Cowash (more often than not), get my donut and get busy. Learned how to make it from one of our member's tutorial on You Tube. It's made with socks (how ingenious). I love it.
After I get her all bunned up, I use Carol's Daughter's Healthy Hair Butter and an old toothbrush and smooth out the front and sides (really I just love the smell of this stuff; it has Ylang-Ylang, sage, patchouli, bay and cedarwood, mmmmmmmm good). It makes my silver hair pop with shine too.
Oh, regarding pins and such; don't use 'em. The tutorial I saw said to take the top of a knee high (I cut the stocking part away) - after I make a ponytail with a knee-hi top I slide the donut on and against my head, spread my hair around the donut, take another knee-hi top and slide it over my hair at base of the donut bun, then I take my loose ends and wrap it around the base of the donut and tuck it under the knee-hi thingy. Voila! No pins, ends protected, moistured and happy all day.
Everytime I look at this bun me thinks it looks fake (the one above; not below). I have no perm, no texlaxing or nothing. I have since made a smaller donut though.
I need to remember to take updated pics with the donut bunner I have now.