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CJCHair-stylist
January 27th, 2013, 12:46 PM
Hi everyone,

I just wanted to let you in on something I think you all should know, you won`t believe it. I believe that about 90 percent of the globes bobby pin wearing population have been inserting them upside down.

I have listed the following link which clarifies the correct way to put them in, which is zig-zag down.

http://www.thesmallthingsblog.com/2011/12/so-what-is-deal-with-bobby-pins-anyway.html

You will not believe how much better they hold. Also try inserting them without opening them and see how they stay put.

Happy bobby-pinning everyone

Seeshami
January 27th, 2013, 01:18 PM
Maybe it's because I have had bobby pins with gems and fancy-ness of them that I knew this or my Mommy is really smart and she taught me.

Lady Neeva
January 27th, 2013, 01:25 PM
Funny. I've been putting in my bobby pins the correct way in my entire life.

faellen
January 27th, 2013, 01:29 PM
Yep, I've been doing it wrong. Lol

Quixii
January 27th, 2013, 01:33 PM
The few times I use bobby pins, I tend to just insert them willy-nilly, not really noticing which direction I'm placing them. Maybe I'll try to notice next time.

I have to admit, when I first read your post, before I got to the zig-zag part, I thought you were telling us they're supposed to go in where the metal bends, not at the opening. I was like, "Umm.. That doesn't sound right." :silly:

girlthursday
January 27th, 2013, 01:39 PM
Wow. I've been doing this wrong for a couple decades now. I guess I missed that memo. :D

Thanks for the correction. I tried this just now and it's a huge difference, especially for my fine, slippery hair.

Coolcombination
January 27th, 2013, 01:58 PM
I don't get it, when I put them in zig zag pointing towards the front of my head, to pin my fringe back the hair just slips forward out of the pin? Can someone post a pic showing the right way

Unofficial_Rose
January 27th, 2013, 02:01 PM
I've been putting them in the wrong way my whole life. Oh well, live and learn I guess.

spidermom
January 27th, 2013, 02:34 PM
I think I usually put them in flat side down or pay no attention whatsoever.

browneyedsusan
January 27th, 2013, 02:34 PM
Really?!? I give the upside-down way a try!

Audhumla
January 27th, 2013, 02:41 PM
Maybe the manufacturer intended that to be the way u put them in but when I do use bobbypins I always put them in flat side down because there's more control and you can pin things against your scalp or the bottom of the section rather than a few mm up which can look messy.

CaitlinMarie93
January 27th, 2013, 05:17 PM
I've been doing it the right way my entire life! I even tried to tell my friend she was putting her's in upside down but she didn't believe me:p

rowie
January 27th, 2013, 05:22 PM
I usually just stick it in so that some would be the right way and some would be the wrong way, but now i know. So I guess I've been doing it half right and wrong all this time. :D

Kaelee
January 27th, 2013, 05:56 PM
LOL wow! I've been doing it wrong too.

Natalia
January 27th, 2013, 06:23 PM
Hmmm never knew, doest effect me as i dont wear them but good to know because my sister does. If i run across one i'll give it a try that way.

Zabethbartsch
January 27th, 2013, 06:26 PM
Interesting, perhaps this is the reason bobby pins have never worked for me in the past!

AnqeIicDemise
January 27th, 2013, 06:27 PM
i figured the zig-zags were grips and therefore needed to go close to the scalp...

Macaroni
January 27th, 2013, 06:39 PM
This is amazing. I don't use them but when I did I was doing it wrong :(.

Annibelle
January 27th, 2013, 06:48 PM
I had no idea anyone ever did it wrong...

dwell_in_safety
January 27th, 2013, 07:06 PM
I've been doing it wrong! lol. Wow. I think it is because they are packaged upside down.

jacqueline101
January 27th, 2013, 07:11 PM
Bobby pins are evil if they're things on them that catch your hair.

lapushka
January 27th, 2013, 07:13 PM
I was always taught the flat side goes against your head, and I believe that's the correct way, whatever said blog claims. If you buy them decorated they are also flat side down!

mariazelie
January 27th, 2013, 07:21 PM
I must confess.....I have been doing it wrong. I had to read the first post several times to even understand what you meant. I first thought open end up vs open end down. Now I get it. Turn the wavy side of the pin toward the head! I will be trying it the right way in the morning. Right now I am wearing my flexi 8 thanks to the LCF.

