it against your face shape and hairline before you book. It is free to download on iPhone and iPad with 12 free looks: 4 haircuts, 4 hair colors and 4 makeup looks, and some looks can also be tried free in your browser at hairglam.app/try.