The French Pin is TikTok’s Favourite Hair Shortcut

Now that updos are trending once more, hair accessories are firmly back in the spotlight. But alongside the claw clip, the French pin is stirring up a little fan-girling all on its own.

The chic accessory’s signature aesthetic centres around laidback, loosely scooped strands, suspended effortlessly into place with a single slide so that when you slip it out, the whole lot tumbles free. And it just so happens to work perfectly with the softer, more romantic aesthetic that’s already growing in the lead-up to summer (think: monochrome makeup in soft pinks and glossy lipgloss nails).

Already, the hair appendage has worked up a following, with over 15 million views on TikTok. The good news? It’s so easy to use once you get the jist, and if the inspo videos across social media are anything to go by, there’s tons of ways you can use the jumbo metal bobby pin to craft a pretty summer updo (or semi-updo).

Traditionally, a french pin bun takes seconds to do. You gather the hair at the nape of your neck into a low pony, twist it round your finger, then wrap it in an ‘O’ shaped bun. For maximum security, the pin should be slid up into the bun so it catches a section of hair, then twisted back on itself to hold the whole look into place.

For a softer look, leave some face framing pieces out and lean into pretty natural texture.

But to make it more intricate, you could braid your hair instead of twisting it, before you wrap it into a bun.

You can use it to secure a simple bun.

For a modern French twist, you can wind the hair up, then snake it back down and leave the ends loose.