Using Hairsticks

[UP Lisa]

I'm still not very good at this. How do you all get your hair to stay up without being too tight. I can't stand to have anything pulling.:eek:

[Madora]

You might try making 2 regular braids at the back of your head, as close together as possible.

Then take one hairstick and put it thru the top of each braid to anchor it.

then take one braid and wind it over the right top of the hairstick and then down and over the left top of the hairstick.

Do the same with the other braid. You can then add a second hairstick and anchor it further.

There's a chinese bun tutorial in the "Hairstyling" section of the Articles section that demonstrates how hairsticks can be used. Torrin Paige on You Tube also has very helpful styling videos.

[CarpeDM]

So glad you asked this question, I have the same issue with hair sticks :confused:

[irishlady]

My hair is long enough for sticks, but I absolutely despise them, they look pretty but that's about it. They damage my hair like crazy no matter how careful I am and pull too.

But that's just me :D

[Vercelli]

In my case it means I can only do 2 buns properly. I mean, I know how to use them in THEORY but they don't want to stay on my head the way I want them to be. Maybe because my ends are so thin?:confused:

[UP Lisa]

You might try making 2 regular braids at the back of your head, as close together as possible.

Then take one hairstick and put it thru the top of each braid to anchor it.

then take one braid and wind it over the right top of the hairstick and then down and over the left top of the hairstick.

Do the same with the other braid. You can then add a second hairstick and anchor it further.

There's a chinese bun tutorial in the "Hairstyling" section of the Articles section that demonstrates how hairsticks can be used. Torrin Paige on You Tube also has very helpful styling videos.

Interesting idea. I learned how to something like that once, but forgot how.

[KLin]

I also have thin ends. My hair is shedding like crazy this winter. I do not know if it is winder shed, or that I am taking hormones now.
Anyway, I am trying to wear my hair up more to protect it, and I do not want to do my usual braids with little (safe-ish) elastics at the ends.
I have some hair sticks and I have been trying to use them. How to keep my ends tucked in is an issue.
Off to find youtube videos.
Would forks work better? I do not have forks, or should I keep practicing with sticks?

[stefafra]

A figure of 8 bun seems is the only way for me to use sticks and have a do that lasts the whole day. On the other hand sticks seem to be the only way to obtain a bun stays where it should for a significant amount of time.
And they have to be wooden sticks, I snap the plastic ones in no time whatsoever.
My hair eats them, I think :wink:

[UP Lisa]

I have still never tried to do a figure 8 bun. Have to find some instructions.....

[pepperminttea]

For me, it's all about the type of bun. A cinnabun tends to pull 90% of the time, but a nautilus bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b86ZH0J7xtE) or Spidermom's 'bun that stays' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoBA2OhZrcU) rarely feel heavy or tug on individual strands. :) Generally buns that twist the hair cause problems for me, though they do work for most.

ETA: You mentioned instructions for the fig 8: Here's Torrin's vid for the infinity bun and figure-8 bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyc-1cT9_AE) (same thing, different direction). I find her tutorials really easy to follow. :D

[slipperlady]

I have never used hairsticks and am just beginning to be interested in them. Glad you asked this question because I will be checking in to see how people do it.
(Now I have to figure out where to get them....but that may be a topic for another thread...)

[Honestwitness]

I don't like hairsticks, because I don't like pointy things projecting out from my head. If I'm in a real pinch, I can do a temporary bun with a pencil, but I take it out as soon as I can safely let my hair free again.

[luxepiggy]

How are you inserting the hairsticks to secure your updos? I notice that a lot of tutorials involve a sort of directional reversal where they put it through part of the hair, then flip it over 180 degrees to go back through the updo in the opposite direction. I tried that method once - ouch, said the little piggy, OUCH! (>(oo)<)`

Try skipping the first step in the instructional videos - just weave the stick in & out of the scalp hair above the updo, then back down towards your scalp as you put it through the updo. You might need a bit more practice, but you'll soon get a feel for how to do it, and it pulls a lot less! It's quite secure too - my hair is very, very slick and I always insert my hairsticks this way. My updos still stay put all day (^(oo)^)v

[myria]

I wear mine most days (except today - I've got a spare knitting needle in it). If it feels like your hair is being pulled try redoing your bun with less twisting and put the stick through the outside coil nearer the edge of it, that's maybe why it feels tight. (hope that made sense) :)

[PrincessBob]

You might try making 2 regular braids at the back of your head, as close together as possible.

Then take one hairstick and put it thru the top of each braid to anchor it.

then take one braid and wind it over the right top of the hairstick and then down and over the left top of the hairstick.

Do the same with the other braid. You can then add a second hairstick and anchor it further.

There's a chinese bun tutorial in the "Hairstyling" section of the Articles section that demonstrates how hairsticks can be used. Torrin Paige on You Tube also has very helpful styling videos.

I did this Tuesday and got tons of compliments (I had to anchor the ends with spin pins, because the kept coming un-tucked).
But yeah, there was no pulling.

[Vercelli]

I have never used hairsticks and am just beginning to be interested in them. Glad you asked this question because I will be checking in to see how people do it.
(Now I have to figure out where to get them....but that may be a topic for another thread...)

As soon as you find out how many nice hair toys one can buy with money you will become addicted like me...even if you only know 2 buns.:p

[Locksmith]

I find that buns at the nape of my neck pull a whole lot less than ones up high. Combing my hair back so it isn't parted helps with pulling as well, as then the weight's more distributed. Making a slightly looser bun helps too - I tend to tug out the loop of hair I've caught with my stick a little before reversing the stick and sliding it in. I've found ketylos give me less tight but more secure buns, too. :)

[jojo]

I adore my hair sticks, a figure 8 or Chinese bun dont pull or a high twisty bun are good

[slipperlady]

After seeing this, hubby and I went on a search last night around town to see what I could find. Sally's is across town, so we stuck to stores around us. I could only find chopsticks but I figure they will do to learn. I bought some wooden ones. I was going to buy some pretty ceramic ones but the thought came to mind that if I put them in wrong and snapped them, the jagged edges would do major damage to my scalp. I cringe thinking about that.

[embee]

I wear a single hairstick every day and no pulling. At first I couldn't get sticks to stay in or hold the bun securely so I made a ponytail and *then* made the bun. The elastic gave the sticks something to work against, to anchor on. After I got a better feel for that "reverse action" thingy I found I no longer needed to make the ponytail at all, and one stick would hold all day long and then some.

Some sticks snag hair, and they need to be sanded and recoated. I have a pretty hairfolk DD gave me that needed major help. Now it's just fine but pretty fancy so it only gets worn for dress-up occasions.

[Yamainu]

I'm only able to get nautilus or spidermom buns to work comfortably - I can do an unbraided chinese for a few hours, but then it has to come down. I'll have to try the braided version to see if it helps.

I ADORE the look of figure 8/ infinities, but can NOT get them to stay without tenthousand pins. D: