I always find updos to slip off very easily in straight hair (I practise on my mother and my best friend), what do you do to keep it up?

lots of hair spray and pins....pick your style carefully and consult with a local salon and ask them for tips...when ever I have had one done on my hair (which isn't for a while) they have always used a ton of spray and enough pins to set off a metal detector!!!  My hair is now well below my waist so I wear my hair down as an accessory with my outfit

Ginny

I also have stick straight,slippery hair which is close to classic length now.For me,hairsticks are great to keep updos from falling apart!My everyday updo is a braided bun with one or two hairsticks.First I braid my hair in a single braid and tie it off with a small hairtie(no metal)at the end.Then I wrap it into a bun and when I insert the hairstick,I make sure it catches the hairtie.This usually lasts all day,and I really have extra slippery hair,especially when it´s freshly washed!
Anne-Marie

That is my favorite updo now since I have become addicted to buying hair sticks...Your right they stay all day and the sticks add a great piece of art to your head!!!!  :D  That is the way I wear my hair when I don't want to have any...Whe my hair is down and just braided it is still past my butt so sometimes it is nice to not have to worry about it...More hairsticks...more hairsticks........

ginny

Yup, me too!  I wear the braided bun more often than any other because my hair is so smooth and slippy.  A braided bun with hairsticks absolutely will not fall out until I take it out.

there is nothing like a great pair of hair sticks to solve any hair problem...a braided bun and a pair of sticks and I'm out of the door with no hair worries for the day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ginny

smooth hair beware  it is hair sticks to the rescue

Yeah, well... if only I could figure out how to use them to solve the problem of growing out bangs, LOL!  ;)

Your hair is gorgeous Rapunzel... you can try twisted cornrows which will hide your bangs and you will still have your lovely hair flowing down behind you. How long are your bangs now? If they are long enough to tuck behind your ears on the sides you can put on a hairband and they won't show... there are tons of things you can do while your bangs are growing out! Are you sure you want to do it, though? Because your hair is very long and it will take forever for the bangs to reach the bottom of your hair!  

time, patience, headbands, and hair clips.....

necessity is the mother of invention....do I see an opening for future creativity for you Rapunzel...
;D


ginny

My hair is very fine, straight as a board, and slippery as all get out when it's clean.  The braided bun is about the only updo my hair will hold... but boy does it work!  I used hairsticks to hold up my hair this summer at horse shows, and it stayed all day despite all the bouncing around! ;D

When you do your braided bun, do you put your hair in a ponytail with a hair tie first? Or do you just start braiding the hair close to the head?  I am trying to avoid using hair ties on my hair close to the head (I already have enough damage from wearing my hair in ponytails).

I didn't know ponytails with scrunchies could damage your hair...

I usually french braid my hair and then put it in the braided bun.

I do them both ways...when I do use a ponytail holder near my head I always use the ones that don't have the metal clips.  I try to take it out as soon as I'm home for the evening.

ginny

I never use any ponytail holders that have the metal on them.  I even look at how the connection is made on the metal-less ones.  Some have a hard, rough section that will tear the hair just like the metal.

Do ponytails damage your hair because they pull tightly on the head or do only the ones with metal damage it?

wrote on Feb 26^th, 2003 at 10:50pm:

Do ponytails damage your hair because they pull tightly on the head or do only the ones with metal damage it?

Both can be true.  If you pull your hair tightly and bind it, you can stress the hair and cause breakage or splits.  The metal connectors on the elastics can catch the hair and tear or break it when you remove the elastic.

Are thick scrunchies covered with velvet also that bad for you? Those are what I use every time I put my hair in a ponytail or a quick bun.

As long as the fabric is not rough, a scrunchie is great for ponytailing or bunning your hair.

That's good, because my hair is too thick to hold in regualr ponytail holders, so I use a scrunchie almost every day. I try not to pull my hair too tight.

Fabric-covered scrunchies are great in many ways, but when I don't want colored fabric flapping about my head, I usually use the covered, non-metal elastics.  There is such a good selection out now in different sizes and hair-coordinating colors.  Nice to use in conjuntions with updos 'n stix because they don't show.

Last week I tried a new product by Scuncii, they are nylon bands.  The package says, "NO METAL, NO DAMAGE!"  They also come in hide-in-your-hair shades.  I bit & bought a pack.  OK: if you have any amount of hair at all you can get one use out of each, then it's too stretched out & warped to re-use.  They hold pretty well once they are in, BUT they take hair out when you take them out!! :o  Oh, yes!  Broke off a whole hank of hair that I can't spare!  I think this is due to the way they stretch & warp upon removal.

Into the garbage they went!

Poor dear! I'm sorry to hear you had difficulties removing those.  :(  If you are looking for another type of hair tie for ponytails or braid ends, I highly recommend Bunjii hair ties.  They are made of covered elastic that goes through a cord lock hub.  You put your hair through it only once, then wrap the elastic around your hair with the desired tension, then lock the elastic into the cord lock.  They come in a variety of colors and styles.  Check them out at www.Bunjii.com

I have found that the "ouchless" suiinci (don't remember how to spell it, yikes!) brand hair ties do not pull my hair at all, and they stay in place, which is saying something with my thick heavy hair. I don't know, maybe it's just cause my hair is tough, but they have never ripped my hair.

I have used velvet scrunchies for years to tie my hair up and keep it out of the way.

Yes, they do slip out easily (my hair is extremely fine and slick), but it's better than fighting a losing battle with any other hair toy.  :-/

I've started using the ouchless, bandless type made by Goody. These are the sort without metal or glue or a "juncture" of any kind. Just a seamless nylon O-shaped thing. They're very handy for swimming!