6 Essential Pins & Combs Every Hairstylist Needs

There are just so many pins in hairstyling and it can be confusing as to which pin to use for certain styles. We hope to break this down for you in this simple blog post, especially the ones we use during our student’s makeup school in Singapore. Let’s get started!

#1 Bobby Pins/Hair Pins

Bobby pins and hair pins are for structural purposes – ie attaching a bun to the scalp, or for securing a large section. It is thick and sturdy enough. Bobby pins are normally waved and easier to hold and manage and good on a personal basis. Hair pins are thinner and much tighter which hairstylists use more because it is stronger. However, it isn’t as user friendly. Both are structural pins.

#2 U-Pins

U-pins are U-shaped just as the name implies although they can come in different thicknesses. These are for decorative purposes that require delicate holding of the hair. For example, if you need to tuck in a strand, or do an elaborate twist or petal shape of the bun – or even holding up the crown of an airy hairstyle. I also use U-pins to pin the veil to the head and form a comb if the veil has no existing comb attached to it – then secure it underneath structurally with bobby pins.

#3 Black Rubber Bands

We need black or brown rubber bands to create and secure large portions of the hair into a bun or ponytail. Or, you can even tie the crown into a ponytail and secure it with a black rubber band. Normally we don’t use normal hair ties (unless we are securing a high ponytail that needs a lot more support or dealing with a very large amount of hair). Black rubber bands are thinner and flatter and are essential to the kit.

#4 Rat Tail Comb

A type of comb that we use very often is a rat tail comb. It has a very thin and pointy handle that comes to a sharp point and the other end of the comb is a normal flat edge comb. We use the sharp point to help us do clean sections on the head and pick up fine hair sections. We use the other side to comb the hair sections. We use this comb the most out of all.

Out of interest, you may consider getting a scissored rat tail comb. The comb part of this particular rat tail comb is scissored – with longer and shorter prongs alternating. This type of comb is really useful for teasing the hair and backcombing certain sections for volume.

#5 Round Brush

A round brush is a brush in the shape of a small log. We use it particularly with the hairdryer where we place the section tightly over the round comb and with tension pull along the section as it is being heated with the hairdryer. Depending on the diameter of the round brush, you can create different blow out styles or target a certain area like the crown to give a beautiful and airy effect.

We specialise in professional makeup school in Singapore and one of the things our students learn is how to use the round brush to create air and volume at the crown. Section out two sections at the crown and start with the bottom most section. Then, tuck the round brush underneath the section with the hairdryer and small nozzle situated on top. Turn on the hairdryer and pull along the section in an up and down wave and release to pump air into the style.

#6 Paddle Brush

The last type of essential brush is a paddle brush. This is important for brushing the hair out completely at the beginning of the hairstyling process, or even to brush to give a new style. It’s an essential brush to have and can be replaced with a tangle teezer which also serves the same purpose in this respect.

We hope you found this blog post useful when building your hair kit! If you’re looking for a makeup school in Singapore, consider ours at bloomproacademy.com.

If you’re looking for a strictly professional bridal hairstyling course, consider our 24 Hours course at this link.

Love, Roseanne