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View Full Version : What to use instead of elastics & bobby pins?



cranberrymoonz
January 7th, 2014, 07:09 AM
Hi everyone:)

I've been hanging around the forum for a quite a few years now, I know all of youtube's hairstyles by heart, lol. But I still can't seem to figure out any protective hair styles that work for me.

Even though I love the intricate look on others, I'm not really into hairsticks/forks and such. Mainly because I don't like styles where I have all of my in a bun at the back of my head. So I'm looking for other styles and means of securing those styles that are protective/not damaging. I'm 19 by the way, so I'm looking for more of a young/fashionable style.

Right now I wear top knot style sock buns a lot, as well as high ponies half ups with a barret (the snappy one's.. sometimes hair get's stuck in them:(). I try to use soft metal free elastics, are those OK? I do use bobby pins for the sock bun. Could I use something else? I heard about spin pins.

Any help or suggested would be very much appreciated:):)

EDIT to add: my hair is straight, and almost MBL

Magalo
January 7th, 2014, 07:17 AM
Sticks and forks don't have to look intricate. A single stick in a loose lazy wrap is very casual, sometimes I take a short stick and make it on top of my head so it's visible from the front. Do you like braids? I wear french and dutch braids a lot and people always comments on them. I'm 20, btw. All your hair in a bun is THE most protective hairstyle, so you either learn to like it, or you don't and your hair get a lot more damaged than someone who wears buns all the time.

Just avoid buns made with an elastic like plague. And wearing a half-up is not more protective than all your hair down. Sock buns are really damaging to me (I always end up with very dry and crinkled end) but your experience may vary: I don't see it as a protective hair style.

Firefox7275
January 7th, 2014, 07:31 AM
Get some Spin Pns or knock offs. I badly damaged my hair with no snag elastics used on a 24/7 ponytail, I had breakage all at the back. Now use terry cotton ponios (look rubbish so when home alone), beak clips from Claire's. There are some knotted ribbon ties that seem to be in fashion right now, silk is gentle on hair.

stachelbeere
January 7th, 2014, 09:14 AM
flexi8s... I think they look really really pretty and have a boho feel to them and they would be ideal for your half up styles - much better than snappy barrettes.

apart from this - amish pins hold updos really well and are invisible and can substitute bobby pins if you want to hold larger amounts of hair.

Lirona
January 7th, 2014, 09:21 AM
I'll add another vote for spin pins! In my experience, they are versatile, hold astonishingly well, and don't break hair.

Morghana
January 7th, 2014, 09:25 AM
I'm a huge fan of flexi-8s (they come in a wide variety of styles and sizes), which can be worn with full or half-ups (got one in right now and it's so comfortable that I can't even feel it). I also use a lot of combs, which don't crimp my hair the way metal barrettes and bobby pins so and they stay put all day, which is a challenge with my baby fine hair.

LadyCelestina
January 7th, 2014, 10:10 AM
Regular hair pins.They are like mini sticks,but barely noticeable.

walterSCAN
January 7th, 2014, 10:17 AM
I'm a huge fan of flexi-8s (they come in a wide variety of styles and sizes), which can be worn with full or half-ups (got one in right now and it's so comfortable that I can't even feel it). I also use a lot of combs, which don't crimp my hair the way metal barrettes and bobby pins so and they stay put all day, which is a challenge with my baby fine hair.

What kind of combs are these? Would you mind posting a link to a photo or something? I'm very interested in these but I'm not sure what you're referring to.

HaileComfort
January 7th, 2014, 10:25 AM
Sticks and forks don't have to look intricate. A single stick in a loose lazy wrap is very casual, sometimes I take a short stick and make it on top of my head so it's visible from the front. Do you like braids? I wear french and dutch braids a lot and people always comments on them. I'm 20, btw. All your hair in a bun is THE most protective hairstyle, so you either learn to like it, or you don't and your hair get a lot more damaged than someone who wears buns all the time.

Just avoid buns made with an elastic like plague. And wearing a half-up is not more protective than all your hair down. Sock buns are really damaging to me (I always end up with very dry and crinkled end) but your experience may vary: I don't see it as a protective hair style.

Sock buns damaging? Nooo... say it ain't so! I sleep in one every night, on top of my head. Love the smoothness and waves that result, have been doing this since I committed to length & cut back on washing/blowdrying a year ago.

meteor
January 7th, 2014, 01:30 PM
I recommend spin pins and amish pins for updos.

