Hair tool promises perfect ponytails, minus the headache

It’s the final countdown to Christmas (five days to be exact) and in this week’s Fab or Flub, we’ve got a stocking stuffer-sized hair product that claims to be the solution to painful ponytails.

Available at Kohl’s and Sephora, the invisibobble ORIGINAL traceless hair ring ($8 for set of three) is a revolutionary hair tie made to prevent the problems brought on by wearing your hair up in a ponytail.

Unlike traditional hair ties, the invisibobble does not cause headaches or split ends and does not leave a kink in your hair when it’s removed, according to its makers.

The invisibobble can be used to create a variety of modern hairdos, including ponytails, buns and braids, without the use of hair clips or bobby pins.

First impression

Remember the coil key chains that were popular in the ’90s? Imagine that, minus the key ring, and you’ve got the prototype for the invisibobble. Made from polyurethane (also known as artificial resin), the funky hair tie is available in multiple colors, including clear.

With its spiral-shaped design and smooth surface, the invisibobble works its magic by placing uneven pressure around the circumference of the ponytail. Individual hairs are given more room within the ponytail, which prevents the invisibobble from leaving an unattractive dent in your hair.

To use the invisibobble, you simply wrap it around your hair two to three times for a strong hold.

With my thick hair that flows long past my shoulders, I regularly use two hair ties when pulling up my hair. I used two invisibobbles for my ponytail and I could immediately tell that something felt off. The ponytail didn’t feel tight, which is great if you have a sensitive scalp or get headaches from wearing your hair up.

However, I wasn’t immediately confident that it felt secure enough to withstand my high-intensity workouts (the only reason I ever wear my hair up).

Fab or flub?

Flub! No match for my long, thick hair, the invisibobble failed to hold my ponytails securely as I bounded and jumped through my morning workout.

Using two invisibobbles to keep my hair in place, my ponytail wilted fast and had to be readjusted often, to my dismay.

Similar to the popular Emi Jay hair ties (another product clearly not designed for thick hair), the invisibobble hair ties became severely stretched out after only the first wear and never went back to their original shape. There was also a problem with the product leaving dents in my hair, despite claims that it wouldn’t.

After further research, I found that since invisibobble’s initial release, the brand has launched a new version called the invisibobble POWER strong grip hair ring ($9 for set of three). Designed with an intensified spiral shape, the hair tie is for people with voluminous hair and/or an active lifestyle.

Although I’d be interested in giving the newer invisibobble a try, for now I think I’ll be sticking with my tried-and-true Goody Ouchless Hair Elastics ($4.79, Target).

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 9:23 AM with the headline "Hair tool promises perfect ponytails, minus the headache."