What is the POINT of Spin Pins???

[jane53]

A friend at work brought me some Goody Spin Pins this week.

Very nice of her indeed! :):):)

But I finally have time to play with them and I really don't see the point of them.

Maybe my hair is too long.

Maybe my hair is too straight.

My hair stays up very well in either a lazy French twist or a bun just using chop sticks.

These spin pins seem to ASK for tangles and don't do as good a job holding up my hair.

Has anyone with long hair--past waist length--found Spin Pins useful?:confused::confused::confused:

The styles that come with the packaging are all for short hair.

[BelleBot]

I find them ridiculously useful. Granted sticks are easier to use, but spin pins hold just as well with practice and they're invisible which is useful as I'm a student nurse so can't wear hair sticks and the like. Plus as they don't stick out my OH doesn't get stabbed by them as he often does with hair sticks.

However hair sticks are still my favourite way of putting my hair up.

[Leneveu]

I have Hair-Scroos - much the same thing, as far as I can see - and I love them! (I'm at hip length).

I love that they're invisible, and they hold better than U-pins or bobby pins, for me. I've never had a problem with tangling, but I do tend to use them only in cinnamon buns...

[selenechiba]

Eh, I know what you mean. I tried them a few weeks ago, and honestly? Not impressed. The sales woman gushed about them and said that she's never had one returned with a complaint... but it just didn't work well for me. My layers didn't hold and ended up sicking out in weird angles. I find a good hair fork much more secure. I do like that they're invisible and appropriate for any setting - maybe they'll work better once my layers have grown out.

[teela1978]

2 of them interlocking in a cinnabun work very well for me... but I get similar results with 3-4 regular bobbypins which are a fraction of the cost :shrug:

[ullalein]

I think the point with them is that they give "stick like" hold without any hair toy showing ;)
I love them, especially for over night curling buns.

[Schefflera]

I have a couple. They don't lead to inordinate tangles (my hair doesn't seem to hate being put up as yours does, Jane), and they work roughly as well as a couple of Quattro or Ravenslair curved/bent U-shaped pins for me. Which is to say, they seem to hold my hair up about as well and as comfortably, and take roughly the same amount of time to sort of loosen up to the point where I'd like to redo the bun. At that point, they are less likely to work their way out by themselves (I lost an an anchor pin that way *grouse*), but for the same reasons, they're more of a hassle to screw out and back in, and to adjust if they're not positioned quite right.

But yeah, I tried them so as to have another option that wouldn't protrude. My hair holds just fine with a stick, but a stick can poke people or snag on things.

[enfys]

I love the ones I bought last week or so. I can't told a cinnamon bun up with sticks and it takes about 20 hairbins to get it to hold, by which point the pins are digging in. 4 spin pins, done. The cinnamon bun was the greatest revelation for me.

They are much more secure than any other pins I've used, even my knitting needle ones. I still prefer sticks and forks but use these more than Ficcares and Flexi8s. So they are average, not favourite but far from ignored.

I'm past tailbone, iii.

[jane53]

Thanks for the answers! It really makes sense to use them if you want or need to wear your hair up without visible hair toys. And it's good to know that they work with long hair too.

In my job, visible hair toys are fine, but I can certainly see that in some jobs, my beautiful collection of artisan chop sticks wouldn't be appreciated! Or even allowed!

Schefflera, my hair doesn't hate being up. In fact, one of the reasons I joined LHC was to learn new updos for variety. I've been wearing my hair up in a lazy French twist most of the time these days, using one or two of my beautiful chop sticks.

My only thing about updos is that I don't think they are necessarily BETTER for hair than wearing it down, and when I encountered the strong community of updo aficionados here at LHC, I initially felt like it was another version of the "you're over 55!!! You should CUT that stuff" argument.

Now I know it's not, and I'm grateful for the updos I've learned here--and for my down-free days as well!

I guess I just prefer those gorgeous chop sticks I use to the invisible spin pins.

But I'll continue playing with them.

[Bene]

I don't like them. They don't come out as easily as I want. There's a lot of pulling and tangling when I try to "unscrew" them. Also, I actually like my hairtoys to show, so they're kind of pointless for me.

[enfys]

I like my hair toys to be on view too, but the spin pins are better than bobby pins or hair pins for holding bits in/down for me too. For example, I did a Ficcare braid and the top was flopping away from my head a bit. One spin pin and it stayed in all day, close and comfy.

They need to be taken out slowly by grabbing the top and untwisting very patiently for the first turn or two. Then they come out pretty easily; it's just a matter of starting them off.

[Juneii]

I have tailbone-ish hair and it holds up fine. For me, the spin pins are useless during the day since I like wearing flashy hairtoys. BUT, they work great for putting my hair up at night, since it is hidden it won't fall out, and the twist makes sure that it won't work its way out of my hair.