For other protective styles, I really like different types of braids. Use silk satin ribbons instead of elastics.

Scarlet_Celt
January 7th, 2014, 01:38 PM
Sock buns damaging? Nooo... say it ain't so! I sleep in one every night, on top of my head. Love the smoothness and waves that result, have been doing this since I committed to length & cut back on washing/blowdrying a year ago.

Every style is damaging, but some styles are relatively far more damaging than others. The damage incurred from a particular style varies between each person, as everyone's hair has a different resilience to damage. One thing to keep in mind is repeatedly exposing your hair to the same style will incur damage from repeat stress. A loose bun with a hair stick is probably one of the more forgiving styles, as there is less tension. All of this has been said before by others. You have to find the balance that is right for you and your hair. Some people love to wear their hair in fancy, intricate styles even though these are more damaging than other styles, and that is totally up to them! :)

cranberrymoonz
January 7th, 2014, 02:13 PM
Thanks everybody! They sell spin pins at the local drug store, so I'll get some of those to try out soon. I can make my sock bun without an elastic, actually. Just wrap the hair around the donut. It doesnt stay that well, though, so I'll experiment a little with spin pins/hir pins to secure it. My regular buns are still very tiny, that's another reason why I don't wear them:(

I do braid. I wear braids a lot. But they are not that protective for me because I keep fiddling with the tassel:P I also know how to do milk maid braids and a fake crown braid, but I secure them with bobby pins right now...

Thanks guys, I guess I just needed to get a grip on the things I allready know:) But more suggestions are very welcome!

cranberrymoonz
January 7th, 2014, 02:17 PM
Get some Spin Pns or knock offs. I badly damaged my hair with no snag elastics used on a 24/7 ponytail, I had breakage all at the back. Now use terry cotton ponios (look rubbish so when home alone), beak clips from Claire's. There are some knotted ribbon ties that seem to be in fashion right now, silk is gentle on hair.

Terry cotton ponios! Yeah, those are the ones I use:) Big ones for ponies, small ones at the end of braids. I don't mind the look, I think it's better than those huge scrunchies:P

cranberrymoonz
January 7th, 2014, 04:38 PM
What about the tige boules and claw clips from france luxe? Are they damaging?

askan
January 7th, 2014, 05:05 PM
I use claw clips a lot, I find them good for looser updos where I just mash my hair up in a half-hearted twist. You should watch out for sharp edges though. Mine are plastic and I should sand the seams down a bit!

Yozhik
January 7th, 2014, 05:11 PM
Why not some mini ficcare barrettes? Also, echoing recommendations for amish pins and flexi-8s. :) The smaller flexis can be used like barrettes, and a friend of mine uses the minis to secure her braid ends in a hair-friendly manner. :)

HTH! :flower:

HaileComfort
January 7th, 2014, 05:26 PM
Every style is damaging, but some styles are relatively far more damaging than others. The damage incurred from a particular style varies between each person, as everyone's hair has a different resilience to damage. One thing to keep in mind is repeatedly exposing your hair to the same style will incur damage from repeat stress. A loose bun with a hair stick is probably one of the more forgiving styles, as there is less tension. All of this has been said before by others. You have to find the balance that is right for you and your hair. Some people love to wear their hair in fancy, intricate styles even though these are more damaging than other styles, and that is totally up to them! :)

I see what you mean, and that makes so much sense about repetition. Thank you! I am new here, have much more reading (and a little shopping, oh darn.. haha!) to do.

Scarlet_Celt
January 8th, 2014, 05:54 AM
I see what you mean, and that makes so much sense about repetition. Thank you! I am new here, have much more reading (and a little shopping, oh darn.. haha!) to do.
You're welcome! Growing long hair definitely involves a learning curve. One of the things to keep in mind is taking better care of your hair will make it look nicer, and in turn will likely result in less length loss from trims due to splits/dryness/thinning/etc, which will ultimately get you to your desired length (assuming your terminal length is equal or longer than this) quicker and in better condition! :)

I totally recommend getting a nice basic wooden hair stick (or a pair if you like), because I find I wear my hair up with hair sticks more often than any other style. At first when I was getting used to wearing my hair up I only did it when I was relaxing at home and when I was commuting, specifically walking anywhere outside. After I realised how comfortable and practical it was to do this it didn't take long before I opted to wear various loose buns with hair most of the time. Now I only wear my hair down for special occasions, and I wear braids to bed every night. It works for me, but like I said each person's hair is different.

