When it comes to bold, bright, fun looks, colourist Harriet Muldoon is putting a fresh twist on things – literally – with her unusual ‘Sun Bun’ topknot dyeing technique. We sent Alix Fox – who’s partial to a crazy colour – to give it a whirl, then give us a twirl…
Name of treatment: SunBun
Name of salon: Blue Tit in Brixton
Booked in with: Harriet Muldoon, Head Colourist and Technical Director for Blue Tit Salons and Academy
Price: The SunBun ranges from £70 – £120 and it’s £32 for Olaplex to be used alongside the colour.
What they say: Blue Tit reckon the SunBun is a “brand new, truly unique, playful and quirky” colouring method invented by their rising star Harriet Muldoon, who’s responsible for the lusted-after locks of Made In Chelsea’s Jess Woodley and singer Nina Nesbitt.
SunBun is designed to be applied to light hair – blonde or grey being the best options. The hair is twisted into several small buns, before a mix of pastel or vivid shades are painted freehand onto each topknot. Once the colours have developed and the buns are removed, you end up with a bespoke ‘tie-dye’ appearance.
“The great thing about this approach is that no two finished styles are ever the same, so it really is the ultimate in originality,” says Harriet.

I’d previously had my naturally mousey brown, shoulder-length hair dyed a peachy orange shade, and had about 2cm of regrowth. Harriet asked me what my goals were (for my barnet, not my future – she’s not a life coach!). I told her I was open to her imaginative ideas: I’m someone who likes to leave the hairdressers looking radically different to when I walked in, and I’m not afraid of having out-there, make-you-stare hair…
She suggested we begin by bleaching the roots and lightening up the lengths, using Olaplex to help us to achieve a paler result while reducing damage.
Next, she added an ash-grey toner near to my scalp, and a sunshine yellow through the ends. “The Sun Bun technique leaves a lot of your base colour showing through, so you’ll end up with a grey-to-yellow ombré effect with brighter hues mingling through it,” Harriet explained. “For a more straightforward look, you could just leave the base blonde.”
Final thought: Whether or not the Sun Bun is your slice of pie, I’d certainly recommend Harriet Muldoon. I expect her name to become a familiar one on the hairdressing scene: she’s ambitious, utterly dedicated, hugely inventive and a genuine joy to natter to. A little birdie (a Blue Tit?) tells me her next big project involves UV colours… So, whether you’re after festival tresses or a fluorescent rave look, give her a glow!
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