NEW: Winter Bun Challenge (Dec 2009- Mar 2010)

[Lei*Lei]

I'll join

I was planning on doing this on my own, for the same length of time (except i will go straight to the end of March, and i already started)! But it will be much more fun with a group!!

I'll be doing sock buns. Wash and dc once a week.

 

[ladysaraii]

Diva: That's a great bun. What did you use to do that? the hair pole thingy and what else?

I'v ebeen using ouchless bands, but I'm wondering if i need to switch to scrunchies or hair pins for better end protection

 

[Diva_Esq]

Diva: That's a great bun. What did you use to do that? the hair pole thingy and what else?

I'v ebeen using ouchless bands, but I'm wondering if i need to switch to scrunchies or hair pins for better end protection

Wet bun routine:

Co-wash hair w/ fave conditioner (saturate wet hair root to end) & pin onto of head while I do the rest of my shower routine. At the end of my shower, I rinse with cool water. I squeeze the excess water out of my hair & wrap my hair in my twistie turbie towel thingy while I dry off & lotion up. Then I remove my hair from the towel, apply some more of my favorite conditioner, Coconut oil & some wax (edges only with the wax) to lay down my edges. I detangle in sections with my wide-tooth comb & then further detangle & smooth with my Denman brush. Then I smooth the hair into the ponytail and secure with an ouchless Goody ponytail holder. I twist the hair around itself and wrap it clockwise around the ponytail base tight and then secure with 2 more ouchless bands. Then put 2 Paul Mitchell gloss drops in my palms, rub together and smooth over my hair for shine. I tie it all down for a while with a silk or satin scarf until I head to work. For the looser buns, those are either 2nd day, damp buns or dry buns, but pretty similar procedure. The bun with the black pin is wet and I just did everything like I was about to put it in a pony but I didn't pull the last one all the way through and let little pieces hang out. Then I used this hairpin toward the bottom so the bun sticks out of the top. It's hard to see b/c my hair is so jet black and the hairpin is too:

HTH!

 

[SunnyHoney]

... apply some more of my favorite conditioner, Coconut oil & some wax (edges only with the wax) to lay down my edges. ..

Thanks for the details, Diva_Esq! What kind of wax do you use?

Is anyone else having a problem with short hair on top (like bangs) lying flat while bunning?

I know I could just continue to wear them as bangs, but I want them to grow out, and so I pull them back, but since I can only wear a loose bun/roll because I get migraines, I need to find a way to get them to stay down!

I've tried the Tancho wax, it flakes. I've tried Paul Mitchell dry wax, it doesn't hold.

 

[Diva_Esq]

Thanks for the details, Diva_Esq! What kind of wax do you use?

Is anyone else having a problem with short hair on top (like bangs) lying flat while bunning?

I know I could just continue to wear them as bangs, but I want them to grow out, and so I pull them back, but since I can only wear a loose bun/roll because I get migraines, I need to find a way to get them to stay down!

I've tried the Tancho wax, it flakes. I've tried Paul Mitchell dry wax, it doesn't hold.

You're welcome.

I use Garnier Fructis Brilliantine Water-based Wax. Looks like this:

Doesn't flake! Smells divine! Holds great! Inexpensive! Easy to wash out! HTH! Good luck!

 

[adnolej]

This may be a silly question, but how do you all bun without pulling out your edges? Idk if I just pull my hair too tight, but by the end of the day, my bun feels tight and I'm ready to take my hair out...

 

[Diva_Esq]

This may be a silly question, but how do you all bun without pulling out your edges? Idk if I just pull my hair too tight, but by the end of the day, my bun feels tight and I'm ready to take my hair out...

You're pulling too tight, mama! You can get a sleek, smooth bun without pulling your eyes back. I remember that feeling from childhood. Also, don't twist the ponytail holder so many times. Slick your edges w/ wax and put a doo-rag or silk/ satin scarf on tied fairly tight (not too tight as to break your hair off) for about 20 minutes after you bun for sleekness! HTH!

