Question for skate/dance/cheer moms

[va32h]

How do you make a bun or ponytail that stays in place?!?

My 9 yo skates - she has gorgeous, thick, straight hair that is a few inches past her shoulders, all one length. My hairstyling skills are woeful. I have tried gels, bobby pins, barettes, you name it. Even if I start when the hair is soaking wet, by the time it dries, strands start popping out, or the bun is to heavy and flops over.

I'd take her to a stylist, but her competition times are always something like Sunday at 8:45 a.m. - when nobody is open!

I see girls all over the rink with perfectly smooth, taut buns and ponytails - how are they doing this?

 

[TXTink]

When my DD's needed them for dance, I would put their hair in a pony tail, then twist the pony tail and wrap it around the hair band and secure it with hair pins (not bobby pins). Then get a hair net and wrap it around the bun as many times as it will go (that will keep the strays from poking out). Then I used hair spray.

I hope this helps!

 

[Disney_1derland]

It's really hard to explain, but here it is written out pretty well. My daughter has very fine hair that is hard to gather so we must use the hairnet trick to keep hers together!

Bun instructions

We use an average of 20 bobby pins on her tiny little head but it does stay! We also have been known to use a 'spare hair' scrunchie (scrunchie with her hair color in fake hair) to help build it into because her hair is fine.

 

[bananiem]

Around here they won't let you on the ice with hair pins or bobby pins. If they fall out it's a serious hazard. You can use the "snap" kind of clips though.
My dd's synchro team uses hairagami's. They're a PITA but once they're in they don't come out!

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Damp hair, mousse, industrial strength hair spray (Finesse maximum hold works best for me), bobby pins and hairnets.

My DD is 7 and her hair sounds a lot like your daughter's except for some natural waves thanks to DH's curls. I have a much harder time with DD2 (4). Her hair is very fine and nothing keeps it in place!!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Well, my DD10 has very thick, ruler straight hair down to her knees. I'm not kidding--what a PITA, she does plays as well as dance and gymnastics, which have a combined recital so I get to be backstage redoing her hair (a bun won't work for gym).

Anyway, since her hair is so long and so thick, the only way I can get it up is to make a ponytail, split it in two, and then braid each half. These I'm able to put up because theyr'e less havey than one braid.

The hairigami thing worked when her hair was shorter. Also, I use mega-hold Rave hairspray.

 

[simba928]

I am in color guard and our hair has to be stiff. I mean like a rock. Hair spray and bobby pins become your best friend in color guard. I used 20+ bobby pins in my hair for the games. We had to do a bun with one of those curly fake hair pieces in it as well as a hair net over the bun. Hairspray, hair spray, hair spray, and more hair spray is what we used. We would get ready in the lobby of our school before games and festivals and the entire lobby would smell. You could tell when we were doing our hair because you could smell the fumes before you could see us.

 

[Mackie's Mommy]

For just regular class, I just use a hairigami. IF it is for a recital that requires the bangs to be pulled back as well, I use this stuff called Glued by Got2Be. It is the same stuff one would use for a spiked mohawk. Not one hair on that baby's head moves for 4+ hours. DOn't even need bobby pins with that stuff.

 

[JELBoggio]

When my DD's needed them for dance, I would put their hair in a pony tail, then twist the pony tail and wrap it around the hair band and secure it with hair pins (not bobby pins). Then get a hair net and wrap it around the bun as many times as it will go (that will keep the strays from poking out). Then I used hair spray.

I hope this helps!

I do exactly like the above post, but before I do the pony tail, I take a little bit of gel and mix it with water in my hands and run my hands through her hair. My DD has long, thick hair and this works great! Other moms are ask me how it looks so neat. The hair net I use is invisible so no one even knows it's in her hair unless they are mere inches away! Good luck! It looks like you have a lot of great advice!

 

[Stacey2grls]

Both my girls have long fine hair, to make it stay perfect for dance/cheer/gymnastics is very easy once you get the technique down. First, I brush their hair, dampen with water, comb through a good holding gel, secure with elastic band, than spray, and I mean SPRAY with a really good spray, this has never failed! You could also try going to your local beauty supply and asking them for assistance in helping you choose a really good holding product line. Good luck.

