braided buns

[mamaherrera]

I am trying to do some hairstyles now that I have "long" hair, even with my layers, but I don't want to invest in hair toys because i feel I will have no luck in using them (I bought the flexi-8's and haven't been able to use them) so I would like easy updos that don't require hair toys!! Please help! :pray: But for example, I know how to do a braided bun, but you all are against ponytails, and don't braided buns require a ponytail to start?? that's where I get limited on my updos, because as far as I know, most updos require a ponytail to start.

[Ingrid]

I am trying to do some hairstyles now that I have "long" hair, even with my layers, but I don't want to invest in hair toys because i feel I will have no luck in using them (I bought the flexi-8's and haven't been able to use them) so I would like easy updos that don't require hair toys!! Please help! :pray: But for example, I know how to do a braided bun, but you all are against ponytails, and don't braided buns require a ponytail to start?? that's where I get limited on my updos, because as far as I know, most updos require a ponytail to start.

I make my braided bun without a ponytail. I just make a single braid, coil it up, and pin it with a fork or stick.

[Trin]

There are tons and tons of video tutorials for hairstyles onprincesshairstyles.com (http://www.princesshairstyles.com), I've been using them for mine, and many of them do not require a full ponytail, but often do require a band to hold the bottom of the do together.

You can also use hair sticks.

The one in my avi pic starts off by coiling your hair around to the right all the way to the end, then placing your palm on it, rotating the ENTIRE coil to the left a bit so the start of the coil loosens but not the mass of it, then (while still holding the coil) flipping your hand so the back of your hand is against your head, which is why the bottom of the bun looks how it does. I stitch the hair sticks (or chop sticks, or pencils) through the bun to make sure I catch each coil and hair against my scalp. You can also use the flexi-8 to hold it in place by attaching it at the top of the bun (as I did in the avi).

If your hair is long enough, you can also tie it in a knot (make a loop, pull the tail through) and attach it with bobby pins or sticks or a flexi-8.

Most of the braided ponytails I do, I start off with just a tight braid, no hairband. The only one that requires it for me is the double rope braid bun.

[mamaherrera]

Thanks for the website, but for your braids, how do you get a braid started in the middle of your head and not nape??? I've never done that before. Do you just join all the hair in the middle of the head and start braiding?? And then you use bobby pins to secure the braid?? I almost find bobby pins as damaging as ponytail holders. The forks/ sticks, any websites for ordering them?? or stores that are al over????

[Trin]

I brush my hair into my hand where I want the braid to start, shift my hand a tiny bit away from my head, mist it heavily, gently rebrush, and start braiding. For me, the water at the base of the braid helps keep it from slipping down the back of my head.

Almost all my wavy sided bobby pins are half open, so they don't hold tight, but they keep my hair where I need it. When I need a bobby pin to be closed, I find the ones that are smooth on both sides and criss cross them, they're less likely to pull on your hair when you wiggle them out.

As for hair sticks? Find some really cute wood chopsticks in stores (I found some in target of all places), or check out renassaince fairs (bit pricy, but well built) and craft fairs. Some hair shops still carry them, it just depends on what shops you have around you.

[Rushli]

When I dont use traditional hair toys, I use spin pins. Or is that the other way around? Spin pins are traditional? At least the the rest of the world, I guess. I get mine at walmart.

When I do an english braid, I start braiding by just starting in the middle and keep braiding up towards the ceiling. That keeps it in the middle of my head and no saggy part underneath. Does that help?

[mamaherrera]

Yeah kind of. I tried spin pins, but they got caught in my hair. But when you do the english braid towards the ceiling, do you do it upside down?

[Stiria]

I do my braided buns with a low french braid instead of an english braid. I just coil the braid around the french braided part. It It holds better for me, and the bun ends up bigger. Always a plus:D

[YGDW]

What the posters above me said! But I think (though I don't have evidence) that using a hair friendly, soft pony tail holder in a braided bun is not as bad as wearing a pony tail. The problem with pony tails is, I think, both that many people wear them too tight, putting a lot of pressure on your hair, and especially the weight/movement of the pony tail increasing this pressure. When you wear a braided bun, the weight is more evenly distributed and the hair does not move. This reduces the strain on your hair.

I usually do my braided bun like this. It works wonders!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4vZXE7VXe8

[JustPam]

I lie on my bed and hang my hair off the edge, put a scrunchie in loosely and start the braid, once I'm at the end I slide the scrunchie out, then I just twist the braid a few times and coil it around the base and pin it with open hair pins. I can often get away with not tying off the end of the braid, and just tuck it under the bun and pin it, I find I get a smaller tassel when I do a fishtail but I don't know if that's the case for most people.

