Spin pins not working for me - what can I do?

[trampledbygeese]

After all the good things I heard about spin pins around the group, I ran out and bought a couple today.

I'm sad to say, I just can't get them to work. I've read the instructions, I've watched videos online, I've tried and tried to get them to stay in my hair until I got a headache.

The main problem I'm having is that they are just not holding my hair securely. I had to fix my hair four times while vacuuming the house. The pins only twist to about half way into the bun. I was sure to get the regular size and not the small ones.

My hair is barely waist length, but it is thick, I mean really thick hair, even by LHC standards. So I'm wondering if this is the problem.

Has anyone else ever had trouble with spin pins? What other solutions can I try before I run back to my trusty hair sticks?

[PrincessBob]

How are you creating your bun?

[trampledbygeese]

I think it's called a cinnamon bun? Twist the hair, then twist around to make a bun. I also tried with a nautilus bun but this was a complete failure.

[dulce]

You may need to add more pins?

[Macaroni]

What a lovely problem to have ♥

You can add more spin pins or stay with the sticks. I envy your hair.

[pepperminttea]

When you say they don't stay in, can you be more specific? :) Does the bun fall apart? If so, you might just need a couple more - I normally use 3-4 in a bun, and my hair isn't anything like as thick as yours. Does the middle pop out? If so, as you're coiling it, put one pin in as you go along (like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMfwBQxunmw)), rather than creating the bun and then pinning it afterwards. Do your ends unfurl? Tuck them under the bun more before you pin, and use more length for tucking so the bun holds them in place like a barrette - admittedly, this is harder when your ends are thick and blunt.

[trampledbygeese]

It's mostly just the bun falling apart, but occasionally the bun unravels. So I guess I need more pins.

I've managed to get one bun to stay put for over an hour now. I even wrestled some drakes (I'm a farmer, it's not as dirty as it sounds - well, there is mud, but anyway...) without my bun falling apart.

Isn't it funny how we never want the hair we got? I would just love to have straight black, but instead I'm stuck with this mess that no barrette can hold.

[trampledbygeese]

I forgot to add that the bun really pulls at my scalp. When I wear a hair stick, it feels like there is no weight at all to my hair.

[Sillage]

Trampledbygeese you have the best sn ever!

[moxamoll]

Yeah, it sounds like you need more pins. Two work great for me right now, but by the time I hit waist, I know I'm gonna need more.

[styric]

Use pins AND a stick maybe? I do for a really secure bun when I'm shooting

[elthia]

I can't get spin pins to work for me either...I just think I need to let my hair grow longer, the last 4 inches is layered, and so my tassel never wants to tuck properly in a bun. I see people with shorter hair that can do a bun, but I guess my hair is too thick. It will stay in a bun with hairsticks for a few hours when I clean the house, but not at work.

[trampledbygeese]

I can't get spin pins to work for me either....

Glad to know I'm not alone.

I think I'm just going to put my spin pins to one side and use them when I need extra support with my hair sticks.

In the mean time I just have to be patient and wait for my Bare Bodkins to come in the mail. I hope they can keep my hair in a bun without sticking out too far.

[Viscountess]

Hey Trampledbygeese here's a suggestion - Braid your hair into two braids - don't tie them off. Take the two braid tails and twist up in a bun and then try the spin pins.

using braided hair to make your buns will help the spin pins do their work as the hair is already woven so it will grab better and the pins won't slip out.

And yeah, I'd use four - put em at 12 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock respectively on your braided bun.

[woolyleprechaun]

More than two pins may be the answer! Also, if you have a blunt end to your hair it may be harder to tuck under the bun. It took me several nights of practising whilst watching the tv to master them :)

[Alix]

You need more pins. And I know it can damage, but because my hair is so thick I always anchor it with a loose ponytail. You could try that as well.

[melusine963]

Each pin might only go in halfway, but that's why you put one on each side of the bun. It took me about a week to really get the hang of putting them in securely, and now I rarely have to fix my hair in the middle of the day. It's worth hanging in there.

[nobeltonya]

I found that if I make a ponytail and fold it in half [no hair ties, just hold it really well] and then twist into a bun, it'll stay for me all day. I also sleep with it this way. This is the only style I can get to work with them, though. Just 2 regular spin pins, 1 on each side, work for me. :)

[QMacrocarpa]

About the bun pulling, I suggest experimenting with the pins in different positions around the bun. I tend to have most comfortable results when the pins are mostly oriented horizontally.

I second the suggestion to try them with a braided bun, but I believe you will need more than two. I generally use three with my braided bun. I also like to use a couple to lend extra stability to a "pinless" braided bun (http://www.prismnet.com/~cortese/hair/styling.html#pinless).

[dulce]

I also need 4 pins,2 won't work for me,so before you give up try 4 to see if it makes a difference.

[sapphire-o]

My hair is medium and I need to use 4 pins. Depends on your bun size you might need to use 6. The thing is usually the best pins for cinnamon bun need to be longer than half of your bun size, or it wouldn't work very well. i.e. if your bun measures 5" across the pins have to be 3 - 4" long to make it secure.

Or if hairstick is working well for you I don't see why you have to use spin pins. I only use them to tuck in the ends or help with a more complicated updo. I think those are mean for typical women's hair, shoulder length layered type with a small bun size. I tried two pins on a friend with medium blonde hair that's shoulder length and layered, and they worked in almost every style I tried.

[Schefflera]

Two spin pins work quite well for me. My hair is medium-fine and on the thin side of medium thickness, though, and between hip and classic... so by the standards on this forum it's pretty wimpy.