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LauraLongLocks
May 9th, 2014, 11:30 AM
I've never had hair this long (was just declared hip by all of you lovely forum members, thanks!), and I'm used to gathering it up to a ponytail, and being able to comb or brush through the entire length in one stroke. Well, that's not really happening anymore. When I'm brushing or combing to gather up the bottom, and trying to prevent scalp cleavage (and bumps) underneath, the top gets scalp cleavage, so then I switch to brushing/combing the top. I can get all the hair on my scalp smooth and pretty well under control with minimal scalp cleavage, but then what I have in my hand is a tangled mess and I need to let it go and start detangling it from the bottom up again. I don't know if this is making any sense. If I was just going to ponytail it, I could leave the mess and put the hair tie on it and then detangle the ponytail. BUT when I'm bunning it and don't want to do a ponytail-start style, I get pretty frustrated because I seem to go in circles with gathering, detangling, and gathering again. Is there a secret to this that I have yet to discover? Could it be that with my improved hair care methods, I'm experiencing more thickness (yay, if that's the case!), making it difficult to get my TT or comb through all the hair?

Kina
May 9th, 2014, 11:45 AM
why not put it in a ponytail when you've done the top and brush out the bottom? the pony will hold it in place (theoretically) while you detangle the bottom.

This is theoretical, since there's no way for me to have untangled hair, unless I want to look like a dandelion, so I no longer try to detangle when putting my hair up, smoothing it with my hands is the best I can do.

Quasiquixotic
May 9th, 2014, 11:54 AM
When I had long hair in the past (but never hip length) I would split my hair in half and bring the sides around to the front. I could then detangle and brush from the crown down. To get rid of my part I'd brush a little from one side over to the other. But I've pretty much always had a deep part on the left. Then I'd just grab my hair up into a pony at the height I wanted loosely and styled. I maybe would comb the crown into smoothness. I hope this helps. Did that make sense?

LauraLongLocks
May 9th, 2014, 12:00 PM
why not put it in a ponytail when you've done the top and brush out the bottom? the pony will hold it in place (theoretically) while you detangle the bottom.

This is theoretical, since there's no way for me to have untangled hair, unless I want to look like a dandelion, so I no longer try to detangle when putting my hair up, smoothing it with my hands is the best I can do.
Fine, except when I don't want a ponytail-start style (which is most of the time). I could have it detangled the way you describe, and then I would need to pull the ponytail holder back out of my hair, which would cause the loss of some hair (by being pulled out), plus breakage, and maybe more tangles. I try to avoid ponytail holders as much as possible.

MINAKO
May 9th, 2014, 12:01 PM
I comb it back, then kinda flipmy head to the side to gather it on top, comb the front part while holdnig on to the hair with one hand, then grip tighter to detangle the bottom part, fiv the bun and slightly go over the roots with a very soft goat hair brush once more. But this is really only happening if i need a bun to look perfect. Most of the tome i just smooth it back with my hands and its looking kinda messy, i don't mind that.

LauraLongLocks
May 9th, 2014, 12:02 PM
When I had long hair in the past (but never hip length) I would split my hair in half and bring the sides around to the front. I could then detangle and brush from the crown down. To get rid of my part I'd brush a little from one side over to the other. But I've pretty much always had a deep part on the left. Then I'd just grab my hair up into a pony at the height I wanted loosely and styled. I maybe would comb the crown into smoothness. I hope this helps. Did that make sense?

I do this, splitting my hair in half and detangling it, then bringing it back together and detangling some more, by having all my hair brushed/combed to one side and then to the other. I can never get it all laying nice in back by myself. I need someone else to run a brush from crown to ends in back if I want it to lay smooth down my back. I can't do a loose pony and have a secure style. It just slips right out of my hands.

meteor
May 9th, 2014, 12:04 PM
Great question! :) And I'd love to hear what others do.

