This Hair Tie Keeps My Go-to Styles in Place—Without the Headache

My Roman Empire is the scene in Keeping Up With the Kardashians where Kourtney Kardashian Barker finds a thinning spot on her head that she attributes to wearing a high and tight ponytail way too much. It’s what got me curious about my own hair loss situation, prompting me to scrutinize my hairline and manually check my scalp for patches on a regular basis (ah, reality TV—a treasure trove of neuroses). I never found a full-on bald spot, but I did notice some thinning at my temples, a telltale sign of traction alopecia.

While Kourtney addressed her hair loss with a platelet-rich plasma injection straight to the dome, I figured the least I could do was swap out my strand-snagging, pony-pulling, curl-crushing bands for ones that put a little less strain on my do. (I also thought about how stress probably plays a role in my shedding—and how I might be able to manage that better for myself. I also started using more conditioning products to help prevent breakage in the first place. But I’m not here to talk about meaningful lifestyle changes. I’m here to talk about hair ties.)

This is all to say that I’ve been on a yearslong journey to find a hair tie that doesn’t strain my hairline, yank out chunks of my hair, or give me a headache—and last year, I blessedly, finally found The One: the Seamless Hair Tie from Heliums Cyndibands ($6, amazon.com). I came across them after going down an Amazon rabbit hole, where I clicked through related product link after related product link and landed on these. They were cheap, well-reviewed (3,550 five-star ratings and counting), and would ship to me super fast. At the same cost as my morning latte, there was next to no risk in giving them a try, and the reward has been fantastic.

The fit and feel

Straight out of the package, Cyndibands look tiny—they’re about 1.5 inches in diameter—but they can stretch to at least double that (then snap back into shape). They’re made of super soft seamless nylon and don’t have any kind of metal tab or connector. They don’t even have that hard spot where the band was glued together that some ponytail holders have. The simple Cyndiband is just a continuous loop of incredibly stretchy fabric. It couldn’t snag if it wanted to. And so, gone are the days where I’d dread letting my hair down because my band would eat half of it on its way out.

If these elastics sound flimsy, you’re right—they don’t look like much, but Cyndibands are mightier than they seem. I’d describe my hair as wavy and normal-to-kind-of-thick, and I can get a Cyndiband around my ponytail at least three times—definitely four if I’m having a half-up moment. Here’s the magical part: I don’t feel the same strain on my hairline that I felt with other hair ties, even if I’m doing a high style. My hair feels like it’s being held in place by the Cyndiband instead of fighting against it.

The only instance in which I feel like the Cyndiband comes up a little short is when I’m working out. It holds its own during yoga flows, rock climbing sessions, and strength training, but it loses some resolve when I pick up the pace. I’ve never had a full ponytail malfunction, but I’ve noticed some slippage during runs, elliptical workouts, and the occasional dance cardio video done in the privacy of my own home. To me, this isn’t a dealbreaker—I end all of these workouts looking flushed and flustered anyway, so why would I care if my hair’s come a little loose?

The bottom line

I purchased my 12-pack of Cyndibands on July 31, 2023 (thanks, Amazon order history), and won’t need to buy another one any time soon. There are still six in their original package, waiting for their time to come. My current band has stretched a bit since it entered heavy rotation (now its diameter is closer to two inches), but it’s still holding strong and helping me attain the perky pony of my dreams. Sometimes, in my proudest moments, I think to myself: It’s too bad KKB didn’t know about Cyndibands.

More options that don’t make me want to (literally) rip my hair out

If you’re on your own personal hair tie journey, here are a few solid options that I tried and liked on my way to finding The One.

These squiggly hair ties are my go-tos for workouts that are just a little too frenetic for my Cyndibands to handle. They have a ribbed texture and “peanuts,” or points where the band widens, that grip my hair without pulling on it.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Burly Bands, which seem to be the starter brand for anyone who wants to try gentler hair ties. Frankly, they don’t stretch enough for most of my preferred styles, but they’re good for looser, lower buns and ponies.

Phone-cord-style hair bands have never been my first choice (they tend to stretch out too quickly), but in my experience, they’re good for messy buns, and they rarely leave a crease when you let your hair loose. They’re also a hit among my friends with especially thick hair.

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