BalletNamsos

This is from Pointe magazine online, an advice column published this week by Amy Brandt. Seems like a good time to post this with everyone currently trying to master "the bun" for classical classes. The important thing is that your hair is up before you come into class, and you shouldn't need to touch it at all as long as you are in the studio.



Ask Amy:
My bun is such a disaster in rehearsals that when I finish dancing, my hair is in my face. Please help! —Marcela

A secure bun isn’t just born that way—it needs a little help from the right tools, hair products and styling techniques. First, use a spray bottle to dampen your hair with water. Then, you may want to rub a little gel or hair paste in so that your hair brushes back easily (my favorite is KMS Hair Play molding paste, available at most drugstores). Use a flat brush with lots of softer bristles to help smooth your hair into a ponytail. When it comes to hair elastics, the thicker, metal-free versions tend to hold ponytails more firmly in place—otherwise try doubling up two thin ones.

Once your ponytail is finished, it may seem logical to wind your hair tightly around its base; but a tiny, ball-shaped knot is actually harder to pin firmly in place. It’s better to loosely twist the hair around to make more of a flat shape. I sometimes use my fingers to lightly backcomb my ponytail, which helps make my fine, thin hair less slippery to pin in. If you need extra help holding the bun’s shape, try winding a hairnet around it before you pin it. Then, make sure you have the right type of pin—you want U-shaped hairpins, not flat bobby pins, which don’t hold large amounts of hair as well and tend to pop out. Catch the edge of your bun with the prongs going away from the center, then twist the pin and push it down into the bun (you’ll want to feel the pin against your head, although it shouldn’t dig into it). Hairspray and bobby pin any flyaways, and give your head a good shake. If you feel your bun sliding around, you may need to start over.

(Try to place the bun as low down as possible - Lindsey).

  Eeeeek! A hair net!

Just as an added bonus, here was her advice to dancers struggling to look after their hair through a long performance season (or for those of you taking daily classes).

Nutcracker Hair Care
This year, don’t let the Waltz of the Flowers cause an Attack of the Frizzies. Even when you’re slicking your hair back into a performance-worthy bun night after night, you can keep your locks strong and healthy. All it takes is a little extra TLC. Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a trichologist (hair and scalp expert) who works with several dancers in New York City, offers her top tips.
1. Start from the inside out: Eat protein regularly, particularly at breakfast and lunch, and be sure your iron levels are optimal, so that you grow strong strands.
2. Give yourself a scalp massage once a week to increase circulation. “That helps bring nutrients to the follicles,” says Phillips. “Just like with your muscles, massaging the scalp helps it stay fit.”
3. Forget what you heard about only shampooing every other day. Wash after each performance to remove product residue. But avoid “deep cleansing” shampoos—they will dry out your hair. Using a regular-strength shampoo twice in a row in the shower will do the trick. 
4. Once a week, apply a deep conditioner with an elasticizing agent to keep your hair hydrated.
5. Before coating your strands with hair spray, apply a heat protector or conditioning/hydrating base. “Not only will it shield your hair from dryness,” says Phillips, “but you won’t have as many flyaways, so you’ll end up needing less spray.


For those needing further help, here are step by step Instructions for a ballet bun.