How to Put on a Ponytail Extension or Bun Hair Piece Tutorial

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Not everyone is skilled at styling their own hair, myself included. Whether you lack the time, skill, or inspiration, we can all benefit from the help of fake hair pieces. I have come to highly appreciate ponytails, buns, and wigs because they quickly ensure that I will have a good hair day. Over the course of 2021 I really perfected how to put on a ponytail extension, a bun hair piece, and even wigs which I have a tutorial on. This quick and simple tutorial for buns and ponytails works for any hair type or length. I will demystify how these extensions work so that you can style your hair at home in minutes.

How to Wear a Ponytail Extension Tutorial

I want to start this how to put on a ponytail extension tutorial with some information. First, I buy all of my fake hair from Insert Name Here. The quality is amazing and you will be able to wear all of their items countless times.

Shop Ponytail Extensions Shop Bun Hair Pieces

The majority of their ponytails look like the one pictured below. You will see a section of lace with one set of metal teeth, a Velcro strip, a long strand of hair, and two bobby pins. I will lay out how to make all of these features best work for you.

For me, the most perplexing part of how to wear a ponytail wig is what should you do with your real hair?! Odds are that your real hair is a different length, texture, and thickness than the fake ponytail. Even if you get a color matched one, your real hair is going to hang out of the back and it will be super noticeable. Getting it to blend is nearly impossible. Plus, what if you want to do a different colored ponytail, say hot pink. Having your real hair hanging out is not pretty. The tutorials from Insert Name Here fail to touch on this topic, so I developed my own method of flawlessly rocking their ponytails and buns, which you can extend to virtually any brand.

Here are some ponytail and bun styles that I actually own:

1) Put Your Hair in a Ponytail

Steps one through four are key to all of the ponytail and bun tutorials contained in this blog post. The first step is to brush your real hair and put it into a ponytail. It is good to have your fake ponytail brushed and ready to go. You can put your ponytail on any point of your head. I personally like doing mine on top of my head, but you ultimately control where your fake bun or ponytail is going to hang.

2) Twist or Braid

The second step depends on your hair type. If your hair is on the shorter or thinner side, you can twist your entire ponytail. If your hair is on the longer or thicker side, then you should braid your entire ponytail.

3) Make a Bun

Third, wrap your real twisted or braided ponytail around itself, which will create a small bun. Then, secure the bun by wrapping a hair tie elastic around it. As you will understand soon, the bun is highly important because it will give a fake ponytail or bun something to securely hold on to, but your real hair will not be showing. Now you can wear a ponytail of any color, length, or texture, and no one has to see your own locks hanging out of the back.

wrap your twisted or braided ponytail around itself to make a bun

4) Attach the Ponytail

Fourth in how to wear a ponytail extension is to attach the ponytail to your real hair. In my example, my real bun is on the top of my head. So, when I pick up the ponytail, the section with the lace and metal teeth is facing behind me. If you have your real bun on any other point of your head, then your rule of thumb is to keep the lace and teeth on top of your bun. Dig those teeth into your real hair to secure it in place.

place the ponytail wig on top of your real hair bun secure teeth

5) Wrap Long Strand

Next, grab the long piece of hair and wrap it as tightly as you can around the base of the ponytail. Before you do this, you can use one hand to secure and sort of wrap that Velcro piece around the base of the ponytail, but I find it will wrap itself if you pull that long strand of hair tight.

wrap long strand of hair around ponytail wig

6) Secure and Accessorize

Once the long strand is wrapped all the way around, use the two included bobby pins to secure it in place. You can always use more than two if needed, but I find it is enough and it will hold all day. At this point, feel free to accessorize your hair as desired.

secure long strand of hair around ponytail wig with bobby pins

Below I have some examples of me wearing ponytail extensions in real life.

How to Do a Ponytail with a Claw Clip

When it comes to how to do a ponytail with a claw clip, it is even easier! Start by doing steps one through four. Then, clip the ponytail onto your real hair bun. This type typically looks better on any point of the head except for the top. I have an example of wearing a claw clip ponytail in my black tie wedding post.

The Insert Name Here claw clips do give you a mesh section to contain your real hair bun, and also a drawstring. You can forego using those to secure your hair and simply clip it on, and it will work. I keep those extras tucked inside of the claw clip.

How to Put on a Fake Hair Bun

We cannot talk about how to put on a ponytail extension without a how to use a bun hair piece tutorial! Below is what the inside of the Insert Name Here buns look like. You get an entire mesh section to put around your real hair, which includes two sets of metal teeth, and a drawstring.

1) Attach the Bun

The first thing you should do is to follow steps one through four of the ponytail tutorial to get yourself ready for the fake bun. You can also gently comb the fake bun before applying it. Picking up from step four, place the fake bun over top of your real bun. Then, secure both sets of metal teeth into your real hair. Ideally, one set of teeth is facing the front, and the other set is facing the back.

2) Pull Drawstring

Second in how to put on a fake hair bun is to pull the drawstring tight, then you can tuck the string under the bun and it will stay.

3) Wrap Long Strand

Third, wrap the long strand of hair around the bun. The tighter you wrap it, the more polished and put-together your bun will look. If you go for a looser wrap, it will allow the wispy ends of the bun to hang out and give you a more messy look.

wrap long strand of hair around fake hair bun

4) Secure and Accessorize

The long strand typically stays secure on its own, but you can use a few bobby pins if you want to. At this point, you are ready to accessorize your hair as you see fit. I love putting an oversized scrunchie around my fake bun! It adds so much style, yet it also helps hold the hairs in place.

Below are some examples of me wearing the fake buns in real life. I also have more examples that you can see in my romper outfit look book.

How to Wear a Ponytail Wig Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

I am ending this how to put on a ponytail extension tutorial with some frequently asked questions.

How do you wrap around a ponytail extension?

The way that you wrap around a ponytail extension depends on how it is made. Many, including those from Insert Name Here, feature an extra long strand of hair that you wrap around the base of the ponytail. That, in conjunction with a strip of Velcro, securely holds the ponytail on your head, with an added touch of style.

How do you do a ponytail extension at home?

You can do a ponytail extension at home easily with a set that is designed for that purpose. Most are created to securely attach to your real hair within minutes, with zero glue or tape needed. They can be used over and over. Always be sure to start by brushing your hair, as well as the extension itself.

How do you put ponytail extensions in short hair?

You put a ponytail extension in short hair the same way that you do on any length. In fact, shorter might be easier! Start by putting your real hair into a ponytail. Next, twist or braid your real ponytail, then wrap it around itself to create a tiny bun. Secure that bun with an elastic, then attach your ponytail extension to it.

Shop Ponytail Extensions and Bun Hair Pieces

Conclusion

In conclusion of how to put on a ponytail extension, the steps are super easy and do-able for everyone! Up until this point you may have felt intimidated about wearing fake buns and ponytails, but my personal experimentation takes all of the guess work out. All you have to do is to practice and trust the process. In no time, you will get used to these styles and you will be doing them more often! You might be worried about the weight on your head as a final concern. The buns add no weight, but some ponytails are heavier than others. I have quickly become used to them all and the weight is no issue. Until next time, continue to let your true beauty shine.

Do you ever wear fake hair pieces?