Here's what I do:
- Detangle all the hair first. I do it by sectioning my hair in at least 2 (left and right sides) or 3 sections (left, right and back) and combing them out separately.
- Then I put it all together in a style - whether I'm ponytailing everything and putting it up in a bun or braiding the hair or separate sections. No combing happens here.
This is the important part: I do not comb, finger-comb, brush or otherwise detangle my hair once I've started putting it in a style! If I try to keep combing it while I'm already in the process of putting it up, I'm only going to cause tangles. I really just smooth down hair with hands only.

Another thing to remember is once you've placed your ponytail or braid(s) or whatever you use as a base for bun, you can still reposition it slightly at the end by gently manipulating that bun with hands or by using your hair toys to slightly anchor and shift the spot where the bun is centered. This helps with all those bumps and I smooth stray hairs at the end, if there are any.

walterSCAN
May 9th, 2014, 12:24 PM
This issue is the reason you'll never see me wearing a bun without a part-- I always just leave my side part where it is and comb my hair back from where it's already hanging. If I try to comb back across the top of my head, I become a resident of Tangle City and I'll never get my hair put up.

I prefer low buns on me anyway, so it's not a big problem, but I can see how it would be if you don't like them. I can sometimes brush straight back and get the bun a little higher on the back of my head, but I generally don't bother.

At any rate, I'm not much help. Really just stopped by to say: Good luck! I hope you can get this figured out!

Aderyn
May 9th, 2014, 12:37 PM
Low buns definitely help with the bumps.

I thoroughly detangle (if I even bother detangling) my hair prior to putting it up, generally in the direction that I want it to lay. I don't even try to comb/brush my hair when/after gathering my hair up (too thick for that, really). I may do a little finger combing to make sure it lays right, but that's it. Has taken a lot of practice/multiple tries to get buns without tons of annoying bumps, but it's worked for me.

If I have a slight bump here or there I will secure it down with a u-shaped hair pin or a bobby pin, and push the pin (as well as the offending strands of hair) into the base of my bun so it's not noticeable.

I wouldn't be surprised if you are experiencing an increase in thickness due to hair care methods. Yay!

I've heard henna could also swell the hair shaft resulting in more thickness, though unsure how long that lasts and how applicable that is for the top of your hair.

florenonite
May 10th, 2014, 04:52 AM
This is why I don't brush my hair back to bun. I detangle, then I just use my hands to get it into the right shape. Otherwise I end up with tangles down the length from where I couldn't get the brush all the way down.

Rosa Harris
May 10th, 2014, 04:59 AM
I don't detangle it. I just push it up and smooth around the sides with my hands catching it again as I go up then start to twist the tail till I get it tight and do whatever I am going to do with the twisted rope I get - then i smooth the hair and position it where needs be. Sure the tail is kinda bumpy but that calms down in the twist. My hair is too fine to comb or brush dry, tho.

also you can use a stocking knee high and tie under the hair in a half knot and pull up to poney and knot it. It wont cause breakage and help get it up. Its a kinky trick my mom does for pineapples.

Toffeemonster
May 10th, 2014, 05:20 AM
I've just been ignoring any tangles, I was really surprised when watching videos that some people seem to detangle time and time again to get everything perfectly smooth. I brush, flip to the back, brush hair back over head if desired, hold at nape, brush tail once, twist up whatever way I want, and that's it, if there's a bump or tangle, so be it! I figure it's healthier for the hair to be sat there tangled than detangled, retangled, detangled, retangled etc in the hopes of a perfect bun. I also try to stop myself re-bunning during the day for the same reason(reduce stress of detangling)...but sometimes my morning buns are disastrous lol

jacqueline101
May 10th, 2014, 10:23 AM
I can't remember who told me this advice. Part it in half comb it half at a time. I do mine that way then go over it with a finishing brush. It's a thought.

jacqueline101
May 10th, 2014, 10:25 AM
Pardon me. I forgot my other half. Go over it then prepare it for your bun if you run into tangles work them out as your buning.

