Question for 4bs and 4zs with mad shrinkage

[Chameleonchick]

How long did your hair have to be to make a try protective styling bun, especially the high bun? I am a little past APL (10-11 inches) and I still can't put my hair in a bun with my ends tucked. My shrinkage is ridiculous! I will admit that I tried on semi wet hair because its hard for me to get my hair to lay down flat on the sides. I don't want to do a puff I want a tucked bun. What are your techniques for this? I really need help with this.

 

[JudithO]

I got to 1 inch from BSL... Never happened... lol... Our hair is just different, I learned to accept... mwedzi ... This question is right for you since you prolly have the longest 4z hair on the boards... Nonie may have enough hair to answer too

 

[pookaloo83]

I did a tucked bun and I'm not APL yet. I make sure my hair is stretched via a braid out before I pull it all to the top of my head. My avatar is a puff with Thebes bobby pinned down. This pic is a tucked under puff.

Sent from my iPhone 4s

 

[MissSenegal]

I'm about an inch and a half from bsl and still can't do it. I can do it on blowdried hair but not previously banded hair. I can get it into a ponytail on wet hair but once my hair dries its a no go.

 

[Nonie]

Chameleonchick, I'm sure you can do it on stretched hair.

I'm not a protective styler so I don't have pics of my lose hair in a bun, but I did make one with twists when my hair was about APL:

When my hair was between SL and APL, I could make a pony tail when it was straightened

...so even just braid-stretched hair should've able to make a pony puff, and so I believe I should've been able to make high bun.

But buns aren't the only way to PS, BTW, if you're finding it hard to make one. A style similar to this would also help tuck your ends in:

As is a braid style like this one:

Even a French braid or any variation of it, can be protective:

And I'm not talking about doing it on braids or twists like I did. You could do that with your own hair. I

 

[Nonie]

@judy4all, where are yo' pics, Lady? I see you fronting like you're a relaxed chick who knows nuffin 'bout natural folk hair. Do answer OP's question (preferably with pics) before I reach for my big stick.

ETA: OK, you're off the hook. I just saw you answered.

Maybe fine hair is easier to stretch into a bun than coarse hair? What do ya think judy4all?

 

[Nonie]

I'm about an inch and a half from bsl and still can't do it. I can do it on blowdried hair but not previously banded hair. I can get it into a ponytail on wet hair but once my hair dries its a no go.

MissSenegal have you tried it on braid-stretched hair? I've never considered banding coz that's never looked like it'd stretch my hair the way braiding can.

 

[Nonie]

Chameleonchick, you can also protective style with a tucked under braid. Starting with stretched hair, braid it all into one plait at the top of your head and tuck it under. I've done this with my twists but I've never taken a pic or I'd show you what I mean.

When my hair was straightened, I sorta, kinda did something similar, only I tucked just the end of the plait under instead of the whole plait.

 

[pookaloo83]

Chameleonchick, I'm sure you can do it on stretched hair.

I'm not a protective styler so I don't have pics of my lose hair in a bun, but I did make one with twists when my hair was about APL:

When my hair was between SL and APL, I could make a pony tail when it was straightened

...so even just braid-stretched hair should've able to make a pony puff, and so I believe I should've been able to make high bun.

But buns aren't the only way to PS, BTW, if you're finding it hard to make one. A style similar to this would also help tuck your ends in:

As is a braid style like this one:

Even a French braid or any variation of it, can be protective:

And I'm not talking about doing it on braids or twists like I did. You could do that with your own hair. I

Like that pony with the braid Nonie!

Sent from my iPhone 4s

 

[JudithO]

lolol Nonie ... I could never do it on shrunken hair... never... Best I could do was a puff.... Shrunken, my 12 inches looked like 3 inches...... (thank you for reminding me to never let my natural hair shrink all the way... was a nightmare to detangle that baby)

With stretched hair.. maybe but I never tried... My hair is as fine as it comes, but it is not naturally soft ... Maybe it has something to do with the density... I still can't figure out 2 people with the exact same texture and strand size can have hair that feels completely different, but .. thats topic for another day...

So maybe fine 4z hair that is softer can pull it off? I dont know... my hair tho... the only headache free style i could do was 2 strand twists... and then I could style the twists how I wanted (altho I always wore in a low bun).. Every other hairstyle gave me a headache just thinking about them.. lol.. ahh my natural hair..

