Transitioners who wear buns!!!!

[brownstallion]

I'm 6 months into my transition. Recently I have been bored with my hair so I figured I try a bun. It's nice but my new growth is matted to my head way under and I feel like it causes more breakage wear the two textures meet. I ended up putting a banana clip in for the rest of the week so my questions are.....


What are your steps?

How long do you wear this style?

Any breakage from this hair style?

Does it get easier?

 

[KiSseS03]

I'm interested in this too, particularly wet buns. I have had no luck in this area , they worked fine in both my fully relaxed and fully natural hair, but at 8 months to now 12 months post, it's matt-city! I usually wear my hair straight via a roller-set or roller-set with flat-ironed roots so those are the only ways I can wear buns.

 

[CheLala13]

I transitioned for 1.5 years and about 75% of that time was spent in a bun. It was absolutely horrible. I didn't go out ever because I felt ugly with that stupid bun. If you have enough hair, I would suggest Nikki's bun that she has on her site. It does get better...the last few months were pretty easy because I learned to dress it up. Like using flower clips and pretty headbands.

To answer your questions:
I have the non silky 4a hair and I had to pull the hair, not just smooth it to get all the hair into a bun. I would sometimes sleep with it, but mostly I would take it down to moisturize the ends and/or put it in a baggy at night. I didn't notice any breakage, but I'm pretty sure there was some. Just be careful, and again, it does get better.

 

[Grand Prix]

I'm 13 months post and wear my hair in a ponytail or sometimes a bun.
I cowash, airdry till slightly damp and bantu knot, then take them out in the morning and put the knot out in a ponytail. I've never had matting..
Are you detangling properly? Keeping your ng moisturized?
Which part of your hair is matting? The relaxed or natural part?
If it's your ng, are you stretching it before it dries?

 

[brownstallion]

Thanks ladies..... Grand pix my ng is matted. I believe I'm detangling properly. I don't stretch it though. I i moisturize my hair every other day. I was doing ok but I just hit a huge bump. Last night I washed and deep conditioned with carrot oil cholesterol and my hair was a mess not to mentioned the huge not I got and the hair that came out with it. I'm just not loving my hair right now

 

[joytimes10]

I bun constantly if I'm too lazy to do a braidout. I don't experience any matting. Sorry, I can't help. I hope you find a viable alternative or solution.

 

[MummysGirl]

I have bunned at least once every week this month (I usually don't) and I'm almost one year post...

I wash/cowash, finger detangle, apply leave in, detangle with wide tooth comb... I have to stretch out my new growth to bun so I either:
1. Airdry in 3-4 ponytails (at home) till my hair is dry before I put it all into one bun

OR
2. Airdry in 2 ponytails (I tuck my ends in cos I wear my hair like this at work) till my hair's dry and bun:


This is how my hair looks in a bun after airdrying (@ 50 weeks (11.5 months) post)...


It stays stretched out in the middle (not as stretched as the front) but enough not to get matted.

 

[Eisani]

I usually do double buns or the Southerntease bun. I absolutely love, love, love this one because there's no stress or pulling on my hair, and I'm protecting my ends. I sometimes even baggy my ends in the ST bun.

 

[Grand Prix]

Thanks ladies..... Grand pix my ng is matted. I believe I'm detangling properly. I don't stretch it though. I i moisturize my hair every other day. I was doing ok but I just hit a huge bump. Last night I washed and deep conditioned with carrot oil cholesterol and my hair was a mess not to mentioned the huge not I got and the hair that came out with it. I'm just not loving my hair right now

How did you dry your hair?
Stretching is very important for transitioning hair, imo. You could try drying your hair in braids or bantu knots to keep your (detangled) hair stretched. That way when it's dry it will be straighter and smoother and your ng won't curl/shrink up under your relaxed hair, which I think may lead to your matting.

Or was it already matted right after your wash?

Don't be frustrated, we'll figure it out.

 

[Taleah2009]

i am 11 months post. and I cant wet bun. I wear buns 4 out of 7 days of the week. But i have to rollerset or flat iron first. My hair does not really take to well to air drying, and wet bunning is a diaster. so i usually pull my hair up into a pony tail and pin my ends down. i normally dont take it down, i use a spray bottle with water and conditioner mix to moisturize everyday.

 

[Diva_Esq]

I wet bun after daily co-washes for 2-3 weeks or until I can't take bunning anymore. I always leave conditioner in my hair when it is wet. Then I wear my hair out and flat ironed for 4-5 days, then back to bunning for 2-3 weeks. When wet bunning, at night, I take my bun down, part my hair in 2 and sleep in 2 Pokahontas looking braids that I pin curl up and wrap with a silk scarf.

Ok, so typical wet bun routine:

Pre-poo on wet but unwashed hair once weekly w/ slightly heated coconut oil & EVOO and apply generously to my hair from scalp to ends.

Then saturate my hair with Yes Carrots Deep Conditioning Mud Mask on top of the oil. Pin on top of my head with a claw clip and wrap my hair completely with saran wrap. Tie down with a scarf and sleep overnight.

In the morning, shampoo with Yes To Carrots Poo or co-wash with Yes to Cucumbers/ Yes to Carrots/ KeraCare Humecto/ Garnier Fructis Length and Strength/ Herbal Essence Hello Hydration (these are my staple conditioners that I rotate. I don't use all of them at once. I usually use 1-2 at a time. I put the conditioner on and go about my shower routine while the conditioner sits and my hair is up in a clip. I have a lot of hair, and my hair loves conditioner). Then I rinse & get out of the shower. I use a Turbie Twist thing to soak up the excess water in my hair while I lotion up.

Once I'm ready to bun, I apply some conditioner to my hair and a little coconut oil/ EVOO mix and detangle with a very wide tooth comb. Then I apply Garnier Fructis Brilliantine Wax to my edges and brush through for extra sleek detangling with a Denman brush (DENMAN = NO MATTING OR TANGLING!!!). Then I bun my hair and wrap it with a scarf to smooth it down. Then every morning for 2-3 weeks, I just do a co-wash only (no poo...only poo once weekly if I have buildup w/ pre-poo) with the above-mentioned conditioners and re-bun.

HTH! I am 7 months into my transition. I also have a photo album with some of my buns and hair toys in my profile.