Really frustrated with my hair right now

[florenonite]

For the past few months I've been wearing lots of cinnamon buns, being the only style that my hair will hold, other than ponytails, of which I'm not particularly fond for a plethora of reasons (I can do double French braids on wash day but after that the grease is noticeable and besides, they take time). Single braids fall out within an hour, any other buns I just haven't got the length for, and Gibson tucks don't like my thickness. However, lately my standby, the cinnamon bun, has been failing on me. It pulls at individual hairs (often to the upper left), the hair doesn't want to twist when it's damp and individual bits won't twist with the rest of it, it's too loose, it's too tight, it's kind of oval-shaped rather than circular, the list goes on. I spent over a minute trying to put one up this afternoon, and they usually take all of ten seconds. I'm at a loss. My technique hasn't changed, I would have thought it would be easier now that my hair's getting longer, rather than harder.

Does anyone have any suggestions on either (a) how to improve my cinnabuns for my new length (in my siggy) or (b) other styles I can do for a while until I can do a cinnamon bun again?

TIA

ETA: Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=1012&pictureid=12290) is my bun two months ago. I know it's got bits sticking out, but at least it's even. Here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=1012&pictureid=12291) it is now.

[spidermom]

Have you tried the peacock twist with a claw clip? That was my go-to style at your length.

[florenonite]

Have you tried the peacock twist with a claw clip? That was my go-to style at your length.

My hair doesn't really like peacock twists. I think it's a combination of the thickness and the straightness that means it's more a brush-sticking-out-the-top-of-the-head look than nice waves cascading down. I could try it again, though (haven't done it in a couple months) and see if it's better.

[MusingFrog]

The problem is probably that you haven't changed your technique. As the hair gets longer you get into awkward fazes (these happen at all lengths, I'm going through one now), where the way you used to put your hair up suddenly takes longer or doesn't work at all. Generally this is because you gained some length and the proportions for what you are doing are getting thrown off. Make a conscious effect to figure out why what you did before worked. Then think about what you are doing now and how it is different.

With bunning you can change things such as the tightness, the initial point where you start to wrap the bun, and several other things. This probably won't last very long because you will quickly figure out how to adjust. Good luck though! It is frustrating.

[julya]

I feel your pain, my hair has been giving me some trouble with the cinnamon bun lately. I have been using two double pointed knitting needles bent into a u to hold it. I put the first one at the base, before I finish making the whole bun, then the second one end after I make the whole thing. My sister says it looks like a paper clip in my hair.

[spidermom]

My hair doesn't really like peacock twists. I think it's a combination of the thickness and the straightness that means it's more a brush-sticking-out-the-top-of-the-head look than nice waves cascading down. I could try it again, though (haven't done it in a couple months) and see if it's better.

Try placing it lower so you can't see it from the front. I see a lot of girls with hair that sticks up at the top of the twist rather than cascading down. It still looks nice (to me).

I know these "suddenly nothing works" phases are frustrating. I was like that after my trim/cut in March. Blunt ends and shorter length made all my favorite quick styles impossible for awhile.

[Islandgrrl]

Florenonite, I know exactly what you're going through. I think my length is really similar to yours at the moment, and I'm having a rough time with my cinnamon buns, too.

It looks like you may have some layers in your hair (as do I), and I think these may be the problem. I know they are for me. As some of these layers are getting longer, they're sticking out in the wrong places and making my cinnamon buns look messy and pretty bad. I'm trying to just go with it and have been making deliberately messy updos to sort of camouflage my incompetence! I did just recently start wrapping my cinnamon bun in the opposite direction, and oddly, it's working. And cscheck made some good points about hand positioning and where you start the wrap, etc.

Maybe give a try?

[Periwinkle]

I'm in exactly the same boat. Worse still, I don't have many hairtoys that will hold my thickness, so I'm stuck with elastics and sticks.

I have experimented, at length, with peacock twists, but I simply cannot get them so that they don't stick up over my head. :(

[florenonite]

Yeah, I think it must be partly the layers, though they weren't as much of a problem before. I'll have to experiment with how I wrap my bun and hopefully make it more comfortable.

[jojo]

im going through this too at the moment, so totally understand your frustrations, how about a poofy bun its easy to do and looks good at our length!