OT: Once I decided to give her a name... she is stubborn, has a mind of her own, causes her momma a headache, can be gorgeous only when she pleases.... all that described me... lol.... She never got a name... Maybe the next time I go natural...

 

[Nonie]

lolol @Nonie ... I could never do it on shrunken hair... never... Best I could do was a puff.... Shrunken, my 12 inches looked like 3 inches...... (thank you for reminding me to never let my natural hair shrink all the way... was a nightmare to detangle that baby)

With stretched hair.. maybe but I never tried... My hair is as fine as it comes, but it is not naturally soft ... Maybe it has something to do with the density... I still can't figure out 2 people with the exact same texture and strand size can have hair that feels completely different, but .. thats topic for another day...

So maybe fine 4z hair that is softer can pull it off? I dont know... my hair tho... the only headache free style i could do was 2 strand twists... and then I could style the twists how I wanted (altho I always wore in a low bun).. Every other hairstyle gave me a headache just thinking about them.. lol.. ahh my natural hair..

OT: Once I decided to give her a name... she is stubborn, has a mind of her own, causes her momma a headache, can be gorgeous only when she pleases.... all that described me... lol.... She never got a name... Maybe the next time I go natural...

Wait, you @judy4all are talmbout shrunken hair? C'mon nah! You know 4B shrunken hair looks like this:

And that's hair that is approaching APL.

I'ma need you to stop ackin' brand new @judy4all about natchal hair, you newly relaxed 4B-er

Everyone who's had natural 4B hair knows what the shrinkage of our hair is like...so buns will only happen when the hair is stretched:

Hello?

 

[JudithO]

@Nonie .. lol... I'm not actin brand new... shoo... with this baby coming, I dont know what im going to be in the next couple weeks.. natural, stretching, transitioning... bla... lol... @ your shrunken hair... yep.. looks just like mine....

Hair is too hard man.... I cant get braids... Afraid they'll cut my length and I dont like it too long... A weave... I'm not balling like that to buy EP hair and call Reniece .... + I dont know anyone in my area that can give me a full head weave without braiding my brains away (that's with BSS hair)... I cant find any wigs that look remotely natural.... I'm thinking just wear celie braids throughout and redo them once a week.. but how will I go to work in celie braids... then I thought, cut off like 5 inches on my hair, then get kinky twists... knowing fully well that any type of braids will kill my edges... I can't win this battle... lol.. I just want to disappear....

 

[NappyNelle]

LOL Nonie and Judy! Yall crack me up. And omgoodness Nonie, that's how much your shrinkage is?! WOOOOOW!! *jaw on ground* Our hair is so cool.

OP, I think I could do a sort-of-high bun on stretched hair when I was APL. I'm 4A, but I do have to fight the shrinkage with braiding.

 

[MissAlinaRose]

I was able to do it around SL but the key was stretching. Once it reached BSL and a little past it, I was able to do it right out of the shower.

 

[Chameleonchick]

Thank for the replies. I should add that I can't/don't want to use a blowdryer or heat tools to straighten my hair, plus it would be a waste of time because I work out too much and sweat a lot to do it anyways.

 

[JudithO]

Chameleonchick If you have hair like mine or Nonie's.. Then doing it on shrunken hair is a waste of time..

If you stretch you like in twists.. like the way I do in this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYgGlRZLYcE then you should be able to... I just never thought my hair was meant for such styles.. lol.. so I never bothered..

 

[Nonie]

Thank for the replies. I should add that I can't/don't want to use a blowdryer or heat tools to straighten my hair, plus it would be a waste of time because I work out too much and sweat a lot to do it anyways.

I don't remember if you like twists Chameleonchick but what I like about twists is you can workout or do whatever in them and even when it comes to stretching them into a style, you just need to get them damp and you can pull them into a pony or two pigtails (yeah, I don't care how old I am; try stopping me!) Another plus with twists is you can wash and wear so sweat would not even be messing your do.

I am in twists and I workout, swim, do whatever...and I don't have to switch around my schedule to attend to my hair. Life goes on. I can workout shower, wash my hair and have it in an updo ready for work...in the time it'd take me to get ready on any regular day. Thanks to having my hair in twists.

 

[pookaloo83]

@Nonie .. lol... I'm not actin brand new... shoo... with this baby coming, I dont know what im going to be in the next couple weeks.. natural, stretching, transitioning... bla... lol... @ your shrunken hair... yep.. looks just like mine....

