Sofia Richie’s Hairstylist Stocks All of Her Beset Bun Guidelines

Sofia Richie is a family identify for somewhat a couple of causes. She’s Lionel Richie’s daughter; she’s an acclaimed fashion; she had a marriage within the South of France remaining spring that made it onto just about each and every Pinterest wedding ceremony board in a single day; and he or she’s the slick-back bun inspiration for hundreds of thousands of girls everywhere in the international. the glance: it is the similar one she wore for that very viral wedding ceremony and continues to put on on pink carpets and informal TikTok movies alike. However whilst Richie is definitely professional at growing this swish updo, as demonstrated by way of her numerous TikTok tutorials, the true mastermind at the back of maximum of her hairstyles is her famous person hairstylist, Kathleen Riley.

As Richie’s go-to stylist for approximately 8 years now and an business veteran along with her personal logo, Shae Hair, Riley has advanced her personal record of hacks to craft the very best slicked-back bun. As a result of when cameras take your purchasers’ footage from all angles, you wish to have to verify the bun is snatched from no longer simply the entrance, but additionally the edges and again — and that’s the reason no simple feat.

In fact, over their eight-year dating, Riley has created extra than simply bun updos at the fashion. One in every of her favourite kinds, except the marriage appears to be like (extra on the ones forward), was once for a manner week birthday party with Alexander Wang and Bvlgari in 2019. “It was once simply [a] middle phase, swish, with two bobby pins on each and every aspect,” Riley says. “She had like this go well with outfit on. . . . She gave the impression of a real little Bratz Doll in that. I simply cherished it such a lot.”

Whilst the smooth bun has change into Richie’s go-to coiffure, Riley nonetheless tries to get her to step outdoor of her convenience zone each and every now and again. “It is in point of fact arduous to get [clients] to experiment, however I at all times attempt to have a Pinterest board or one thing to turn them,” she says.

Why trade a excellent factor, proper? That is why Richie determined to move along with her signature bun for her wedding ceremony, however issues took an surprising flip for her after birthday party. The ones footage of Richie dwelling it up at the dance flooring noticed her hair in a protracted, textured ponytail, which wasn’t the preliminary plan.

“You know the way it is after a marriage? You are simply looking to get again in the market and feature a laugh, no longer do a complete factor,” Riley says. Of their prep for the large day, they’d mentioned doing extensions and styling her hair right into a half-up, half-down glance, however the duo was once fearful about them popping out whilst “dancing and whipping her head round.” The ponytail they went with changed into a cheerful twist of fate. “We simply took down her hair, and there was once a large number of product in it, and simply put it into the horse, and the product roughly gave it that quantity that it wanted, and it simply stood immediately up with one hair tie, and it was once in truth epic.”

Whether or not you might be making plans out your bridal hairstyles or simply desire a slicked-back bun as snatched as Richie’s, stay studying as Riley divulges her guidelines for buying the glance.

Phase the Hair
When Riley has hours to do Richie’s hair, she takes her candy time dividing it into 5 sections and growing the bun from there. “I normally do the 3 [in the back] after which do [two other] triangular sections across the phase to in point of fact clutch the whole thing again,” she explains. On the other hand, if you do not need to spend “two hours” doing all your hair, she recommends beginning with 3: one phase for the again and one on each and every aspect of the top. “When Sofia does it, she ties it round her neck like a beard,” Riley says, relating to the 2 aspect sections across the face.

Shape a Ponytail within the Again
Riley makes a ponytail with the again phase of hair, from time to time the usage of more than one hairbands to make sure the whole thing remains tight. To seek out the best place for the ponytail, Riley says, “I am at all times taking a look at the aspect and taking a look to verify it is in the best space.” You’ll be able to cross as low or as excessive as you need, but when you need a mid-head bun, she says, “I at all times practice the attention line and somewhat upper.”

Riley recommends loading the hair up with product to make sure you haven’t any frizz or flyaways. She applies product to each and every phase of hair, even supposing it’ll be lined by way of every other phase, as a result of you’ll be able to inform “if the hair beneath continues to be poofy.”

As an alternative of the usage of a difficult gel to clean the hair down, she likes to make use of the Nexxus Slick Stick Robust Hang Hair Wax ($20) and a boar-bristle brush, like The Hair Edit’s Cream End & Shine Boar Bristle Brush ($21). As soon as the hair behind the top is secured, Riley repeats the method at the two sections at the aspect of the top. “All into the similar ponytail — it is simply going to be one ponytail by way of the tip,” she says.

Create a Heart Section within the Entrance
As soon as the again sections of hair are protected in a ponytail, Riley strikes directly to create a pointy middle phase with the 2 face-framing sections of hair. None of Richie’s hairstyles can be whole with out a sharp middle phase. “When I am doing my purchasers’ hair, I do spend all day at the phase — it is in point of fact vital,” Riley says. “If one hair is misplaced at the phase, you are going to see it in pictures.”

She makes use of a rattail comb to transport each and every strand of hair the place she desires it, then makes use of the similar merchandise and brush to drag the ones items of hair again into the ponytail the usage of further ties.

Get Rid of Any Bumps
In case your hair nonetheless is not as swish and bump-free as you would like, do not be concerned. Riley has a super hack for smoothing any lumps while not having to begin all over the place. “You’re taking the tip of the rattail, put it in [the hair], and prefer, deliver them again,” Riley says. This tip works particularly neatly when doing a bun. “You’ll be able to deliver all of the bumps to the bottom and the bun goes to hide it.”

Create the Bun
“The bun is the place you’ll be able to have a laugh with it,” Riley says. The way you craft your bun all is determined by your hair sort and texture. However first, she begins by way of hanging some hair oil at the ends of the ponytail to make it additional swish. (We adore the Moroccanoil Remedy Hair Oil ($48).) From there, Riley both wraps the hair round itself right into a bun or does a three-strand braid. “If they have got a large number of items which are protruding — a large number of layers — that is when I’m going to most probably do a braid,” she says. Differently, the layered ends will poke out of the bun as you wrap it.

In any case, it is time to take hold of your bobby pins. “I normally pin as I am going,” Riley says, relating to including pins to the bun one after the other as she wraps the hair across the base. “And clearly, everybody’s hair is other; everybody’s braid goes to appear other; everybody’s bun goes to appear other — you might be simply going to play with the location.”

Do not be afraid to wrap and unwrap it a couple of occasions to get it excellent, Riley advises: “When I am doing a bun, I twist it 30 other occasions, other ways, to peer which method it is laying.”

Remaining however no longer least, lock the whole thing in with a high-hold, high-shine hairspray, just like the Nexxus Most Hang Completing Hair Spray ($15). And similar to that, you could have a Sofia Richie-level easiest bun.

Jessica Harrington is the senior good looks editor at PS, the place she writes about hair, make-up, skincare, piercings, tattoos, and extra. As a New York Town-based author and editor with a point in journalism and over 8 years of business revel in, she likes to interview business mavens, stay alongside of the most recent traits, and take a look at new merchandise.