Thin bobby pins can be used to hold back strands of front hair. As a result, bobby pins often change the entire look
Is your hair unwilling to cooperate with your styling efforts? Are those troublesome strands simply doing as they please? Bobby pins to the rescue! These little pins can make all the difference to your hairstyle staying in place all day or falling apart the second you step out of the house.
Usually, the lowly bobby pin is relegated to a shadowy existence in the undergrowth of hair. It is used to secure updos and mock bobs to name just two of its many uses. Every woman should have at least a few bobby pins in her styling arsenal in the bathroom or in her purse just in case a hair emergency arises. Bobby pins provide hold for hairstyles and on a bad hair day, may even rescue you.
So you don’t quite trust your updo to stay in place all day? Don’t worry, just push in a few bobby pins and it’ll stay put. Here’s how to use bobby pins as effectively as possible:
- Make sure the wavy side of the bobby pin faces downwards. The textured side helps it to grip better.
- Spray dry shampoo such as göt2b® Fresh It Up Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo or texture spray such as göt2b® Beach Trippin Texturizing Finishing Spray on the bobby pin before you push it into your hair. This will prevent slippage.
- In order to pull your hair tighter, take a bobby pin and push it in against the direction that your hair is being pulled. Then rotate it and push it the opposite way (the direction your hair is being pulled). This will pull your hair together, but you won’t be able to notice the pin.
- If the sides of your hair are too short to stay in place when you tie your hair back, use bobby pins to pin these strands to the side.
- If you’ve braided your hair, but don’t want to tie off the braid with a chunky hair tie, simply use a bobby pin and it will look like the braid is magically staying put.
- If you want to prop up your ponytail so it doesn’t droop, attach two bobby pins to the hair tie so your ponytail rests on these and doesn’t sag.
Making a statement: Say what you want to say...without actually saying it
Bobby pins are big styling helpers since they do their job while staying invisible – no one would know your hair is being held in place by 20 bobby pins. They can also be used to create hairstyles such as finger waves. After shampooing, work styling mousse through your hair. Comb your hair as straight as possible. Now, push your hair upward toward the roots to form waves that are around 2 inches apart. You can create as many waves as you like. Put a bobby pin in the trough of every wave and allow the hair to dry, then remove them all.
Use a small bobby pin if you want to keep bangs out of your face for a sleek hairstyle. The color of the bobby pin should match the color of your hair, unless you want it to stand out:
Making a statement
Bobby pins were originally invented to be hidden, but nowadays it’s trendy for them to be seen and to show them off. With so many amazing styles and colors to choose from, you’ll find the perfect one to match your outfit and makeup. Newer designs even have words incorporated into them such as ‘love’ and ‘queen’ so you can make a statement without even saying anything.
Bobby pins are very straightforward to get to grips with. We’ve explained how to use bobby pins, and now we’ll explain how NOT to use them:
- Using them without the extra coating on the end: If the protective coating has fallen off, it’s time to get some new bobby pins since the unprotected end can cause damage to your hair and scalp.
- Putting them in wet hair: This won’t damage your hair, but will cause indents to form so it’s best to wait until your hair is dry before using bobby pins.
- Choosing the wrong color: If you have blonde hair and want a bobby pin to hold your updo in place without being seen, it makes no sense to use a black bobby pin, for example. Make sure you match the color of your bobby pin to the color of your hair.
- Stretching it too much: If you find your bobby pins are losing their grip and are slipping out a lot, you might have overstretched them. Once they’ve been bent too much, they won’t go back to normal, so you’ll have to get some new ones.
- Trying to fit too much hair in: Bobby pins are great, but they aren’t miracle workers. Don’t be surprised if you use a couple of them to hold all your hair in place and it suddenly falls out. Your best bet is to twist sections and pin them into place. Less is more.