[Fluke]

As for the peacock twist (I have *just* gotten to the lenght where I can force my hair into one!) I also had the problem of the ends sticking straight up, especially since it's so short still and my hair is fairly straight, but I found that if I used a mister and wetted the ends enough to weigh them down a bit and actually *put* them down while they were wet it looks good :)
I either put my hair up first and then wet it with my spraybottle, or I run wet hands through my ends before I put it up, if I put it up dry :)

[Nynaeve]

I don't know if this has already been said, but have you tried twisting your hair the Opposite way of the way you normally twist it?
That helped me when I was going through that.
HTH

[florenonite]

I don't know if this has already been said, but have you tried twisting your hair the Opposite way of the way you normally twist it?
That helped me when I was going through that.
HTH

I try that, then promptly drop the hair. I'm not the most dextrous person on earth, and have gotten into the habit of twisting anti-clockwise with my right hand. It'll take A LOT of practice to change that XP

[Anje]

I think part of it may be that you need to let it fold/start at a different place, say the bottom instead of the top, or something like that. Also, your hair is getting longer, so your cinnamonbun is going to start getting more of a spiral shape to it and will become a little less round.

Hang in there. I hit the point a few months ago where my cinnamonbuns just would not hold anymore. They've got more spirals now and it's hard to get one stick to catch them all. I've since taken to using parallel sticks or pins to hold the top and bottom separately.

[az_sweetie01]

Funny you post this...well, actually it's not funny, it's very frustrating! I tried to use sticks for a cinnabun today and little hairs pulled, things stuck out, it was too loose, then too tight....oh yes, I feel your pain and I wish I had some great advice for you!

On the bright side, the discomfort and having to re-learn how to make your cinnabun means it's growing!

It will get better and the awkward phase will pass :) Good luck!

[dukkelisa]

I noticed that happening to my bun wrapping as it got longer. I learned to pin as I wrapped to help anchor the weight as I made the go-around.

I also started using claw clips, the size that would scoop from the side, under the bun to the middle and clamp. One on each side really secured the bun in a way it never would have if it was shorter.

French twisting from the neck up (securing along the way) and then creating the bun on top of the twist can help hold up the weight. Sometimes I secure the twist with a large oval barrette and then wrap the hair around the barrette for something different.

[Nynaeve]

I try that, then promptly drop the hair. I'm not the most dextrous person on earth, and have gotten into the habit of twisting anti-clockwise with my right hand. It'll take A LOT of practice to change that XP

Hehe, I know what you mean, it took me a while to get used to it too. Hope you find something that works well! :blossom:

[florenonite]

Funny you post this...well, actually it's not funny, it's very frustrating! I tried to use sticks for a cinnabun today and little hairs pulled, things stuck out, it was too loose, then too tight....oh yes, I feel your pain and I wish I had some great advice for you!

On the bright side, the discomfort and having to re-learn how to make your cinnabun means it's growing!

It will get better and the awkward phase will pass :) Good luck!

Yes, my hair is in fact growing!


I noticed that happening to my bun wrapping as it got longer. I learned to pin as I wrapped to help anchor the weight as I made the go-around.

I also started using claw clips, the size that would scoop from the side, under the bun to the middle and clamp. One on each side really secured the bun in a way it never would have if it was shorter.

French twisting from the neck up (securing along the way) and then creating the bun on top of the twist can help hold up the weight. Sometimes I secure the twist with a large oval barrette and then wrap the hair around the barrette for something different.

Hmm, claw clips are a good idea.

French twists are hopeless in my hair. I've tried so many variations and can't get them to work, so even French twisting then bunning is probably out of my scope.

[QueenBea]

Eek, maybe I need to see a picture of what ya'll call "peacock twists"--which I wear EVERY DAY right now since it's about all I can do :) Mine are always a bit brushy at the top; sometimes it flops over a tiny bit. Certainly no "nice waves" cascading down. I'm going to do a search for a picture :)

But on that line, I've been calling it a peacock twist because EVERYONE around here wears one as the weather gets more and more hot and humid, and most everyone's is made of shoulder-length-ish hair with a short part sticking up at the top---

Bea


My hair doesn't really like peacock twists. I think it's a combination of the thickness and the straightness that means it's more a brush-sticking-out-the-top-of-the-head look than nice waves cascading down. I could try it again, though (haven't done it in a couple months) and see if it's better.