Twirling our hair around a pencil or pen and tucking it into a knot always came to our rescue when we forgot to keep a hair tie in our school bags. This makeshift hair styling solution can actually become an elegant look you sport on any occasion. If you can master the art of hairstyling, anything as tiny as a single bobby pin can be enough to hold all your hair in place. But what about hair sticks? They’ve been around for a long time, but not many women understand how to use them. Here, we outline the different types of hair sticks and the hairdos you can create with them.
Why Are Hair Sticks a Must-Have in Your Collection?
Hair sticks are long, generally thin, and sturdy sticks designed to be the only accessory to keep your updo in place. If you know the right knotting techniques, hairdos created with them can stay in place all day without hairspray or additional pins. They work particular wonders in long hair. For layered haircuts, they won’t hold all the hair in place, and the result will be a messy updo unless you pin stray hairs away from your face.
Types of Hair Sticks
Whether you find these hair accessories at a local store or online, you will come across several varieties. The differences are primarily based on their design, the material used to make them, and the type of hairdo you can create using a specific type of stick. The following are some of the designs available:
Japanese
Japanese hair sticks, or Kogai Kanzashi, are a two-piece hair ornament, that consist of the stick and an ornate floral brooch-like design with danglers. If you love ornamental hair accessories that can be easily spotted within your hairdo, this is a great choice. These sticks can be made of ceramic, fiberglass, metal, and wood.
Korean
Traditional Korean hair sticks are locally known as Binyeo. It’s a single-piece accessory that can be of different sizes, shapes, and colors and is recognized by the ornate design at the rear end of the stick. Before the Joseon dynasty (1392 CE – 1910 BC), it was worn by both genders in Korea. A true traditional Binyeo will have a dragon, phoenix, or similar Chinese motif at its convex end, known as the Jamdu, and be carved with minute details. They can be made of wood as well as gold, silver, and other similar metals.
Pro tip 1: When choosing a traditional ornament like Binyeo, take note of where and how you’re wearing it as it has a major cultural significance in Korea and is considered an auspicious symbol.
Wooden
Wooden sticks are lightweight and, if properly polished, can hold the hair in place very well. They can be of Korean style or an entirely different design. Wooden sticks are great for daily use and extremely sturdy so long as they don’t get wet. Their thickness depends on their design and can be sleek as well as tapered.
Plastic
These hair sticks have become immensely popular for their variety and affordability. You can easily find plastic alternatives to authentic Japanese and Korean style sticks. They’re comparatively more fragile than metal and wood but can be used in any temperature or humidity.
Chopsticks
We’re all familiar with this form of Chinese cutlery, and they can be an amazing hair accessory as well. There are many variants like hand-painted wooden sticks, plain polished ones, and even metal.
Hair forks
This hair stick variation usually has multiple prongs and is made from metal or wood. Hair forks are best suited to long, thick hair as all the prongs together give a tighter hold on the bun.
Barrettes and hair sticks
This is another popular variation comprised of two pieces: a barrette and a stick. The barrette is placed over the bun or ponytail and the stick is pushed through to ensure the hairstyle stays in place. The design and ornamentation of the barrette can be varied and influences how you will use it.
Best Hairstyles Using a Hair Stick
The following are a few hairstyles you can create easily using only a hair stick, irrespective of the thickness and length of your hair. The key is to master how to manipulate the twists in your mane so the stick is held securely in place.
Braided Bun
This hairstyle can be done on medium to long hair.
- Separate your hair into three sections and loosely braid it to the end.
- Roll the braid up to the middle of your head and tuck the end underneath the rolled-up braid.
- Weave a hair stick slowly into the bun so it’s grabbing all the twists and the hair underneath the roll. In this way, you ensure that the bun stays in place throughout the day.
French Twist
The classic French twist looks elegant and beautiful but can be difficult to keep in shape and place without a bunch of U-pins and hairspray. But the trouble is easily solved with a hair stick as you can create this style with minimum effort.
- Brush out your hair and grab it with your right hand at the base of your head like a low ponytail.
- Right above the place where you grabbed your hair, place the index and middle finger of your left hand and partly wrap your hair around them.
- Start twisting the knot created around your finger toward the crown of your head. This will create a French twist while pulling in the tips of your hair.
- Hold the top of the twist flat against your crown and weave a hair stick diagonally through it, pointing downwards towards your neck such that it weaves through the entire twist.
- This style can also be effectively done using a three-pronged hair fork by simply wiggling and pushing it through your hair from the side of your French twist.
Pro tip 2: This technique works well for hair without layering. For layered hair, there will be fly-away hairs you can manipulate to messily frame your face or use a strong hold hairspray to sleek them out on your crown.
Twisted Bun
This is the easiest style to create using a hair stick and primarily what we used to do using pencils or pens back in school.
- Simply twist the entire length of your hair and start wrapping it in a circular motion to create a bun shape.
- When done, tuck the end of your hair underneath and weave two hair sticks in a crossed shape through the bun.
Chignon
The chignon style is created by using the hair stick to manipulate the knots as you twist the stick around it. It’s more suitable for long hair as it becomes easier to twist the stick around the length of your hair when it’s longer.
- Grab all the hair like a ponytail in your left hand and place the hair stick right above the grip.
- Use the stick to twist the hair around it and create a knot. Keep pulling in the entire length of the hair through the knot you make while rotating the stick.
- The result will be different for different hair lengths and textures, but if your chignon is perfect, the hair stick will be parallel to your shoulder blades.
Using a hair stick when styling your hair is an art that can create different updos. If you’re using them right, they could become the only hair accessory you ever carry in your travel bag. Different hair sticks can impart drastically different looks to your hairdo every time, making it a necessity to invest in as many variants as you can find.
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