preventing coarse ends when damp bunning?

[pixistixx]

my hair is still really short, close to shoulder length but not quite, and very flat and thin, so I've been damp bunning it at night (two buns on top of my head) at I love the voluminous waves and ringlets it produces, but the ends always end up looking like coarse clumps, and come out feeling dry. They typically don't feel this way when I do nothing to my hair. I've been using various oils on the ends before putting the buns in, and also tried a few different leave ins, but the end result in the morning is still the same. I have to re dampen and add more leave ins to get a slightly less coarse look. I use really soft fabric scrunchies by the way. any ideas?

[morecowbell]

I get the same problem from my sleep buns when I make my scrunchie too tight. I'm pretty sure that's the only culprit, because when I damp bun with other accessories (like claw clamps) my ends look great. I can suggest that you try securing your buns with two little claw clips, I've slept with my hair in those 1"x1" Goody clamps and never noticed any problems/damage/hair coming loose.
I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see other's ideas, because when I sleep in a scrunchie bun I still get them from time to time.

[pixistixx]

oh good idea! I actually have a bunch of those, just never thought to use them :)... I'll give it a try tonight and see if it makes a difference. I must admit have been putting the scrunchie on pretty snug, as my buns are pretty small and I was afraid they'd come out when I slept.

[Narya]

This also happens to me, but mostly with rag curls, sock buns and what I call the bandana bun (a giant rag curl with a bandana, there's a post somewhere about it but I can't find it). I generally sleep with braids and not buns, only a bee-butt bun now and then that I secure with a regular hairband.

In my experience, I think that the ends end up crunchy and dry because they are in contact with cloth, and it sucks out the moisture. So, while the length is wet for a longer time -and helps settle the curl, and then looks shiny and soft-, the ends dry quicker than when air drying, and they keep being dried all night long. Could it be that what happens with too tight scrunchies, too? (because if not, I'll have to change my theory!)

I'd suggest straying away from elastics/scrunchies/etc that can suck moisture more than hair does, or trying to make the ends stick out (not so nice when you're looking to protect them) or putting them as far of the drying cloth as possible.

[HintOfMint]

I use Goody spin pins instead of an elastic or scrunchie. That way you can just fold or twist the ends into your bun and have it hold smoothly, if that makes any sense.

I also damp bun every single time I wash, and I always use spin pins and it's definitely a difference from using an elastic.

[StarryNight]

I use two or three hair pins. :)

[torrilin]

I'd try some kind of hairpin or claw clips. I use spin pins if I do a sleep bun mostly, tho my hair is FINALLY long enough that claw clips can actually work. At your length and thickness, the 1 inch size claw clip might be too big, and it might work better to use two of the super tiny claw clips to hold the sleep buns in place. (slippery hair sucks, film at 11)

Regular spin pins would have been too much for my hair at your length, so you might need to go for the mini spin pins.

[RetroKitten]

do the spin pins withstand the moisture?

[pixistixx]

thanks everyone for your brilliant suggestions! I used the mini claw clips, and they worked great... no coarse ends!

[gizelle]

do the spin pins withstand the moisture?

I use spin pins also and the color has faded from brown to charcoal gray. I don't think they are carbon steel, so they shouldn't rust. I've noticed that my ends are nicer after switching from elastics.