[Madora]

Thanks for the website, but for your braids, how do you get a braid started in the middle of your head and not nape??? I've never done that before. Do you just join all the hair in the middle of the head and start braiding?? And then you use bobby pins to secure the braid?? I almost find bobby pins as damaging as ponytail holders. The forks/ sticks, any websites for ordering them?? or stores that are al over????

Mamaherrera, it is possible to do a braided bun or a double braided bun w/o a ponytail base. Here's how:

Sectioning (for the double braided bun):

1) Detangle your hair gently with a wide tooth comb

2) Part your hair from the top of your right ear, around the back of your head, to the top of your other ear

3) Take all the hair ABOVE the part, comb it out gently.
4) Divide hair in 3 parts and braid it loosely. Tie off w/hair friendly elastic

5) Coil the braid you just made by holding it FLAT against your scalp. While you are coiling, pin the braid to the scalp using crimped hairpins. Pin at the four directions (North/South/East/West..use more pins if needed)
6) Tuck the tassel under the braid coil

7) Take the remaining hair, comb out gently so there are no tangles
8) Divide in 3 sections. Braid Loosely! Fasten w/hair friendly elastic band.

9) Take the braid and wind it around the braided bun already made.

10) As you wind the braid around the bun, pin with crimped hairpins. Tuck in tassel.

Voila: you have created a comfy, long lasting double braided bun! Holds like a rock.

Sectioning can also be used to create: cameo bun, triple braided bun, double twisted bun, and a whole bunch of other variations

Bobby pins are meant to hold tiny whisps of hair. They are rubbish for any kind of holding strength (added to the fact that they are hard to remove easily).

You want to use crimped hairpins. They are U shaped and have little crimps (wavies) in the center of each "leg". The crimps help hold the hairpin more securely.

They come in two sizes - 3" and 2-1/2"..available at Sally's Beauty Supply.

You open the pin slightly when using. There IS a certain method to using hairpins correctly, but it is not hard to do.

Lastly, you are VERY wise, mammahera, to WAIT until you master the hairstyle before buying hairtoys! Much more practical. Why spend the money when you can't do the style to use them in! Like putting the cart before the horse.

Anyway, you CAN do many hairstyles (with braids) that do not have to be started with a horrid ponytail.

If you find that you are having difficulty begining the style, then try this:

1) Detangle all hair gently
2) Comb back, away from face
3) Section (as described above)
4) USE A ONE PIECE BARRETTE to hold all the hair above the horizontal part
5) Begin to braid the hair in the barrette
6) Holding braid close to scalp with one hand, coil the braid with the other hand, pinning as you go. Tuck in tassle
7) If doing the double braided bun, take remaining hair, braid loosely, bring braid around braided bun already made, pinning as you go.

Note: when pinning, be sure to use a hairpin at each of the 4 directions: north/south/east/west. Use more pins if needed.

ETA:crimped hairpin photo: http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/spree/products/9512/large/fischbach_miller_german_imported_ballpoint_crimped _326490.jpg?1403989693
BE SURE YOUR CRIMPED HAIRPINS HAVE "BALLS" ON EACH END! Crimped hairpins w/o the ball tips are the pits.

GOODY one piece barrette pic: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/8b/a1/67/8ba167e8ab706525608cbe274140ab53.jpg

These are fantastic and come in 2 sizes and 2 colors. I bought mine 2 years ago at Target. All one piece, no seams, easy to use and remove!
Well worth the cost (fairly inexpensive)

[meteor]

mamaherrera, I've searched for braided updos that require simple English braids and, thankfully, there are a lot of them! :)
Since you mentioned that you want to avoid specifically hair-toys because they don't work for you, I'd particularly recommend:
1) Ellingwoman braided bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kYNoF2H4kw, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_biroGTJ7A, variation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9W-kbWPSfQ);
2) Amish braided bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PYjubahR6g)
3) Woven braided crown (http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/luana-braids-woven-crown-variation/).



Here are some braided updos that are pretty easy to do:
I. Buns based on 1 braid:
1. Braided cinnabun
2. Braided nautilus
3. Braided knot

II. Buns based on 2 or more braids:
4. Chinese braided bun
5. 2 braids tied (knotted) together in the back and pinned
6. Horseshoe braids
7. Combinations of multiple braids woven together: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y8or_RC6wM, http://thebeautydepartment.com/2011/12/prim-proper/#more-4969, etc...