 

[adnolej]

You're pulling too tight, mama! You can get a sleek, smooth bun without pulling your eyes back.

LOL Ok, maybe I'll change my approach! Thanks!

 

[dicapr]

I'd like to join. I've been bunning for about 3 weeks now. Nothing fancy, just a donut bun. I have been spraying the donut with a leave in every morning before doing my bun and that has eliminated the dry ends that can come from using a foam bun. I also take my bun down every night and re-do it every morning. I have been changing the position of the bun from high, mid, and low every few days. I also part my hair on the side or down the middle sometimes to change the direction the hair is being pulled so the same hairs are not stressed everyday.

 

[raushana2478]

Im sort of new, but and im tired of losing my hair, im all in!!

 

[SunnyHoney]

Im sort of new, but and im tired of losing my hair, im all in!!

Welcome, raushana...I feel ya, girl! I think that's what brought us most of us here!

So far I've been dry bunning, I feel like my hair is not loving being pulled back so much. I've got a lot of stray hairs , and I don't know if they've always been this short, or if they're breaking off because I'm bunning. For those who wet bun, is this the reason why you've choosen to do it that way instead?

Can anyone who's done both, compare wet/dry bunning as far as breakage prevention?

TIA!

 

[schipperchow1]

I'd like to join. I've been wearing my hair out the past 2 months & need to go back to protecting my hair On days that i don't wear a bun, I may wear it in a twisted, braided or banded pony tail.

 

[danysedai]

lol, i was doing searches on bunning, and i've had one for the last 2 days (with a sock bun covered in pantyhose).
Count me in!

 

[testimony777]

I am going to try this. I had decided to do PS for the winter already; maybe doing it with a group will help me stay committed. I am planning on wearing a bun most days (4-5 days a week) and wearing my hair in a hairzing ponytail the remaining days.

 

[Ms. A.Sunshine]

I am in.....starting today.

 

[purplepeace79]

Honey Mama I would like to join. Bunning 5 days a week, 3 day passes.

I am natural and I only know how to do the bun in my ava so far. I am going to have to research some more options, my hair is only shoulder length.

Reecie, I like your double bun I might give that a try.

I'm not joining this challenge, but my hair is natural and shoulder length and I recommend a donut. You can buy them at places like Wal-Mart. They are spongy kind of circular objects you slip your ponytail through and wrap around. The best method for me is to get my hair dripping wet and as elongated as possible. Make the pony, slide it through. Wrap the hair around the donut and secure with pins when necessary

I used it here and in my avatar

 

[Diva_Esq]

Welcome, raushana...I feel ya, girl! I think that's what brought us most of us here!

So far I've been dry bunning, I feel like my hair is not loving being pulled back so much. I've got a lot of stray hairs , and I don't know if they've always been this short, or if they're breaking off because I'm bunning. For those who wet bun, is this the reason why you've choosen to do it that way instead?

Can anyone who's done both, compare wet/dry bunning as far as breakage prevention?

TIA!

I wet bun b/c I like my hair to look sleek and shiny. I'm not sure about breakage w/ dry vs. wet bunning, but it's easier for me to get my hair the way I want it with wet hair & conditioner in it. HTH!

 

[testimony777]

Welcome, raushana...I feel ya, girl! I think that's what brought us most of us here!

So far I've been dry bunning, I feel like my hair is not loving being pulled back so much. I've got a lot of stray hairs , and I don't know if they've always been this short, or if they're breaking off because I'm bunning. For those who wet bun, is this the reason why you've choosen to do it that way instead?

Can anyone who's done both, compare wet/dry bunning as far as breakage prevention?

TIA!

This was a big problem for me in the past. I was on a protective style kick for a while and discovered that instead of retaining length my hair was actually more damaged than when I started. I have had breakage with both wet and dry bunning. For my hair the only way that bunning is beneficial is when I do not use ponytail holders to secure them.

