How to use U shaped hair pins

[sarahthegemini]

I need tips again guys!!! I got some U shaped hair pins on Saturday and managed to secure a cinnabun, it lasted all day and night and felt secure the following morning.

Now though, I just can't. I've tried everything I can thinkoof to get them to hold my bun in place but maybe I'm missing something? Spin pins work most of the time but I wanted to be able to alternate beween those and the U pins. I found that on Saturday I was able to cinnabun more loosely with the U pins.

Also any ideas how I can secure a french twist with them? My hair is ridiculously slippy so slides out of most things!

[two_wheels]

I do French twists with U pins like this - basically, stick it horizontally through the fold upside-down, flip the U pin catching a bit of scalp hair, then push it back into the twist.
You have to play around with the point at which you flip the pin, in order to get the tension right, otherwise you'll have a headache in a couple of hours :)
http://www.bijoux-manoel.com/fr/conseils-coiffure-2/pose-des-grandes-epingles-7.html

[Anje]

Either this is really obvious or it isn't: Make sure you're using them like little hair forks, not like bobby pins. The goal is not to pinch hair between the tines, but to slide it in parallel to your scalp.

ETA: if it's just a matter that they're sliding back out, you might want to look for the crinkled version. I know sometimes the straight-sided ones slip partway out for me.

[meteor]

I do French twists with U pins like this - basically, stick it horizontally through the fold upside-down, flip the U pin catching a bit of scalp hair, then push it back into the twist.
This!^ Use u-pins the same way as you'd use sticks or forks. Start off with pushing it in one direction, grab some hair close to scalp and push it gently in the opposite direction from the direction you started with.
Unfortunately, a French twist is not always possible, if your hair is too long or too thick for it.

[apynip]

As others have said above you have to use it like a mini hair fork. I use them daily myself(larger ones) as well at work to secure hats and wigs to an actor's head. I use what I call a 'sweeping' technique that most actresses like where you start by sticking it in at an angle then sweeping it under it's self to secure the hair, hat, wig, whatever. It's easier to show in person but it kinda goes like this sequence of lines: / | \ _

[sarahthegemini]

Thanks for the tips. I do try to use them like mini forks, it just doesn't seem to work. Tbh, I'm having a lot of trouble putting my hair up this past week or so. I can't even cinnabun with spin pins anymore without great difficulty. My hair is coiling differently and isn't holding it's form. I don't know why. I have also noticed that my hair is extra slippy - normally it's a bit grippy unless I smooth my hands down it (it then becomes slippy and smooth) but now it's automatically slippy as soon as it's dried. I don't know whether that's the reason for the difficulty like?

[Anje]

New products or new formulation of your products? (Grab the old bottles! Aaaa!)

[two_wheels]

The weather has changed a lot in the UK over the last month or so, too- might have something to do with it.
(I'm not complaining though- full sunshine, and the humidity makes my hair fuzzier so updos stick together better!)
I'm out of ideas because I don't have slippy hair- quite the opposite- but Anje, you do, right? I like the crinkled pins idea.

[Anje]

Yeah, mine's pretty slippery, I guess. Leave-ins and silicones make it feel all grabby and weird by comparison to how it is on its own.

I've actually used pliers to bend a little crimp in a few of mine to make them lock in place. You could try that. They looked like this: http://s12.postimg.org/srts0gxmx/benthairpin.png

[sarahthegemini]

New products or new formulation of your products? (Grab the old bottles! Aaaa!)

No new products or new formulas!


The weather has changed a lot in the UK over the last month or so, too- might have something to do with it.
(I'm not complaining though- full sunshine, and the humidity makes my hair fuzzier so updos stick together better!)
I'm out of ideas because I don't have slippy hair- quite the opposite- but Anje, you do, right? I like the crinkled pins idea.

I suppose the weather could be contributing - the heat could be making my hair too slippery maybe? The pins I have have a crinkly middle section, are those the ones you and Anje were referring you?

[two_wheels]

I think humidity is a big factor- or seems to be, for me. And my hands get hot and everything gets sticky and basically eww.

There is a slightly fuzzy picture of the wavy ones at this UK stockist (http://www.longhairedjewels.com/shop-pages/a-amish-pins.html), I looked for better pics but couldn't find anything.

[summergreen]

I always put some of the pins going outwards from the middle - this holds the bun really well! I usually use four pins going inwards from the edges diagonally (so at about 2, 4, 8 and 10 o clock) and then two put in at the middle and facing outwards in opposite directions horizontally (at 3 and 9 oclock). I suppose its similar to adding a hairstick for extra hold, but for me the pins work better :)

[sarahthegemini]

I think humidity is a big factor- or seems to be, for me. And my hands get hot and everything gets sticky and basically eww.

There is a slightly fuzzy picture of the wavy ones at this UK stockist (http://www.longhairedjewels.com/shop-pages/a-amish-pins.html), I looked for better pics but couldn't find anything.

Thank you. If I can't get mine to hold, I will give these a try



I always put some of the pins going outwards from the middle - this holds the bun really well! I usually use four pins going inwards from the edges diagonally (so at about 2, 4, 8 and 10 o clock) and then two put in at the middle and facing outwards in opposite directions horizontally (at 3 and 9 oclock). I suppose its similar to adding a hairstick for extra hold, but for me the pins work better :)
Pinning outwards from the centre? Why didn't I think of that? Thanks for that idea!

[sarahthegemini]

I think I need to accept that U pins are not something I can get consistent results with. I bunned my hair earlier, got it right first time. When I re-done my hair 5 hours later (I wanted to make sure it was secure for bed time) it just wouldn't. I lost count of the number of attempts it took before I gave up and resored to using spin pins. I have tried all of the tips you guys have given, I tried different angles and positioning of the pins, using 2 pins and using 3 pins (my bun isn't big enough for more than 3) and nothing worked. I think I will stick with spin pins for now. I am tempted to order those amish wavy ones that two_wheels suggested. I just don't want to waste more money and have items I can't use.

[two_wheels]

In honesty, if you can't get it to stay at all using the regular ones, I doubt the wavy ones would be that much better- would hate to suggest it and then you waste your money!
Spin pins sound like a good plan :) good luck!

[Laurenji]

For what it's worth, I can't get French twists to work for me with anything other than a French twist comb - definitely not with u pins.