25 Bun Hairstyles for Natural Hair
Buns are one of the best ways to protective style natural hair. However, styling in buns isn’t always fully protective. Often times when you come across articles with different hairstyles, they are little more than a collection of hairstyles that people have scraped up from around the web or on socials. Below you’ll find 25 different bun hairstyles that I’ve done on my own fine natural hair.
Some of these bun styles are done with twists, some with braids and others with curls. Also, some of the bun hairstyles are done on my straight natural hair while others are done on blown out hair or naturally curly hair.
You can tailor the look of any of these styles to suit your own taste by making them neater, messier, or doing them on the opposite hair texture that you see me do them. For example, if I’ve created the bun on straight hair, try the style on curly hair. The options are many
Twist ‘n Pin Buns
This bun hairstyle is formed by creating mini buns in a twist and pin fashion.
Side Fanned Out Braided Bun
Swooping all of my straight hair to the side, loosely braiding it and pinning it in a low side bun is how this hairstyle was created.
High Loose Braid Bun
This high bun was created by pulling all the hair up into a loose ponytail and very loosely braiding it. Then, pulling out a few loose hairs and pinning the ends under.
50’s Inspired Bun Hairstyle on Natural Hair
I really love this 50s-inspired bun. It’s a basic bun secured mid-height and decorated with a scrunchie that already has the 2 loose ends hanging from it. You could alternatively just tie a narrow scarf around the bun and let the ends hang. Here’s the knotted bow hair scrunchie I used.
Half Up Clipped Bun/Half Down
A simple half-up bun, half-down curly ponytail, I love this look. The bun section is secured with a stylish small gold metal claw clip.
The Bowtie Bun
This bun hairstyle for natural hair is created by gathering all of the hair into a high ponytail and then shaping the hair into a “bowtie,” pinning it in place. One side is criss-crossed over the other.
Center Clipped Bun
This bun hairstyle is a great protective style secured in the center with a large metal claw clip. To create the two buns, you split the ponytail in half, rolling each under into a bun and securing in the middle.
Braided Bun w/ 2 Braids
As simple as it looks, a section of hair is pulled out in the front (size of a bang), split in two and braided. Then, the rest of the hair is pulled back and secured into a bun. I think I braided the hair before bunning it but I don’t recall.
Side Braid Bun Hairstyle on Natural Hair
This hairstyle was created on slightly textured hair, blown out hair. The front was parted on the side and braided VERY loosely. The fullness of the braid was created by adding this product here. and pulling it apart ever so carefully.
Then, the rest of the hair was gathered with the braid before wrapping it around into a bun and securing with bobby pins. Note, the braid does not go all the way to the end. just enough so that it doesn’t come undone.
Pin Coiled Buns
To create this style, you can part or don’t part. Parting is probably better. You just wrap one side into a bantu knot, hold it in place. Then, repeat it on the other side. Once you have both bantu knot “buns,” you criss cross them and pin them in place around each other.
Low Messy Straight Hair Clipped Bun
This is a messy bun secured with a large claw clip. This is probably best done on long hair.
Mini Twist Top Bun
Just another way to style mini twists… Wrap them into a top knot bun… or a mid height or low bun works well too.
Soft Romantic Loose Buns
I created these two buns with Puff Cuff minis. They are gentle and secure the hair loosely before wrapping the hair around and pinning “haphazardly” to create messy looks that are super romantic IMO! For the edges, all I did was use my fingers to smooth out my natural baby hairs.
No edge control needed.
Low Chignon Bun
A cross between a donut bun and a messy bun. How you pin it is what creates this bun. Hence, it looks different every time I do it.
Head Wrapped Bun
The most protective of hairstyles, the bun is created with a headwrap. Check out my first headwrap. I don’t think it was too shabby!
Side Donut Bun
This bun hairstyle is pretty self-explanatory. Gather hair to the side and pin it into a donut shape.
Low Coily Twisted Bun
For this bun hairstyle, gather all the hair into a ponytail. Then, coil the hair around itself until you get the desired look. Lastly, clip the end up. This style can look different each time you do it.
Messy Loose Bun
I just love loose messy buns! This is an everyday casual bun hairstyle for when you just want to protect your ends – maybe run some errands. It’s best done on straightened hair and it’s loosely secured with a satin scrunchie.
High Natural Bun with Ribbon
I put a little effort into this bun LOL! Well, the edges. Once I pulled my hair up into a mid-height ponytail, I wrapped it around into a bun, pinned loosely, and tied a ribbon at the center of the bun. Then….edges.
Flat Twisted Top Bun
This bun hairstyle was done on stretched natural hair. I believe I had just blown it out with the RevAir. Then, flat twisted from the back to the top and wrapped it into a top knot bun.
Naturally Curly Side Bun
Just me and my curls wrapped into a side bun. Pulled out some curls on the side and voila. Done
Cornrowed Bun
4 large cornrows pulled into a ponytail, braided and wrapped into a bun. That’s how you do it.
Pin Curled Bun Hairstyle on Natural Hair
This bun is way more intricate than it appears. It’s a high ponytail as the base (secured with a banana clip). Then, you pull out sections and wrap then into pin curls, securing each with a bobby pin.
3 Horizontal Buns
I’ve definitely created his style in a much neater fashion in the past. It’s done with a banana clip and then sectioning the secure hair into 3 even sections. You then, wrap each section into a bun and pin in place.
3 Vertical Buns
Very similar to the style above it, these three buns are done vertically using the banana clip, vs horizontally.
More Hairstyles for Natural Hair
That’s it. 25 bun hairstyles for natural hair. Check out these hairstyle collections:
12 Easy and Romantic Valetine’s Day Hairstyles
7 Everyday Hairstyles for Mom’s With Natural Hair (a couple of these overlap with the bun hairstyles but there are definitely new styles to discover)
50 Cute Curly Natural Hairstyles for Fine Natural Hair
