Escape artist hair and top knots

[Lavendersugar]

I'm having the hardest time creating a top knot for on the go such has pulling up hair while in the car.
My hair will not play nice. It slips out or just will not look right. My hair is slippery/silky which I guess usually is a good thing except when putting it up. I never put my hair up because it lasts slips out.

Tryimg to find a cute big top knot/messy bun style that only needs one hair tie and no products.
I love the look where the hair seems to be piled on top of the head. Not a fan of the tighter looks for me.

Anyone else have this issue and able to finally get a satisfying look?
Hair is almost middle of back with no real layers (bottom layers last 2 inches if that).



I'd like to thank everyone for the help. Really appreciate it. On page 2 post #18 I posted what is working for me. Keep in mind I am not using products as it is a temp style to keep hair from getting tangled in the wind and I am putting hair back down when reaching my destination.

[Radioduck]

My method for a big, messy bun that's all over the place is to almost make a ponytail, but only take the last "loop" halfway through the hair tie. I then take the ends that aren't completely pulled through, twist them around the bun and tuck them in under the hair tie. I apologize if the explanation doesn't make sense.

[brickworld13]

You need some grip or it's just going to keep falling down. I use cocoa powder because my hair is dark. It also doubles as a dry shampoo. Lighter hairs have used baby powder or talc. You can even venture into the world of commercial dry shampoos. Even with the help of cocoa, I still can't do much with my hair until day 3 because it's too slippery after washing to cooperate. Every single style will fall down in a couple hours.

ETA: I can sometimes get it into a damp bun/braid, but that only holds until it dries. Then everything is going whichever way it pleases until it has accumulated sufficient dirt to make it grippy.

[Anje]

Hair ties are a terrible way to secure buns, IMO. (Granted, some of that opinion comes from the breakage I've gotten from ponytails. More of it comes from the fact that I can't get a hairtie bun not to pull fiercely before long.)

When my hair is being especially slippery, about the only thing that will keep it from sliding down is a Ficcare. A strong fake also works, but most fakkares are rather wimpy for hair that's in extra-slippery mode. Braided buns will also hold with a stick, but braided topknots are probably more fuss that you want for this application. FWIW, my go-to for cars is a low braid, pulled over the shoulder. I often bun the braid once I arrive at my destination.

[Nadine <3]

When I want a topknot I either do a sock bun or a LWB on top of my head with 2 spin pins. Trying to bun my hair with a hair tie just does not work and it breaks my hair.

[brickworld13]

I agree with Anje about the hair ties. I use them to hold the ends of braids together. That's it. I even switched types to the cloth fuzzy ones that little kids wear. My cats have claimed all the old "ouchless" ones as toys.

[Nini]

I can't do messy buns at all, even though I like the look of them. Everything just slides apart. I can sort of imitate one with wet or damp hair, but the base still needs to be firm.

And my go-to-toy is the Ficcare Max, never saw the point of hairclips until Grey's Anatomy's product placement got to me way back when:D

[meteor]

You need some grip or it's just going to keep falling down. I use cocoa powder because my hair is dark. It also doubles as a dry shampoo. Lighter hairs have used baby powder or talc. You can even venture into the world of commercial dry shampoos. Even with the help of cocoa, I still can't do much with my hair until day 3 because it's too slippery after washing to cooperate. Every single style will fall down in a couple hours.

ETA: I can sometimes get it into a damp bun/braid, but that only holds until it dries. Then everything is going whichever way it pleases until it has accumulated sufficient dirt to make it grippy.

I really agree! For slippery hair, it's all about creating that grip.

I find that wet (or even dampened) hair holds buns more easily. So does dirty hair.
Hair powders, dry shampoos, oils, gels can all help.
I would also recommend creating a grippy base for the updo - for example, start with an accent braid or two, or a few twists along the scalp or start with a French/Dutch braid base. As you are pinning your bun, make sure the pins/sticks/fork/whatever you use goes through that braided or twisted base.

[Amapola]

I'm with Nadine <3. I use spin pins.

That's how I put my hair up at night. I lean forward and brush/comb it all down to the ground/top of my head. Then I grasp the base and start twisting. I twist up a nice cinnabun on top of my head and then secure it with three spin pins. You don't have to twist tight right at the start, just enough to give a start to the cinnabun. It can be nice and poofy.

I do have incredibly slippery hair, but it's also very fragile so I never use hair ties. At all. The above style will hold all night long for me, and I am a very restless sleeper.

[RavenRose]

I also have fine slippery hair! I have used arrowroot or cornstarch on my light hair as a sort of dry shampoo and to get some grip for styles. I am trying to phase myself out of the ouch less hair ties since they break my hair, but often the cloth ones slip right out. I have had some luck with spin pins, and also bobby pins that have been sprayed with hair spray and allowed to dry before being put in my hair.

