I’ve always loved doing my hair. If you asked anyone I know, they’d tell you that I probably have around 10 hair styling tools, a bunch of hair products, and LOTS of hair accessories, now including pearl bobby pins (I literally have a BOX full of scrunchies!). I just think doing your hair is a great way to enhance your look, and plus, (at least for me) whenever I have a good hair day, my day is 1000x better.
A long time ago I got my hair done and the hairdresser put pearl bobby pins in my hair. I was obsessed with them! After thinking about it, I realized that they were actually super easy to make. So, I bought some supplies and made them myself! Now, I’m going to share with you the super easy steps so you can make your own pearl bobby pins!
Here’s how they look in general and when styled:
Also, don’t forget check out my pearl bobby pin look book to see some unique ways that you can style your hair using them!
Okay okay…let’s make some pearl bobby pins!
DIY Pearl Bobby Pin Hair Accessories
I want to quickly say that this craft requires a hot glue gun. If you are unsure on how to use a hot glue gun safely, I recommend having an adult help you or near by, especially since this craft will require you to work with tiny pieces!
Materials
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The material list for this is super simple. Here’s what I used:
- Bobby pins
- Pearls
- Hot glue gun
I also recommend having some tooth picks and scissors nearby (I’ll show you why later haha!). Plus, I suggest doing this on top of a cardboard box or table cloth or something, just in case the glue gets messy!
**Be sure that you are using FULL pearls (not halves) and that they DON’T have holes. The first time I tried this DIY I accidentally bought pearls with holes and it looked terrible! The pearls that I used worked perfectly, and I loved that there was a white and off-white color, multiple sizes for some variety, and it came in a great and organized case as seen below! (Click here if you want to use the same pearls that I did!)
The steps
(I highly suggest reading all of the steps before you actually do them, because once you get started you have to move FAST! Plus, I have some tips that will really help you.)
Get your bobby pin and pearls ready
I know I know, this isn’t too much of a step, but I wanted to say it because once start using the hot glue gun you have to move FAST! Pre-decide how many pearls you want on the bobby pin and what sizes of pearls. Believe me, this will save you when it’s time to move quickly.
Put a dot of glue on the pearl
Be careful not to burn yourself, especially if you are using a small pearl!
Of course, if you think it would be easier to put the glue on the bobby pin, go ahead! I personally found that I had far more control when I put the glue on the pearl first. The pearl is also thicker than the bobby pin, which helps a lot. But do what works best for you!
Tip: Make sure the dot of glue isn’t too small. Be a little generous because you want to make sure that the pearl holds and is sturdy on the bobby pin. Remember, the glue dries clear so even if you use a bit too much, it won’t be very visible.
Put the bobby pin on the pearl (you read that right!)
I’ve found that this was the easiest technique for me. Instead of putting the pearl on the bobby pin, put the bobby pin on the pearl (if that makes any sense!)
I find that this helps because you most likely will be holding the pearl in your non-dominant hand and the bobby pin in your dominant hand. So, it’s easier to move the bobby pin and place it on the pearl and get it exactly where you want it. It’s hard to explain haha but just give it a try! 🙂
Also, if you make a mistake, don’t worry! It’s pretty easy to peel the glue off of both the pearls and bobby pins, so you can just restart!
Where should you put the pearl?
I experimented a lot with this.
First of all, you want to put the pearl on the STRAIGHT side of the bobby pin. If you’re using bobby pins with two straight sides, put it on the less arched side. Take a look to see what I mean:
You also want to make sure that you put the pearl as far back as possible so that when you put it in your hair, you don’t see part of the bobby pin sticking up.
Here’s what I mean:
The same goes if you plan to use more than one pearl…
Now, you might be wondering why I said to have some toothpicks handy in the material list. Here’s why:
If this happens to you, quickly use the toothpick to remove any glue IN the toothpick. If you don’t, the pearl bobby pin will not work well in your hair because it won’t be able to get in due to the glue blockage!
Hold 15-20 seconds
Don’t cheat! 🙂
I promise, holding the pearl and bobby pin together for enough time makes such a big difference and will make your pearls super sturdy. You shouldn’t be able to wiggle them much by the time it’s done. You don’t want to have to worry if the pearls are going to fall off or not!
Tip: Do not pull on the glue if you see any strings! Instead, use scissors. (If you pull the glue, it can make the pearl loose and un-sturdy and it can make the glue bunch up!)
And that’s pretty much it!
Make as many as you would like and use them just like any normal bobby pin! These pearl bobby pins work great and are a beautiful and simple addition to any hairstyle.
Styling
Here’s one way that you can style your hair with your new pearl bobby pins! BUT I have more beautiful ways in my post 5 Ways To Style Your Hair With Pearl Bobby Pins. There’s so many ways that you can use them!
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