Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Bobby Pins

Bobby pins may appear pretty simple at a glance. Not only are there different types of this hair accessory, but they're often confused with hair pins as well. In this section, we'll go over everything that you should know before selecting the ideal bobby pin set.

Bobby Pin Types

If you’re confused about the different kinds of pins available, read on for a detailed list.

Regular Pins

These are the most common types of bobby pins. We all love to use them because they can be used on any type of hair, whether it is sleek or wavy. You can use these to hold your hair in place, and also when you want to decorate it. They're useful for keeping the bangs and fringes away from your face, and also for tidying up the stray hairs from a bun. If you have a habit of playing with your hair, a few of these bobby pins are a must-have in your bag.

Jumbo Pins

Like the name suggests, jumbo pins are the largest one of the lot. They play a significant role for people with long, unmanageable manes. A large bobby pin can successfully hold thick and unruly hair. Plus, they're also great for holding your bun securely in place. Their wavy design provides a tighter grip that ensures that the unruliest of the hair becomes manageable and doesn’t move out of place.

Hair Pins

You can instantly recognize this type of bobby pin with its signature U-shaped design. This giant wavy pin is appropriate for elaborate buns, updos, and twists. You can also use these to rock a messy bun effortlessly. They're especially great for bad hair days when your hair outright refuses to stay put. When this happens, you can whip out a few of these to put your hair up. Even if you make a loose hairstyle, these pins will prevent your hair from falling out.

Mini Pins

This variation of the infamous bobby pin was specifically created for people with thin hair. A full-size bobby pin will appear obvious when your hair is thin or short. The smaller options work more efficiently to keep the fringe from falling on your face. Some of these also feature a rubber padding to prevent them from slipping down your hair.

How to Make a Bobby Pin Stay in Place

Bobby pins may have been the first hair accessory that you ever owned, but have you ever learned how to properly use one? Most of us have always slid them inside our hair hoping for the best. They may not come with an owners manual, but there are some tricks that will ensure this awesome hair accessory never slips off your head again. Below we have discussed some tips to make each bobby pin stay securely in your hair.

Spray the pins to improve their grip

You may already know about this hack because the video went viral and still makes rounds on the internet. People with fine hair and slippery strands have a tough time making their hairstyle and accessories stay in position for long. If you belong to this category, know that you’ll have to increase the grip on both your hair and the pin to make them stay. Take some volume powder, salt spray, or texture spray and apply some of it to both your hair and the bobby pin. Regardless of what hairstyle you have now, the pins won’t slip out of place, giving you a polished appearance.

Lock them in place

It's easy to understand why a bobby pin falls off your hair in the first place. You push it into an updo and the weight of the hair causes it to slowly slide back out again. Why won’t it stay put? Because ideally, you should lock it in place. You can do so by inserting the bobby pin from the opposite angle—instead of sliding it up, push it down through the bun. Now hook some hair, flip the bobby pin, and re-insert it at the correct angle to make it stay.

Cross them

The tried and tested hack of making your bobby pins stay is to cross them for more reinforcement. We understand that the locking technique is a bit difficult to make out on your own, so if you don’t mind your pins showing, the criss cross technique is a surefire way to make them stay. Take two bobby pins, slide the first pin into position, then slide the second one in the opposite direction so they cross in the middle and interlock like an X. You can use pins of different colors to make a statement.

Uses of Bobby Pins

The main purpose of a bobby pin is to hold your hair in place. You can use these to hold your part in place, for securing buns, and for other styles when you want to achieve a sleek look. It slides up straight into your hair, and holds your hair in a desired position by pushing against it. But did you know a simple bobby pin serves other purposes as well?

  • They're great for keeping head coverings in place. You can slide them into hair accessories like headbands, bandanas, yarmulkes, graduation caps, and nursing caps to hold them in a secure position over your head.
  • Some bobby pin designs come with jewels and decorations. You can use these to add an element of beauty to your hair.
  • You can use them as a makeshift clothespin to dry lightweight clothes.
  • Short on paperclips?  Use a few bobby pins.
  • It's also possible to use a bobby pin as a bookmark to mark the page that you're reading.

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