TGIF Chicas!
Last night, in preparation for a road trip this weekend, I did yet another Bantu Knot-Out. Sixteen knots was the total count, and I used my trusty DevaCare One C to set. I just KNEW it would work out better this time…needless to say, I woke up this morning to a hot mess. It was completely unsalvageable. So, that’s it…from here on out, the Knot-Out, will be a set solely used to achieve a super defined messy bun. If I keep this up, I should see some amazing growth- my hair has been bunned for about 3 weeks! I’ll probably resume business as usual (i.e. Twist-n-curl) next week.
I’m going out tomorrow night, and was hoping to have big sexy hair…but alas, a bun it is, with the signature flower of course. Both the red satin and green one came from Tar-jay…6 bucks I think.
I love this hair style. It is simply gorgeous!!
I tried the BN last night and was late to work this morning because it was a hot mess! I ended up having to blow out my hair!
Never again on a day when I have to go somewhere the next day.
Thanks ladies! I’m loving the easiness of the bun. I might be rocking this more than I though.
I do let it dry completely…the last 2 times I had to use my soft bonnet dryer to speed things along. I think I get better, fuller results after using henna. I haven’t henna’ed in a minute, and the first and second times I styled, I had henna’ed the night before. I’ll test this theory out very soon.
(sorry if this is a repost, my other comment didn’t show up)
Although your bun is fabulous, I understand your frustration with the bantu knot out! It can be unpredictable, I’ve done that style 4 times and each time it came out different. I hope you don’t really give up, tho!
although your bun is fabulous as well, i can feel your frustration! i’ve done bantu knot outs 3-4 times and each time came out different from the last!
Girl, on your ‘worst’ days you do GREAT! Don be discouraged, I am sure as you continue to practice it will turn out the way you love it!
I, personally think it looks FAB-U-LOUS!!!
hope you had a great weekend!
Grace to you
Nicole
CN,
I’m not sure if your allowing the bantu knots to dry completely… when they’re still slightly damp, the expected “tight” curl becomes a loose noodle!!! I’ve tried the bantu knots and realized a few things:
1. less is more… I’d say for your hair texture 15-20 should be enough… this also applies to the styling products too. Not too much oil and not too much conditioner. These can affect the drying time (as outlined in #2)
2. BKs can be done on damp hair, you just have to allow for drying time… I usually do them Sundays and take them out on Tuesdays… the results are perfect.
3. To keep BKs secure, you can use a bobby pin at the base of the knot… not thru the middle… shouldn’t hear any hair snaps as previously mentioned.
I remember getting this done as a child and I loved the results (as a child I thought the results were as if I had rollers in my hair… oh so curly)… in my culture they’re known as “Chiney Bumps.” However, my hair was thicker then… and towards the end of the process, the hair would be dry and harder to comb out… I remember the scalp pains!!! Anyways, hope this helps.
~~Althea
Well at least you turned it into something cute. Maybe the bantu’s would turn out better on dry pre-stretched hair.
Don’t give up though…you just need time to perfect it.
Nikki,
I hear you! While I think your updo is absolutely lovely, bantu knot outs are way to time consuming to do for a look you can acheive just as well in half the time with your ponytail twist&curl. Plus, I just do not like using bobby pins in my hair. No matter how careful I am I inevitably hear hair or two snap when I slide it it to secure the bantu knot. Just not worth it.
I love your knot out results. Maybe you should try a different leave in or styling aid to hold the curl or maybe this is a style that needs to be dried under a dryer. Either way I like the curl pattern from this more than the twist and curl. Good luck!
momo7-
your hair looks beautiful always, but gurl I do feel your pain. you hoped for somethin’ but got somethin’ else =/. I did some twists on my dry hair (not the tnc this time) last night in the hopes that I’d wake up with fly hair, but it was all over the place. Next time I’m gonna not be so lazy and put those rollers on the ends. They make a HUGE difference.
Hey Nikki, I love your blog, when you do the bantu knots do you do a two strand twist? That how I did it before and it wouldn’t hold so I started doing a braid than twist it and it looks awesome and holds really well, give that I try if you haven’t.
Nikki, you hair is beauitiful no matter what style you mess up (lol) (smile) I’m digging the bun. You can rock any style with that beautiful head of hair.
I love your buns either way… esp. with the flower. If you decide to give just one mo’ go, try doing it on slightly dry hair. When I did one (a longgggg time ago lol), I blew my hair out (low setting) until it was slightly damp (about 90% dry). The more knots you do, the tighter your wave pattern will be. I did like 10 (my hair was shoulderlength). I used a tiny bit of dark n lovely honey glaze, and sunsilk defrizz, and twisted it (not 2 strand twists) until it coiled around itself and secured with pins.
When it was fully dry, I uncoiled them all, and then separated them (making sure to coat my fingertips in oil – coconut, evoo, jojoba, whatever – before touching my hair).
And since I love big hair, I picked my out my roots using my trusty “fist” pick. LOL
I have a saddd pic of how it turned out in my album. Here’s my fotki… http://public.fotki.com/CaramelQTee/relaxed-hair/bantu-knots/
It’ll work itself out after trial and error…otherwise go for what u know…if it aint broke…
I tried to do a Knot Out last night and awoke to very disappointing hair. I need to see a tutorial of how to do a Bantu knot properly
aaaawwz! But your hair looks riveting in this picture here. I’ve never tried bantu knots but they seem a little challenging (getting them to stay in the knot and all)
Well, I think this looks great. I would rock it!
Now yo know better than that! If you have not perfected a a certain style, you should only try it when you have no place to go. Always use your signature (perfected) styles when going out on the town. Nikki knows better.
I can not do a bantu knot to save my life lol. Could you make like a pictorial please, whenever I do the bantu knot, it’s still wet in the morning and it ends up being limp instead of curly 🙁 Ayudame por favor lol.
Hmm… that’s so weird: The knot outs work extremely well and the twist outs give me problems.
yay! more curly nikki hair pictures 🙂