Begin your French love affair by creating elegant hair moments inspired by iconic, timeless styles—each one elevated by the luxurious touch of Leonor Greyl Paris. From the soft waves of old-world cinema to the sophisticated chignon, these looks embody French chic at its finest.

The chignon – is a knot of hair that is worn at the nape. It is derived from the Old French chaignon. The French modern phase is ‘chignon du cou. The chignon, in particular, is the epitome of classical elegance—effortless, graceful, and eternally stylish. With Leonor Greyl’s nourishing formulas, each twist and pin becomes part of a beauty ritual rooted in Parisian heritage.

The difference between a bun and a chignon is that a bun is a hairstyle that involves gathering all the hair into a knot at the back of the head. A chignon is a more intricate hairstyle involving twisting the hair and then wrapping it into a coil or knot. You can also style a chignon differently, like the French twist, a half-up chignon, or a side-swept chignon. 

The popularity of Mad Men saw a renewed appreciation for the look and feel of the late 1950s and 1960s. It is a look that projects a sense of seriousness and respectability. The chignon is for someone that wants to look like a woman. It may take a little time to achieve, but when perfected can last all day long. A chignon can be elegant at any age. And any chignon style requires a few beautiful hair treatment products – Leonor Greyl Paris helps to treat and style for that perfect updo.

A FRENCH AFFAIR

Leonor Greyl is botanical hair beauty that repairs, restores and rejuvenates. It is the love story of Leonor and Jean-Marie Greyl, two haircare innovators, who shared a passion for essential oils and plant-based ingredients well before ‘clean beauty’ became the new trend. In 1968 the launch of the L’Institut Leonor Greyl salon established a new direction in haircare where clients were pampered with naturally enriched hair products. In addition to a variety of salon services available, the Institute can also perform a detailed hair diagnostic to help clients better understand the unique nature of their hair and scalp. It was a revolution in the concept of Hair Concierge. And if you find yourself in Paris then a visit is a must-have.

THE HAIR TOOLS

The Brush To Detangle – The Natural Boar Bristle Brush for gently detangling medium to long hair. Always begin slowly brushing from the ends upward to prevent knots or breakage.

The Detangling Comb – specially designed with optimal teeth spacing that gently detangles hair without snagging or damage. The comb is perfect for all hair types.

Condition Naturelle – a multi-tasking volumising, styling, and heat protection spray. This spray prevents damage which is a perfect hair treatment to use when creating chignons.

Bobby Pins – humble in origin and necessary for any updo to be secured at the base. Regular matte hairpins and Japanese hairpins are necessary. {These speciality pins have a textured surface that helps grip onto your hair and, therefore, won’t slip out easily.}

The Hair Elastic – a strong ponytail elastic is crucial to support the weight of the hair.

The Hairnet – this is if you wish to secure the finished style. It needs to be sheer and match your hair colouring. They are perfect if you are thinking of a chignon for your wedding hairstyle.

Water In Spray Bottle – I use Evian or rain water. This is a must-have-tool to lightly spray the hair before commencing any chignon or bun style.

THE BALLERINA KNOT

There is nothing more elegant and beautiful as the Ballerina Knot. This is style that I perfected after spending countless hours at the ballet barre. It sits at the nape of the neck and would be completed with a sheer hair net. It always looked elegant and could stand the test of time in a class. Now this timeless and elegant style is not only reserved for ballet classes but elevates any fashion style.

PREP FOR SUCCESS

Wash & Condition: To style a chignon, shampooing and conditioning your hair the night before is best. If you wash your hair everyday I recommend Lait Lavant à la Banane to add softness, shine, and strength. The subtle banana scent gives it a light, tropical perfume. My favourite Leonor Greyl conditioning product is Masque Quintessence. It is enriched with organic botanicals and deeply conditions and nourishes your tresses.

BE PONYTAIL READY

Detangle Tresses: Firstly, using a comb detangle, then gently brush your hair. Then prepare hair for the chignon by spraying Leonor Greyl’s Voluforme from root to end on dry hair. This will add volume to the hair at the root.

The Ponytail: Create a low ponytail. Start off by making sure that your hair is smooth and tangle-free. While most bun hairstyles can be strategically messy, the chignon bun is a more polished style. Using a fine-tooth comb, part your hair down the middle {or on either side whatever you prefer}. Then spritz the hair with a little water – before combing through to create a sleek look. Next, pull your hair back into a low ponytail and secure it with a hair elastic. The ponytail should sit low at the nape of your neck. Once this is perfected give your hair a light spray of Leonor Greyl’s Condition Naturelle.

The Hairnet Touch: This is the trade secret of any ballerina. Wrapping a hairnet around your ponytail and pinning the excess netting into the base of your ponytail will help you have the utmost control when it comes time to create your chignon shape.

TWIST & PIN

The Twist Effect: 1. Gently twist the ponytail then coil it around the elastic band making at least one complete circle; tuck the end of the ponytail under the bun and hold everything in place with your hand. 2. You want to give the impression that there is nothing keeping the style in place. Secure the bun with hairpins, using those that blend to the colour of your hair. You only need about four to complete this style. {I always use special ‘Japanese pins’ which gives movement as you position them into the chignon coil.}

The Finishing Touches: What you use as the last treatment to keep your hair in place will depend on your hair type. I love Leonor Greyl’s Voluforme, as I did at the beginning, this time giving the chignon a final finishing spray to keep the it intact.

The Haircare Notes: The key is not having your hair be too soft or too held. It is highly recommended you wash your hair the night before to allow it to settle. You want to create a natural effect. There are variations on this classic style – from messy, twisted, loose to bradied chignons. Leave a few loose strands at the front for a more natural result. Remember that it might take you a few tries to perfect – but this style can be mastered with a bit of practice and patience.

1950’s INSPIRED GLAMOUR

For some 1950s styling the Glamour Chignon reinterprets the Ballerina Knot by taking it to the side. Follow the same steps except you will slide the ponytail to the right side to secure it at the nape of the neck. The Haircare Notes: Brush your hair upside down the next day for a hairstyle with lots of volume.

More To Love

You do not have to live in the heart of Paris or in a French country village to embrace a French philosophy. ‘French, Français – A Beautiful Lifestyle’ explores the French attitude to life and how they feel and wish to live. And for a fashion story A Hat Moment – With Vitalina Ghinzelli showcases her beautiful millinery talent.