Firefox7275
January 8th, 2014, 10:54 AM
I would imagine the damage of a sock bun depends on your sock/ base (how slippy/ snaggy), how tight and your secures. If you could use a silky sock and secure with a scrunchie that can't be too bad.

windwhispers
January 9th, 2014, 06:15 PM
I used to wear the metal free elastics a lot since my job where I can't really wear sticks and forks. The elastics actually caused my hair to break where it held my hair so I switched to scrunchies and my hair is a lot healthier since.

jasper
January 9th, 2014, 06:19 PM
Can you do a top knot with an actual knot instead of starting with a pony tail elastic? Once I got the length to do that, I was able to secure it with a couple of tiny mini jaw clips.

Since you asked about France Luxe, I can tell you that they have smooth plastic and seem as friendly as possible in that sense. I don't think they are value for the price, though, because most of mine broke. It wasn't the plastic or teeth that broke. They came apart because the springs are so strong that they pull the clips in half. The spring is somehow stronger than the adhesive that is keeping the plastic together where the spring is attached.

Flexi-8's snag my hair between those little beads.

chen bao jun
January 9th, 2014, 08:02 PM
There's always the good old cut up pantyhose for a hair tie.
sock buns dry my hair out no matter what I do and tangle my ends together.

askan
January 9th, 2014, 10:50 PM
Oh yes, the pantyhose ties! You can get both headbands, hairties and pieces that are great for rag curls from old pantyhose.

cranberrymoonz
January 10th, 2014, 04:54 AM
@ jasper: Yeah, I can make a bun without an elastic. I secured it with my new hair screws yesterday, worked wonderfully:) Thanks for the info, I was going to get a france luxe barette and a flexi, not so sure now..

stachelbeere
January 10th, 2014, 05:09 AM
a few words about hair donuts: I have one that is made of this rough netting and although it didn't cause any visible damage when I was using it that way I wrapped it into an old piece of black pantyhose and I have a silky surface now. the only negative thing is that you can't pin into it unless your pins are sharp as daggers :D

HaileComfort
January 10th, 2014, 01:29 PM
a few words about hair donuts: I have one that is made of this rough netting and although it didn't cause any visible damage when I was using it that way I wrapped it into an old piece of black pantyhose and I have a silky surface now. the only negative thing is that you can't pin into it unless your pins are sharp as daggers :D

This is a good idea! Mine is that type as well, and while I don't detect any damage after a few months of sleeping in it, the wrapping sounds smart. Texture is similar to those nylon pot-scrubbers... and that can't be good.

I don't care for braidwaves in my hair, only wash every 4th day, and my hair holds any shape it's bent into, so brainstorming on something protective to sleep in that's a changeup from the beloved donut... thinking maybe a knot or two on top of my head, secured w/ spiral pins.

YamaMaya
January 10th, 2014, 01:40 PM
Bobby pins can be replaced with spin pins, they come in smaller and larger sizes. They're the only thing that hold my type 1 hair up for any length of time, as my hair slips out of everything else eventually :(. If you've got grabbier hair, you can try those old fashioned hair pins that sort of look like bobby pins only wider. As for elastics, beyond scrunchies, I have no idea. Even the metal free elastics play havoc with my ends if I use them too much.

jrmviola
January 10th, 2014, 02:28 PM
Something i used to see at craftshows (craft show bratt) were vendors that sold a type of Hair/bun/scrunchie thing that worked like a hair rat but was a length of wire (like household electrical wire) about twice the width of your hair when down, covered with a layer of padding like batting and something like denim or heavy fabric. The ends of the wire were bent over inside so the rounded side was out. the wire was on the inside of the tube of fabric and the padding around the wire... Anyways you would wrap this around your hair, take it to the ends, then roll the whole mess up into a bun and bend into the bun shape. the wire would hold its shape so no secureing necessary and if i remember it holds really well...

I dont have any pics or any names to search by, its been YEARS since i've seen one, this may have just been a 90's thing but it seems that every show we went to had these types of hair toys...

Hope that gives u ideas!

jrmviola
January 10th, 2014, 02:28 PM
Something i used to see at craftshows (craft show bratt) were vendors that sold a type of Hair/bun/scrunchie thing that worked like a hair rat but was a length of wire (like household electrical wire) about twice the width of your hair when down, covered with a layer of padding like batting and something like denim or heavy fabric. The ends of the wire were bent over inside so the rounded side was out. the wire was on the inside of the tube of fabric and the padding around the wire... Anyways you would wrap this around your hair, take it to the ends, then roll the whole mess up into a bun and bend into the bun shape. the wire would hold its shape so no secureing necessary and if i remember it holds really well...

