Best finishers for small braids?

[selderon]

What do you like to use to secure small braids? What pros and cons have you observed?

I've been using thin, metal free, quarter-sized covered hair elastics. I don't notice any damage from using these, but they have to be wound around the end quite a few times and end up bulky.

[LaurelSpring]

I have alot of taper so my ends are really thin. I have used the tiny elastics and also I have braided thin ribbon into my hair and tied it at the ends. Both work well.

[spidermom]

I wrap a short length of wet ribbon around my ends, and then use one of those little poly-bands to wrap around that. The ribbon gives the band more to grip as well as protects my ends.

[Anje]

I have trouble with those silicone elastics. My braid end is pretty small, but not tiny -- I find that little jaw clips are really easy if I want something fast.

I've heard of people using those elastics used to hold the wire on dental braces, though I don't know how you'd ever get it on.

[proo]

spidermom could you explain more, do you braid it in?

[Delila]

Here's a link (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1459286&postcount=419)to an older post, with pictures of what spidermom's talking about.

I've been using this method for a while now (Thanks!), and I like it much better than the other, bulkier things I'd used before.

[princessp]

Here's a link (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showpost.php?p=1459286&postcount=419)to an older post, with pictures of what spidermom's talking about.

I've been using this method for a while now (Thanks!), and I like it much better than the other, bulkier things I'd used before.

Smarty-pants-SpiderMom :) I love you for posting that visual!

[firefly42]

The ribbon idea is BRILLIANT! I've got to try that!

[Signe]

Spidermom you rule!

[darklion]

BRILLIANT solution!!!
and it looks so pretty too!

[MandyBeth]

Lazy version of Spidey's idea that I use is Vetwrap. No damage, sticks to itself, no band needed.

[selderon]

Lazy version of Spidey's idea that I use is Vetwrap. No damage, sticks to itself, no band needed.

LOL! And it comes in all those bright colors too!

[Anje]

I've used Vetwrap and similar products too. Works very nicely.

The no-latex variety works better for oiled ends, in my experience.

[Latte Lady]

You could take a tiny crochet hook and carefully pull the ends back up into the braid. Best if you plan on keeping the braids in for a couple of days.

[selderon]

You could take a tiny crochet hook and carefully pull the ends back up into the braid. Best if you plan on keeping the braids in for a couple of days.

Do you mean this instead of hair elastics or in addition to?

[Latte Lady]

Do you mean this instead of hair elastics or in addition to?

I do it instead of the elastics but that is based on my hair type. If your hair is slippery or the braid on the lose side you might want to use the elastics. Try both and see what works best for you.
One warning about this method is that when you take out the braid the ends of your hair will curl up in a very wonky/odd manner.

[Finoriel]

I either use the tiny latex or silicone ones. For my night braid and also for braids during the day if I don't wear a bun.
The latex ones are a bit sturdier than the silicone ones, but they are only available in bright colors not really matching anything I wear. One of them lasts me about a week before it snaps.
The silicone ones are a bit smaller, clear and almost invisible, but they snap really fast. One lasts for tying about 3 braids.
Both versions are not bulky, come in large packs and are really inexpensive, so as long as they don't randomly snap when I'm out I don't mind that they don't hold for that long.
Since they have a good "grip" to the hair I don't need to wrap them often, they don't need to be very tight to hold even on oiled hair. So far they did not cause any noticeable damage to my ends (and I'm using them since three or four years already I think) but that will be different for other hairtypes.