[In2wishin]

Put me down as another who loves the spin pins. 2 will hold my cinnabun all day as well as all night.

[Schefflera]

Schefflera, my hair doesn't hate being up. In fact, one of the reasons I joined LHC was to learn new updos for variety. I've been wearing my hair up in a lazy French twist most of the time these days, using one or two of my beautiful chop sticks.

My only thing about updos is that I don't think they are necessarily BETTER for hair than wearing it down, and when I encountered the strong community of updo aficionados here at LHC, I initially felt like it was another version of the "you're over 55!!! You should CUT that stuff" argument.

I remember your mentioning that last part, but I thought I also remembered your saying you got significantly more breakage by putting it up, which is why I referred to your hair hating it. I must have been mistaken, sorry.

I don't think I could get a French twist to hold using spin pins at all, but then, I haven't gotten the hang of it with sticks either, just combs.

[luxepiggy]

I have tailbone length 1a hair and I love them! I like that I can make the same styles as I do with hairsticks; sometimes if I already have a somewhat elaborate outfit on, the sticks can make everything look too busy. Also, when I wear hairsticks for dancing I sometimes accidentally poke people behind me, which they tend not to appreciate (^(oo)^)v

I used 2 spin pins to put my hair up last night when i went dancing:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6020&pictureid=84751

Stayed secure all night!

Or if you prefer something more sleek:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=6020&pictureid=84532

[jane53]

I remember your mentioning that last part, but I thought I also remembered your saying you got significantly more breakage by putting it up, which is why I referred to your hair hating it. I must have been mistaken, sorry.

Schefflera, you are absolutely right. I DID say that. Some updos seem to have that effect on me, and wearing my hair down definitely does not cause breakage as it does for some people.

But I've learned a few styles I can keep up with a single chop stick or maybe two, and those styles seem less likely to lead to breakage.

Oddly, for me, chop sticks work better than hair sticks or forks, particularly for the lazy French twist, which I love. And I found a place to get many incredibly beautiful chop sticks for very cheap!

I tend to dress in tailored dark colors at work--and, pretty much not at work, too--so the lovely chop sticks, along with one ring, a bracelet, and some earrings, are my only ornamentation. That might be why I felt kind of plain with the spin pins.

[Bonny]

Count me as another fan of Spin Pins. For me, they work better than regular hairpins or wavelength pins in holding my cinnabun.

I take flamenco dance classes, and hairsticks don't hold my hair securely enough for that. During the day at the office, yes. During an hour or more of flamenco, no.

I can also be a klutz when it comes to remembering that something is sticking out from my head - especially when getting in and out of the car!

[hmmm]

I would love to buy them, but the shipping is a real pain, so I made my own - u-pins bent into scroos. I like them, I've worn them often and they hold quite well. I'd really like to try the originals, but I'll probably end up making more of my own instead.
I haven't noticed any tangling due to using them either.

[Cowgirl16]

Schefflera,

Oddly, for me, chop sticks work better than hair sticks or forks, particularly for the lazy French twist, which I love. And I found a place to get many incredibly beautiful chop sticks for very cheap!

I tend to dress in tailored dark colors at work--and, pretty much not at work, too--so the lovely chop sticks, along with one ring, a bracelet, and some earrings, are my only ornamentation. That might be why I felt kind of plain with the spin pins.
Do tell where to get those beautiful yet "cheap" chop sticks:cheese:

[ravenreed]

I use them when I have a hairdo that is pulling in one spot. Some hair toys just seem to have that problem. Also, I like to just put flowers in my hair, so I will use them to hold my bun, and then add in the flowers.

I like them better than other hair pins because they are the only thing my hair can't spit out across the room. Even Amish pins I have to keep tucking back in every so often.

[jane53]

Do tell where to get those beautiful yet "cheap" chop sticks:cheese:

It's a wonderful site!

https://www.everythingchopsticks.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=2aie80dquglnbklfbto36roar7

[AspenSong]

Personally, I LOVE my spin pins! I've got super fine hair and not a whole lot of it...and it just doesn't stay well in anything...braids, buns, nothing. I have never been able to get a bun to hold in my hair with regular pins...And I'm not yet very skillful at using my hairsticks - and having such fine, easily tangled hair, I do need to have it up in some way - and the spin pins work WONDERS for me! They twist into my hair so smoothly, no catching, pulling etc...and they hold my bun up SO securely without being tight - for once I can put it up and not have to touch it again all day. I completely love them!! :) I think it's like anything else - different hair, different people, different results!

