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Petulia
May 11th, 2016, 07:26 AM
My hair is thin to medium so it's not very heavy but I always find my buns falling down during the day.

Is there a particular hair tie that you use or a technique that keeps your bun strong and sturdy?

Please share your tips on how to achieve a secure hair bun that won't fall down!

Complexity
May 11th, 2016, 07:42 AM
Claw clips. They're the only thing I use (Mind you, that's because I don't have any sticks or anything). Two of them usually hold my hair for the day.

endersworld
May 11th, 2016, 08:12 AM
My most secure buns are the Figure 8 and a good old-fashioned cinnabun. In the case of the Figure 8, I hold it with a longer hairstick. My cinnabun is usually held with two bent double-pointed needles that I've put a bit of a headcurve into.

I also really like a version of the Ellingwoman bun that I've figured out - I pull the front top section of my hair (from ears forward, usually) back and braid it into a simple braid, then combine that with the rest of my hair once I reach the nape of my neck. Then you finish off all your hair as one big braid, and wrap the braid into a cinnabun shape, wrapping it underneath the braid coming off the top of your head as you go. That bun has stayed completely secure for me even during my martial arts practice, and those get pretty intense (lots of jumping around, sparring, etc.). I think it would probably hold well for everyday activites, too!

I also find that my buns stay up a LOT better if I braid my hair first - that gives whatever hairtoy you're using a bit more grabbiness, and helps things stay more secure as the day goes on, because hair won't be slipping through as easily!

Cg
May 11th, 2016, 08:18 AM
Until my hair was long enough for sticks and forks, I used octopus clips almost exclusively. You will likely find that as your hair grows, buns will anchor and remain intact much better. For my hair that came at about MBL. I don't tape measure so I can't equate that with a specific length.

I've read that disc buns stay with shorter hair, but that was not my experience. It might for you, though. Generally I had to make a braided nautilus and use the correct size octopus. Too small won't anchor, and too big won't hold. Sometimes I had to resort to an elastic and lots of pins, too.

Nique1202
May 11th, 2016, 08:23 AM
Elastic held buns barely qualify as buns and elastics like to slide anyway (that's why you always see folks with ponytails pulling them tighter) especially on slippery hair.

Skip the elastics and switch to stick, fork, or claw clip held buns. Nautilus, lazy wrap, disc bun, cinnabun and its relatives (like the figure-8/infinity bun) are all pretty easy to learn and there are lots of YouTube tutorials out there. Claw clips you can probably pick up at the dollar store, hair sticks you can make out of craft dowels and seal with nail polish, or pick up a strong fallen twig outside and sand it down. Doesn't have to be expensive and you'll find a world of difference, I'm sure of it.

Arctic
May 11th, 2016, 08:34 AM
I like U-pins, big bobby pins and spin pins the most. Cinnabun is the most secure to me at my length.

Nique1202
May 11th, 2016, 08:39 AM
How could I forget spin pins when they're what I wear literally 3/4 of the time that my hair is up. :laugh: As long as you grab scalp hair and don't overlap the pins any more than necessary, spin pins make for a rock solid cinnabun for sure.

pailin
May 11th, 2016, 08:42 AM
I can't make any kind of bun stay with a hairtie. Usually they don't even last 5 minutes, and if they do last longer they're usually not very comfortable anyway. I used claw clips only until about a year ago when I started using sticks. I was at about 27 inches then; now 32 and hairstick buns have definitely gotten easier.
Also, if you've been using bobby pins, try switching to the U-shaped ones, or get some spin pins. Those are both nicer to your hair.
Any of these things do have a bit of a learning curve so if it doesn't work at first, practice a few times.

school of fish
May 11th, 2016, 08:54 AM
Um... prayer and dumb luck? Haha!!

I know, that's a flip answer but it's not *entirely* untrue in my case ;) My hair really likes to defy updos but I do find that bun placement makes a difference for me - high up on my head stays better than low down. I think there's just an aspect of balance that makes a bun stay put better perched high atop my head than anywhere else.

You're getting some good advice here - sticks, forks, spin pins, braided buns, trying different buns to see what your hair responds best to, and practice - a combination of some or all of these suggestions should help you on your way to a more secure bun.

Oh - and embracing the messy bun look has also been helpful to me in a roundabout way. Having a looser expectation of the final effect has helped me accept that some days buns will just need resecuring throughout the day. Making allowances for a more relaxed effect kind of takes the pressure off multiple redos if it's one of those days ;)

Anje
May 11th, 2016, 10:21 AM
For me, forks or large pins that are basically able to span the entire bun give the best hold. Sticks occasionally don't work for me, and I'm finding lately I'm doing better with less-skinny ones than I used to. Horizontally-oriented securing seems more comfortable than vertical.

