Hair ties are a must-have for every woman out there. If you have long hair, you might have one or two scrunchies adorning your wrist. When you need to pull your hair back from your face, a good quality hair tie is needed. However, with thousands of options available, it becomes hard to know what type of hair ties will be the best choice.
People usually pick up the cheapest hair ties or the ones that look cutest. However, there is a lot more to consider as different types of hair ties serve different purposes. It is always a better idea to choose hair ties by function rather than by fashion to alter the hair game. This detailed guide will pinpoint some important questions that you might have while purchasing hair ties.
What Are Different Types of Hair Ties?
Before heading to the purchasing phase, you should know what the different types of hair ties are. Though various kinds of ties serve the same purpose of pulling hair away from your face, the elasticity can make a huge difference. If you don’t choose the right type, these will pull or tug at your hair, causing damage and fallout. From oversized scrunchies to thin headbands for working out, below are some major types of hair ties when you attempt to move to a low-maintenance style.
Cotton-wrapped Elastics
These are the most commonly used hair ties and are wrapped in cotton. This type of tie offers great grip and doesn’t tug at the hair when you pull them out.
Telephone Wire Ties
These are typically made up of elastic material and create tension when you wrap them repeatedly around the hair. Though these offer less grip than elastic bands, your hair won’t be pulled at the roots while wearing them.
Scrunchies
Scrunchies are oversized fabric hair ties that have elastic bands inside. When you need to hold your hair a bit loose, these are your go-to options. Though these are older style hair ties, scrunchies of today have evolved to include cute fashionable patterns.
Bungee Bands
You might consider the appearance of these ties a bit scary at first, but bungee bands are becoming popular among girls these days. These bands come with hooks at both ends to open it up and secure your hair. If you thought that these are a bit harder and more damaging to your hair, you'd be surprised to know that bungee bands are safer than traditional elastics. Moreover, it is a more reliable option to tuck away the ends of your hair for a longer time.
What Factors Should You Consider While Choosing the Best Hair Ties?
The best hair ties won’t pull your hair, resulting in fallouts or breakage. Also, these won’t be so loose so that hair strands will fall out at your face and shoulders. And it won’t be too tight that you may have a headache or a pesky indentation on the hair when remove it.
Material
When you are shopping for hair ties, you must consider the type of material the manufacturer is using. Most of the hair bands are made of rubber because elastic properties are necessary to tie the hair tight. However, there are some other materials that work well for elastic bands. You should know that the material of the elastic band will dictate the extent of elasticity.
Hair Texture
Whether you have thick, curly, thin, fragile, or treated hairs, you should choose hairbands accordingly. There are many different types of hair ties, and each of them is made for a specific hair type.
Style
You will find hair ties in different styles, decorated with different materials to make them more attractive. However, you shouldn’t choose a hair tie with metal decoratives as these can be stuck in your hair, causing breakage and damage.
How To Choose The Best Hair Ties According To Your Hair Type?
Finding out which one will work the best for your hair type is tough. Here is how to choose the best hair ties depending on your hair texture.
Gentle Material For Fragile And Thin Hair
Fragile hair strands can damage easily. Thus, you should use gentle material for all of your hair accessories. Certain materials harm your hair and can cause serious damage to hair that is already exposed to heat and dyes. Satin and silk bands are the best for such types of hair as these won’t pull out hair strands.
Strong Elastic For Thick Hair
People who have thicker hair will need something stronger and more elastic to put their hair up in a ponytail. If you use the wrong type, however, it can leave crease marks and completely ruin your hairstyle. Contrary to this, if a hair tie is too gentle, it will not hold the hair up without sliding or falling. Using a plastic hair tie can resolve all these problems.
Best Hair Ties FAQs
Q: Do Scrunchies Harm Your Hair?
A: Scrunchies don’t pull your hair, so it won't result in breakage and split ends. Scrunchies are actually elastic bands wrapped in fabric, so they won't harm your hair.
Q: Are Satin or Velvet Scrunchies Better?
A: Basically, satin or silk is the perfect material to wrap your hair with while sleeping. The fatter the scrunchies are, the less chance there is of denting your hair. So, satin scrunchies are a good fit for silky hair, and velvet scrunchies suit best for curly hair.
Q: How Long Can Your Hair Ties Last?
A: The material found in hair ties will last forever. In case you didn’t know, hair ties will take around 500 years to decompose when sent to a landfill or thrown away. That said, rough treatment and repeated stretching will cause any hair tie to lose elasticity over time. Once a hair tie is unable to hold your hair in place, it's time to replace it for a new one.