How do you tie your braids

[Hay_jules]

I'm sure it seems like an obvious question and I searched but I couldn't really find anything.

I have bleached shoulder length hair so it's dry and damaged. I used to blow fry and straighten religiously but since bleaching I've realized it's no bueno. I used to wear a ponytail as my go to for hair up but the ties usually get caught in my hair (and I know now ponies aren't so good either). So I'd like to start playing with braids but I don't know if I should just use those tiny clear elastics or is there something more gentle? My hair is extra fragile right now and I don't want something that's going to make it break more. For now I've been wearing those octopus clips with a little peacock 'do but it's bulky for when I'm cold and need a hat...which is every day almost.

[PixieP]

I use the silicone ties. But I've see some people make gentle hair ties from stockings, like so: http://www.instructables.com/id/Stretchy-Hair-Ties-out-of-Tights/?ALLSTEPS

[Llama]

If I'm just lounging around the house I will use a scrunchie.
If I'm going out I will either use clear silicone elastics or ones that I made out of black pantyhose.
I never use those regular fabric hair ties, they give me breakage.

ETA: I also like this kind, I don't know what they are called. The popular brand of them are called Emi Jays- https://www.yogaoutlet.com/p/emi-jay-solid-5-pack-hair-ties-8130802/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google-shopping&color=38649&gclid=CjwKEAiA6rrBBRDsrLGM4uTPkWASJADnWZQ4ZQIyTnpN tgEg5lA0mtzTNrpKRaze0AUgT4koUErE-BoC-Bbw_wcB

[Anje]

I have problems with the clear silicone ties kinking my ends, but somehow the colorful "poly" ones of the same size aren't nearly as problematic. So I use those. (Lots of people get along great with the clear ones; I don't know why I don't.) Or I get the seamless fabric type, usually at the dollar store. Depends how skinny your ends are. :)

[Hay_jules]

PixieP and Llama, thanks for the panty hose idea, I'd never heard of that before. I think those will be perfect for me. Looks like I'm buying baby tights. :D

I do have those ties like the link Llama shared, I use them for ponytails and I do like them.

Anje, I've used the black ones but don't know if they are silicone or poly but my hair always tangles in them. And My ends usually kink too. Good to know there's a difference between them, maybe I'll try both and see.

I don't have a lot of hair so I don't need something particularly strong.

[wispe]

I have some nylon ones, goody brand I think? - basically the same thing as making your own from tights, and I prefer them to most fabric ties. For small braids or those that I will be tucking the ends, I use clear elastics or I just bobby pin them up without an elastic. Lately I've been trying out a few braids with ribbon woven in, and I use the ends of the ribbon to tie the braid off. If I wear a paranda I usually tie it off with strands from the yarn/fabric of the paranda itself, or a nylon tie if I don't have enough tassel. I've got a couple scrunchies but I mainly use them to ponytail my hair around the house or for loose topknots at night - my ends aren't thick enough to secure with a scrunchie.

[Larki]

For work, clear Goody silicone hair ties. For every day, tiny terry cloth ones or scrunchies.

[Andthetalltrees]

Just normal elastics or ribbon ties. Neither bother my hair so I stick with it

[littlestarface]

I use those goody silicone elastics for when I braid all the way to the ends.

[Nique1202]

Everyone keeps calling them silicone, but all those little elastics (the clear ones and the coloured ones) are actually latex. That's why oil on the hair breaks them down the way some folks recommend removing difficult ones: silicone is just fine with oil, but latex degrades. It seems to have different additives than most other forms of latex so they don't always trigger latex allergies (they don't bother my mom's, at least) but the possibility remains that they could, and those allergies can get pretty serious. Just something to be aware of, for all of us who keep recommending them and anyone who may see this thread in the future wanting to use them.

That's what I use for my braid ends, though, too. I have VERY slippery hair, and these are the only things that stay in and don't cause friction damage for me. They're easy, they grip securely without slipping, and if you get a hair stuck on the elastic during removal they're cheap enough to sacrifice, though I tend to reuse mine until they break naturally. Nylons and any thread-covered traditional elastics are all fairly roughly textured on the microscopic level, so they rub on my hair and give me split ends, and they still tend to slip off if I so much as look at them wrong.

[lapushka]

I use just regular elastics. Just smaller ones, sometimes these ones:
https://static.mijnwebwinkel.nl/winkel/littledivashairstyle/image/cache/full/cf92cc14c562ba43f50ee9606490c4fd520a9755.jpg

[Zindell]

I use terry cloth hair ties, kiddie size to tie of my braid/braids.

>> This kind (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/817xDm%2BHUFL._SL1500_.jpg), but probably not the same brand. (I'm in Sweden).

[Anje]

Everyone keeps calling them silicone, but all those little elastics (the clear ones and the coloured ones) are actually latex. That's why oil on the hair breaks them down the way some folks recommend removing difficult ones: silicone is just fine with oil, but latex degrades.
They do say they're silicone on the packaging...

[littlestarface]

They do say they're silicone on the packaging...

Yea mine did too.

[Nique1202]

They do say they're silicone on the packaging...

If they specifically say on the package that they're silicone that's probably fine, but if they don't they're probably latex, and if they break down in oil they definitely are. When I looked up several types they all had latex in the product description in several places online, even though it wasn't on the packaging, which has made me much more careful about them in general.

[meteor]

Since I almost always bun my braids anyway, I simply don't bother tying them off - I just use sticks/fork to pin the whole thing down.

