The Day Rate Beauty Power Pin: Your Questions, Answered
The Power Pin is the pin people ask me about most, usually after they've seen it in someone's hair and couldn't figure out how one pin was holding that much hair up. So here are the questions I hear most often, answered the way I'd answer them in the chair.
What is the Power Pin?
The Day Rate Beauty Power Pin is a 7-inch French hair pin designed to hold a full bun, twist, or chignon in long, thick, or heavy hair with one pin. It's U-shaped like a classic French pin, but built with the length and strength that heavy hair actually needs.
Who is it for?
Very long hair, very thick hair, and hair that's genuinely hard to hold up. If your hair falls past your shoulder blades, or it's thick enough to snap elastics and break claw clips, the Power Pin is your pin. If your hair is shoulder length or shorter, the 5.5-inch Petite Power Pin will usually suit you better. It works for most hair types, and it's our bestseller.
How do you use it?
Twist your hair up and hold the base with your thumb. It's fine if it feels loose. Push the pin down through the twist, against your scalp, then flip it up and push it through the other side. That flip is the whole trick. It turns the pin so it anchors against the hair at your scalp, and the twist tightens around it. My guide to using a hairpin covers it step by step, and you can watch it in our video tutorials.
Will it damage my hair?
It's designed not to. The core is upcycled stainless steel, coated in a smooth plant-based nylon made from castor seeds. There's no paint to chip, no plastic tip to peel off, and no rough edge to catch on the way in or out. Because it holds by anchoring through the style rather than squeezing one spot, it's designed to reduce the pulling, creasing, and tension that elastics and clips can cause.
Will it bend?
Not in normal use. That was one of my non-negotiables. I spent years watching ordinary pins bend in thick hair, and the Power Pin's steel core is built to keep its shape bun after bun. We hear from customers who've been wearing the same pins for years.
Is the Power Pin a good claw clip alternative?
For long, heavy hair, yes. A claw clip holds by clamping from the outside, which is why it slides and leaves a dent. The Power Pin holds from inside the bun. It's lighter, it doesn't dig in when you lean back, and it looks more finished. I compare the two in French hair pin vs. claw clip.
What shades does it come in?
Nine shades color-matched to real hair: Ivory, Prosecco, Dandelion, Camel, Fawn, Crimson, Cocoa, Midnight, and Dove. The goal is a pin that disappears into your hair rather than sitting on top of it. If you'd rather wear it as a visible accent, it also comes in 14K gold and sterling silver plating in our Metals collection. Not sure which shade is yours? Find your shade.
Where is it made?
In the United States, with a fully domestic supply chain. Making it here lets us control the quality at every step, and it keeps the distance between where it's made and your door short.
Can it do a French twist?
Yes, and it's one of my favorite ways to use it. For long hair, a single Power Pin through the center of the roll is often all a French twist needs. Here's how to do a French twist with a hair pin.
Read the full hairpin guide, compare all our hair pins, or shop the Power Pin.