Mesmerise
January 27th, 2013, 08:19 PM
Well there you go! I always thought it was flat side down... in fact... I don't think I've ever seen anyone wear a bobby pin with the flat side up! Hmm... something to try next time I need to use them!

spirals
January 27th, 2013, 09:34 PM
I must confess.....I had to read the first post several times to even understand what you meant. I first thought open end up vs open end down. Now I get it. Turn the wavy side of the pin toward the head!Me, too! And they say I'm smart....

I didn't even get it until I read Quixxi's post. And I think dwell_in_safety hit the nail on the head; the pins are packaged upside-down. But I understand why, when I think about it. It visually differentiates them from flat hair pins, so the consumer can find them easily.

HintOfMint
January 27th, 2013, 09:39 PM
MY LIFE HAS BEEN A LIE. :p I'll have to try this now.

CJCHair-stylist
January 27th, 2013, 11:58 PM
This I didn`t learn until I started hairdressing. If you think about, all the clips and thinks you buy in the stores, the grips always go underneath the hair. I found it made such huge difference for me doing upstyles and wedding hair, I ended up using half the about of pins! They also didn`t catch as much on taking them out.

DancingQueen
January 28th, 2013, 12:41 AM
Well, here is another one who did it wrong her entire life! And I always wondered why bobby pins slipped out of my coarse, curly, unruly hair! ;)

PixieKitten
January 28th, 2013, 03:53 AM
And suddenly, the whole world makes sense! :D

Ocelan
January 28th, 2013, 04:06 AM
I think I put them in whatever way I happen to, but whe pointy bulb end on the crinkly side presses against my head annoyingly so that it hurts, so when that happens I definitely turn them the flat side against my head. I rarely use bobby pins anyway though.

Also I have for example these pins with big owl decorations and they have the crinkly side up just like the owls are too. I wonder if some manufacturers think the crinkly side goes up and some think down?

Annibelle
January 28th, 2013, 06:28 PM
So... today, I saw 3 people wearing bobby pins. One girl was wearing about 12-- all upside-down. Another girl was wearing them crossed and upside-down. The only one (besides me) wearing them correctly was a new student from Mexico. I have no idea if that has something to do with it. It looked truly bizarre, but I had never known that anyone wore them upside-down until I saw this thread! Now I get weirded out whenever I leave the house, because someone's always wearing them incorrectly! :p

lapushka
January 28th, 2013, 07:34 PM
You're all just taking what someone on a blog said as being the truth. I'm still thinking the flat side goes against the head, and there's nothing any blog can do to change my mind. So there. ;)

Mesmerise
January 28th, 2013, 07:48 PM
Yeah, I did a bit of research after reading this thread, and I came across an article that said either way is okay, and there are some circumstances in which it's best to wear them bumpy side up, and sometimes when it may be better to wear them bumpy side down! I still think flat side down makes it easier to slide into your hair ;). Errm and all the decorative bobby pins I've seen have clearly had the decoration on the bumpy side! Example: http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3-NEzb4VnW8/S8YCVqFAXmI/AAAAAAAAAtg/MEqYa084e9c/s1600/girls%2Band%2Bbobby%2Bpins%2B056.jpg&imgrefurl=http://creatingbycami.blogspot.com/2010/04/bobby-pin-beauty.html&h=1600&w=1200&sz=122&tbnid=8W7f54pR1wBy2M:&tbnh=101&tbnw=76&zoom=1&usg=__iH9qgZbdtMhVfJQatICwThO6vos=&docid=Sexu2cfnnF99jM&sa=X&ei=YTgHUeziCsTwmAW7_oDYAg&ved=0CEoQ9QEwBA&dur=763 and another... (just cause they're so cute lol) https://www.google.com.au/search?q=decorated+bobby+pins&hl=en&tbo=u&rlz=1C1GGGE_enAU439AU444&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=YTgHUeziCsTwmAW7_oDYAg&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=624#imgrc=8Ev3letsFWz43M%3A%3B90ZOfRLX-4tRZM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fthegloss.com%252Ffiles% 252F2009%252F07%252F4thsparrowsnest-pin-1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.thegloss.com%252F20 09%252F07%252F13%252Ffashion%252Funique-hairpins-at-the-sparrows-nest%252F%3B430%3B296