Hair is too hard man.... I cant get braids... Afraid they'll cut my length and I dont like it too long... A weave... I'm not balling like that to buy EP hair and call Reniece .... + I dont know anyone in my area that can give me a full head weave without braiding my brains away (that's with BSS hair)... I cant find any wigs that look remotely natural.... I'm thinking just wear celie braids throughout and redo them once a week.. but how will I go to work in celie braids... then I thought, cut off like 5 inches on my hair, then get kinky twists... knowing fully well that any type of braids will kill my edges... I can't win this battle... lol.. I just want to disappear....

Alladis just made me laugh.

Sent from my iPhone 4s

 

[Foxglove]

I'm a little past APL and I'm still struggling to do it. It's one of my major goals in life lol. I just want a nice juicy bun with my own hair. Is that too much to ask

ETA I'm trying to avoid heat too

 

[BrownSkin2]

I'm around APL. I can do a high bun on an old twistout (stretch hair). My routine has been braidout on Monday and Tuesday, then high bun on Wed-Frid..

 

[manter26]

If you want to do I high bun, I think it's best to do it on hair that's been stretched over the course of a few days. Do some large braids on wet hair. When those are dry, take them out and rebraid smaller to get more stretch. By day 3, your hair should be wavy and easy to pull up. Use some gel and a scarf if you want smooth edges- but in my experience, my hair is unsmoothable so I don't worry about that.

 

[anon123]

How long did your hair have to be to make a try protective styling bun, especially the high bun? I am a little past APL (10-11 inches) and I still can't put my hair in a bun with my ends tucked. My shrinkage is ridiculous! I will admit that I tried on semi wet hair because its hard for me to get my hair to lay down flat on the sides. I don't want to do a puff I want a tucked bun. What are your techniques for this? I really need help with this.

I was able to do it at a little past the length you are now. Somewhere around 12 inches stretched. But that had to be done on hair that was already semi-stretched, like in twists or a twist out. This was one of my first real buns, and I was barely scraping bsl:

 

[mscocoface]

Hang in there grasshopper. Buns are a treat and a large victory when we get enough hair to do one. Your hair has to be stretched usually in order to get one.

Signed,
Shrinkalicious aka Mscocoface

 

[MizzBrown]

The shrinkage you get is almost magical, isnt it?

I can't tuck ish. Curl pattern is too tight. Its either in a puff or wash N go fro.

And you are APL and can't get a tucked bun? That's A LOT of shrinkage.

 

[Chameleonchick]

The shrinkage you get is almost magical, isnt it?

I can't tuck ish. Curl pattern is too tight. Its either in a puff or wash N go fro.

And you are APL and can't get a tucked bun? That's A LOT of shrinkage.

Yes it is. I can make my hair look a TWA with no problem. One of these days I won't wash a section in braids and take a picture of it.

 

[lushcoils]

I've been trying to figure this out too. People with hair shorter than mine have been able to make buns and high puffs. And I'm here struggling to get a goody headband to stay around my 99% shrinking extremely dense 4z hair.

 

[mslionheart]

99% shrinking extremely dense

Lush, you have described my hair exactly. The combination of high shrinkage and high density is what can make certain styles feel labor intensive. It's like you're working with this big, bulky mass of hair. You know how some people can just grab their hair and pull it back in a puff or ponytail? Well, even after 12 years and plenty of natural hair to work with, it still takes a little bit of effort to get all the hair contained smoothly. As others have mentioned, well-stretched hair is the key

 

[Imani]

I started doing buns at about full layered SL approaching APL. Always on hair stretched in twists. To make them look full I'd do them with banana clips or with hair puffed out in a band. I can do a regular bun but bc of my layers and shrinkage it doesn't look as full.

I never let my hair shrink up completely so I don't have pics of full shrinkage, but I took of pic of this part that I let shrink up unintentionally. The shrunken hair was probably about 10 inches long at that time.

 

[virtuenow]

Chameleonchick I have this video of a 4b/c doing an awesome bun on stretched hair. It is the best bun tutorial I have seen for high shrinkage hair http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucC_dc8JvSw. lushcoils I also have somewhere near 99% shrinkage. It's nice to meet more incredible shrinking haired ppl

 

[Chameleonchick]

virtuenow Thank you!!