How to Use a French Hair Pin (3 Twists That Actually Hold)

A French hair pin is the simplest way to put your hair up: no claw clip, no elastic, one piece of metal or acetate that holds a twist on its own. The trick is that the pin does not hold your hair. The twist holds your hair. The pin just locks the twist in place. Once that clicks, it takes about ten seconds.

 

What you need

Hair long enough to twist (shoulder length and up), a French U-pin or a hair fork, and dry or day-two hair. Freshly washed hair is slippery; a little texture spray helps.

 

Twist 1: the low chignon (the everyday one)

Gather your hair at the nape like a low ponytail. Twist the whole length in one direction until it starts to coil on itself. Wrap the coil around the base into a flat bun. Now the pin: push it in against the direction of the twist, catch a little hair from the scalp, flip the pin 180 degrees so the prongs point the other way, and slide it down through the bun until it sits flush against your head. Do not stab straight down. The flip is what makes it hold.

 

Twist 2: the French twist (the one people ask about)

Gather hair at the nape and twist upward, rolling the length against the back of your head so the twist runs vertically. Tuck the ends into the roll. Slide the pin in from the top, through the seam of the roll, angled down toward the scalp. One pin holds a French twist on medium hair; thick hair likes a three-prong fork here.

 

Twist 3: the half-up (five seconds, no mirror)

Take the top third of your hair, twist it once, and slide the pin through the twist and into the hair underneath. Done.

 

Fine hair vs thick hair

Fine hair holds best with the U-pin: it is light and the flip locks a tighter twist. Thick or long hair wants the acetate fork: three prongs spread the grip so nothing slips. If your pin slides out, you skipped the flip or did not catch scalp hair on the way in.

 

Why people switch from claw clips

No crease, no snapping in your bag, no elastic pulling at the hairline, and it looks like you did more than you did. That is the whole appeal.

 

Our French hair pins come in gold and silver (single or set of 2) and our acetate hair forks in tortoise, amber, champagne and matte black. Free US shipping, and 20% off with code COLETTE20.

Shop the pins: French Hair Pin (single or set of 2) · 3-prong French Hair Fork · Tortoise Hair Fork · every style. Free US shipping, 20% off with COLETTE20.