[PrincessBob]

Spin Pins are a must for Sailor Moon hair without hair ties! I did this for Cthulhucon (the HP Lovecraft Film Festival the other day, and could not have pulled it off without spin pins.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5930&pictureid=84784

My hair spits out bobby pins, and I cannot afford nice u-forks or Amish pins, yet, so Spin-pins are my go to for multi-bun styling. Chopstics and hairsticks don't work as welll in smaller multi-bun styles. Particualrly when the scalp is as tender as mine. I do often have to unscrew and rescrew the pins a few times initially for a comfortable hold, but once they are in, they stay. I use between 3 and 5 for one of the smaller buns and between 5-8 for my fill sized bun. the nubbies on the ends only rarely tangle, and that's usually when I am not paying attention while taking them out and my hand starts to tilt at an odd angle.

[Schefflera]

It's a wonderful site!

https://www.everythingchopsticks.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=2aie80dquglnbklfbto36roar7


Oh my.....

Unfortunately, I'd probably look absurd with anything except the children's ones... but wow.

[Catlover]

I just bought some spin pins off ebay - cannot wait to play with them - hope they hold my thick hair in place.

I adore LCH and have found putting hair up in various styles lots of fun. :):)

[Ishje]

I have looked at these in the shops a few times now, I would like to try them but they are not really cheap.
what sort of bun is easy to do with them? besides the cinnamon bun, because that one never works for me XD

[ArienEllariel]

It's a wonderful site!

https://www.everythingchopsticks.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=2aie80dquglnbklfbto36roar7

*squee* There are two cute pairs of children's chopsticks that are just the right length for hairsticks. ^.^ And one pair has a CAT on them. Now I have to find the money to get these... gosh, I'm turning into the insane hairstick lady. LOL!

[GRU]

*squee* There are two cute pairs of children's chopsticks that are just the right length for hairsticks. ^.^ And one pair has a CAT on them. Now I have to find the money to get these... gosh, I'm turning into the insane hairstick lady. LOL!


Not that I'd want to enable or anything ;) but this site has children's chopsticks for WAY cheap: http://asianideas.com/kidschopsticks.html (the bulk-rate section has them for <$.50!)

I've purchased the bulk-rate sticks twice now in a variety of styles, and they are all smooth and strong enough for GRU-hair.

[RitaPG]

I find them rather useful to put my hair up at night when I don't fel like braiding it. And they hold like the devil, even on my slippery hair, so there's no risk of them falilng out and hurting me.
They're also very useful to make braided buns or cinnamon buns, since I can't hold those with sticks all the time and would require a lot of hairpins.

[ladyfey]

my hair is at knee and they do not work for me, they just aren't big enough for all this hair.

[Madora]

Man, I took one look at those little devils and said "No Way!".

Talk about a train wreck waiting to happen!

Now if they work for you, then more power to you.

I can't imagine the care which you must exercise when taking them out of your style. Heck, with hairpins, all you do is pull and voila, they're out. No mess, no tangles, no frustration, no damage!

What is so hard about using crimped hairpins? It is HOW and WHERE you insert the hairpins that determines how well they will hold a hairstyle.

[torrilin]

I have looked at these in the shops a few times now, I would like to try them but they are not really cheap.
what sort of bun is easy to do with them? besides the cinnamon bun, because that one never works for me XD

I don't know what buns work for you. Here's a list of everything I know how to do, so hopefully something will ring bells.

Cinnamon buns, bee butt buns, flipped cinnamon buns (both upwards and downwards), infinity buns and figure 8 buns all work for me with spin pins. My hair is a bit too short for a Gibralter bun yet, but when my hair is long enough that should work. I'm grouping all of these together because they're cinnamon bun variants, and if a regular cinnabun gives you trouble, these may not be useful either.

The Nautilus and Artemis buns work for me with spin pins. The Artemis was a bit easier to learn. Hypnotica's Hypno bun is similar, but I can't quite figure out how to make it work with spin pins.

A plain old knot bun works for me. The Celtic Knot bun works too, tho barely. My hair is almost too short for it.

The only "multistrand" bun I know how to do is based off a pair of twin braids wrapped in an infinity symbol shape. I hold it with spin pins.

My hair loathes French twists, and refuses to stay in them, but I see a lot of other ladies reporting that French twists work well with spin pins. And I can sometimes convince a French twist to pretend to hold for me with spin pins.

My ponytail is about 7.5cm around, so I'm a pretty solidly in the middle ii.

[GRU]

I can't imagine the care which you must exercise when taking them out of your style. Heck, with hairpins, all you do is pull and voila, they're out. No mess, no tangles, no frustration, no damage!


No care needed -- no mess, no tangles, no frustration, no damage. If you can screw and unscrew a lightbulb, garden hose, or screw/bolt, you can do a Spin-Pin. Righty-tighty / lefty-loosey is a pretty basic concept, most toddlers can figure it out, in fact!



What is so hard about using crimped hairpins? It is HOW and WHERE you insert the hairpins that determines how well they will hold a hairstyle.

