Curlies: Curly Hair Updos & Buns

[Vermelha]

I've been looking at various bun galleries and videos, in awe of the length and ability to make elaborate buns.

However, my hair is very curly and whenever I do attempt a bun, my hair seems to be way too thick to do so. I like twin buns, but I'm trying to master one simple elaborate bun in the back.

Curlies (as well as those with thick hair), how do you do your buns with your curls?

[Heidi_234]

[is no help]
I can do all the regular buns, but my eye lit up when I saw the title since I wondered what updos can be done which actually compliment curly hair. Regular buns stretch all the curls out, and break the pattern.
[/is no help] [at all] :p

[redcelticcurls]

I think a lot of the fancy buns seem better suited to straighter hair. Well, at least they seem to take more work than they are worth on me, lol. The work involved seems to wreak havoc on my hair, which sort of defeats the purpose of an updo.

Unless my hair is blown out, I do variations on cinnamon style buns and little baby buns that are sort of like smooshed down bantu knots.

I have an updo album that might help.

[redcelticcurls]

Also, mwedzi has a thread on updos and styles (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=28741&highlight=kinky) for coily/kinky hair, and the styles seem pretty easily adaptable to those with looser curls.

[silencepainter]

It is possible you need a bit more length to be able to do the standard bun.

I believe my hair was a bit longer than yours before I could get a standard bun to hold well, and even then I really had to torque whatever I was using to hold it up.

[Rentlle]

omg!!!
i love curl-buns!!
you realy should try messy updo's!!!
JJJ-longhair aka Lady Long Locks has a tutorial for very long hair-messy bun but you shouldn't use curl-spray :D
messy updo's always look great on curly hair, and they're not difficult to make :)

[Gumball]

I have somewhat curly hair, but my hair is worn up somehow 99% of the time and I always comb it out before styling it. That way it's just a little bit more agreeable with me. It can have a mind of its own sometimes, so combing it before styling makes my world just a little bit easier to go through.

[redcelticcurls]

See, I couldn't comb/brush it out first. Too much fuzz and damage with that. I always wonder how wavies and curlies can get away with dry brushing and combing.

[Gumball]

See, I couldn't comb/brush it out first. Too much fuzz and damage with that. I always wonder how wavies and curlies can get away with dry brushing and combing.

Enough time spent with it going wrong to make a technique that works for me. I'm pretty patient, too, and learned that brushes aren't for me aside from the BBB that might be used to smooth down the fuzzies with a bit of aloe. Gentle combing, finger combing, and knowing the quirks of my hair is what helps me do it.

[Roseate]

My hair isn't super-curly, but it is thick enough that I can't do many fancy buns until it is very long.

One of my favorite ways to get around this is to make a bun as a half-up, and then divide the bottom hair into 2 parts and wind each part around the bun and pin them around. It looks elaborate but is easy to do, and doesn't require much length. Here's a link to a picture. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=2444&pictureid=30390)

[Heidi_234]

See, I couldn't comb/brush it out first. Too much fuzz and damage with that. I always wonder how wavies and curlies can get away with dry brushing and combing.
Well, the fuzz have nothing to do with damage from dry combing. It's just how curly hair is when you don't help it dry in the natural pattern. If you comb your hair frequently while air drying, combing it later will not seem to be as damaging. :shrug:

[redcelticcurls]

Well, the fuzz have nothing to do with damage from dry combing. It's just how curly hair is when you don't help it dry in the natural pattern. If you comb your hair frequently while air drying, combing it later will not seem to be as damaging. :shrug:

That presents a weird triangle of death look too, although I guess it doesn't matter if I am putting it up.

Maybe it's a type thing. I've rarely seen a 3b come out at the better end of a comb.brush job. :lol:

For me, I think's it's just easier to work with the texture and use updos that work.

[Bereft]

My hair is diffucult to wrangle into elaborate updos. I save them only for special occasions. I usually do lazy wrap buns, Chinese buns, some sort of braided bun, or the go to cinnabun. My hair seems to find those most agreeable. It does not, however like knotted buns, or twists very much, but I love those styles, so I often force my hair to go along with it. :o

[Heidi_234]

That presents a weird triangle of death look too, although I guess it doesn't matter if I am putting it up.

