Help...Hair Toy Confusion!

[kittengirl]

I am new to the idea of hair toys, and am very confused. My hair is layered shoulder length on its long slow way to hip length. Every day I wear it up in a giant flat-bottomed claw clip. I see threads about so many different kinds of hair toys, but I have no clue what they are. Are there any hair toys that I could use to put my shortish hair up instead of the claw clip? Or do a I have to wait until my hair is long? Where does one find these hair toys? Is putting my hair up everyday a good idea? I'm just trying to protect the ends until I gain some length. I know this is probably a stupid question, but I'm really new to the world of hair things. :o

[Amber_Maiden]

Putting your hair up everyday is good! You want to protect your ends!
How about a Ficcare?

[kittengirl]

Putting your hair up everyday is good! You want to protect your ends!
How about a Ficcare?

I know this is ridiculous, but I have no clue what a Ficcare is! I realize that everyone will probably laugh at me for that! :p I can't do an actual bun yet because of all my layers so I need something that will "contain" the hair.

[lapushka]

A claw clip still suits me just fine and my hair's between BSL & WL, but there is a world of hair toys out there. :D I do change it up some of the time, with a flexi8 or Ficcare clip.

Try searching the forum for both. I'm sure the appropriate threads will pop up.

[Georgies]

My hair is shorter than yours and flexi8 (http://www.flexi8.com/)'s work great. I think a small ficcare (http://www.ficcare.com/) would work too, but they're more expensive - I might hold out until my hair is long enough for a medium.

Another fabulous item for layered hair is hair scroos/spin pins - you can find the Goody version at most drug stores. They will hold any layer all day! They are invisible if you buy the color to match your hair, so you can use them and then put a decorative hair stick or fork on top and no one will be the wiser...

[Long_hair_bear]

I have layers too and hair sticks work great. You might need longer hair though.

[kittengirl]

My hair is shorter than yours and flexi8 (http://www.flexi8.com/)'s work great. I think a small ficcare (http://www.ficcare.com/) would work too, but they're more expensive - I might hold out until my hair is long enough for a medium.

Another fabulous item for layered hair is hair scroos/spin pins - you can find the Goody version at most drug stores. They will hold any layer all day! They are invisible if you buy the color to match your hair, so you can use them and then put a decorative hair stick or fork on top and no one will be the wiser...

Wow, the flexi8's are beautiful! I can't wait to get one!!!! I'm just not sure if I should get a medium or large. My hair is not as thick as it usually is because it was (unfortunately) thinned a bit by the hairdresser, but on the other hand I wear all of it up in a french french twist type style. I looked at the website's guide, but I'm still not sure. Any ideas??:confused:

[Pierre]

I wear Flexis all the time. I wear two smalls if I wear two buns, and two extra-smalls if I just fold the hair a few times and leave the ends loose. I also wear two minis, one on each temple, to keep hairs out of my eyes. When I wear one bun, which is rare, I use a medium.

[BlazingHeart]

I'd suggest the medium flexi is more likely to be the right size. My ponytail circumference is over 5" and I could probably fit 3/4 of that into a medium in a peacock twist. (do you mean french twist or peacock twist? A french twist, your ends are tucked inside and your hair makes kind of a crest on the back of your head; a peacock twist, you gather your hair like you're making a ponytail, fold the ponytail up against the back of your head, and clip it there, with the ends either sticking up or trailing down, depending on your length.) Anyhow, what I mean to be getting at is that if your measurement of your hair is accurate, a medium should be good for a peacock twist and probably for a french twist.

A flexi or another variety of good clip are about the only things I could use at your length; my hair is so thick (it was about 5.8" around before I shed this summer) that anything else was pretty useless to me at that length. Ooh, you might enjoy hairslides, too. http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadmask This artist is one of my favorites for hair slides; they're not cheap but the craftsmanship is great. She made custom pieces for me, and they are delightful. I have a red autumn oak leaf and matching earrings. She doesn't have a huge number of things in her etsy shop right now, but you can see a lot more on her own website here http://www.beadcave.com/drea/hair_wear/. She's pretty quick about doing custom work.

