Selena Gomez Is the New Queen of the Slick Back Bun
Fall's most versatile updo makes everyone look like a beauty mogul.


Selena Gomez has perfected the art of the slicked-back bun. On August 12, the actress and entrepreneur shared a video on her Rare Beauty Instagram page, highlighting a recent event to promote the brand’s new fragrance. In the clip, Gomez makes tiramisu with her fiancé, Benny Blanco, and while it looked delicious (I will be downloading that Substack recipe soon), I was mainly focused on her chic yet very practical updo.
For the event, Gomez’s hair was first parted down the middle, then brushed up into a ponytail. The ends were twisted and tucked into a bun, and judging by how sleek the front looks, I guess a good amount of gel and some kind of flyaway cream finished the style.
A post shared by Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez (@rarebeauty)
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A good bun is like your favorite purse or outfit—it’s a versatile style that works for nearly any occasion. Gomez’s sleek version, in particular, is one she’s worn before, and she’s demonstrated its versatility at red carpets and events worldwide.
Other celebrities like Bella Hadid and Nicole Ari Parker have long supported the slick back bun. Still, if you struggle with anything hair-related like I do, it’s going to take more than photo inspiration to get your perfect snatched bun. It’s a style that I’ve gradually learned to perfect over the years, so if you’re ready to recreate Gomez’s look, keep reading for step-by-step tips and products that will make the process much easier.
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Ariel Baker is the Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. Previously the associate beauty editor at PS and briefly freelance, she has bylines in InStyle, Forbes Vetted, Women's Health, and more.
Since she started out in the non-profit sector, Ariel enjoys looking at beauty from a sociocultural lens, looking to avenues like politics, music, and the arts, to inform her views on the space. That being said, as a true beauty-product obsessive, testing the latest items to hit the market, keeping up with trends, and meeting industry icons, will always be her favorite part of working in the beauty space.
When she's not working, Ariel can be found hanging out with her fiancé and loving on their two cat daughters: Cow and Chicken.