Maybe it's a type thing. I've rarely seen a 3b come out at the better end of a comb.brush job. :lol:

For me, I think's it's just easier to work with the texture and use updos that work.
When my hair was shorter I had the Triangle of Death look too. It was actually a milestone I noted here on LHC, when I combed it out dry and OMG! it wasn't like that anymore! I even took a length shot of it and posted. :lol:
Although it didn't turn into a horrid puffy triangle mess, it didn't flatter my hair either, and still doesn't.

[Vermelha]

It is possible you need a bit more length to be able to do the standard bun.

I believe my hair was a bit longer than yours before I could get a standard bun to hold well, and even then I really had to torque whatever I was using to hold it up.


I can do the standard bun just fine. It's just curl shrinkage that kills me :-( Hair sticks helped too.

[Vermelha]

I have somewhat curly hair, but my hair is worn up somehow 99% of the time and I always comb it out before styling it. That way it's just a little bit more agreeable with me. It can have a mind of its own sometimes, so combing it before styling makes my world just a little bit easier to go through.

I've done that too. It helps my hair better fit into clamps and the failed attempts at updos that I do...I do it when my hair is 50% dry and it seems to be more manageable...

[Vermelha]

Also, mwedzi has a thread on updos and styles (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=28741&highlight=kinky) for coily/kinky hair, and the styles seem pretty easily adaptable to those with looser curls.

Yeah, I remember that! That was an awesome thread! I think I could work a few of those styles, but of course it would look absolutely incorrect with me doing it, lol.

[Vermelha]

I just tried one...thanks to my shrinkage, it was doable!

1. I pulled my hair in a ponytail in one hand (not banded)
2. Then I separated the ponytail into two sections and did a rope braid
3. I then rolled the hair into a ball, like a bantu knot.
4. Finally, I parted a little burrow in my hair towards my scalp, making a little pocket and folded the knot backwards into the "pocket."
Optional: A hair stick can be weaved through to anchor the style.

I call it...the Secret Bun for Shorter Hair.

I wish I had a camera!

[Pierre]

One style I like is two tiny buns behind the ears, with curls dangling from them.

Another idea is to braid the hair, sleep on it so that the curls align with the braid, and then make a bun. I've done something like that, but I make the bun with the tassels, or merge the tassels to make a thicker braid which I then fold up on top.

[coppercurls]

My hair is diffucult to wrangle into elaborate updos. I save them only for special occasions. I usually do lazy wrap buns, Chinese buns, some sort of braided bun, or the go to cinnabun. My hair seems to find those most agreeable. It does not, however like knotted buns, or twists very much, but I love those styles, so I often force my hair to go along with it. :o

That's pretty much what I do too. I can do twists pretty much though.

[darkwaves]

See, I couldn't comb/brush it out first. Too much fuzz and damage with that. I always wonder how wavies and curlies can get away with dry brushing and combing. For updos and buns, I don't see the point! I just wrestle my hair into shape, and pin... wait for next wash day, and detangle/comb.

[darkwaves]

I've been looking at various bun galleries and videos, in awe of the length and ability to make elaborate buns.

However, my hair is very curly and whenever I do attempt a bun, my hair seems to be way too thick to do so. I like twin buns, but I'm trying to master one simple elaborate bun in the back.

Curlies (as well as those with thick hair), how do you do your buns with your curls? Vermelha, many of us -- curly or not -- have this issue with thick hair! We see threads with amazing styles, but our hair just won't do enough twists to make them work... You may have to wait for 6 to 10 inches more length than other posters. Yet another frustration of not having 1a/F/ii hair.

What I like about curly updos is when the ends are left loose -- for example, twist a cinnamon bun, but leave at least two inches loose to curl up or around the bun. This works for all of the bun styles those with more straight hair can master... but again, it take more length for us! (Rini has a good explanation of her curly bun, if you can find it on a search.)

There is a good book of styles for curly hair... I wish I could remember the name! I'm out of town, so don't have a copy nearby, but most of the styles are fun and easy... If no one identifies it, pm me on Monday or Tuesday, when I'll be home and can find it.

[redcelticcurls]

Is it the Strictly Curls (http://www.strictlycurls.com/default.asp) one? I did a lot of my first updos from that book, and I still love looking at it.