I also like weaving in a long ribbon into a braid and using that to tie off the tassel: the higher up you start weaving it in, the better it will hold, even if it's very silky.

I find that really tiny accent braids often don't need to be tied off if they are super long: the ends will loosen up a bit, but the whole structure kind of stays at the top because of the high number of braid intersections, even though it gets messier faster.

[Bea18]

Hi, I usually use a little fabric tie on my braids when I'm home, but some clear elastics also are a good option, tho they aren't breakage free. Scunchies are great options, but lately I have to use clear elastics if i braid my hair all the way down.

I recommend the scrunchies cause they are softer in the hair.

[truepeacenik]

If they specifically say on the package that they're silicone that's probably fine, but if they don't they're probably latex, and if they break down in oil they definitely are. When I looked up several types they all had latex in the product description in several places online, even though it wasn't on the packaging, which has made me much more careful about them in general.

Latex cannot be made clear.
I can smell latex, but cannot definitively smell silicone.

[Frankenstein]

The ones I use most are called ribbon hair ties. If I don't use those, I use a normal cloth-covered elastic without the metal bit. I rarely use the little silicone bands because my hair tends to get wrapped around them and yanked out when I go to take them off.

[Llama]

If they specifically say on the package that they're silicone that's probably fine, but if they don't they're probably latex, and if they break down in oil they definitely are.

I'm pretty sure if they were made out of latex it would say so on the packaging since a lot of people have latex allergies. I wouldn't just assume they are "probably latex". I mean, whatever though

[Alex Lou]

I got some clear ones a while back so I don't have to use bulky elastics at the end of my hair, but they break every single time. Not right when I put them on, but hours later, they will spontaneously break and shoot off. I still use them since I don't have anything better.

[Simsy]

Depends on what I'm doing with the braids. Work braids get wrapped around my head and pinned into place, no ties. Normal braids either get bunned (no ties) or tied off with a normal cloth hair elastic. Rope braids will stay reasonably well without tying off; something about my curl pattern.

[Nique1202]

Latex cannot be made clear.
I can smell latex, but cannot definitively smell silicone.


I'm pretty sure if they were made out of latex it would say so on the packaging since a lot of people have latex allergies. I wouldn't just assume they are "probably latex". I mean, whatever though

If this is any indication (http://www.graftobian.com/Liquid-Latex--Clear_p_614.html), then it seems that latex can be made clear, it just might have different additives, which may or may not affect how likely an allergic reaction is. And regulations generally only require that latex be labeled on medical devices, which hair ties are not. There's no requirement that I can find for anything else to be labeled for latex content.

Either way, I'm only going by what I saw when I looked up a few things on Amazon and Walmart type sites a while back. They had latex in the description and the way latex breaks down in oil is pretty characteristic of these little elastics, it's one of the recommended ways to get a troublesome one out of hair. I'm just saying that there's a possibility, however small, that the tiny grippy elastics may be made out of latex, and anyone with a serious allergy should consider the possible risk of that since it's not totally uncommon.

[202_bh_rider]

i use the tied ones. they don't cause as much stress on my scalp when i do buns, and while they are kind of expensive to buy pre made, they sell the material in large packages for the same price ($2.75) as the 5 pack of premades. so i make my own :)

[PixieP]

I got some clear ones a while back so I don't have to use bulky elastics at the end of my hair, but they break every single time. Not right when I put them on, but hours later, they will spontaneously break and shoot off. I still use them since I don't have anything better.

Try another brand, I have 2 different types of these small ones, one breaks quite fast, the others I can use over and over and over without breaking. There's a big difference between different types.

[Totty]

I use terry cloth hair ties, kiddie size to tie of my braid/braids.

>> This kind (https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/817xDm%2BHUFL._SL1500_.jpg), but probably not the same brand. (I'm in Sweden).

Me too due to tapered hair

[vampyyri]

Goody ouchless ties, never had a problem with breakage. I wear a braid to bed every night with these guys.

[LillithTheFirst]

If I have two braids then I use the elastics, being gentle putting them on and taking them off. If it's just one braid my hair is pretty thick and I prefer to use a velvet hair tie.

[Alex Lou]

Try another brand, I have 2 different types of these small ones, one breaks quite fast, the others I can use over and over and over without breaking. There's a big difference between different types.
I don't remember what I bought, but I do have 2 different brands. I'll try Goody next time.

[Lavendersugar]

For small braids I will use yarn. It's not just any yarn. It's a Noro brand yarn. If you google you'll see what I mean.

For bigger braids I secure then with Goody clear small bands. Not a big fan because they snag but it's less than the rubber ones.

[Olavi]

I use seamless fabric hairties. I have bigger ones and smaller ones. I just love how you can still use them even after they have stretched beyond reason, because there is no elastic or seam to snap :D

[Hairkay]

I've got tight curls that'll clump together on their own so I don't tie off the ends of my plaits/braids. I just leave them to make little spiral curls. The plait/braid will more or less stay. There may be a bit of unravelling depending on where the plait is or how big is it but there'll still be a plait/braid left.

[gracenotes]

The Goody silicone ones work best for me. They have quite a bit of grip, so I don't have to wrap them so tightly around my hair. Regular elastic ties (even the metal-free ones) have a tendency to shred my ends.

[genuinewicked]

I use seamless fabric hairties. I have bigger ones and smaller ones. I just love how you can still use them even after they have stretched beyond reason, because there is no elastic or seam to snap :D

I use these as well. I LOVE that they don't rip my hair out like the elastic hairties used to.