~Blaze

[HylianGirl]

Wow, those are some beautiful hair toys *-* I just bought a new ficcare yesterday, and I've always liked those, you should try! They look great and hold well ^-^

[QMacrocarpa]

Wow, the flexi8's are beautiful! I can't wait to get one!!!! I'm just not sure if I should get a medium or large. My hair is not as thick as it usually is because it was (unfortunately) thinned a bit by the hairdresser, but on the other hand I wear all of it up in a french french twist type style. I looked at the website's guide, but I'm still not sure. Any ideas??:confused:
If it were me, and I were wavering between two sizes, I'd get both, budget permitting. I ordered myself one each of S,M,L, and XL in one fell swoop at the end of December, and I can use all of them for different styles. If the larger one is bigger than you need for now, you'll grow into it as your hair gets longer. My ponytail circumference is about 3.5" and I can use either a S or M to secure a ponytail, a M to secure a folded braid, a L for a nautilus bun, and an XL for bigger buns (the XL is rather heavy, so not my favorite).

Ficcares (by which most of us seem to mean the Ficcare Maximas clips) are pricy (I got mine on sale at Nordstrom (http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/ficcare-maximas-large-hair-clip/3261869), which has a limited variety of designs), but there are inexpensive knock-offs ("Fakkares") available. I found some at Claire's in Dec. Not as well-fitting, and the solid-plastic construction won't be as durable, but priced at $4.50. Someone else mentioned seeing some of a different type at their Old Navy, and maybe they turn up at CVS once in a while.

[kittengirl]

After watching the videos on the flexi8 website I am now thinking of getting a small and an extra small. Because of my beastly layers and haircut before I started growing out I think even a medium might be too big. :( I miss my incredibly thick hair....when I was younger once a hairdresser told me that I had hair like a brillo pad.....not sure exactly how to take that!

[heidi w.]

For a while I relied on claw clips. Then I had to advance to using two claw clips to hold all the hair up. It pulled terribly, and I eventually gave up using them.

I used a ficcare for a while, but I found that it too pulled hair and tended to lean to one side or the other. It was very uncomfortable. It usually leaned to the heavy side of the clip, where the spring is. I also found that these tended to pull hair out on me.

I eventually gave up using a claw clip.

I started out using small bobby pins, but as I gained yet more length had to switch to extra long bobby pins, which are technically known as hair roller pins. And I had to pin them in as I created the updo, not wait til the end to pin the whole updo up.

Then someone introduced me to a hair style that holds with a hair stick. That's the thing I use the most. A single or two or a fork style hair stick.

I really should make some youtube videos. So much easier than writing it all down in words.

Places to go to learn how to do updos and using whatever tools: Apparently LHC has a styling area but I've never been to it. I like Long Hair Loom which is much like LHC -- mostly women that are really nice people and it's a free website that you can use -- they have different areas to their website, one being The Styling Station which I link below. People may have longer hair than yours, but if you post asking for input on bun ideas for shorter hair, you'll get some replies.

http://www.longhairloom.com/stylingstationcentral.html

As a newer member perhaps on LHC (I'm not sure though), you have to have 100 posts on Mane Forum before being granted access to other areas of the website such as the Meets board and in people albums.

heidi w.

[heidi w.]

One can find nice hair sticks for sale by Long Hair Loom webmaster. She advertises on her website. One can also find sticks and forks on eBay.

heidi w.

[Anje]

Hairsticks and hairforks are great, especially as your hair gets a bit longer. (I suspect it would be difficult to use them before your hair gets maybe to your armpits, but that may only be because I haven't tried.) Many of us get them from sellers on Etsy.com. I'm also a fan of the sticks that you can get from Ketylo.com.

Amish hairpins are another useful tool for many of us, as bobby pins don't hold much hair and tend to get bent out of shape. They're U-shaped and you use them by weaving them in flat. There are a few sites online that carry them; this is one of them. (http://www.prayercoverings.com/catalog.php?category=27)

[heidi w.]