In2wishin
January 28th, 2013, 08:05 PM
My bobby pins have always had 2 flat sides. What am I supposed to do :confused:

Madora
January 28th, 2013, 08:07 PM
I agree, Lapushka. It stands to reason that the flat part of the bobby pin goes against your scalp, to provide the pin with a solid base for support.
I was always taught the flat side goes against your head, and I believe that's the correct way, whatever said blog claims. If you buy them decorated they are also flat side down!

chen bao jun
January 28th, 2013, 08:12 PM
My hair spits them out regardless.
I am so glad to be on this forum and have found amish pins and spin pins.

cathair
January 28th, 2013, 08:35 PM
Haven't use any of these for ages, but I always used to use them flat side down. I suppose it makes sense the the wavy side would grip hair better. But then, what if the flat side is right by your scalp and the wavy side is embedded in your hair anyway? And why do they come with the decorations glued on the wavy side? I am not sure if more grip would be a good thing for me, since I was quite good at getting them tangled up. That's a bit mind boggling really :)

CJCHair-stylist
January 29th, 2013, 01:32 PM
Well there you go ladies - at the end of the day its a personal choice - you decide which way you want to wear them. For the record, I did not get my information from said blog, I learned this at Hairdressing College - I just used the blog to illustrate this way to insert the bobby pins.

hypersensitive
January 30th, 2013, 09:22 PM
You're all just taking what someone on a blog said as being the truth. I'm still thinking the flat side goes against the head, and there's nothing any blog can do to change my mind. So there. ;)

I agree with you too, lapushka. I tried using my bobby pins the other way, the blog claims is the "correct" way, to pin pieces of my fringe away from my face. The pin was much more difficult to use like this. The bumpy edge did not jive well when I was trying to slide it into my hair. For this particular use, it stands to reason that the flat part is on the bottom in order to slide into the hair more easily.

Don't take everything to be the truth at first glance! Do your research! Come to your own conclusions!

TheHowlingWolf
January 30th, 2013, 09:56 PM
Maybe it's because I have had bobby pins with gems and fancy-ness of them that I knew this or my Mommy is really smart and she taught me.
Yeah, same. I just always knew the right way. I was surprised to know a lot of people put them in differently.

MissAlida
January 31st, 2013, 12:32 AM
Yep, I have been putting them in the wrong way. Not that it matters for my hair. If it's in, it's in. It's not going anywhere, no matter which side is up. :D

MaryO
January 31st, 2013, 05:23 AM
Mmmm, I'll try it but mine don't really slip out anyways... (and I actually like the zigzaggy part but hey...!)

PrincessIdril
January 31st, 2013, 07:47 AM
Huh, I also have been making this mistake! Hopefully doing it right now means I won't need about 20 pins for one of my fav updos!
But do people actually open them before putting them in? I've never done that, it never made sense to me!

Neneka
January 31st, 2013, 08:13 AM
:doh: Now it seems obvious that the flat side should be on top. I have been so blind...

bobaerose
January 31st, 2013, 09:04 AM
Wow, I am getting schooled on this forum!

RavenBaby
January 31st, 2013, 09:07 AM
oh my god my entire life was a lie. o: but seriously I didn't even know that and I have like 2000 bobby pins.

1nuitblanche
January 31st, 2013, 09:19 AM
This might explain why I can hardly ever get them to do what I want them to... Thanks!