Braided buns are WAY more secure than unbraided buns are, especially on slippery hair.

Edit: By "large pins", I'm talking at least 3 inches long and rigid. My buns are about 4.5 inches across, and something closer to that holds better than shorter. I like double-pointed knitting needles bent into a V shape, and Amish hairpins are great if a little small. Here's one of those bent knitting needles:
http://i.imgur.com/LOL9QaC.jpg

Stepo_NiNha
May 11th, 2016, 11:04 AM
I was inspired by Emi from Longhairedatheart, I love her posts and videos!

She has a video on Youtube (sorry I cannot post the link here because I'm at work and Youtube is a closed website page). The video is "Renaissance Bun", I love it. The claw clip is there but it is covered by the hair and you can't actually see it!

Claw clips are hair friendly :)...at least for me. But they are not beautiful as a hairstyle that's why I love her video where she covers the claw clip. It has been my daily style, such as fishscale braids.

The result is an awesome bun with volume and thinner or finer hair will definitely benefit from it because the bun looks big (it's the claw clip inside giving all the volume).

Groovy Granny
May 11th, 2016, 12:48 PM
Cinnamon buns with mini claws or alligator clips

Braided cinnamon buns with forks or sticks

Spin pins

LWBs hold well for me if I make them snug (decrease # fingers) when using a stick...... or I use a fork for better hold

Kimberly
May 11th, 2016, 02:20 PM
My buns always hold better if I make sure they are well-tacked to scalp hair. It helps to use a sort of weaving or sewing motion though the outside bit of the bun, scalp hair, center of the bun, more scalp hair, then the other outside edge. For something like a cinnabun, it try to catch every loop, and scalp hair in between each one. This should hold as long as your stick of fork stays in. If you have trouble with hold, make sure your toy isn't top-heavy and place it with the topper up rather than sideways, so it will be less likely to dump out and hit the ground if you lean over.

molljo
May 11th, 2016, 05:42 PM
Spin pins all the way for me. My hair's too short for the majority of proper named buns mentioned here, but I can twist and fold my hair into any random blob and spin pins will almost always keep it solidly held for several hours at a time. Like several others have said, it's mostly about catching scalp hair plus multiple coils or layers of bun at the same time.

spirals
May 11th, 2016, 06:08 PM
I have sticks and two kinds of metal forks and all kinds of hair pins. None of them work. Cheap-looking plastic claw clips do work really well. That really annoys me because they remind me of the '80s and my style is '20s/'30s/sometimes '40s. :no:

Kimberly
May 11th, 2016, 10:52 PM
Spirals (Marcel!), have you seen the solid sterling silver claw clips on Amazon? Those gave me the idea for a Google search, which turned up things that don't look 80s, like this http://www.polyvore.com/areias_sterling_silver_turquoise_hair/thing?id=40550735 :-)

spirals
May 12th, 2016, 02:02 AM
Kimberly, that stuff is gorgeous and I think I'm in trouble. Enabler. :P I love that you used my nickname, BTW. I haven't done marcel waves in a while, at least not intentionally.

Ingrid
May 12th, 2016, 02:42 AM
My tip is to keep trying until you get it perfect :lol:

Daydreamer.
May 12th, 2016, 02:49 AM
I use spin pins for buns. I twist my hair, roll it, and stick a spin pin (or two) in it. I also use a scrunchie for buns. I make a ponytail and pull my hair halfway through. I'm not sure if it is really a bun or not, though...

SparrowWings
May 12th, 2016, 08:33 AM
Um... prayer and dumb luck? Haha!!

Oh - and embracing the messy bun look has also been helpful to me in a roundabout way. Having a looser expectation of the final effect has helped me accept that some days buns will just need resecuring throughout the day. Making allowances for a more relaxed effect kind of takes the pressure off multiple redos if it's one of those days ;)


Sticks occasionally don't work for me, and I'm finding lately I'm doing better with less-skinny ones than I used to. Horizontally-oriented securing seems more comfortable than vertical.


My tip is to keep trying until you get it perfect :lol:
What the above post snippets already said.

For me, bunning with any number of elastics is basically impossible. With a scrunchie, start with a braided ponytail, keep it tight, and expect to need a few tries before it feels like it'll hold (aka, dumb luck). You'll probably still have to redo it a time or two throughout the day, depending on how active you are.

