I get asked about this one constantly, usually by someone standing in the accessories aisle with a claw clip in one hand and no idea what the alternative even is. So let's actually compare them.
A claw clip works by clamping down on a section of hair with two hinged, toothed sides. It is fast, and that is its entire appeal. A French hair pin works differently. It is a long, tapered pin, usually with two prongs, that slides through a twisted or gathered section of hair and uses tension and placement to hold, not pressure.
That difference in mechanism is the whole story.
Hold. A claw clip holds by clamping a bundle of hair at one point. The heavier the hair, the more that single point has to work, and the more likely it is to slip open by afternoon. A French hair pin distributes hold along the length of the pin instead of at one pressure point. Once it is placed correctly, it holds through a full day without needing to be reopened and reclamped.
Damage. This is the one people don't think about until it is too late. Plastic claw clip teeth grip the hair with pressure, which means friction and, over time, breakage at that exact point. A French hair pin made from smooth, plastic-free material glides in and out. No teeth, no clamping, no repeated crease in the same spot every day.
How it looks. A claw clip sits on top of the hair. It is decoration first, function second. A French hair pin, especially one color-matched to your actual hair tone, disappears into the style. The point isn't to hide that you're wearing an accessory. The point is that the accessory does its job without becoming the whole hairstyle.
Bulk. Claw clips add visible volume and weight at the crown. A hair pin adds none.
None of this means the claw clip is useless. For a quick half-up on the way out the door, it's fine. But if you're building a style you actually want to hold, hair pins are the tool built for it.
How to make the switch:
- Gather the section you'd normally clamp and twist it once, the direction doesn't matter, just be consistent.
- Hold the twist in place with one hand at the base.
- Slide the pin through the twist at a slight downward angle, then flip it up and lock it flat against the head.
- For thicker sections, cross a second pin in the opposite direction underneath the first.
If your hair is thick, long, or heavy, I'd start with the Power Pin, which is built for maximum hold. If it's fine to medium, the Petite Power Pin gives you the same damage-free hold without overwhelming a smaller style.
Related reading: How to Do a French Twist with a Hair Pin · Meet the Power Pin · The Complete Guide to Hairpins
Shop hairpins by hair type → dayratebeauty.com/collections/pins