CJCHair-stylist
January 31st, 2013, 10:57 AM
I have to say that putting them in this way definitely decreases the possibility of headaches, firstly because they tend to grip better and secondly because you`re not putting a flat pin against a not flat head because the zig-zag grip doesn`t put as much pressure against the natural curve of your headshape. Thirdly you don`t have to use quite as many because of the better grip. Give it a go!

SleepyTangles
January 31st, 2013, 11:20 AM
I was doing it wrong/not noticing. Wow, I would have never suspected, i thought that the crumply side made them easier to hide on wavy hair.

However: if my hair don't "throw" them back, it's a small victory, flat side or zigzag side all alike.

AgnesONutter
January 31st, 2013, 01:51 PM
Bobby pins glide out if my hair regardless. I only ever use them when I use a lot, and when using a lot I just grab and insert where needed.

eresh
January 31st, 2013, 02:23 PM
LOL I was doing it wrong too!

raej
January 31st, 2013, 04:58 PM
I have too been doing it wrong. I did a crown wrap last night before bed and the pins were still in place this morning! Thanks for showing us the way!

IndigoOptimist
January 31st, 2013, 07:52 PM
Wow! Now I feel silly :3 It kind of makes sense though when I think about it. I'll try this when I next use bobbi pins!

DarkCurls
February 1st, 2013, 10:16 AM
I already knew this. Not going to change the way I use bobby pins! (That would be the "wrong" way, by the way.)

Aesthetically, I find "wavy side up" more pleasing, and they're easier to put in that way (the little bit that sort of juts out at the end on the wavy side annoys me if I'm trying to press it against my scalp). I've never had problem with hold, and it's more comfortable for my scalp (I don't understand the logic of the waves being against the scalp).

imaroo
February 1st, 2013, 11:09 AM
bobby pins always grab my hair and don't let go no matter how I put them in. I haven't mastered the trick of getting them to hold my hair in place, though. The clump of hair with the bobby pin flops around with the bobby pin secured to it like super glue. *sigh*

I realize the problem is me and not my hair, but I lack the skill to fix it.

Khiwanean
February 1st, 2013, 12:42 PM
I've heard this, but never given it too much thought. Bobby pins are always so blasted hard to get into my hair anyway. Getting them out is a pain too, unless I'm not actually trying to get them out. So I don't even attempt to wrangle them anymore. I'm content with hairsticks and spin pins.

Ninika
February 1st, 2013, 02:31 PM
Bobby pins always slide right out of my hair, so I was just going to try this. Searched high and low for a bobby pin and found a single one. Guess what? It was a curved one, with the zig zags clearly on top of the curve. Seems not even the manufacturers know how to do this the right way :p.
Still trying to find a straight one...

RedheadMistress
February 1st, 2013, 02:32 PM
- This is mindblowing hahah I love random myths broken, I always did it wrong ! It somehow made sense.

Going to try it the correct way, bet I need way less bobby pins !

leslissocool
February 1st, 2013, 02:44 PM
MY greatgranny taught me, she went to beauty school. They won't stay on my head otherwise!

owlathena
February 1st, 2013, 02:59 PM
I've learned this fact a few times and always forget it when I use bobby pins. I accept that I am a hopeless zigzag up pinner.

jojo
February 4th, 2013, 10:34 PM
I never use booby clips i find they rip my hair!

Micayla47
February 4th, 2013, 10:35 PM
holy shanoly! i've been doing it wrong for 30 years!!!

beryl
February 5th, 2013, 04:31 AM
Wow, I'll have to try this and see if they hold better. I haven't used them much, but when I have it's been bumpy side up.

Nae
February 5th, 2013, 05:15 AM
Bobby pins are great!! I always used a ton of them until I saw this video. Now I can use only a few to have really great styles. This video was an epiphany for me. Use them like tiny little hair forks and don't open them up!! (She can get all of her hair up with one bobby pin, of course she has short hair compared to us........still, the basic idea is the same.)

http://pinterest.com/pin/73394668898817229/