Today’s tutorial features the Cotton Candy Bun, otherwise known as the Top Knot. This hairstyle was so popular a year or so ago and creating a tutorial for it simply sort of slipped past me. I recently came across the same look but now referred to as a “Cotton Candy Bun” and loved the new name for it. The effect of cotton candy is created by back combing the bun immensely and then gently smoothing it back down while wrapping it to create the bun. It literally takes seconds to do and can be worn pretty much anywhere. Follow along and recreate the look at home!

COTTON CANDY BUN

Supplies:

• Comb
• Teasing Comb
• Metal-free elastic
• Hair pins
• Hairspray

Step-by-Step Tutorial:

1. Start by brushing the hair back into a high ponytail. For a sleeker effect, brush the hair back then spray the top and sides with hairspray before brushing over it again. This smooths down flyaways and creates a more seamless look.
2. Tie off the hair with a metal-free hair tie. You can throw some curls into your ponytail if you wish. I am using day old hair so I have some curl leftover from the day before.
3. Next, grab a boar brush comb and gently back comb the ponytail in sections. The trick to a more gentle back comb is to push the hair down towards the hair band instead of flicking the hair down and back. Instead, start the comb at the middle of the strand and push the hair downwards before sliding the comb straight back up and repeating the downward strokes until the entire strand is teased.
4. Continue back combing until all the strands are combed. Remember the effect is to create volume so the bigger the tease the better.
5. Now take the entire ponytail and give it a quick spray with hairspray before twisting it forwards.
6. Continue twisting as you wrap the hair around the hair band into the bun.
7. Pin around the base of the bun, pushing the pins into the center so they don’t show.

Tips: Start out by making the bun smaller than you’d like because it can always be pulled looser at the end. If it doesn’t work exactly right the first time, remove the pins and retwist it again. Sometimes it can take a few tries before the preferred shape for the bun is achieved.

If you try this I would love to see it! Please tag @missysueblog on instagram and hashtag it #MSBcottoncandybun!