III. Buns based on "Luana" (combination) braids, i.e. small English into large English braids:
8. Elling woman bun - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kYNoF2H4kw, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_biroGTJ7A, variation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9W-kbWPSfQ
9. Amish braided bun - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PYjubahR6g
10. Woven braided crown - http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/luana-braids-woven-crown-variation/
11. Variation of sideways Elling woman bun - woven like an infinity sign
12. Variation of 2 Luana braids woven at the back - http://rapunzelsresource.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/luana-braids-renaissance-variation/

IV. Tucks:
13. Braided tuck (called the Masara by Torrin Paige and Antenna bun by Loepsie) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND5dJXnBs2k
14. Folded braid(s)

V. Looped braids:
15. Two looped braids on sides or in the back attached to their bases
16. Skyrim braided style - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5wJ32M9PzQ
17. Cleopatra braided updo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QigGoRY_Nic
18. Elisabeth of Austria braided updo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IHpzecbd_M, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNpMVlgykvo

VI. Crown type updos:
19. Crown braid
20. Coronet braid (with 1 or 2 braids)
21. Braided wreath - lots of small coronet braids stacked or woven
22. Milkmaid braids and Frida Kahlo braids

These are the ones I could think of as relatively distinct styles, but there are lots of variations, especially as you start changing to French/Dutch/rope/##-strand braiding.

[mouse2cat]

I just tilt my head back wen I start my braiding. (look upward) once it's started I can go back to normal and the braid sits higher on my head. About where I would put a ponytail. Flexi 8s work a little differently than sticks and forks.

I would get a chopstick and play with securing your bun. As you insert the stick start by catching bun hair and then weave it downward to catch some scalp hair and catch more bun hair as you poke it all the way through. I find that braided buns are less likely to slip.

[mamaherrera]

I love this site, very easy-looking and motivating to try right now. THanks so much!!


What the posters above me said! But I think (though I don't have evidence) that using a hair friendly, soft pony tail holder in a braided bun is not as bad as wearing a pony tail. The problem with pony tails is, I think, both that many people wear them too tight, putting a lot of pressure on your hair, and especially the weight/movement of the pony tail increasing this pressure. When you wear a braided bun, the weight is more evenly distributed and the hair does not move. This reduces the strain on your hair.

I usually do my braided bun like this. It works wonders!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4vZXE7VXe8

[mamaherrera]

Thanks so much Madora, very informational and helpful. BUt HOW do I learn how to use those crimped hairpins, I HAVE NEVER had luck with those staying, not even for a sec. So now I have to learn that FIRST!!



Mamaherrera, it is possible to do a braided bun or a double braided bun w/o a ponytail base. Here's how:

Sectioning (for the double braided bun):

1) Detangle your hair gently with a wide tooth comb

2) Part your hair from the top of your right ear, around the back of your head, to the top of your other ear

3) Take all the hair ABOVE the part, comb it out gently.
4) Divide hair in 3 parts and braid it loosely. Tie off w/hair friendly elastic

5) Coil the braid you just made by holding it FLAT against your scalp. While you are coiling, pin the braid to the scalp using crimped hairpins. Pin at the four directions (North/South/East/West..use more pins if needed)
6) Tuck the tassel under the braid coil

7) Take the remaining hair, comb out gently so there are no tangles
8) Divide in 3 sections. Braid Loosely! Fasten w/hair friendly elastic band.

9) Take the braid and wind it around the braided bun already made.

10) As you wind the braid around the bun, pin with crimped hairpins. Tuck in tassel.

Voila: you have created a comfy, long lasting double braided bun! Holds like a rock.

Sectioning can also be used to create: cameo bun, triple braided bun, double twisted bun, and a whole bunch of other variations

Bobby pins are meant to hold tiny whisps of hair. They are rubbish for any kind of holding strength (added to the fact that they are hard to remove easily).

You want to use crimped hairpins. They are U shaped and have little crimps (wavies) in the center of each "leg". The crimps help hold the hairpin more securely.

They come in two sizes - 3" and 2-1/2"..available at Sally's Beauty Supply.

You open the pin slightly when using. There IS a certain method to using hairpins correctly, but it is not hard to do.

Lastly, you are VERY wise, mammahera, to WAIT until you master the hairstyle before buying hairtoys! Much more practical. Why spend the money when you can't do the style to use them in! Like putting the cart before the horse.

