Hopeless With Hair Sticks

[UP Lisa]

Help! I am hopeless with hair sticks. Here I am at work once again with a hairstick that I cannot get to stay in my hair. In fact, I don't even know of a style to try. Even the ones I have learned I can't seem to do! Any ideas for something simple that even I might be able to do for today? I cannot leave my tangly hair down!

[Amber_Maiden]

I'm interested in knowing too!!

[Tabitha]

This is why I like forks :wink:

Try the Pencil Bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0k3dD4qX34), it's my favourite. Very quick once you get the hang of it, and stays in whereas cinnabuns always unwind for me.

[airmid]

Me too, they slip out of my hair or pull on it horribly, I can't seem to find an in between!

[Torrin Paige]

Try the Nautilus - you should have enough length. In this tutorial I used two short sticks, but if you have one long stick (or a pencil - a pencil works great!) you can just shove it right through under the center knob and it'll hold comfortably all day. It's my usual go-to style to get my hair up and out of the way quickly. Hope it works! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b86ZH0J7xtE

[didrash]

Your hair looks long enough for many styles with a stick. Try a basic bun. Remember when initially inserting the hairstick, to do it in a direction opposite the one it will be when you are finished, then turn it over and get a bit of scalp hair when you do that. See this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZI3rM6WvKo

[bunzfan]

This is why I like forks :wink:

Try the Pencil Bun (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0k3dD4qX34), it's my favourite. Very quick once you get the hang of it, and stays in whereas cinnabuns always unwind for me.

I just sent you a message but i just did a video yesterday on how to use sticks and forks as several facebook friends asked me to do one, in the video i do the pencil bun and i think its a bit easier to see what i'm doing due to better lighting HTH.

[didrash]

PS this too - very good tutorial, demonstrating the most important part. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1y_56ncI70&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[SoulOfTheSea]

PS this too - very good tutorial, demonstrating the most important part. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1y_56ncI70&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

This is the video I was just about to recommend- it's the one that taught me! :)

[QMacrocarpa]

If you have an elastic with you, the Cheater's Easy Hairstick Bun (http://www.longhaircommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25145) is easy and durable. There's a youtube demo here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyuEIkHJ9o).

[Long_hair_bear]

It took me a long while to get the hang of hairsticks. You put the hairstick in your bun with a sewing motion, taking some of the hair from your scalp under the bun. Maybe it's because your hair is fine?

[the.fee.fairy]

try doing the figure of 8 bun - do a normal bun by taking the hair and twisting it round and round, then flip one of the rings upwards (it helps if it's not the outer ring), then stick the stick in the middle of the top loop aiming towards your neck.

[UP Lisa]

Thank you. I have wondered how to do the figure 8 bun.

I don't suppose it does help that my hair is baby fine.

[the.fee.fairy]

http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff430/chahu/LHC/IMGP3382-1.jpg

Something like that.

Take all your hair and hold it as if you were going to do a low ponytail. Then start twisting. As you're twisting, wrap it round it's self and carry on until you reach the end.

The take one of the under rolls and pull it up (keep hold of the end with the other hand). Stick the stick in from the middle of that upper loop and aim downwards.

If the stick is too long, take it to the side of the inside of the loop and aim to your lower earlobe.

[littleizz]

It took me a while, too. I think the biggest thing that was tripping me up is I was trying to simply create the bun, insert the stick, an expect it to stay.

Like long_hair_bear said, it's kind of like a sewing motion. For MOST buns, you have to insert the stick at a point inside the edge of the bun and point it TOWARDS your head, as if you're going to stab yourself with it. Then gently follow the direction of your hair with the tip of the stick until its facing the direction you want, and push it through.

Hope this made sense, though I'm sure you'll have better luck finding a good YouTube video. And I wouldn't worry about the fineness of your hair - it will work! Just takes practice :)

[islandboo]

Braided buns are much easier to keep up than non-braided variations. Braid you hair and then do the pencil bun the video was linked for. Or, if that is confusing, braid your hair about midway up your head and then do this: Place the first 2 fingers of your left hand under the base of the braid. Let the braid fall over the fingers, then bring it up and behind the fingers (on the right/fingertip side) so you are holding it up toward the ceiling. Now wrap it counterclockwise between your skull and left hand until you run out of braid (just wrapping in a circle). Pull your fingers out while holding the bun in place with your right hand then when your left hand is free, use that to hold the bun in place and use your right hand to insert the hairstick between the strands of hair in a braid segment on the right side of the bun. Insert it in an up and to the right direction, then reverse it and catch a little scalp hair then come out between the strands of hair in a braid segment on the left side of the bun. That should do the trick.

