Long hair can be a challenge to manage. Many women have opted for shorter, more stylish haircuts as their lives become more and more hectic, although a number of women still prefer a longer, flowing hairstyle. Maintaining long hair can be difficult, but many women find the soft, feminine appearance of long locks well worth the effort. Twisting long hair into a bun and securing it with bobby pins not only keeps it neat and tidy, but helps protect the hair and prevent tangles and breakage.
Brush your hair thoroughly to remove any tangles. A large paddle brush with individual plastic pins is best for long hair, as the pins minimize stretching and breaking the hair.
Tilt your head back and gather all of your hair in your hand as if you are going to put it in a pony tail. Smooth out any bumps with your hands and check carefully to make sure you haven't missed any strands.
Turn your hair in a circular motion, twisting it tightly. Your hair will begin to spiral and twist back on itself, forming the base of your bun.
Wrap the end of your twisted hair around the base, continuing the bun until all of your hair has been wrapped up in a bun. Keep firm tension on your hair as you finish the bun to prevent it from slipping throughout the day.
Hold the bun secure in one hand and open a bobby pin with the fingers of your other hand, sliding it over the hairs at the bottom of the bun and the hair closest to your scalp, making sure the ridged side of the pin faces out. The bobby pin will trap the hair of the bun and hold it firmly against your head.
Continue inserting bobby pins around the base of your bun until it is fully secured to your scalp. Push them as far into your hair as possible to keep your bun tight and hide the pins from view.
Tips
Be sure to use bobby pins with a rubber tip on the end. Most bobby pins are made of metal that can scratch your scalp if not covered by the rubber tips.