It's the small triumphs in life *g*

[sholio]

I finally learned to updo my hair with pencils!

Okay, yes, I know it's a silly thing, but I've had long hair for most of my life and had always assumed that doing up a bun with pencils/chopsticks was a) quite difficult and b) would be prone to falling out.

But it's neither! I found a video on Youtube that shows how to do it, and tried it, and -- it's super fast and every bit as secure as a ponytail with an elastic band. I'm actually really surprised at how securely two pencils can keep all my hair in place. I've had it like that for a couple hours now, just going about my normal day's business, and it hasn't shown the slightest sign of slipping.

(The video is this one, except that I tried what she does at the end, and it doesn't work for me AT ALL -- falls right out. But if you stop right before her final step and, instead, shove a second pencil through at right angles to the first one ... voila, it's solid as a rock. At least, it worked once. *g* Maybe I should make sure that I can repeat the effect before I get too cocky.)

This entry is also posted at http://friendshipper.dreamwidth.org/338138.html with comments.

Comments

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

They were selling this on HSN one evening. My hair is chin length so
not long enough but had been, I would have tried it and Sandy, my sister,
had much longer hair than she does now, a bob, but she said she was tempted when she saw one in a store here.

[sholio]

I've never really done anything with my hair -- I either tie it back in a simple style (a ponytail or braid) or wear it loose. But I figure that, if I'm going to bother with the hassle of long hair, I may as well start learning to do a few cool styles, right? *g*

[trobadora]

Hee! I'll have to try it with a second pencil just for variation - I do it the same way the person in the video does it, with just one, and it works perfectly for me. Surprisingly secure, too.

[sholio]

I couldn't get that last bit to work -- it's possible that I'm doing it wrong, or maybe my hair is too wispy for just one pencil to hold. (I have really fine, thin hair.) But it worked great with two!

[trobadora]

And probably I'm doing something wrong, but I can't figure out how to make it work with two pencils! Funny ... *g*

[sholio]

Ironic ... *g*

I don't know if this will work for you, but what I did -- I stopped before flipping the first pencil up (that is, just wound the hair and left it lying flat against my scalp) and then pushed the other one through at right angles to the first one, starting right up against my scalp and then angling outwards a bit so that it pushed through the coil of hair.

[trobadora]

Aha! I think I figured it out - the second pencil goes above the first, yes? (My first attempt ended up a bit loose, but still quite secure. I like!)

[sholio]

Ah! Yes, it does. (I'm not sure if I was entirely aware of that -- it *is* on the back of my head, and I was going mostly by feel. *g* But, yes!)

[coolbreeze1.livejournal.com]

I love this! I've always wondered how to do it but never thought to look it up on youtube. I can get it to work with one pencil but my efforts with two pencils have not succeeded yet. I'll have to keep practicing. I think I've figured out what I need to do, but my fingers are still fumbling around a little at actually doing it. :)

[snarkydame.livejournal.com]

I usually do that with one -- it doesn't always work for me though. I have A LOT of hair. (and if there's a split in the pencil tip, it snags and pulls my hair.) But usually, it works! And it's so convenient -- there's always a writing utensil handy!

[sentientcitizen]

I love putting my hair up with pencils! I used to do it all the time in highschool, and then I cut off all my hair and I just sort of... forgot about it, even when my hair was long enough again. I should take up the habit once more! Hopefully I won't see a resurgence of the problem I had in highschool, with people saying "Oh, hey, that's cool, how does it stay up?" and then reaching out and pulling out the pencil. Funtimes. *laughs*

[ladysorka]

What I do is put my hair into a tight bun, then you insert from the top of the bun (the bun, not the scalp), go out and grab some scalp hair, and then flip it around and slide it down through the bun. Stays like a charm. It won't even budge through exercise or being in a pit at a concert.

This icon is about six years old, and my hair's not quite that long anymore, but all that's holding that up is the fork. Normally I use a stick, though. You only need the one doing it this way - the second is pure decoration.

[leesa_perrie]

Nah, it's not silly, it's fun!! Go you!!

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

OMG! I always assumed my hair had too much volume to do that. ...this is a revelation.

[gnine.livejournal.com]

Huh...I've never tried that method before, I've always just bunned it and then stuck a pencil/chopstick through at the end (I can usually get it to stay quite tight that way as well...) but that looks different...will have to play with this method as well for more variety! Thanks ^_^

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

I use one of those magic combs with the double clips.