[lapushka]

Your hair is APL+ so it might still be too short for a bun like that to hold properly. I too recommend trying a sock bun.

[missblueeyes]

Messy buns like the ones people show on youtube don't work for me either. Especially not the "pulling the ponytail halfway through" version. It just pulls, looks like a rats nest and falls apart quickly. I wish they'd work, though. I really love the look of them on others. The only "messy bun" I can make is a cinnamon bun with a hairtie. But, that's more of a last resort thing for me if I don't have any other hairtoys at hand or if I'm just looking to get my hair up to shower or something like that. If I want it to hold for longer than half an hour, I gotta use bobby pins.

In your place, I'd just search youtube for all different kinds of messy bun tutorials and try all of them. Most of them should work on your length. My WL+ hair is giving me a really hard time replicating them.

[gthlvrmx]

Try spin pins. I used to use them to wear my hair in a bun on top of my head. It would hold nicely when I slept. There are also mini spin pins if your hair is on the thinner side. The trick with spin pins is to insert one part of the spin pin going through the bun and the other end through scalp hair. That way when you 'spin' it through, you will catch both bun hair and scalp hair with just 1 or 2 spin pins. The spin pins are like corkscrew things but they have 2 bulby ends on one side that are the ends that will go into your hair. Sorry if that's confusing!

[spidermom]

I have trouble with top-knots, too. I get really awful sag in the back.

[Lavendersugar]

Thanks everyone!!
I use a hair tie that doesn't break my hair. I forget the name. It's soft like a yoga headband.

My goal is to have my hair up just in the car then let it down when I arrive to my destination as up dos give me headaches. I tried a side braid but hair slips out with the wind. Since my hair is a bit thick and not yet middle of back ( just a bit more to go) this might be the issue. I can get a bun and other things to work but I wanted more a fast thing that looked decent.

I do feel a bit better knowing I'm not the only top knot challenged person.

[yahirwaO.o]

I have to say.... I gave up to the trendy hair tie top knot guy version!

My hair is insanely slipery even with hairspray I still got bumps and looked basically like a bird nest. Hair broke off so much while trying and it never really pleased me. My bud on the other side, he looks so cool with it and its done in 5 seconds. His hair is finer and more curly than mine, that seems to be a reason.

....and my grandma told me once I looked like a drug dealer with it:(. It wasnt a real mean intention of her (love my grandma) but that made me realize it wasnt going to happen. A regular well brushed high bun witha pony base works better,

You can check my most decent one shot in my album....

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=12275&attachmentid=17394


...... sock bun seems to be a better option with shorter lenghts!

[Anje]

My goal is to have my hair up just in the car then let it down when I arrive to my destination as up dos give me headaches.
Honestly, any updo held with a hair tie gives me headaches. I recommend trying another way to secure them; it might make all the difference.

[Lavendersugar]

Thanks everyone!

My solutions that are working


I found a few ways that seem to be working until my hair gets longer. It's almost middle of back but I feel it just does not seem as long as others (must be a height thing or lack of height) and I think the extra length will help.

Until then I have few options. Put in loose high ponytail, twist hair then wrap around and secure ends under tie. For less look loosen the "bun". Second option is the same except set up but I split the hair into 2 twist and wrap them in opposite directions around the ponytail. The easiest but less appealing is to start a high ponytail and on the last pull through leave a bump of hair and just let it flop. A side braid sort of works too but hair is the kind that will dent easily so it must be fully dry.
Hope this is helpful to anyone looking for a car do.



I prefer hair ties/bands as they are light. Anything with weight will pull my hair down. Even spin pins. I also do not like the feeling of something hitting the car headrest.

Oh the bands I use are Vidal Sasson no metal. They feel like tiny yoga headbands, no elastic touching hair and no metal. Never breaks my hair. Use them at night too. Really soft and gentle. I have used these at night for over a year with no issues. They do stretch out after being used several times but they are cheap. Come in a 18 pack I think, might be more.





I have to say.... I gave up to the trendy hair tie top knot guy version!

My hair is insanely slipery even with hairspray I still got bumps and looked basically like a bird nest. Hair broke off so much while trying and it never really pleased me. My bud on the other side, he looks so cool with it and its done in 5 seconds. His hair is finer and more curly than mine, that seems to be a reason.

....and my grandma told me once I looked like a drug dealer with it:(. It wasnt a real mean intention of her (love my grandma) but that made me realize it wasnt going to happen. A regular well brushed high bun witha pony base works better,

You can check my most decent one shot in my album....

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=12275&attachmentid=17394


...... sock bun seems to be a better option with shorter lenghts!

Thanks :)
Ya my Hair just hates all after products. And I'm with you even hairspray doesn't stop the slip.
Guess some are just lucky in ways of hair knots.

[cadencesday]

I too love to use my ficcare. I used to get a lot of breakage for using elastic bands and now I barely have any.