If the problem is Teflon hair rather than confusion about how to use a stick, do this: When my hair is completely rebelling against using a stick, I do a Neoma's Knot (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=152) variation. I am not sure how thick you are as a ii but if you can do this it stays put, even with Teflon hair. Pull your hair in a pony (I do mid height, no elastic). Place the first 2 fingers of your left hand under the base of the tail and wrap your hair over them (so down over the fingers then up and right next to the base of the tail. Then bring the tail over and to the left so that it is between your left hand and skull. Now bring it down and around to where you can grab the tail with those first 2 fingers of your left hand. Pull your fingers (still holding the tail) out of the first loop you created but don't pull the so far that you pull the tail out too. This makes a second loop. Put the hairstick through that second loop pointing up, then turn it against your scalp and push the pointed end out the first loop you made. The tighter you keep the loops, the tighter the resulting bun will be and the less likely it is to fall part. (Looser loops make a softer, prettier updo, but if you want it to stay in during a gale, keep it tight and it won't ever fall apart)

[SpinDance]

I don't think the fineness of your hair is nearly as important as having either proper placement of the stick(s) or fork, or having the proper tension and putting the stick/fork through so that it blocks it from coming apart. The very nice video on holding a cinnabun with sticks show the critical first bit to catch an edge of the new bun then catch hair from the scalp just outside of the area covered by the bun, then switching direction back so the point is going under the bun, with the slightly outside scalp hair now "sewn" to the edge of the bun, and sewing or weaving the stick between the underneath part of the bun and the head hair on which it sits. I personally don't find a cinnabun to be particularly solid feeling, although many people seem to like them.

I much prefer a bun where the stick is in the middle of an arrangement of hair where it blocks it from coming apart. The figure-8 bun shown above is such a thing. The hair in the figure-8 is held against the head by the stick/fork by the stick going under the middle of the top opening of the 8, under the middle of the bun catching the scalp hair, and coming back out the other opening of the 8. Without this stick in the middle holding the tension/kinetic energy in place the whole thing will just slither down. I consider the Nautilus and similar wrapped buns to have the same sort of blocked tension construction.

By tension here I don't mean the hair has to be wound tightly or twisted hard, you only need as much tension as is necessary to hold the hair in place and have the stick go through it. If it is too loose it will slither out, if it is too tight it won't be comfortable.

Personally I find a more horizontal configuration to be more comfortable than vertical, since it catches more hair in different parts of the scalp, spreading out the weight. For a figure-8 bun I often end up with a mostly vertical configuration so that the stick or fork catches more scalp hair. Oh, and for figure 8 I like using 2 sticks better than 1 because it lets me position the sticks to sort of hold the top part of the 8 a little more open and take up a bit more room so it doesn't loosen up too much.

Hope that makes sense! Basically I finally "got" how to use sticks by watching videos and practicing while watching till my hands got it. There isn't one right or wrong way so long as it doesn't damage your hair and doesn't hurt.

[Shellby]

I have baby fine hair, too. The figure 8 was my go to bun at work for the longest time. Sticks definitely take practice. I would practice with new styles at night. I think it helped with the stick proficiency. I watched all the tutorials over and over. LOL Keep trying. You will get the knack of it!

[UP Lisa]

Thank you all so much. I can get confused just reading your instructions! I can't really watch videos at home due to a very slow dial-up connection. I live in a rural area where high-speed is not available.

Generally I get the style so tight it hurts, or else it falls out. I know, practice, practice, practice!

[the.fee.fairy]

I usually use two sticks too spindance.

Actually...that isn't technically a hairstick...it's a sharpened disposable chopstick...

[SpinDance]

It is hard to translate hand waving into words, unfortunately. I completely understand the slow dial up line issues. Maybe if you get into a town where there is an internet cafe or perhaps a library would have access you could use for a while to watch a video? The closest town to me has a small coffee shop that has a computer in the back patrons can use. They also have wireless for those who bring a laptop.

