Thick haired folk, unite!

**Gemma** · February 21st, 2010, 11:10 AM

I was chatting about knot buns with someone on the forum recently, and we both mentioned that our thick hair often made styles that we should be able to do with our length almost useless. I spent months trying to figure out how to do a knot bun with my hair and kept getting more and more frustrated since it never worked. I'd watch all the videos, seeing that their length was basically the same as mine, and yet it never worked! Finally, I found a video that did not do the usual wrap around the hand before going into the knot, and voila! success.

So, I thought it might be useful to start a thread where those of us with thick (or layered since that often causes the same problem) hair could discuss workarounds for styles that are proving problematic.

Share tips, commiserate, etc!

**Peter** · February 21st, 2010, 11:18 AM

When my hair was too short to do a single braid down my back, I would split my hair in half and do two braids. I imagine it's more socially acceptable for women as well.

That's all I can think of for now.

**girloctopus** · February 21st, 2010, 11:36 AM

Oh this is so the thread for me!!

I have a 5.25" ponytail circumference, so I struggle to do a lot of updos although I'm at hip length

I've been trying to figure out a workaround to Spidermom's bun that stays because my combination of thick hair and small hands are not working out too well!

I'd love to hear how you do that knot bun, Gemma. I haven't had much luck with any of that type of bun. I desperately want to do a celtic knot someday

Probably at classic or more!

**Bunnyhare** · February 21st, 2010, 11:38 AM

i am glad you started this Gemma, because i have that problem but thought i was just incapable of doing them..i realized just recently that is why it took so long for me to be able to the lazy wrap when others did it at shorter lengths! i have both thick and layered

hair....I will be watching for answers! i have learned that seperating the levels of layers(top layer into 1 braid,middle layer into one braid etc) and placing them seperaltely seems to help with the layers not sticking out and spreading the thickness around..

**chopandchange** · February 21st, 2010, 11:42 AM

Another person with both thick AND layered hair checking in!

**girloctopus** · February 21st, 2010, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Bunnyhare

i am glad you started this Gemma, because i have that problem but thought i was just incapable of doing them..i realized just recently that is why it took so long for me to be able to the lazy wrap when others did it at shorter lengths! i have both thick and layered

hair....I will be watching for answers! i have learned that seperating the levels of layers(top layer into 1 braid,middle layer into one braid etc) and placing them seperaltely seems to help with the layers not sticking out and spreading the thickness around..

I have trouble with the lazy wrap bun as well. The bulk of my wrap around is hard for my stick to get over, and I've snapped a stick (or two

) when overtorquing. To work around it, I've been doing the initial wrap around two or three fingers, rather than one, and gently tugging on the loop when wrapping to make sure that I have a large enough loop to go over my wrapped length. I hope this helps!

**lapushka** · February 21st, 2010, 11:53 AM

I'm at BSL (layered, iii) and most buns are out of my reach. I'm going to have to be patient, I guess.

**Gemma** · February 21st, 2010, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by girloctopus

Oh this is so the thread for me!!

I have a 5.25" ponytail circumference, so I struggle to do a lot of updos although I'm at hip length

I've been trying to figure out a workaround to Spidermom's bun that stays because my combination of thick hair and small hands are not working out too well!

I'd love to hear how you do that knot bun, Gemma. I haven't had much luck with any of that type of bun. I desperately want to do a celtic knot someday

Probably at classic or more!

I finally figured it out when I found a video on YouTube entirely by accident.

You can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POe9Bs5yNGE I still struggle with it a little but with practice it's all coming together!

Originally Posted by Bunnyhare

i am glad you started this Gemma, because i have that problem but thought i was just incapable of doing them..i realized just recently that is why it took so long for me to be able to the lazy wrap when others did it at shorter lengths! i have both thick and layered

hair....I will be watching for answers! i have learned that seperating the levels of layers(top layer into 1 braid,middle layer into one braid etc) and placing them seperaltely seems to help with the layers not sticking out and spreading the thickness around..

The lazy wrap bun like the one here? http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/...e&articleid=72

I have had the same problem! I have to pin my ends really firmly or it just totally falls apart. I think I will call it 'Gemma's NOT-so lazy wrap'.

Another 'general' style I like is to do a half-up and then braid the length. I put a nice barrette over the half-up base to make it seem fancy. I need to take a picture sometime to show it off. I actually really dig the 'segmented' look it gives to the braid.

**coscass** · February 21st, 2010, 12:24 PM

You know... Now that I think about it, maybe this is why a lot of my buns wouldn't stay up. A combination of inexperience, and thick, long hair.

**lapushka** · February 21st, 2010, 12:54 PM

Hey, you guys! For those of us in need for some inspiration? Torrin has thick hair too and she has more than a few hair styles up on YouTube. It's comforting to know that there are lots of updos possible for iii hair.

Anyway, I am still gonna have to be patient for most updos. Layered BSL hair is just not gonna cut it. I doubt that apart from maybe a peacock twist, a cinnabun, a french twist and some braids that there are much options at this stage.