Anyway, you CAN do many hairstyles (with braids) that do not have to be started with a horrid ponytail.

If you find that you are having difficulty begining the style, then try this:

1) Detangle all hair gently
2) Comb back, away from face
3) Section (as described above)
4) USE A ONE PIECE BARRETTE to hold all the hair above the horizontal part
5) Begin to braid the hair in the barrette
6) Holding braid close to scalp with one hand, coil the braid with the other hand, pinning as you go. Tuck in tassle
7) If doing the double braided bun, take remaining hair, braid loosely, bring braid around braided bun already made, pinning as you go.

Note: when pinning, be sure to use a hairpin at each of the 4 directions: north/south/east/west. Use more pins if needed.

ETA:crimped hairpin photo: http://www.wardrobesupplies.com/spree/products/9512/large/fischbach_miller_german_imported_ballpoint_crimped _326490.jpg?1403989693
BE SURE YOUR CRIMPED HAIRPINS HAVE "BALLS" ON EACH END! Crimped hairpins w/o the ball tips are the pits.

GOODY one piece barrette pic: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/8b/a1/67/8ba167e8ab706525608cbe274140ab53.jpg

These are fantastic and come in 2 sizes and 2 colors. I bought mine 2 years ago at Target. All one piece, no seams, easy to use and remove!
Well worth the cost (fairly inexpensive)

[mamaherrera]

METEOR--Hats off to you too. Thanks so so much!! And lastly, of all these . . . . which ones are the most secure for running/exercising, cuz I do that DAILY and I don't want to have to redo my hair. Thanks!!

[gthlvrmx]

You can secure your buns with spin pins instead of bobby pins. You can get spin pins at Walmart or CVS for 5 dollars.You can start a braid without a ponytail holder on it. No need to use hair ties to make ponytails for the braid.

[mamaherrera]

OK Just tried the folded bun from J J video, but now it makes me feel MORE hairnorexia, man, I don't need those fat claw clips, I don't have even half the hair she has, maybe I shouldn't have watched :-))

[Panth]

The trick for getting your braid to start at a place other than your nape is to section the 3 bits using a Y-shaped sectioning rather than splitting it vertically like this: | |

The braid should then centre at the intersection of the Y.

[Larki]

I do my braided buns with a low french braid instead of an english braid. I just coil the braid around the french braided part. It It holds better for me, and the bun ends up bigger. Always a plus:D
I also do French braided buns. With spin pins.

[Madora]

Mamaherrera, first apologies for misspelling your name! As for the crimped pins. Give me a few hours and I'll be back with a description of how to use them. Not hard, I promise!:)

[meteor]

METEOR--Hats off to you too. Thanks so so much!! And lastly, of all these . . . . which ones are the most secure for running/exercising, cuz I do that DAILY and I don't want to have to redo my hair. Thanks!!

Thank you, mamaherrera! :D
For physical activity, check out the Vortex bun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DF5HXky3B8
I think buns like Ellingwoman, Amish braided bun, woven braided crown, crown braid, milkmaid braids, horseshoe braids are good for physical activity. Just use more pins than usual.
You need to experiment and see what holds better specifically in your hair, because the choice of the sturdiest updo can be pretty individual and mostly depends on your texture, how "grippy" your hair is, as well as thickness and length.
Braided buns are good for physical activity, because even if they come undone, you still have hair contained in braids and can quickly pin them back up. :)

[Madora]

http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w225/07Erzbet/92214Howtousehairpinsindoublebraidbun.jpg[/IMG] (http://s177.photobucket.com/user/07Erzbet/media/92214Howtousehairpinsindoublebraidbun.jpg.html)

1) You want to push the hairpin through the EDGE of the bun or braid. The feet of the pin should face AWAY from the bun!
2) Hold the pin pointing downwards and slowly pivot it down to the scalp. Pick up a tiny bit of scalp hair, then turn the pin with the hair INTO bun. Weave it into the bun in and up and down manner. Don't just stick the pin in the bun and expect it to stay there very long.
3) Pin in the 4 directions..North/South/East/West
4) If you need more pins, use 'em!
5) Wash your pins every month. If they lose a little ball tip, discard immediately!
6) Pins can be found at Sally's beauty supply. Used to find them at Walgreen's too..but that was back in the Dark Ages!
7) Pins should be as invisible as you can possible make them! The whole idea is to see the style and not the pins.
Good luck! Happy pinning!

]

[mamaherrera]

Thanks so much, now to get the courage to try this all out! Thanks again, I will save this thread for forever. Thanks for all your time.

