You need to master the slick bun, here’s how the beauty editors do it

Smooth as glass.

Sarah Tarca and Sherine Youssef are Australian beauty editors and the founders of Gloss Etc, a weekly newsletter dedicated to the best beauty reviews, news and tips. 

TikTok loves to take something we’ve all been doing for years and rebrand it with a cute name, befitting its soon-to-be-viral status. Take the sleek and polished bun. It’s a classic that’s been around forever (see: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s best-in-class take) and a style you’ve probably worn yourself for a ballet class, swimming lesson or school photo.

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But then Sofia Richie started sporting it and, boom! The tight bun is now a ‘snatched bun’ or ‘clean girl’ bun, or a marker of ‘quiet luxury’. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a timeless style that somehow makes you feel like you’ve got your life together, even if you just wore your bathers as underwear and ate dry Maggi’s for lunch. 

So yeah, we should probably all master it. Last year, Sofia bestowed this tutorial on us, and now we’re revisiting our notes – including your slick-bun shopping list. 

 

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A post shared by Sofia Richie Grainge (@sofiagrainge)

Start in the shower

Don’t even think about picking up a straightener if you haven’t laid down the groundwork in the shower.  That’s like using makeup without any skincare; you’ll get something that resembles the slick bun we’re going for, but it won’t be quite right and it won’t last. Plus, dry hair is more prone to frizz, so wash your hair with a smoothing and hydrating shampoo and conditioner. We like the Hairifcation Pure Health range, which you can pick up at Coles. 

Layer on styling products

Now it’s time to whip out your favourite shine-enhancing and frizz-taming styling products. If you’re not sure what will work best for you, consider your hair type and texture. Fine hair is best served by lightweight, leave-in sprays and serums that won’t add extra weight and make your hair look sad and limp (Sherine loves the Kerasilk Repairing Spray, while Sarah won’t shut up about the Morocconoil Frizz Shield Spray). Thicker hair types can handle heavier balms and creams, such as the Virtue Un-Frizz Cream. Work a small amount of product into damp hair, then blowdry, aiming the hairdryer nozzle down the hair shaft from root to tip, to encourage the hairs to lay flat. 

For the glassy smooth finish we’re after, blowdry with a brush and once your hair is fully dry, go over the top with a straightener. (If, like Sherine, you don’t have the skills necessary to blowdry with a brush, the Dyson Airstrait combines these steps, drying and styling hair at the same time). And now we’re ready to slick it back into shape. 

 

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A post shared by Dyson Australia & New Zealand (@dyson_anz)

Tie it back

If you want a centre or side part, use a tailcomb to carve out the part, then comb the hair back as neatly and close to your scalp as you can – as flat as possible –  before securing it at the back of your head with a snag-free elastic. Now, when it comes to placement, you have a few options: you can place your bun at the nape of your neck, ballerina-style, or line it up with your ears for a mid-rise bun, or go high and tie it at the crown of your head. Twist the tail and wrap it around the base of the elastic, then secure it with bobby pins. No loose or stray ends, please! 

 

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A post shared by Color Wow (@colorwowhair)

Set and forget

To ensure there’s not a single strand going rogue, mist on a super strong-hold hairspray, the kind that gives you newsreader helmet hair (trust us, it’s necessary). Alternatively, bring out the big guns and add a coat of gel or pomade. Sarah swears by the Eleven Australia Slick Hold Styling Pomade, which gives an elite hold and gloss – you just need the smallest amount to lightly brush through and capture any rogue flyaways still believing they were invited to this party. Want extra gloss? The ColorWow Extra Mist-ical Hair Shine Spray gives your hair the kind of reflective shine that requires sunglasses. Oh, and if you’re in gross humid weather, don’t worry, you can still do the slick! Try this bougie Oribe spray, which really does act like a shield between your hair and the elements.

For more slick bun inspiration, head here.