You forgot HOW MANY and HOW ECONOMICAL / HOW EARTH-FRIENDLY -- 20 disposable hairpins vs 2 reusable Spin-Pins is a no-brainer for me and my hair. :shrug:

[Bonny]

What is so hard about using crimped hairpins? It is HOW and WHERE you insert the hairpins that determines how well they will hold a hairstyle.

I've used the longest Bunhead pins (which are crimped) that are available here, and they STILL work their way out of my hair. I find myself patting my bun regularly to feel for the hairpin ends so I can push them back in. And yes, I do know how to insert hairpins.

The Spin Pins never give me that problem. I put them in and they STAY.

[teela1978]

I feel like I should update my assessment of spin pins. It took me a while to get the hang of them, but I really like them now. I don't use them daily or anything, but they'll hold up knot buns like nothing else. And they're small and easy to transport. Thus far they've never gotten caught in my hair, they're quite nice.

[CareBear]

"I would love to buy them, but the shipping is a real pain, so I made my own - u-pins bent into scroos."

(I was unable to quote this msg properly :(

Anyway, would you be kind enough to share your method of making scroos from u pins??? Thanks!

[Arya]

[COLOR=#8b0000]What is so hard about using crimped hairpins? It is HOW and WHERE you insert the hairpins that determines how well they will hold a hairstyle.

If you can teach me to use crimped pins in a way that my hair doesn't spit them out in half an hour, I will tip my hat to you and buy you a hairstick in thanks. Seriously, tell me your secrets, I'm 24 and have been trying to use bobby pins and crimped hair pins since I was about 6 with very little success. I find as long as you don't pull at hair screws, and just unspin them, I haven't found any damage at all.

[Madora]

Here's how I use my 3 inch hairpins (some of which have been in constant use for over 15 years):

A little background...

The secret to a successful hairstyle is how you section your hair. If you section it, it will be more comfortable to wear, and the weight of the hair will be distributed more evenly.

My 2 braided bun, for instance, is pinned this way:

1) The braid is taut at the beginning, but braided a little looser down to the end, which is banded with a hair friendly tiny elastic band.

2) Form the braid in a coil at the back of your head. Using crimped hairpins (I use 3" and 2-1/2" crimped pins), take the hairpin and insert it in the outer edge of the bun, being careful to scoop up just a little of the scalp hair underneath the bun. Then weave the hairpin thru the braid and into the bun in an up and down motion (like you were sewing).

Pin the bun in the 4 directions: North/South/East/West. Use more hairpins if required. Do NOT cross the hairpins! This causes heat and friction and is not good for your hair!

Take the second braid and coil it around the one already in place. Pin in the 4 directions and "weave" each hairpin into that braid as already described. Tuck in any tassle under the bun.

And that's it. You have a style that is comfortable to wear and lasts all day, and holds like a rock.

Using sectioning of your hair, instead of trying to pin one large mass of hair in place, is much more hair friendly! It is also much easier to pin and is more comfortable.

Which is not to say that you may PREFER to have all your hair in one bun. Some find this faster and easier to do than I describe. I guess you can attribute my fondess for hairpins to the fact that they are so versatile, easy to use, and the hairpins can virtually disappear in your hair. I prefer a hairstyle that celebrates the beauty of the hair...not the hairstick,hairfork! But then, I'm not into hairtoys...except the Flexi 8, which I think is perfection in a hair toy!

[Bonny]

Using crimped hairpins (I use 3" and 2-1/2" crimped pins), take the hairpin and insert it in the outer edge of the bun, being careful to scoop up just a little of the scalp hair underneath the bun. Then weave the hairpin thru the braid and into the bun in an up and down motion (like you were sewing).


When I use hairpins, I also use 3" crimped pins and I insert them just as you describe. My hair eventually ejects them, whether it's a braided bun or a non-braided bun. :shrug:

Not everything works for everybody.

[clairenewcastle]

I'm so tempted to try these...it's just that every time I see them in the shops I hesitate for as Madora says - "talk about a train wreck waiting to happen"

At the moment I'm more convinced that they are going to tangle my hair and cause more breakage, than I am that they are the answer to the times I want no visible hair toys in my hair.

[ArienEllariel]

I have yet to have any tangles from spin pins. They really don't catch in my hair.

[Blandine]

There is no "train wreck" going to happen if you observe the one and only rule: don't push or pull, just screw them in and out.

[Alaia]

There is no "train wreck" going to happen if you observe the one and only rule: don't push or pull, just screw them in and out.

This. I've not had a single problem with my spin pins, and they are the ONLY thing that will hold my hair in a bun the day after washing.

And today I am using my crimped Amish pins, I don't know what it is about normal crimped pins, but they all fall out but the Amish ones stay in. Even the straight ones.