Allie_snowflake
May 10th, 2014, 10:36 AM
I have about the same problem. I have to brush my hair up to smooth it then fight the length. It's frustrating watching the tutorials that show beautiful heads of hair that are smoothed up with hands only and there's no ripples, bumps, or parts.

I guess I just accept that the ends will be tangled a little. I could brush out the ends for hours (while gripping my smoothed out hair at my scalp) and never drag the brush to the ends without some kind of resistance.

Lostsoule77
May 10th, 2014, 10:37 AM
I just detangle all my hair, comb back, and then style. I know there are going to be tangles wherever I combed out to, but I just carefully detangle when I take the style down. Depending on the style, I also finger comb the lower length as I'm styling to take them out. I do braided buns much more which makes it easier to keep it tangle free. This is all just when I bother to detangle though. I tend not to do that daily. :rolleyes:

neko_kawaii
May 10th, 2014, 10:59 AM
After I comb the length and the crown I gather it all where I want the bun to be and then with my fingers on one hand (the other hand is holding the gathered hair) I fix how I want the hair to lay from the front (I don't intentionally part but I have a very persistent side part that I sometimes want to override) and check for lumps in the back. At this point I really don't care about any tangles my fingers may have caused because they are going to be hidden within the bun. Then I twist or wrap for whichever bun I'm making. Pin it. Done.

I suspect dealing with lumps is a matter of practice. I remember struggling with lumps when I was a teen/early twenties and just learning to bun my hair, but it really isn't something I think about now.

CremeTron
May 10th, 2014, 11:25 AM
why not put it in a ponytail when you've done the top and brush out the bottom? the pony will hold it in place (theoretically) while you detangle the bottom.

This is theoretical, since there's no way for me to have untangled hair, unless I want to look like a dandelion, so I no longer try to detangle when putting my hair up, smoothing it with my hands is the best I can do.

:laugh: hehhehehehee!

CremeTron
May 10th, 2014, 11:39 AM
I don't detangle it. I just push it up and smooth around the sides with my hands catching it again as I go up then start to twist the tail till I get it tight and do whatever I am going to do with the twisted rope I get - then i smooth the hair and position it where needs be. Sure the tail is kinda bumpy but that calms down in the twist. My hair is too fine to comb or brush dry, tho.

also you can use a stocking knee high and tie under the hair in a half knot and pull up to poney and knot it. It wont cause breakage and help get it up. Its a kinky trick my mom does for pineapples.

Hi Rosa, please can you explain this in more detail please? Sounds like something I would like to try but I need a bit more detail as I am not sure if I am doing it right? Do you mean tie it around head like a headband first, and then pull it to base of ponytail and then tighten?

LauraLongLocks
May 11th, 2014, 08:07 AM
So, maybe I'll try smoothing the scalp hair, then just fingercombing with one hand to remove the worst of the tangles in the length before going on to create the bun. It's going to need detangled upon taking the bun down at the end of the day anyway. I just want to avoid lumps in my bun. Fingercombing should have the desired effect. I'll try it and report back. Thank you all for the great suggestions.

Sarahlabyrinth
May 11th, 2014, 03:36 PM
why not put it in a ponytail when you've done the top and brush out the bottom? the pony will hold it in place (theoretically) while you detangle the bottom.

This is theoretical, since there's no way for me to have untangled hair, unless I want to look like a dandelion, so I no longer try to detangle when putting my hair up, smoothing it with my hands is the best I can do.

I do this except I don't put an elastic in, I just hold the hair in one hand and the comb in the other. I don't try combing the hair through to the ends when I am holding it in a ponytail, the faint bumps or odd minor tangle don't show when the hair is bunned, I just concentrate on having the scalp hair combed and smooth.

eulalia
May 11th, 2014, 05:45 PM
The same sort of thing happens when I bun my hair. If I don't comb it back, my bun sits uncomfortably, but combing it back creates tangles! What I usually do is detangle, comb my scalp hair smooth, then hold my hair up with one hand and bring the ends around to my front and gently work out the new tangles with my fingers. Sometimes I smooth it a little bit with my wide-tooth comb too.