I have long hair so I wear pony tails and half pony tails often. I have tried many types of pony tail holders and I’m always looking for new ideas, so the curly plastic design of the SwirliDo attracted my interest.

When I first tried a SwirliDo I thought it would be just another hair tie. I was mistaken and pleasantly surprised. I pulled may hair back into a ponytail. I wrapped the SwirliDo around it twice. I have thick hair and the SwirliDo held it firmly. It stayed in place all day, did not slip or loosen, but also did not feel overly tight. When I use a regular covered elastic band, even though it starts out feeling tight, it will almost always slip during the day, causing the ponytail to loosen. I know this because I’m always pulling at the sides of the ponytail trying to tighten it. The SwirliDo does not hold a pony tail in the same way an elastic band does. The pony tail appears to droop slightly and is not as perky. I love the holder but will use it for casual purposes, exercise or sports. (Update: After more practice with the SwirliDo, I have learned to put it in so that my pony tail is perky and does not droop!)

When I wanted to remove the SwirliDo, all I had to do is pull it out. Even without unwinding it, it slid out surprisingly easily, without pulling hairs.

I decided to try it for a half updo. I pulled the top half of my hair up and took the same SwirliDo; wrapped it around – only twice – and it held. Again, the SwirliDo stayed in place all day without slipping. I like the way it holds the half updo. It allows for some fullness in the crown and the pony tail lies down against the head. I like this dressier look as well as the interesting look of the coiled holder.

Still experimenting, I tried another style. I formed a high pony tail. Then I took the tail and coiled it around the holder and pinned it in place. This created a nice classic bun that was very comfortable.

The literature claims that the SwirliDo holds wet or dry hair without creating pony lines. I think that this may be true for those who have straight hair. However, those of us who have hair that curls easily – even when styled straight - may experience slight pony lines because our hair responds easily. However, the line will be less than that of a normal covered elastic band.

The literature said “no headaches.” That’s true but I did notice that there was a little soreness after wearing the half-ponytail for an extended period of time. This is because the hair was firmly in one place and never moved.

Overall, I really like the SwirliDo and will use it often.

SwirliDo was provided to me free of charge for review.


EBook - Updos for Every Occassion
Updos for parties, proms, weddings or the office. Follow these simple instructions to begin creating them yourself!