[Trish in SC]

Having a hard time, LOL, the hair just flops out! Practice makes perfect, though, so I'll keep watching these videos until I get it.

My hair is not yet APL, so could that be my problem? Are there certain buns/updos that work better for hair my length? I recall a thread on that sometime ago, so maybe I just have to do a search.

Thanks everyone! :)

[CarpeDM]

Someone on here gave me a great tip a few months back. I love hair sticks but when I use them they can often slip out on me, but someone had suggested to put up my hair slightly damp. Then one day I tried it and the sticks stayed in place all day long, I was amazed. Try and see if putting your hair up slightly damp works any better...

[heidi w.]

Help! I am hopeless with hair sticks. Here I am at work once again with a hairstick that I cannot get to stay in my hair. In fact, I don't even know of a style to try. Even the ones I have learned I can't seem to do! Any ideas for something simple that even I might be able to do for today? I cannot leave my tangly hair down!

In my blog, I gave directions for an updo that uses a hair stick. It's pretty easy updo. You could give that a try.

heidi w.

[UP Lisa]

I actually do have a laptop. I just don't like to take the time out of my already too busy schedule to go to where I can get a connection. I either have to go after a long day at work, or make a special trip 18 miles one way.



It is hard to translate hand waving into words, unfortunately. I completely understand the slow dial up line issues. Maybe if you get into a town where there is an internet cafe or perhaps a library would have access you could use for a while to watch a video? The closest town to me has a small coffee shop that has a computer in the back patrons can use. They also have wireless for those who bring a laptop.

[UP Lisa]

Thank you, Heidi. I will try it.

Lisa



In my blog, I gave directions for an updo that uses a hair stick. It's pretty easy updo. You could give that a try.

heidi w.

[Anywhere]

I find my hair tends to get "used" to styles after a month or two, so I have to switch it up to make the sticks stay.

I find tighter is better (to an extent..), and that two sticks are better than one.

I find that I need to poke it into the bun, aim the stick away from my bun, grab that scalp hair, and then begin to weave the stick into my bun. I just need that extra bit of scalp hair to get it to stay properly.

I find that pushing the stick(s) THROUGH the coil or section of hair at the opposite side is the only way to get mine to stay put all day. (as in, if I were doing a figure 8 bun I would not be able to just put the bun through the holes in the 8, it would have to go into the 8 in order to be firm).

ETA: I made this masterpiece in MS paint to help explain my words. On the left would be the stick going through the loops/holes like how I always figured it was supposed to go. On the right is how it would look on my head, pinning down both coils
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9042&pictureid=123472
Doesn't work / Works

[Tabitha]

I just sent you a message but i just did a video yesterday on how to use sticks and forks as several facebook friends asked me to do one, in the video i do the pencil bun and i think its a bit easier to see what i'm doing due to better lighting HTH.
Sorry, I haven't received any kind of message from you? do please post a link to your video, :) I find that young girl in the Pencil Bun vid I posted to be rather annoying, I had to mute her voice when I was watching it repeatedly to try and "get" how to do the bun.

[ravenreed]

I notice that when I reach a new milestone, I sometimes have to relearn old styles because they suddenly don't work for some reason. Maybe that is what happened for you?

The two that always seem to work for me are nautilus or the lazy wrap. I use one hair stick, and prefer either a Quattro with the grooves, or a Ketylo. Those are the two types of sticks that my hair never spits out. If the bun seems wobbly, I may use some Amish hair pins to stabilize things.

[islandboo]

Sorry, I haven't received any kind of message from you? do please post a link to your video, :) I find that young girl in the Pencil Bun vid I posted to be rather annoying, I had to mute her voice when I was watching it repeatedly to try and "get" how to do the bun.

Tabitha, I know exactly what you mean! She seems so impatient and exasperated.

[Tabitha]

And I'd hate people outside the UK to think that all English people talk like that! :eek:

[bumblebums]

The last style on this page should be very doable for you, and it's easy to understand without a video (though the video linked from that page is great, too):

http://www.prismnet.com/~cortese/hair/styling.html

[jeanniet]

Lol, I always mute the videos because I can't watch and listen to someone talking at the same time. The Pencil Bun is fantastic, though, and always holds well for me. I have trouble getting some buns to stay at this length because they seem to pull, or slide, or something, but the PB and the Nautilus are my go-tos.

