How do you protect your ends when you can't tuck them in?

[amino]

I've been reading the forums obsessively over the past few days, and I keep seeing this advice pop up. "Tuck your ends in to protect them." Well, I can't really do that at this stage. I can try to make a bun and then tie it with a big soft scrunchie (e.g. here (http://www.longhairgirl.com/Store/Product/pthcl0031.aspx?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=froogle%2Bupload&gclid=CM6h28DV978CFQwbaQodyI4AFw)), but ends pop out all over the place. How can I protect the ends anyway? I've got virgin APL hair—never bleached, never dyed. And it's healthy—I'm not even sure what split ends look like. So am I freaking out a bit much about this end-tucking? I managed to get it into a bun with my scrunchie where most of the ends are covered:
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z365/aminosan/Hair/bunAug314_zps0d249866.jpg (http://s1186.photobucket.com/user/aminosan/media/Hair/bunAug314_zps0d249866.jpg.html)

(I oiled last night and didn't manage to wash it all out, so it's a bit shinier than usual.)

tl;dr: How can I protect my ends even when I can't tuck them into the end of a bun? Or am I freaking out too much?

[Timea]

you dont need to worry yet, protecting ends matters more when it is longer. your ends arent damaged at all yet, it sounds like. When your hair gets very long, the ends will be many years old and they will have been washed hundreds of times and will have caught in zippers and purse straps and been brushed thousands of times and then they will be damaged and need extra care and protection. for now, well, still try not to get it caught in a zipper, but the ends are young enoug that they probably don't need anything special, especially if they seem healthy to you and don't have splits

[kitana97]

Ha, I think tucking your ends in just means keeping them protected from heat, wind, element exposure..etc. As long as your ends are up I think the advice holds. When your hair is down the ends are more vulnerable from environmental factors, snags on various things, and repeated brushing against your clothing. If you really want your ends to be "tucked in" try using a few bobby pins to secure them down.

[lazuliblue]

I didn't start wearing protective hairstyles until I was a good few inches past APL and my hair didn't suffer. Have you tried a lazy-wrap bun using a hair stick?

[Firefox7275]

My hair is BLS but I have been doing cinnamon buns since about APL. I just twist into the bun shape until I get to the 'tail' where the ends are sticking out and tuck maybe half a full rotation under the previous rotation, then use three Spin Pins in a Y shape to secure which means they stay hidden. I can't see how you would get the ends to tuck with a scrunchy because the bun is not secured flat against your head.

[Seeshami]

When my hair can't be up because it needs to be down I put the bottle full of all the small bottles almost empty concoction on my ends to keep them nice. It's oils and a few leave in conditioners.

[jacqueline101]

I was going to suggest a snood. That's what I used to keep my ends nice.

[Seeshami]

Every time someone says snood I think of Sneed and digress from there.

"I'm being quite useful. This thing is a Thneed. A Thneed's a Fine-Something-That-All-People-Need! It's a shirt. It's a sock. It's a glove. It's a hat. But it has OTHER uses. Yes, far beyond that.You can use it for carpets. For pillows! For sheets! Or curtains! Or covers for bicycle seats!"

[spidermom]

As long as your ends are not hanging free rubbing on your clothing and getting caught on things, they are protected. Of course, if you are going to be in the sun a lot, wear a hat or scarf to protect the ends from the sun.

[amino]

Thank you, everyone! I experimented with a LWB today using a pen (I am starting to feel like I need to buy ALL the things)... it held and then I took it out to practice again... and it didn't held. [/end kitten voice] Don't have any spin pins, so I don't think I can yet attempt a cinnabun—my hair is too short at this point.

LOL, Seeshami. I need to reread Dr. Seuss.

A snood is definitely on my list of things to get... at the moment though, I'm focusing on college textbooks.

[StellaKatherine]

I've been keeping my hair in a single english braid for the most of the time up till this summer ( tail bone length right now ). Only now I started feeling that my braid started to come in my way and it is little harder to keep the ends protected ;) So yeah. Don't you worry about them for now :D

[amino]

Awesome everyone, thank you very much!

[Beezle]

It's hard to know where to start, isn't it? I'm still finding my way.

My first updo was a peacock twist, held by two small claw grips. The claw grips are very inexpensive, especially seeing that the size I needed was for children. I have extremely fine and thin hair and I used to link the grips from either side and some scalp hair to give stability - yours is thicker than mine so you probably don't need this step. While the ends aren't hidden away, they are protected from rubbing against clothing. From there I went to a modified French twist and that will hide your ends. The tutorial I followed was 'The lazy french twist' by 4ypn0tica (just checking I spelt that right) and is easily adaptable.

[Seeshami]

Totally went to the Onceler's
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/BrokenCagedBird/4efb7ebf-2e0c-4044-9774-a12b596246b9_zps7be9e15f.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BrokenCagedBird/media/4efb7ebf-2e0c-4044-9774-a12b596246b9_zps7be9e15f.jpg.html)

[panffle]

When my hair was at APL I would wear it in a gibson tuck and oiled the ends.

[lapushka]

I wouldn't worry about those ends either! At that length, you're not going to incur a huge amount of damage, certainly not when your hair is all virgin and doesn't have split ends or white dots. I used to wear a peacock twist all the way to waist/hip. Then I switched to buns. At the early lengths, I couldn't tuck in the ends either. Didn't damage my hair any. Relax. You don't get damage that fast! :)

[amino]

Beezle, it is! I have to stop myself from posting 3-5 threads a day asking more questions.I shall look up that lazy french twist! I don't think I can put it into a peacock bun without buying something, though, since I've got knitting needles (as hairsticks), and ponytail holders.

Seeshami, I first thought that was a rendition of a scalp and hairs.

panffle, I think I've seen that. I'll check it out.

lapushka: Thanks! I wasn't sure—last time my hair was long I kept it in a braid almost 24/7, and paid really very little attention to it. I don't think I even brushed. XD