In the past I used the snag free ones that are made of nylon but even those caused breakage after a while because of the friction caused when I would wrap the ties around by hair. Even when I didn't pull the pony tail tightly I would still wrap the tie around my hair tightly to keep it in place. My edges were fine but eventually I started seeing long broken hairs that were not from shedding. My ends also suffered as I was tucking them under the hair tie. The friction caused splits.

I have found that with bunning securing them in hair friendly ways is just as (if not more) important as protecting your hair from the elements. I now secure my buns with hair forks, chopsticks or hairzings. I use them on both wet and dry hair with no problems. HTH

 

[SunnyHoney]

A huge Thank you, Testimony777!

I am taking my bun out as I type this for fear that each minute I am snapping a delicate strand of hair!

Perhaps I was in a bit of denial, because I convinced myself I was bunning as safely as possible. I was definitely making the bun very loose, and using a nylon stocking, but still I was finding these strays indicating breakage. It's good to hear that it's not all in my mind!

Also, I've noticed my relaxed ends do not like being "crinkled-up" as the result of being in a bun, esp. when wet (I tried wet bunning last night), and have already noticed breakage like crazy!

I'm going back to dry "pinning" so that I'm just kinda bending my hair, instead of folding it and balling it up.

 

[Ganjababy]

I would like to join this challenge.

 

[PearlyCurly]

Im so in!!!

But instead of weekend pass can i get a twisting hair past??

I dont straighten my hair rly, and my hair gets matted when i let it hang out! So all i have is twisting to give it a break!

 

[Anna9764]

I'm in....just got my 1st sock bun 2 weeks ago

 

[coconow2007]

reading my mind I was thinking of doing this also - I'm in!

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I would like to join!
I'm in the PS Styling for Three Months Challenge too, but it ends in December, so this would be a perfect extension.

ETA: I totally agree, OP.
I had to give up my donut buns because they were snapping off my ends, from the ends being in that bent position all day. The only buns I wear now are the southern tease, french rolls with hair sticks, and a bun where I gather my hair into a ponytail, put it in a pincurl, and then pin it flat with the ends tucked into the base. I'm probably going to try to reattempt the donut buns whenever my good hairday pins get here.

And I can't wet bun either...my hair is fine, so it causes crazy breakage for me.
I only moisturize and seal my ends and then dry bun.

 

[~NanCeBoTwin~]

I'll join as well. I bun just aboutn 4-5 times a week anyway.

 

[princessdi]

I'm in.

 

[SunnyHoney]

to all the new bun challengers!

Im so in!!!

But instead of weekend pass can i get a twisting hair past??

Sure, PearlyCurly!

 

[leleepop]

I might try this for an extended week. I think i will do it every other week for a while. My dh doesnt like buns. O well

 

[testimony777]

A huge Thank you, Testimony777!

I am taking my bun out as I type this for fear that each minute I am snapping a delicate strand of hair! ...

I am glad it was helpful advice

 

[SunnyHoney]

Yay! I'm so excited we have so many bun challengers, because I'm looking forward to learning something from all of you.

But... I'll be signing off of LHCF for awhile. Ever since I found this site a couple of weeks ago, I've been learning SO much that I've found myself being sucked into this site and have spent WAY too many hours at my computer! My eyes are drying out from reading this computer screen so much, lately. . I've gotten so many good tips on products that I'm already a PJ...sad, sad, sad, considering it's almost Christmas, and I should be spending this money on my kids! . LOL! But most importantly, I'm so impatient about growing my hair (out of relaxer, and out of NL) that I'm spending way too much time thinking about it! A watched pot never boils!!!

So I've decided to do my own personal challenge and logoff of LHCF until the Winter Bun Challenge's official start date (Dec 21). I'll check in on start day, to see if any new folks join us. Then maybe check in once every 2 weeks for updates. I've no time to post pics (life's wild with kids), but I hope some of you other ladies post some update pics.

So just to sign off I'll end with this little prayer: "Dear God, please give each of us bunners 4 inches of retained, healthy growth in the next 3 months, Amen!"