[Madora]

Thanks so much, now to get the courage to try this all out! Thanks again, I will save this thread for forever. Thanks for all your time.

No problemo, mamaherrera! Actually, I've been wanting to do this for some time, because using crimped hairpins is a lot more hair friendly that battling with bobby pins or hair scroos. Just plain in, pivot, weave, and you're done. Easy peasy to take out. Light weight! I've been using them for 40 years and counting!

[mamaherrera]

Check out my first attempt. I'm so proud!! http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=12006&attachmentid=13235
Now I feel like you guys!! Thanks all!!

[Madora]

Check out my first attempt. I'm so proud!! http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=12006&attachmentid=13235
Now I feel like you guys!! Thanks all!!

Alas, my eyes fail me, but I'm very happy that you are pleased and are now "one of the guys"! Congrats! Now, that wasn't hard, was it?! Good for you!

[mamaherrera]

no and with dark hair, it's hard to see the braid definition. But thanks!

[Madora]

no and with dark hair, it's hard to see the braid definition. But thanks!

That's one plus about having dark hair, those hairpins vanish!

[brickworld13]

I need to get some of these.

[fairylover46]

For inexpensive hairsticks, I buy old brooches from thrift stores for practically nothing. I wire them onto double ended knitting needles, then secure with hot glue. Pretties for pennies! I also buy broken jewelry from thrift stores and yard sales and use the pieces to make a stick. Those bamboo skewers you can get 100 for $1 can be cut down to size, poke a hole in the blunt end with a thumbtack, thread some beads on a pin used for pinning fabric that has a nice top on it, dab nail glue or superglue on the sharp part, and stick it onto the skewer. You can paint the skewer a complimentary color, then a layer of polyurethane to make it smooth (and waterproof). I found some old leatherwork needles at a yard sale for 50 cents for 8 of them. Wired and glued beads and/or brooches to them to. Just get creative and eyeball everything and think "how can I stick this in my hair?" The possibilities are endless. There are alot of ideas on the net, too.

As for a braided bun without a ponytail, I dutch braid all my hair and insert a stick into the braid near the top of my head and push it down through the braid til it gets near my nape then I usually just pull the tail to the right, line it up against the main braid, curve it near the top of my head, and line it up next to the other side of the main braid, and keep going til I run out of hair. I then remove the plastic hair tie I used to tie off the braid, tuck it under somewhere, and use one bobby pin to hold it . (I think it's called a Jamie Leigh bun) There are hundreds of tutorials on youtube on braided buns that don't involve a ponytail. Ok, sorry I got so longwinded. Here is my go-to bun and some pics of a few of my homemade sticks. (Still vague about getting pics to show so bear with me)
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014004_zpsdb73f953.jpg?1411519592937&1411519593928http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014005_zps35948639.jpg?1411519592937&1411519593928http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014008_zps46ff3eaa.jpg?1411519592936&1411519593927

[fairylover46]

Finally got it right!! Sorry so big, and please excuse my husband's foot. (he was propped up on the computer desk when I got him to be my photographer)

[fairylover46]

And the glue doesn't show in real life like it does in the picture. I usually paint the glue part brown anyway so it is the same color as my hair. Just haven't gotten around to this one yet:) Look over the wispiness, was in the wind part of the day.

[Madora]

For inexpensive hairsticks, I buy old brooches from thrift stores for practically nothing. I wire them onto double ended knitting needles, then secure with hot glue. Pretties for pennies! I also buy broken jewelry from thrift stores and yard sales and use the pieces to make a stick. Those bamboo skewers you can get 100 for $1 can be cut down to size, poke a hole in the blunt end with a thumbtack, thread some beads on a pin used for pinning fabric that has a nice top on it, dab nail glue or superglue on the sharp part, and stick it onto the skewer. You can paint the skewer a complimentary color, then a layer of polyurethane to make it smooth (and waterproof). I found some old leatherwork needles at a yard sale for 50 cents for 8 of them. Wired and glued beads and/or brooches to them to. Just get creative and eyeball everything and think "how can I stick this in my hair?" The possibilities are endless. There are alot of ideas on the net, too.

