Recommended for you
Not surprisingly, Lupita Nyong’o kicked off the celebrations at Cannes by slaying the red carpet. From her floral embellished “grasshopper green” Gucci gown to her purple lip, her head-to-toe look was hands-down the best of opening night (and sure to be a contender for the top look of the entire two-week festival). But what really stood out for us was her hair: a gorgeous full bun with her signature princess headband.
“Nairobi blue” Oscars gown from 2004. That’s just one of the many reasons we love the Oscar-winning actress — she knows how to make a next-level statement. Here, we’re showing you how to get the most-talked-about look at Cannes in just five steps. Scroll down for your new fave way to style a bun.
Pull all of your hair up into a high ponytail that hits just above the mid-back of your head. Use a wax product like TIGI Bed Hair Stick ($13) to smooth down and polish the hair that is pulled back into the elastic.
Step 1: High Sleek Ponytail
This part is really up to you: go big with a blingy headband for a night out or keep it simple with a subtle golden elastic for the office. We were inspired by Lupita’s silver pop of color and went with a simple metallic band.
Step 2: Add The Swag
Grab a small elastic to tie off the ends of your ponytail. This is going to help you keep your hairs together when you later pull your bun apart.
Step 3: Do *This* Elastic Hack
Twist the ponytail around and around, then loosely wrap it around the base of the ponytail to create the bun. Pin the ends in place with bobby pins. Pro tip: pin through the elastic for a little more security.
Step 4: Twist + Bun
The thing that’s special about this hairstyle is the fullness of the bun. For gals who have finer or shorter hair, you can use a sock bun like one of these Hot Buns Hair Accessories ($8) to enhance it. If you have naturally textured hair like Lupita, you can use the same accessory if your hair is on the shorter side, or if you have length, you can do the same technique that we do here with Anj to hack this look.
Step 5: Loosen Up
That elastic that you put on the end of your ponytail and then secured down is now going to come into play, holding the bun together as you pull it apart to loosen the look up with a little more force than normal without compromising the structure of the entire bun.
#slay
What celeb hair + beauty looks do you wish you knew how to DIY? Tell us in the comments below and we just might turn it into a tutorial!