I dont have any pics or any names to search by, its been YEARS since i've seen one, this may have just been a 90's thing but it seems that every show we went to had these types of hair toys...

Hope that gives u ideas!

jrmviola
January 10th, 2014, 02:30 PM
Something i used to see at craftshows (craft show bratt) were ventors that sold a type of Hair/bun/scrunchie thing that worked like a hair rat but was a length of wire (like household electrical wire) about twice the width of your hair when down, covered with a layer of padding like batting and something like denim or heavy fabric. The ends of the wire were bent over inside so the rounded side was out. the wire was on the inside of the tube of fabric and the padding around the wire... Anyways you would wrap this around your hair, take it to the ends, then roll the whole mess up into a bun and bend into the bun shape. the wire would hold its shape so no secureing necessary and if i remember it holds really well...

I dont have any pics or any names to search by, its been YEARS since i've seen one, this may have just been a 90's thing but it seems that every show we went to had these types of hair toys...

Hope that gives u ideas!

cranberrymoonz
January 10th, 2014, 03:17 PM
Something i used to see at craftshows (craft show bratt) were vendors that sold a type of Hair/bun/scrunchie thing that worked like a hair rat but was a length of wire (like household electrical wire) about twice the width of your hair when down, covered with a layer of padding like batting and something like denim or heavy fabric. The ends of the wire were bent over inside so the rounded side was out. the wire was on the inside of the tube of fabric and the padding around the wire... Anyways you would wrap this around your hair, take it to the ends, then roll the whole mess up into a bun and bend into the bun shape. the wire would hold its shape so no secureing necessary and if i remember it holds really well...

I dont have any pics or any names to search by, its been YEARS since i've seen one, this may have just been a 90's thing but it seems that every show we went to had these types of hair toys...

Hope that gives u ideas!

Like these? http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1GKiXsDMEIA/TTSE_Wjyo7I/AAAAAAAABAU/vRsw8N63AP4/s1600/MagicBun%2Bprice.jpg
I think I saw these at the drug store, too:)

cranberrymoonz
January 10th, 2014, 03:35 PM
It makes a lot of sense that cotton socks pull moisture from the hair, just like cotton pillowcases do. I put a pantyhose over mine, but rolling it into the sock still feels like manipulating it too much. So I wont be wearing a sock bun again.. Oh well:)

I'm making a list of protective styles I can make, so I can rotate through them. Right now I've got:
- High cinnebun secured with spin pins
- Double braids in the back (so I don't fiddle with the ends:P)
- Low bun, with a headband so you can see something from the front
- Double high buns secured with spin pins (like her http://www.styleite.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/jane-aldridge-hair.jpg)

Any other suggestions? :)

jrmviola
January 10th, 2014, 03:48 PM
Like these? http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1GKiXsDMEIA/TTSE_Wjyo7I/AAAAAAAABAU/vRsw8N63AP4/s1600/MagicBun%2Bprice.jpg
I think I saw these at the drug store, too:)

That is very similar, the ones i saw where home made- we tended to frequent low budget craftshows. But If those bend and hold their shape then that is close enough :D

stachelbeere
January 10th, 2014, 05:05 PM
This is a good idea! Mine is that type as well, and while I don't detect any damage after a few months of sleeping in it, the wrapping sounds smart. Texture is similar to those nylon pot-scrubbers... and that can't be good.

I don't care for braidwaves in my hair, only wash every 4th day, and my hair holds any shape it's bent into, so brainstorming on something protective to sleep in that's a changeup from the beloved donut... thinking maybe a knot or two on top of my head, secured w/ spiral pins.

heh, I'm glad you like my idea :)

as for sleeping styles. I've been sleeping in an 'upside-down' french braid recently - braided from the nape up - and not only is my hair going 'away' from my head (as in I'm not lying on it but it's above my head) I get some nice volume at the roots. The braid waves I get look terrible though so it only looks good if I'm planning to wear it up most of the day.

cranberrymoonz basically you could do any bun you want as long as you arrange the front nicely so that it frames your face well. You can achieve this by doing a flattering parting, leaving out some face framing hairs, rolling the hair into a 'pouf' or two, accessorising with stuff like that flowers, barettes, headbands... there is a youtube called 'letsmakeitup1' and she used to do soooo many styles that are very protective (nowadays she's using so much heat) and look great from the front too.