Holy carp! A chinese bun! (finally)

[Kiraela]

I've been trying for months to figure out a chinese bun. I just... couldn't grasp the concept, I guess... But just yesterday I was looking through the albums and AJoifulNoise's chinese bun inspired me to try again... and I GOT IT!!

It seems rediculous now, how easy it is to do...



Presenting: my first ever successful chinese bun...

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=703&pictureid=8027
please pardon the brown scrunchie, t'was all I could find. The cat seems to have absconded with all my other ones. (and half of my sticks)

[AJoifulNoise]

I know I've already said something, but I'll say it again: Congrats!

I know how it feels to just not get it. Drat you, French Twist!

[Kallisti]

Congratulations! It looks lovely. :D
I feel you your pain there with the feline hair toy thief. I like the scrunchie in the middle of the bun though, the color of the scrunchie compliments your hair color. It looks pretty.

[Kiraela]

Thanks, Kallisti!

Ahh, yes. the dreaded French twist. I gave up on that one permanently, I think.. and will simply admire them from afar, LOL. I always end up with devil horns somehow.

[Shorty89]

Looks awesome and I had to snicker at the "holy carp" in the title :lol:

[AJoifulNoise]

Thanks, Kallisti!

Ahh, yes. the dreaded French twist. I gave up on that one permanently, I think.. and will simply admire them from afar, LOL. I always end up with devil horns somehow.

I did it once. And, I've never been able to replicate it. I try every so often, but only half-heartedly.

And I, too, have a kitty thief. I have to keep all hair supplies locked up in drawers and boxes.

[Lizbot]

Very well done!

It looks beautiful. I love your color and shine.

[LifeisAdventure]

Congrats, looks great! I am another victim of the dreaded french twist envy. I attempt it about once or twice a month and still can't get it right. Although I did see another method posted by Cinnamon Hair that I want to try out (she links to it here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2616). Is that the method you all are using?

[AJoifulNoise]

Congrats, looks great! I am another victim of the dreaded french twist envy. I attempt it about once or twice a month and still can't get it right. Although I did see another method posted by Cinnamon Hair that I want to try out (she links to it here: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=2616). Is that the method you all are using?

I have seen that. But, it's not really length I'm having a problem with... it's thickness.

[LifeisAdventure]

Hmmm.... not sure what to do with it then... but thickness is a good problem to have if you've gotta have one! :)

[AJoifulNoise]

Hmmm.... not sure what to do with it then... but thickness is a good problem to have if you've gotta have one! :)

Definately true! I wouldn't trade it!

[Morag]

Wow, that's beautiful! When my hair gets about four feet longer, I'll have to try that ...

I agree with Kallisti - the scrunchy looks like it was meant to be there. Awesome bun! :-)

[Kiraela]

Hee. Thanks everybody :) and yeah, thickness and length are both against me with the french twist. I can't make it so that it doesn't look like a horrible diseased growth on my head :/

[Gumball]

Congrats! Might I add it's looking stupendously beautiful! I'm glad it's now easy for you. No more confusion. More chinese buns in the future! :rockerdud

[Phalaenopsis]

Yeah, I love chinese buns :) It is looking very good! Congrats!
I also finally worked out how to do it (hadn't enough length). Now I have enough length, the tassels won't stick :( I used two sliding pins, but they couldn't hold.

[sahiba]

congrats for the bun.

[rubyredslippers]

The only way that I've ever been able to manage a French Twist is with my leather slide. No sticks nor fake-beak-clips nor bobby pins have ever been able to hold it. Maybe a flexi-8 (or pair) or slide would help you to hold it?

My twist looks like this, and lasts all day, mind you I don't have as much hair as you ladies do:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=305&pictureid=7040

[rubyredslippers]

Yeah, I love chinese buns :) It is looking very good! Congrats!
I also finally worked out how to do it (hadn't enough length). Now I have enough length, the tassels won't stick :( I used two sliding pins, but they couldn't hold.

You can use a buterfly clip or another small, decorative clip to secure the tassels. This can be hidden within your bun, or shown off. Hope that helps!

[AprilElf]

Good one Kiraela! It's great when the penny finally drops -- I know what that's like. :)
The different shades in your hair make the bun look awesome! :thumbsup:

[Shanarana]

Looks very nice, good job. Always nice to have another up-do under our belt.

I knew I was thrilled when I finally got the french twist, though I'm not even going to try and attempt what you did. :)

[atlantaz3]

Congrats - I can't do that (yet) but I can do a french twist. Of course some days it looks like one of those egg shaped bike helmuts!

[lora410]

I can make a small pathetic one :lol:, but yours looks great!!!!

[Tapioca]

It looks great. I had to giggle at the "holy carp". I'm on another forum for owners of fancy goldfish, and we use that one all the time.

[akurah]

I almost made a chinese bun yesterday, and then when I was holding my hair, I realised not only did I not know how to fasten the ends, I didn't really have anything appropriate to fasten the ends with anyway!

What DO you do with the ends?

[yogachic]

Looks great! I never could get the concept either until I looked in the articles section someone there, can't recall her id mame, has wonderful instructions and photos, and it was so easy, now to wait until my hair is longer to make it work.

[MadPirateBippy]

Yay! I feel you with having trouble getting a chinese bun. Seriously, they drove me insane for a week. My attempts were...

well.

I have pictures. I'm probably going to put them up in an album at some point.

It was pretty bad.

[AJoifulNoise]

I almost made a chinese bun yesterday, and then when I was holding my hair, I realised not only did I not know how to fasten the ends, I didn't really have anything appropriate to fasten the ends with anyway!