[LadyLongLocks]

Try this one stick cinnamon bun (video) (http://youtu.be/aQ9d4nidc0Y). Even though my hair is a lot longer, just follow it the same. You will just have less hair to wrap around.
I have had trouble with hair sticks too and they are not my first choice.
Sometimes I put my hair in a ponytail first and follow the same steps.
This works for me. You can use 2 sticks by adding one later for stability.

This is pretty comfortable too.

[ravenreed]

What I love about the nautilus is that I don't have to make it tight or grab the hair near the scalp. I always get a pinchy section when I try buns that I have to grab scalp hair. I just stick the hair stick through the meaty part of the bun and it stays. I also do my hair sticks horizontal so they don't slip out as easily.


Thank you all so much. I can get confused just reading your instructions! I can't really watch videos at home due to a very slow dial-up connection. I live in a rural area where high-speed is not available.

Generally I get the style so tight it hurts, or else it falls out. I know, practice, practice, practice!

[CurlyZ]

What about the Lazy Wrap Bun? Habioku has a nice tutorial on youtube. Sorry, I don't know how to post the link here :-(
It's holds like a rock.

[LadyLongLocks]

Ok, I just read that you can't watch videos so here is a photo set of the same bun.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i172/JJJLonghair/LHC%20Forum%20pix%20for%20linking/onestickcinnamon10stillswinfo.jpg

I have more photo directions HERE (http://jjjlonghairphotopage.zoomshare.com/2.shtml/JJJs%20BUN%20DIRECTIONS%20small%20multi%20shots). I am trying to make video stills for all of my tutorials for people who cant access youtube or who have slow connections :)

[Diamond.Eyes]

When I was starting learning how to do updo's, I found the braided Chinese bun to be very easy and very nice looking. Here is a link to a non-video tutorial with pictures. I hope it works for you: http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/china-sticks/

[indiana]

Thank you. I have wondered how to do the figure 8 bun.

I don't suppose it does help that my hair is baby fine.

My fine hair hates hair sticks when dry. When wet, I can put it up with sticks very easily

[door72067]

watching these videos helped me see the placement of the hair toy better than any others I watched

http://www.youtube.com/user/isaetno#p/u/1/O9PbnpqsnnM

[UP Lisa]

So funny. I ended up on your website yesterday after seeing a video of your hair on YouTube. Is it really 63" long? Doesn't even seem possible! And love your color!



Try this one stick cinnamon bun (video) (http://youtu.be/aQ9d4nidc0Y). Even though my hair is a lot longer, just follow it the same. You will just have less hair to wrap around.
I have had trouble with hair sticks too and they are not my first choice.
Sometimes I put my hair in a ponytail first and follow the same steps.
This works for me. You can use 2 sticks by adding one later for stability.

This is pretty comfortable too.

[bunzfan]

And I'd hate people outside the UK to think that all English people talk like that! :eek:

I was actually meaning the op but i agree its not the greatest, i put the video on mute to :lol: you can find my video here part 1 of my hair stick/fork guide i show the pencil bun near the end i think
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qLl5P0eV-g&feature=plcp&context=C3d9e34fUDOEgsToPDskJ6MVTjtEAO9kYv4sjv2WRM

[UP Lisa]

That is an easy one. Thank you. Now if only my braids were that thick!



When I was starting learning how to do updo's, I found the braided Chinese bun to be very easy and very nice looking. Here is a link to a non-video tutorial with pictures. I hope it works for you: http://www.dressytresses.com/hair/gallery/instruct/china-sticks/

[curiouskitty]

I need to learn how to do this once my hair is long enough. I'm tired of using elastics and hair clips - they both cause some breakage for me after a while of use. Does anyone on here know where I'd be able to purchase pretty and reasonably priced hairsticks? :)

[GoblinTart]

I need to learn how to do this once my hair is long enough. I'm tired of using elastics and hair clips - they both cause some breakage for me after a while of use. Does anyone on here know where I'd be able to purchase pretty and reasonably priced hairsticks? :)

Look on etsy and search hair sticks and hair forks. Lots and lots of choices! Anything from overseas will probably have a long shipping time. You can also follow me on there, I think my favorites are public. Look up laughingorchid.