Up until recently, I only knew how to do two things with my hair. 1: wear it straight, 2. Kardashian curls. And anything in between is completely foreign to me. That is, until I discovered the sock bun.
Buns are nothing new to me, I am a dancer and have done my fair share of ballet classes. But the buns I remember are small and look like a dog turd on my head. The buns nowadays are big and fancy! And best of all… easy!
I know that you can create a sock bun using an actual sock {tutorial}, however, that method does not work for me. I’ve tried it numerous times and it just frustrates me to no end because I can’t get it to work. I like to use a “styler.” That’s where today’s battle comes in:
The Whril-a-Style Hair Styler VS. The Sephora Collection Bunette
*Iron Chef voice* Let the battle begin!
Sephora says: An innovative and easy-to-use hair bun styler for creating an array of impressive looks. Twist and turn your hair into glamorous, head-turning styles with this versatile tool. Simply slide in hair at the ends, roll up, and then fold into a perfectly chic shape. $7.00/Sephora
So, besides the corny name, I really like this product. It’s fairly simple, the biggest challenge is spreading your hair around to make the bun (step 5). It’s made of soft felt with a malleable metal enclosed inside.
You start with your hair in a ponytail and put the ends through the center of the bunette. Then you roll down towards the top of your head. When you’re done rolling, you bend the wire to create a circle and spread your hair around it. It’s helpful to have a hair pin to secure the hair down where the “hole” is.
I used this every day for about two weeks and sadly, the metal inside has disconnected in a few places 
It’s still workable, I can still push and maneuver it. However, it’s a little more difficult to use now that it’s broken.
This comes with an instructional paper insert, but I misplaced it.
Next contender!
Whirl-a-style says:The Jumbo Large Whirl-a-Style is designed for those women who have especially long, thin or thick hair. You will notice that the Jumbo Large is the same diameter in size as the Large, however it is much thicker, making it more durable. The strength of the Jumbo Large is perfect for women with thick hair. The Whirl-a-Style product will not twist in the hand as hair is rolled into the desired hairstyle. In addition, the Jumbo Large was designed to provide women with thin hair the extra body and fullness often sought in their updo styles.$9.00/Whirl retailers, Amazon
The idea is the same as the bunette. You simply put your hair through the center and roll towards you head. This one is made of sturdy rubber and it securely connects together with a “click” to make the bun.
This one is definitely more sturdy than the bunette, but I find it more difficult to use. I have a hard time getting my ends to stay put as I roll my hair. This one also creates a smaller bun compared to the bunette. I’ve been trying to roll a looser bun, but that results in my ends still going haywire. Eventually I can get this one to work, but it takes a little more finesse to create the large bun that I desire. This one also comes in a few different sizes (I have the largest one).
This battle is a tough call. While the bunette works great, the malleable metal inside has broken after a few weeks use. And the whirl is more difficult to work with. In order to use the bunette, you do need longer hair (shoulder length or longer) or else you won’t have enough hair to spread around it. The whirl creates a more secure bun, but it’s a smaller more traditional “ballet bun.” So, what to choose what to choose…
And the winner is. . .
The Whirl-a-style
While this one a a little more difficult to work with (at least for me), it works for shorter and longer hair lengths. It also comes in a variety of sizes and is made of a sturdy rubber, so I don’t have to worry about it breaking (like the bunette).
*Kansas City locals, you can purchase the Whirl at The Dance Shoppe*
Click here to find a Whirl retailer near you or purchase here
What’s do you think of the sock buns? Do you like the hairstyle?
You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at. -Tina Fey
Drink water. Wear SPF.
DISCLOSURE: Some products were purchased by me (some at a discount) for personal use. I am under no obligation to talk about these companies nor do I receive additional benefits for talking about these products/companies. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Battle of the: Sock Bun Stylers is a post from: Peace Love and Glitter