What DO you do with the ends?

I used to use these:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/SycoTrekkie/2008/April72008Upload022.jpg

I now use these (which I picked up at Wal*Mart):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/SycoTrekkie/100_4608.jpg

[Lizbot]

I now use these (which I picked up at Wal*Mart):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/SycoTrekkie/100_4608.jpg

I love those magic pins. They're delightful.

[Phalaenopsis]

You can use a buterfly clip or another small, decorative clip to secure the tassels. This can be hidden within your bun, or shown off. Hope that helps!

Thanks! I'm going to try it :)

[Sarahmoon]

It looks very nice, especially with those different shades of brown in your hair :)

[Kiraela]

Thank you!

Me? I just secured my ends with another stick. I think it's pretty well completely swallowed in hair though... it matches the pink stick, anyway.

[Druid of Alba]

Holy carp. Hehehe. Anyway, congratulations!

[mommy2one05]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/SycoTrekkie/100_4608.jpg
are these with the hair pins in walmart? I am gonna have to look for these cause regular hair pins dont want to hold my thick hair very well and pull hair out when i take them out and the little claw clips don't stay.
I also read on the boards where you can take some type of crafting needle and bend it but havent tried that.
And what are flexi 8s?

[coppercurls]

Your Chinese bun looks great! That is one of my favorite updo's.


I know I've already said something, but I'll say it again: Congrats!

I know how it feels to just not get it. Drat you, French Twist!

I hear you, mine is an infinity bun. :cool:

[angelthadiva]

Congrats on your new updo success! French twists are no big deal; really simple once you get the hang of it...I might try one tomorrow and post a how to! PPL w/APL to BSL can do a mean French Twist held w/a claw clip or a ficcare! I'm afraid it might look like a vertical football on the back of my head; but I will attempt!

[jojo]

heck that looks good, i didn't even notice the scrunchie until you said, was too busy drooling!

[Growin' It]

For the ends, I just use bobby pins.

[Tapioca]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/SycoTrekkie/100_4608.jpg
are these with the hair pins in walmart? I am gonna have to look for these cause regular hair pins dont want to hold my thick hair very well and pull hair out when i take them out and the little claw clips don't stay.
I also read on the boards where you can take some type of crafting needle and bend it but havent tried that.
And what are flexi 8s?

I love these pins as well. I found them at Sally's. They hold so well that I have to take my hair down first, then slide or shake them out.

And flexi-8s are slide-type pretties that hold very well.
http://www.flexi8.com/flex/index.html

[heidihug]

I love these pins as well. I found them at Sally's. They hold so well that I have to take my hair down first, then slide or shake them out.


What tapioca and AJoifulNoise said. I love them. And they are wonderful for those of us who have metal sensitivities.

I tried a Chinese bun today (being here is so inspiring!) and it doesn't look anything like Kiraela's :confused:. I think I did it wrong. But it's still a happy accident, as it looks ok, and something different from what I usually do.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=611&pictureid=8195

[Patrycja]

I've tried the Chinese bun and got it..sorta.It looks nothing like that wonderful one you posted Kiraela.Congrats!!!!!!!!!! :cheer:

[AJoifulNoise]

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=611&pictureid=8195

Looks like a chinese bun to me! And, a beautiful one at that. Mine don't always look exactly like the pictures, either.

[heidihug]

Thanks, AJoifulNoise! I think I know what I did wrong - I didn't twist the strands of hair very much when I was wrapping them around. Next time I will do that, and perhaps it will look a little more "put together" like Kiraela's does. Live and learn!

[missy60]

Im so glad to see this thread I have those same pins. I used them once and I thought it was stuck in my hair for good. I did manage to get it out, but I thought I was using them wrong or something and havent used them since. I only had to use one and it held all day long, but like I said I couldnt get it out to good. Is there a trick or something to removing them? Ok I have admited before Im updo challenged.

[Kiraela]

*I* look put together? HEE. I think that's the first time I've ever been told that.
And don't worry, I'm still not quite great at them, LOL...

This was my attempt(!) at a chinese bun this morning. I don't know what the heck happened.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=703&pictureid=8202

I'm also going to upload a pair of photos, front and back, of my attempts at a french twist. Be afraid. (VERY afraid)

[heidihug]

Is there a trick or something to removing them?

Missy60, I find it works best to sort of twist them before pulling them out - it separates the two "teeth" and makes it easier to extract them. But, they are definitely more stubborn than regular bobbies.

And, Kiraela, that is so funny - I end up right there with ya on some of my updos - I follow the instructions exactly and end up looking like I just lost a wrestling match! Which sometimes, it feels like that's the case.

[AJoifulNoise]

Im so glad to see this thread I have those same pins. I used them once and I thought it was stuck in my hair for good. I did manage to get it out, but I thought I was using them wrong or something and havent used them since. I only had to use one and it held all day long, but like I said I couldnt get it out to good. Is there a trick or something to removing them? Ok I have admited before Im updo challenged.

They are challenging to remove. The first time I used them, I thought they were going to break my hair as I pulled and pulled. But, not so. They eventually slid out nicely (with the proper amount of force). Sometimes I just take down the style and then slide them out that way. But, usually I just yank 'em until they come out. But then, I have hardy hair.

[missy60]

Thanks I was really scared to try them again because I just imagined them never coming out of my hair, I mean thats how tight they were in my hair. I tried the twisting thing and just basically pulling them out and it works. They are strange looking things and they didnt have any instructions on the package. I am so updo challenged maybe by the time my hair gets long enough to look good in these styles I will have figured it all out. Im not promising all of you wont be tired of my endless questions though.