If you are not restricted to elastics, however, what everyone else has said is great. Sticks are fabulous; I have no idea why it took me so many years to figure that out. I can get buns to stay without even braiding or ponytailing first! And I don't even have to twist much, so it's as detangled when I take it down as when I put it up -- unlike twisted scrunchie buns. The skinnier the stick, the tighter I have to make the bun, and the fatter the stick, the less scalp hair I need to grab (if any at all), but both extremes are much more doable and secure than a scrunchie. I tend to put sticks in at 3 o'clock (out at 9 o'clock), and by the end of the day it's usually shifted to 2/8 or sometime 1/7, but it's still secure enough. If it's feeling too loose, I just push it back to 3/9, or if that doesn't work, I'll redo it, but with practice, that's happening less and less. I do still sometimes have to push the ends back in throughout the day, but that's minor, and as long as I notice soon enough, it doesn't hurt the stability of the bun itself.

Forks hold better still, but require the bun to be looser. I'm not as practiced with them, so it takes me a bit more finagling to get the right looseness for a suitable hold, and I find they seem to like being 1/7 or 2/8 rather than the stick's 3/9.

Claw clips will work in a pinch, but I have to get them just right so they don't pull and/or slip, and they never look good (on me, at least not past BSL), and I don't care for them anyhow, and my hair likes to break them regardless, so I usually only use them for short term around the house to get it out of my face, or to keep it off my back in the shower.

I've never used spin pins. I looked at them at Walmart recently, and couldn't believe how much they cost for a single pair! In the grand scheme of things, it's not a ton, but given the price of all the other hair products, it surprised me, and considering I'm managing just fine with what I already have, I walked away.

languagenut
May 12th, 2016, 08:55 AM
Yeah, Walmart's spin pins are overpriced. I got mine at Dollar Tree; I don't know where you live but if you have a Dollar Tree nearby I'd recommend checking there. I hear some have them and some don't.

For me the most secure bun is the Disk Bun, though some others work too.

Nique1202
May 12th, 2016, 09:08 AM
I've never used spin pins. I looked at them at Walmart recently, and couldn't believe how much they cost for a single pair! In the grand scheme of things, it's not a ton, but given the price of all the other hair products, it surprised me, and considering I'm managing just fine with what I already have, I walked away.

I've been using mine for close to 3 years and they're still in perfect condition. They don't tend to un-bend like bobby pins, and even if the paint or the tip coating comes off you could use a little clear nail polish and be done.

Considering how many times you'll be able to use them, they're well worth the investment. But, you can also get bulk packs on Amazon or eBay, or sometimes find them at dollar stores or at little accessory stores like Claire's for a better deal. I found my set of 4 at a Canadian store of that type (Ardene's) on a rack of items marked 3 for $10.

browneyedsusan
May 12th, 2016, 09:12 AM
Mine come out better if I start with a ponytail base. I can make buns without ponying first, but my hair is really slippy, and they usually don't look as nice.

browneyedsusan
May 12th, 2016, 09:15 AM
I use spin pins for buns. I twist my hair, roll it, and stick a spin pin (or two) in it. I also use a scrunchie for buns. I make a ponytail and pull my hair halfway through. I'm not sure if it is really a bun or not, though...

That is totally a bun! Torrin Paige tutorial (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvYgUPr-pZw) Mine usually don't usually come out with a flat fold, but they still look cool. :)

Kimberly
May 12th, 2016, 01:27 PM
Kimberly, that stuff is gorgeous and I think I'm in trouble. Enabler. :P I love that you used my nickname, BTW. I haven't done marcel waves in a while, at least not intentionally.

Marcel is such a pretty name ... it's funny, but I was actually psyched to have the opportunity to call you that. :-)

spirals
May 12th, 2016, 03:53 PM
I haven't tried spin pins. Any curlies that can weigh in on this question?: Do they get stuck in there? I mean, we all know how curly hair can eat stuff. Once a bee got lost in my hair....

Kimberly
May 13th, 2016, 02:02 PM
That's why I don't use spin pins -- too much breakage and frustration trying to get them back out! But I'm pretty sure there are other curlies using them happily.

A bee in your hair ... now that must be a story!

EdG
May 14th, 2016, 08:44 AM
You may want to get a proper pair of hair sticks and then experiment with different types of buns.

My cinnabun and nautilus buns are very secure. The nautilus bun is a bit easier to get right.
Ed