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flutterbudget
December 3rd, 2009, 12:27 PM
My guess is it's just because of my hairtype. But maybe someone knows how to make it work.

My hair is between hip and tbl, and long enough to make the bun just fine. But when I try to secure it with a stick, the top part feels all floppy. Like the stick can't get under any scalp hair because all the hair behind there is vertical, if that makes any sense? Am I doing something wrong or what? :confused:

Lemur_Catta
December 3rd, 2009, 12:29 PM
I don't know how to help you with sticks, but why don't you try to hold the bun with hair pins, and then use the stick just for decoration?

Anje
December 3rd, 2009, 12:34 PM
I have issues with figure-8 buns too, and I really don't know what to tell you. I find vertical sticks pull way more than horizontal ones do.

It's not a solution, but have you tried turning it sideways and calling it an infinity bun? I find that much more comfortable.

flutterbudget
December 3rd, 2009, 12:55 PM
I sort of tried an infinity bun. It seemed off center, but I should try harder. And I probably could use pins on the figure eight. It just seems like other people can do it with just a stick, so I wondered if it was just me. :shrug:

Hiriel
December 3rd, 2009, 01:10 PM
The top part of my figure 8 bun is really floppy too. If I'm going to look at all presentable, I need to use a hairpin in addition to whatever is holding the bun itself (normally my ficcarissimo). I use the hairpin as a mini hairfork at the top of the top part, to anchor it to my head.

SpinDance
December 3rd, 2009, 01:20 PM
I can make it work with a single stick, but it doesn't feel as secure as some other buns. The small amount of scalp hair seems to cause too much tension for me to want to wear it this way for very long. The sideways ones are better for me, but either way I don't know if that much twisting is good for my hair.

Keep practicing inserting the stick, though. I watched several of the videos in the Articles section a few times practicing and my hands suddenly 'got it', rather like when I was learning to do a French braid on myself.

Kerynna
December 3rd, 2009, 01:26 PM
I sort of tried an infinity bun. It seemed off center, but I should try harder. And I probably could use pins on the figure eight. It just seems like other people can do it with just a stick, so I wondered if it was just me. :shrug:

I much prefer an infinity orientation to a figure 8. For the infinity, do the initial bee butt bun on one side or the other so that the result will be centered. If I twist to the right, I make the bun more toward the right side of my nape; and vice versa. That way, pulling the top to the side comes out tidy and comfortable for me and a horizontally placed stick seems to hold it well in my experience.

adiapalic
December 3rd, 2009, 01:36 PM
When I make a figure-8, instead of folding the loop up, I fold it down. This has helped prevent any floppiness, because the loop on the primary body of the bun is nice and stable above the single loop below.

IHTH :)

JamieLeigh
December 3rd, 2009, 03:28 PM
I never do a Figure-8 with just one stick...it looks and feels very awkward, in my opinion. :rolleyes: I always use either a pair that match or a pair that complement each other in some way according to my outfit. The hair that can't be secured by the first stick gets secured with the second stick, and I usually place one straight up and down, and the other at an angle, so it looks like either an "X" shape or:

l/

I can do an infinity bun (the Figure-8 turned on its side) with a single stick, though. It probably is the awkward angle of the Figure-8 that makes it so difficult to use one stick.

Anje
December 3rd, 2009, 03:29 PM
Look into the "cheater's figure 8", which is a great method of twisting/wrapping figure 8s and infinities. It's basically the same as the inifinity that Lady Godiva demonstrates, but a bit more practical a method for those of us with less impressive hair.

ETA: Make that the "lazy figure 8". It's in this (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14522) thread.

Jessikinz
December 3rd, 2009, 05:46 PM
Mine always holds securely with just one bent knitting needle. I don't use hair sticks anymore so I don't really have much to offer. But I would go with the person who suggested the hair pins and maybe using the hair stick for decoration perhaps?

klcqtee
December 3rd, 2009, 08:47 PM
I do a pathetic somewhat figure 8 bun that stay really well, and I'm only APL.

Make a low cinnabun at the base of your head. Take the outside coil, and flip it up, above your original bun, then inset sticks. I can get it to stay with one stick (through the two holes), but it works far more securely with two.

This takes a bit of positioning, because you want the "tail" of your cinnabun to end on top of your bun, so that when you flip the outer coil up, it secures the tail.

You may also need to flip up a different coil than me. I only have about 2.5 coils on my cinnabun, so the outtermost coil is what works for me.

Jeni
December 3rd, 2009, 09:53 PM
We have the same hair type, tough yours is much longer.

For me an infinity bun holds better and is more comfortable then a figure 8. I use my 2 prong forks to hold the infinity which works waaaay better then sticks for me. I also have to use hair pins (the plastic tortoise shell ones work well for me) to keep everything even. My hair being damp is pretty much a must for me.

Even with the fork, the pins, and damp hair this isn't the most secure up do for me. I usually have to redo it at least ever few hours (more when my hair drys).

The lazy infinity bun looks interesting, wonder if my hair is long enough...

Cinnamon Hair
December 3rd, 2009, 10:51 PM
A lot of times I use a Good Hair Days pin or two to keep bits from getting loose. Try inserting the stick at an angle, like 1 or 2 o'clock, or if you have two sticks you can cross them in a tall x.

vindo
December 3rd, 2009, 11:28 PM
Mine does not seem to hold for a different reason..its really heavy(even though its not big) and slippery..
But it stay put better when oily and/or with a 4 prong comb (60th street)
I do feel like that since I shed my way to ii it is harder to make any bun stay put..no idea what that could be :shrug:

flutterbudget
December 3rd, 2009, 11:45 PM
I can do the lazy infinity bun, so yay. :)

If I simply must have a figure eight, I will just pin it. But mainly I am just looking for some quick alternative up-dos because I feel like I do the same bun all the time and I know its better for my hair to have some variety.

Oh, how I want hair forks. Maybe Santa will bring me one...