How to Use a Hairpin: A Celebrity Stylist's Guide

Posted by Aviva Jansen Perea

There's a question I get more than almost any other, usually from someone holding a pin in one hand and a half-finished bun in the other: "Wait, how does this actually go in?"

It's a fair question. Most of us were handed a pack of bobby pins at some point and never actually taught how to use a hairpin properly. So we improvise. We jam it in sideways, hope for the best, and then wonder why it's on the bathroom floor by 2pm.

After twenty years of doing hair professionally, I can tell you the issue is almost never the hair. It's the technique, and once you have it, it clicks for good.

What a Hairpin Actually Does

A hairpin isn't just a fancier bobby pin. It's a tool built to create an anchor point, something your style can rely on without tension pulling at the root. Used correctly, a good hairpin should disappear into the hair and simply do its job. You shouldn't feel it, see it, or think about it again until you're ready to take your hair down.

That's the goal. Not decoration first. Hold first.

The Basic Technique

Here's the core motion I teach in the chair, whether someone is going into a sleek bun, a half-up style, or something looser.

1. Start with the right section. Gather the hair you want to secure and hold it with slight tension, not a death grip, just enough that it's not loose and shifting.

2. Insert the pin at a slight downward angle. This is where most people go wrong. They insert pins straight in, parallel to the scalp, which gives the pin almost nothing to grip. Angling the pin slightly downward as it enters lets it catch more hair and seat itself against the head.

3. Don't open the pin too wide. This is the mistake I see constantly. People pull the two prongs of the pin apart thinking more space means more hold. It's the opposite. A wide-open pin has less tension, which means less grip. Keep the prongs close together so the pin has to work to hold its shape, that tension is what keeps it in place.

4. Weave, don't just slide. For most styles, especially anything with volume or a twist, the pin should pass through the section, catch a small bit of hair near the scalp, then come back through. Think of it less like sliding a knife into butter and more like stitching, in, catch, out.

5. Check the angle of the finished pin. Once it's in, the pin should sit close to your head, following the curve of your scalp rather than sticking straight out. If it's poking away from your head, it's likely not seated deep enough, and it will work itself loose as the day goes on.

Common Mistakes I See Constantly

A few things come up again and again, no matter who's in the chair.

Using one pin to do five pins' worth of work, but placing it wrong. One good pin can absolutely hold a lot of hair, but only if it's anchored at the right point, usually where the bun or twist meets the head, not at the outer edge where there's nothing to grip.

Fighting clean hair. Freshly washed, very smooth hair is actually harder to pin than hair with a little texture. If your hair is brand new from the shower, a light texturizing spray or a bit of dry shampoo at the roots gives the pin something to hold onto.

Pinning against the direction of the style. If your bun twists to the left, your pin should generally follow that same direction into the hair. Pinning against the twist fights the shape you just created and is one of the most common reasons a bun starts to lean or sag.

Giving up too early. The first attempt with a new pin often feels foreign, especially if you're used to bobby pins. Give it a few tries. The angle and the "weave" motion become second nature fast.

Choosing the Right Pin for the Job

Not every pin is built for the same task, and that's by design.

If you have thick, long, or heavy hair, you'll want something with more length and strength to anchor a full bun, that's where our Power Pin comes in. It's designed to do the work of multiple standard pins in one placement.

If your hair is fine to medium, or you're doing a smaller bun, a half-up style, or something quick before you walk out the door, the Petite Power Pin is usually the better fit. It gives you real hold without overwhelming a smaller amount of hair.

If you're not sure which is right for your hair, our hairpin guide walks through how to choose based on your hair type, length, and the styles you reach for most.

The Goal Isn't Perfection

I'll say this to every client, and I mean it: the goal is not a perfect bun. The goal is hair that feels secure, easy, and finished, hair you can stop thinking about.

Once you understand placement, angle, and tension, a hairpin stops being a fiddly accessory and starts being a tool you can rely on, the same way you'd rely on a good pair of scissors or a reliable blow dryer. It just works.

If you want to go deeper on specific hair types, buns, or styles, our full hairpin guide covers fine hair, thick hair, and everything in between. And if you're ready to find your pin, you can explore our hairpin collection to see which one fits your hair and your routine.

xo, Aviva