I Hated Wearing a Ponytail Until I Started Using These Hair Ties

Samantha Driscoll
·4 min read

bhg - 5 Available at Amazon

bhg - 4 Available at Walmart

bhg - 39 Available at Revolve

bhg - 8 Available at Ulta

This is part of our weekly series Test Drive, where our team of beauty experts demystify products and tools, and explore new techniques IRL.

I usually wear my hair down for work, especially for my daily Zoom meetings. But when I work out, especially when I'm doing any type of high-intensity exercise, I obviously need to tie my hair back. After an hour-long workout, I always have the worst headache. To avoid it, I began wearing my hair in a braid, but I missed the simplicity of a single ponytail. Wondering how I could avoid the headache, I reached out to celebrity hairstylist, Cynthia Alvarez.

According to Alvarez, "ponytail headaches happen when your hair is pulled so tightly that it triggers that sensation to too many nerves underneath your hair follicles. Hair elastics tug and pull your hair into place, which can cause headaches, hair loss, and hair damage." To prevent that hair damage and those tension headaches, she suggests using either coil hair rings or silk scrunchies, which are both gentle alternatives.

The biggest advantage of using a coil hair ring instead of a regular hair elastic is that coil hair rings don't pull your hair too tightly, which provides noticeably less pressure on your hair (aka no more headaches). "Coil hair rings won't snag your hair or create dents. They lock your hair into place as opposed to pulling it into place," Alvarez says. I love that my ponytail actually stays in place when I use coil hair ties, even when I wear a high pony. It never feels like it's pulling my hair at all!

Silk scrunchies are also gentle on the hair because they slip on and off your hair with ease and minimal tension. "Silk scrunchies prevent damage due to the natural slip texture. It won't snag or tangle in your hair while still strong enough to hold your ponytail upright all day," Alvarez says. Silk scrunchies have been a game-changer for me. They feel ultra-gentle on my head, and they also make for a cute bracelet when I have one on my wrist!

After switching to coil hair ties and silk scrunchies, I can easily throw my hair back in a ponytail without having to worry about any headaches, breakage, or damage. Whether your hair is thick, coily, straight, curly, fine you name it; there are tons of coil hair rings and silk scrunchies that cater to every hair type and texture. Below are four of my favorites.

Coil Elastics

I love the strong grip of these coil hair ties. The “power” coils are a larger, thicker version of the original Invisibobble coil, which is perfect for my thick, wavy hair (I need all the extra hold I can get). With this coil hair ring, my ponytail stays perfectly in place, even when I wear a high pony.

Buy It: Invisibobble Original Traceless Hair Ties ($5, Amazon)

Spiral Elastics

With regular elastics, I usually end up pulling hairs out when I try to take my hair down. With this spiral elastic? No hairs come out! I love the fun colors and patterns that come in this mix pack. The best part? These work with all hair textures, so your ponytail will stay exactly where you want it to.

Buy It: Goody Elastic Jelly Bands ($4, Walmart)

Silk Scrunchies

These silk scrunchies are so soft and gentle on my hair. Whether I style my hair into a high ponytail or a low one, there is never a crease left behind when I let my hair down. The scrunchie just glides right out. If you have thick hair like mine, then you’ll want to use a thicker scrunchie like this one that can stretch further to hold all of your hair with ease.

Buy It: Slip Classic Large Scrunchies ($39, Revolve)

Satin Scrunchies

A cheaper alternative to silk, these satin scrunchies are just as gentle on the hair. They keep your hair in place all day but slide off easily. If you have thin hair, then thin scrunchies like these are a great choice. With my thick hair, I use these to do a quick half-up half-down style in the morning.

Buy It: Kitsch Blush Satin Scrunchies ($8, Ulta)