Links to buying hair sticks:

Fox' Sticks and Stones website selling hair sticks. She will place a custom colored bead of your choice on top of hair sticks if you like, and they aren't uber expensive, either.

http://longhairloom.com/stickshome.html

eBay hits on search parameters "hair sticks"
bunches of hits. You have to be careful what you choose in terms of safety considerations for the hair.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=hair+sticks&_sacat=See-All-Categories

You'll note that some are even selling chopsticks as hairsticks! Some people use knitting needles, even. Although I never have.

Mei Fa hair sticks. They also go by another name. These are multiple hits on eBay. Some are sticks; some are not.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=Mei+Fa+&_sacat=0&_odkw=Fei+hair+stick&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

I have to watch for dangly stuff off a hair stick. These often are caught up in little random floating hairs. How a spring is designed matters. Lots pull hair out. Such as today's modern barrettes: I can't use them at all. It's taken me a long time to get good at viewing a hair item and its appropriateness for use in the hair. Wood even. You want smooth wood, often with a finish or polish. Raw wood may not be smooth enough. Just stuff you learn along the way.

Most drugstores and grocery stores have a "beauty" aisle, and sometimes you can find something neat-o there. I've found a lot of stuff at art & craft faires; in kid's sections of stores, at dollar stores. You just develop an eye for where stuff is.

heidi w.

[Georgies]

I wear Flexis all the time. I wear two smalls if I wear two buns, and two extra-smalls if I just fold the hair a few times and leave the ends loose. I also wear two minis, one on each temple, to keep hairs out of my eyes. When I wear one bun, which is rare, I use a medium.

ditto, my flexi routine and stash are pretty similar - I have two matching extra smalls for multiple buns, smalls for pony tails and half ups, and a medium that I'm not really using right now because my hair isn't long enough. It's probably best to get a range of sizes - you can always use them for something. If you search the giant hair toy discounts thread there is a coupon code that lets you buy 4 flexis and get the 5th free.

[Clytemnestra]

When my hair is shoulder length I can do two small buns by making side braids and coiling, then securing with the small amish pins, 6 per bun will hold it all day and night. Usually wrap a vintage scarf, bandana, or ribbon and tie at the top for something different. Two braids are cute too, and will keep your hair contained, I would dampen a bit and add a dab of oil for moisture, then braid and tie off with a hair-friendly band.

[kittengirl]

Thanks everyone for all the help! I can't wait till my hair is long enough for hair sticks....I know now all my layers would pop out. I'll probably be a klutz when I finally do try them though....I'll definately be trying to find some videos on them! I think I'll start with the flexi8's, they're pretty enough that they might take my mind off the fact that my hair is short!

[BBdck1]

My hair is almost waist length but layered so whenever I use a hair stick to put my hair in a bun, a lot of my ends will stick out. My hair is in a pencil bun right now with out of hair sticking out the side. I don't mind it too much (as it was pretty hair for my hair to stay up in the first place) but sometime I just want a neat bun. Any advice for those with long layered hair?

[Siiri]

http://www.etsy.com/shop/beadmask This artist is one of my favorites for hair slides; they're not cheap but the craftsmanship is great. She made custom pieces for me, and they are delightful. I have a red autumn oak leaf and matching earrings. She doesn't have a huge number of things in her etsy shop right now, but you can see a lot more on her own website here http://www.beadcave.com/drea/hair_wear/. She's pretty quick about doing custom work.

I have shoulder length hair with some layers left from my pixie cut. I have one of these slides from beadmask, and I like to use it with french and peacock twists. She has different sizes, mine is about 2,5 inches measured from hole to hole. The hair stick that comes with the slide is nice too when your hair gets longer. The slides from beadmask work the same as flexis I think, depends on what type of look you prefer.

French twist combs may be handy if you like to do french twists. I've been meaning to buy one, but I haven't found any good ones yet. Plastic ones should be easy to find and cheap.