Functional Style: Big All-Day Bun

Disclaimer: This is my first post from my new tablet. Forgive me for any formatting errors!
Ever since I chopped off my ends, I promised myself that I would invest in more protective styling. As y'all know, I haaaaaaaate buns with a passion. My head isn't exactly small, and buns tend to be the least flattering of styles for me. Not only do buns expose my ginormous fo'head, they also make me look like I have no hair.
This morning, I spent some time playing with buns, because I knew I couldn't go another day with my hair out. Yesterday, as the "No Parking" time posted on my street's sign rapidly approached, I was forced to make a tough call: Protective Style or Parking Ticket. Yeaaaaa, needles to say...the fear of owing the City of Los Angeles any sort of money overrode the need to tuck away my ends. Stakes is high, yo! But I digress. I knew I needed to protect my ends today, and I had nothing to work with because I slept in my satin scarf without twisting, braiding, or pineappling my hair. Lucky for me, this variation on the traditional bun worked mightily in my favor.
My hair tends to favor being uncooperative, and its favorite pastime is falling out of place. With regular buns, I find, myself having to undo and redo and re-pin and re-tuck my hair. Today, I ended up having to do none of the above. Here is what you need to recreate my style:
-- Banana clip
-- Bobby pins (large and small)
-- Spray bottle with water
-- Aussie Moist Conditioner (or whichever condish tickles your fancy)
-- Ecostyler gel (again, whatever slicker-downer you use)
-- Soft bristle brush
Yep, that's right! No scrunchies or funny bun thingies involved. Ready to get styling? Note: I did my style on dry hair.
Step 1: Generously spray hair (concentrated more on edges) with water. Don't saturate your hair. It shouldn't even feel damp. Make sure edges are pretty moist.
Step2: Apply a small dollop (the size of a nickel) of conditioner to your edges, all the way around your head. Use more of necessary.
Step 3: Apply a small dollop (slightly more than the amount of conditioner you used) of gel all around your head. If your edges seem stiff, add more water and conditioner. If they are too soft, add more gel.
Step 4: Gently brush all around your ahead, brushing as if you are preparing to put your hair in a high ponytail. Hold your prepped pony in one hand.
Step 5: Fasten the banana clip horizontally across your ponytail. Each end of the clip should be pointing toward your ears. For extra side slickness, apply a small bobby pin on each side.
Step 6: Rub a little extra conditioner and gel onto your ponytail hair. Not too much -- less than you used on your edges, but enough to help prolong the style. Here's where we shift the paradigm of the traditional bun:
Step 7: Gather your hair and fold it forward over your hand, as if you were wrapping your hand with it. If you have shorter hair, wrap down toward your fingertips. Longer hair, wrap over the palm. Remove your hands (holding your ends), and fasten each end with a large bobby pin. Use a few small bobby pins throughout, to secure inside and shorter pieces. Feel free to manipulate the bun/fan out hair for a fuller look.
Hopefully, I will be able to do video posts with instructions soon (from my new tablet....yee!). I love (er....like) this bun a lot... it lasts ALL day, no fixing up required, it isn't tight/doesn't create tension, gives me a full bun (thanks to affixing hair against the traditional pattern), and doesn't make my head look huge! OK, I lied about the last one. Nothing but forehead bypass surgery is gonna fix my head. But all in all, this is a bun I can work with! How about you?
Send your success pics to tinapatrice@gmail.com and be featured on The Mane Objective!



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