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Best Dance Hair Products for the Perfect Ballet Bun

Everything you need for the perfect ballet bun!

Every dance parent should know how to make a decent bun on their dancer’s hair. And they are not too tricky when you have the right materials and instructions!

To make the perfect ballet bun you need a hairbrush, a hair tie, U-shaped hairpins, and a hair net in the color of your dancer’s hair. A water spray bottle also helps to keep the hair in place as you style it.

If you have come to this page from our youtube channel or a blog post then you already know how I use the following products and if not, why don’t you check them out this video below!

Now you can most probably get all the items you need for the perfect ballet bun at your local grocery or even dollar store like I did which is why the items in the video above are not exactly the same as what I have found but online for your shopping convenience, but are what I feel to be the closest match.

Please note that all links are affiliate links which means if you do make a purchase, Dance Parent 101 receives a tiny percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you in any way, but it means this site can continue to be running for you!

Ballet Bun Kits

I really like this kit from amazon. It has all the bits and bobs you need to make a bun and you can choose from a variety of colors to match hair color! If you don’t want to buy everything together or have some of the items already – I have separate options further on. It comes with 40 hairnets so if you are wanting a bulk buy this is great!

We recommend this hair tool kit by Soft N Style on Amazon not just because it is under $10 and comes with all the fundamentals a dancer could need. Hair ties, U shape hairpins, light and dark hairpins, hairnets and more. Sometimes darker haired people need lighter hairpins to match a hair accessories and vice versa to light-haired people which is why having a selection of colors is handy.

This Bloch Hair kit comes with all the essentials for the perfect bun and is available in five different colors Black, Blonde, Brown, Dark Brown and Caramel to suit every hair type. This pack is perfect to chuck into a ballet bag.


Hair Brush

My girls and I really like to use a detangling brush because it is gentler on their hair which is prone to getting quite knotty. The girls got the one we use from their Aunty as a gift, and if I need to get another one I would purchase this one from Amazon as it looks almost identical!


Spray Bottle

An empty spray bottle to fill with tap water is a must for getting all those stray hairs back and into the ponytail for a neat and sleek bun. These ones from amazon have great reviews for using on hair and come in many different designs!


Hair Spray

Any hairspray that says its purpose is to create a strong hold that lasts is what you are after – the longer the better! Just a warning though, if you use alot it will probably need to be washed out.


Hair Gel

It took me quite a while to find hair gel in the beauty section of my grocery store because it seems women rarely use it anymore! It was in with the men’s self-care products! You NEED hair gel if you are doing a bun on shorter hair, or for maximum hold for a performance, exam or competition where you don’t want a hair to be out of place!


U Hair Pins

These style hair pins are much easier to use to secure a bun then your regular bobby pins. I generally use just four to secure my girls buns for class, but several more just in case for performances and exams. You can buy these to match hair color which is also great!


Hair Net

Using a hair net is a MUST to get a neat bun. They also make doing a bun, quick and easy and why I only need to use four U pins to secure a bun in my girls hair. These ones from Amazon come in packs of 50 and in several colors so you can buy to match hair color.


Hair Tie

I personally like to use snagless or metal-free hair elastics. I don’t generally use those plastic elastic ones as they aren’t strong enough to hold my girl’s thick hair in place, but use whatever is best for you!


Bobby Pins

Although I like to use U pins to make a ballet bun, bobby pins still have their place. For example, I use them to hold my daughter’s short hair up to create a high bun. You will also need bobby pins to hold back a fringe or bangs or to pin a hair accessory in place as part of a costume. You can get bobby pins in colors to match hair, but even if your child has lighter hair you may also need some darker bobby pins to match hats or you can use nail polish to paint them to match a hair accessory!


Hair Clips

Flat hair clips, snaps or barrettes like these are also good to use instead of bobby pins to clip back short hair or unruly strands that just don’t want to sit flat when doing a bun. The advantage of using them is that they are flat and can be more comfortable if your dancer has moves where their head is on the floor. Their disadvantage is that they don’t seem to camouflage or hide in the hair as well as bobby pins tend to as finding a match for hair color can be hard especially when you have to use several to keep hair in place. You also can’t really use them to effectively keep hair accessories in place.


Magnetic Bobby Pin Holder

I love this magnetic bobby pin holder! Although cases are great to keep all your hair accessories in one place, having one of these ensures your bobby pins stay put and your not trying to pick them up off the floor because you knocked the container with your elbow or accidentally wiped them off the bathroom bench with your sleeve. You can get one by clicking here on Amazon.