How To Tie Your Hair With A Hair Stick - Two Simple Ways

What is a hair stick?

A hair stick is a hair accessory that is a stick with a decorative end that can be used to hold up hair in a french twist, hair bun or braided bun. 

Usually measuring between 6-9 inches long, hair sticks can be made out of wood, metal, or plastic.

Other common terms for hair sticks are Juda sticks, hair pins, hair forks.  I often call them hair wands because they remind me of mini magic wands.

What are hair sticks made of?

Historically, hair sticks were made from materials such as bone, horn, or jade. Today, they can be crafted from metal, wood, or plastic.

Here are some examples of artisan handmade hair sticks made with polymer clay on wood:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crystal leaf Hair Stick                                         

Pink Regency Hair Stick

Shop the entire collection of handcrafted hair sticks at: paulamcnulty.com

What is the difference between a hair pin and a hair stick? 

Hair sticks and hair pins are both used for styling your hair. Hair sticks are quite different from hair pins themselves.  Hair pins can be identified as small metal pins also known as bobby pins or kirby grips. Hair sticks, on the other hand, are more decorative and are often a feature of a hair bun or French twist hairstyle.

How to pin your hair with a hair stick

So how do you tie your hair with a hair stick? Firstly you need to create a hair bun or a twist in the hair and secure the hair using the hair stick. 

The secret to holding your hair up with a hair stick is tension.  The hair bun needs to be twisted in a fairly tight formation in order for the pin to gain tension when pinning. 

When beginning to pin the hair, insert the hair stick close to the scalp, then scoop up the hair as you slide it in. Continue picking up hair near the scalp and through the hair bun (just like a weaving motion) alternating between the two until you reach the other side of the hair bun.

Here’s a handy step-by-step infographic to show you how to tie your hair with a hair stick in two different simple styles.

Style 1 - The simple hair bun

Style 2 - The Braided Bun

Can you use a hair sticks on short hair?

While having long hair is preferable for using hair sticks in hairstyling, it is still possible to use a metal or wooden hair stick in shoulder-length hair.

I have tried this on myself and a model and achieved satisfactory results by pinning half-up hairstyles (only using the top half of your hair and not all of your hair) with one hair stick.

Although the outcome may differ from styles designed for long hair, you can still achieve a polished look by using hair styling products to keep shorter strands of hair in place.

Why should you use Hair Sticks?

Hair sticks are fun way to create a quick updo and allows you to express your personality with the many decorative hair stick styles available on the market today.

They are handy to have whenever you feel you need to keep your hair away from your face, or if you get too hot with long hair during the summer months and want to pin your hair back quickly without using hairbands, hair clips and various styling products.

They are great to have at work to change your look from daytime to evening without much effort when heading out for a night out directly from work.  Keep one in your desk pen pot!

If you found this step-by-step guide helpful, please leave a comment below with your thoughts or any questions. Additionally, share this post with friends who might benefit from learning how to use hair sticks for simple and elegant hairstyles.