 

[va32h]

Thanks for all the tips - I am going to look for that Hairdini thing, and the glue, too. I just feel so bad for my little girl - cursed with a mom that has no makeup/hairstyling skills!

And it was rather embarassing when her coach told me that dd's choreography was getting messed up, because she was always pushing hair out of her face!

 

[Stacerita]

I know you asked for bun and ponytail help, but your DD hair sounds like mine. Very thick and very full. When I was cheering it took a small army to keep my hair in place. One thing that always seemed to work for me was to french braid it. I would run some gel through it and then have it braided while it was still wet. Once it was done I would spray the thing to death. It kept my hair out of my face and it stayed in place. Ponytails were way hard to do since I would have so many fly aways and my hair was much to heavy for buns. So briads were what worked when I really needed it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Use gel and styling product when my daughters hair is wet. She is notorious for having flyaways at other times---but when done wet for performance---totally works. We start with a pony tail and wrap and pin it.

She's only 5 though. But so far so good.

 

[Nancy]

We used the gel, hairnets and bobby pin route. Helped lots that I was a hairdresser before having kids! Not sure if being in the ice that you can use bobby pins...is that allowed? If one falls out on the ice it could cause a serious fall.

 

[missypie]

I have a dancer with very thick hair past her waist that has to be put into a bun; I have a gymnast who must have "pull throughs," then a bun, for meets. I guess I'm a pro. We use LOTS of hair gel. (Believe it or not, lots of people don't think of that.) I use the braid bun...it splits the volume in two so it's not so heavy. Also, make sure you pin the braid/bun TO THE HEAD...so many of the buns I see are just sort of in the air, just waiting to fall out.

I would recommend that you take a "lesson" either from an old pro mom, or actually pay a stylist a few bucks on a non-competion day to teach you. Tell her what the appointment is for, so he/she will block out enough time to let you try, too.

One more thing: Every year, the gymnastics team has a mom-sponsored "hair clinic", to teach the new parents the way the hair is supposed to be done for meets. I know it sounds extreme, but it is helpful! It's not as if we're BORN knowing how to do buns.

I almost forgot the most important thing: Use HAIR PINS, not bobby pins. There is a difference. Hair pins are more spread out, and are designed for buns.

 

[MELSMICE]

Homemade hair gel that is like cement:

1 package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water

Put hair in pony tail/bun while mixture is cooling
With fingers spread a thin layer of mixture over hair & bun - repeat
For added security put wrap a hair net around bun as many times as possible
Finish with TONS of hairspray

This will stay in for hours. I use it on the kids at my dance studio!

 

[bananiem]

I feel the need to point out, once again, that hair pins and bobby pins are NOT allowed on the ice, during competition or practice.

 

[KimR]

My DD is a gymnast and had very thick, long hair before she got it cut. I used to put it in a high ponytail and braid around 12 - 15 separate sections. THen, I'd take the braided hair and loop it under, securing with an elastic band. No pins needed. I used gel and hairspray to smooth out the flyaways. It took FOREVER because her hair was so long and thick but it looked great and I never had to worry about it coming undone. When she had early meets, I'd even do it the night before and it would stay in all night - we only needed to touch up a bit with gel and hairspray the next morning.

 

[agnes!]

When my DD was doing dance this is what I did...

*Wet hair and put it up while wet, working in hair gel as well. (I like Paul Mitchell Garnier Fructis Fiber Gum Putty the best, but Paul Mitchell products are good too.)
*Pull it back in a ponytail with a "no-pull" elastic band.
*Secure sides/top with "clippie" barrettes(keeps the fly-away/wispies from happening).
*Twirl the hair around the ponytail.
*Secure twirled hair/bun with the "clippie" barrettes that match her hair color the most. I never used hair pins or bobbie pins - they fall out too easily.
*Put an invisible(or hair color-matching) hair net over the bun, twist it around to fit over bun.
*Spray with Paul Mitchell hair spray.
*Spray again.

agnes!
PS - For recitals, make sure that any buns don't interfere with hair adornments(bows, hats, feathers, etc). Make sure that they are in the correct place to match the other dancers in the class.

 

[cristbaby]

hair net and hair gel are the best by far. Also splitting the pony tail into two works really great for very thick hair. Good luck, practice makes perfect.