As for a braided bun without a ponytail, I dutch braid all my hair and insert a stick into the braid near the top of my head and push it down through the braid til it gets near my nape then I usually just pull the tail to the right, line it up against the main braid, curve it near the top of my head, and line it up next to the other side of the main braid, and keep going til I run out of hair. I then remove the plastic hair tie I used to tie off the braid, tuck it under somewhere, and use one bobby pin to hold it . (I think it's called a Jamie Leigh bun) There are hundreds of tutorials on youtube on braided buns that don't involve a ponytail. Ok, sorry I got so longwinded. Here is my go-to bun and some pics of a few of my homemade sticks. (Still vague about getting pics to show so bear with me)
http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014004_zpsdb73f953.jpg?1411519592937&1411519593928http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014005_zps35948639.jpg?1411519592937&1411519593928http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a421/fairylover46/09232014008_zps46ff3eaa.jpg?1411519592936&1411519593927
Fantastic crafting and beautiful hair, fairylover46!

I'm a fan of "instant bling" i.e. buttons slid onto crimped hairpins. So easy to do, no mess, no fuss! Interchangeable.

[fairylover46]

Thank you, Madora!!! You are so kind! (And you are still my hair hero!)

[mamaherrera]

Fairylover--beautiful braid/creativity and hair!! wow! I like how your braided bun is more vertical, mine kind of ended up horizontal.

[Gertrude]

Amazing bling (-: Gorgeous! Those hair sticks.

I do the sectioned, double braided bun and use sticks as bling accents, though not as lustrous and opulent. I use crimped steel " Amish " hair-pins. Actually I have some steel hair pins I inherited from my grandmother, which are almost a hundred years old, and the Amish new pins are just the same. They don't have plastic balls at the ends, but they do have rounded steel tips that genuinely don't hurt if they accidentally touch my scalp. And they go on and on and on.

Not saying their better than Madora's with the plastic balls at all, but here in the UK the crimped pins with balls on the end are very flimsy and easily bent out of shape.

[mamaherrera]

where can you get the amish pins though in the US, anyone know? What's the benefit of doing a double braided bun, or is it just a different style?

[Madora]

The benefit of a double braided bun (which is a sectioned bun) is that all your hair is NOT concentrated in one spot. Sectioning distributes the weight of your hair over the back of your head, making it much comfier to wear over a period of time (even overnight). I prefer sectioning because I had a lot of very thick hair back in the day. I'm not into hairsticks or forks to hold up the weight as I do not like my hair being "stabbed" with a hairtoy, so I use crimped hairpins, which are very lightweight and flexible, and do a superb job of keeping my hair in place throughout the day (and sometimes to the next day as well).]

ETA: the double braided bun is but one type of hairstyle that you can do with sectioning method. There is also the cameo bun, double twist buns, triple braided bun, double rope buns. The list goes on and on.

[LongCurlyTress]

The benefit of a double braided bun (which is a sectioned bun) is that all your hair is NOT concentrated in one spot. Sectioning distributes the weight of your hair over the back of your head, making it much comfier to wear over a period of time (even overnight). I prefer sectioning because I had a lot of very thick hair back in the day. I'm not into hairsticks or forks to hold up the weight as I do not like my hair being "stabbed" with a hairtoy, so I use crimped hairpins, which are very lightweight and flexible, and do a superb job of keeping my hair in place throughout the day (and sometimes to the next day as well).]


ETA: the double braided bun is but one type of hairstyle that you can do with sectioning method. There is also the cameo bun, double twist buns, triple braided bun, double rope buns. The list goes on and on.

I always love your suggestions and ideas, Madora! Thank you!! I often do a half up with my hair in a bun, and now I will just braid the bottom section and wrap it around the bun! Great idea!! Why didn't I think of that??? LOL!! :popcorn:

[Madora]

I always love your suggestions and ideas, Madora! Thank you!! I often do a half up with my hair in a bun, and now I will just braid the bottom section and wrap it around the bun! Great idea!! Why didn't I think of that??? LOL!! :popcorn:

Thanks, LongCurlyTress. Just a tip to help you get the bottom braid closer to where the bun is: bend down steeply, bring your hands with the hair to be braided as close to the bun as you can get, and then braid loosely. Once you have the braid made, stand erect and circle it around the bun, pinning with hairpins as you go. Working with gravity is a lot easier than working against it!

Why bend at the waist? Because it gives you better leverage to get the hair that is to be used for the braid nearer to the bun already made. Be sure to braid loosely as that will enable you to have more "give" and give you a little more latitude for encircling the bun than you would have if you braided tightly!

[fairylover46]

Thanks for the compliments mamaherrera and Gertrude!

[Pierre]

I wear two braided buns, but instead of running the part from one ear to the other, I run it from forehead to nape. It's comfy too; I keep the same buns for days.