How to use a claw clip, step by step

To use a claw clip, gather your hair at the back of your head, twist it into a rope, lay the twist flat against your head, and close the clip over it so the teeth reach the hair underneath. The twist gives the teeth something to hold. The hair against your scalp is what keeps the clip on your head. The rest is adjustment for length and thickness.

The basic twist and clip

This is the standard hold. It works on hair from about shoulder length down, and most other claw clip styles are variations of it. Start with dry, brushed hair and keep the clip within reach.

1. Sweep all your hair back and gather it at the nape of your neck, as you would for a low ponytail. Hold it in one hand, close to your head.
2. Twist the tail in one direction. Which direction does not matter, but keep to it: if your first turn goes to the right, every turn goes to the right.
3. Keep turning, two or three full turns, until the twist feels firm at the nape.
4. Lift the twisted tail straight up, so the twist lies flat against the back of your head along the center line.
5. Hold the twist in place with your fingers spread along it. Pick up the clip with your free hand and squeeze it fully open.
6. Turn the clip so its length runs up and down, in line with the twist. Set one row of teeth to the left of the twist and the other to the right.
7. Push the clip toward your head until the tips of the teeth touch the hair lying flat against your scalp. Then let it close.
8. Let go of the twist. The ends that stick out above the clip can fall over the top of it, or you can fold them down and tuck them under the twist.
9. Nod, then shake your head once. If the clip shifts, open it, push it closer to your head, and close it again.

Step 7 is the one people skip. A clip that holds only the twist is holding a loose rope. A clip whose teeth reach the hair underneath is fastened to your head.

Once this holds, the same move makes a bun, a ponytail or a half-up style. They are laid out in claw clip hairstyles.

Changes for your hair type

The basic method assumes a medium amount of hair at a medium length. If yours is different, change one thing.

Short hair

Hair that stops between the chin and the shoulders is too short to twist all the way up. Clip the top half only: gather the hair from your temples back to your crown, give it one turn, and close a small clip over it. Or gather everything low at the nape, twist once, turn the twist upward, and clip it close to your neck. The ends will stick out above the clip, which is the look. Loose side pieces can go into mini clips. There is more in claw clip hairstyles for short hair.

Long hair

Long hair leaves more tail than the clip can cover. After you lift the twist, fold the leftover length back down over it, so the hair is doubled, and clip over both layers. If the clip cannot close over the doubled hair, coil the twist into a bun instead. See claw clip hairstyles for long hair.

Thick hair

Thick hair makes a thick twist. Twist it firmly, because a tight rope takes up less room than a loose one, and use a larger clip. If the clip still cannot close with the teeth meshed, put less hair in it: clip the top half only, or split your hair into two twists with a clip on each. Both are explained in claw clip hairstyles for thick hair.

Fine hair

Fine hair is light, but it is smooth, and a clip that is too large has nothing to press against. Use a smaller clip than you think you need. Twist a little more loosely so the twist stays wide, and push the teeth well in. Freshly washed hair is at its most slippery. A little texture spray where the clip will sit, or a small elastic tied at the nape before you twist, gives the teeth something to hold.

How to use a flat claw clip

A flat claw clip has a low, flat back instead of a rounded one, so it lies close to your head. That makes it less bulky when you lean back against a sofa, a chair or an exercise mat. The trade-off is depth. There is less room inside a flat clip, so the hair has to be spread wide and thin instead of gathered into a thick rope.

1. Gather your hair at the nape and hold it in one hand.
2. Twist it loosely, one or two turns only. A tight rope is round. A loose twist can be pressed flat.
3. Lift the twist up the back of your head and press it with your palm, so it spreads into a wide, flat band.
4. Fold any length that reaches past your crown back down over the twist and smooth it flat.
5. Squeeze the flat clip open and hold it upright, in line with the twist.
6. Place one row of teeth on each side of the flattened twist. Push the teeth in until they touch the hair against your scalp, then let the clip close.
7. Run a finger down both edges of the clip. Each row of teeth should be buried in hair. If one row is resting on top of the twist, reopen the clip and set it wider.

If the clip will not close, there is too much hair in it. Twist more loosely and spread the hair wider, or clip the top half only. Thick or very long hair often suits a flat clip in a half-up style more than in a full twist.

If the clip will not stay in

A claw clip that will not stay in, or that keeps falling out, usually has one of six causes. Work through them in order.

• The clip is too small. If the two rows of teeth cannot mesh, the spring is pushing against the hair, and the clip will pop open or creep off. Go up a size, or put less hair in the clip.
• The clip is too large. If the clip closes completely and still feels loose, your hair is not filling it. It will hang and slide, especially on fine hair. Go down a size.
• The teeth are not reaching your head. The clip is gripping the twist and nothing else. Reopen it and push it in until you feel the teeth against the hair on your scalp.
• The twist is too loose or too tight. A loose twist unwinds inside the clip. A very tight one bulges and pushes the clip outward. Aim for a twist that holds its shape for a second when you let go.
• Your hair is too smooth. Clean, fine or very straight hair gives the teeth little friction. Style it the day after washing, add a little texture spray, or tie a small elastic first and twist from there.
• The weight is in the wrong place. A long tail hanging over the top of the clip works as a lever and tips the clip backward. Fold the ends down and tuck them in, or move the whole style lower, where the weight hangs straight down instead of pulling the clip away from your head.

Do not solve a slipping clip by pulling your hair tighter. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that hairstyles that pull on the hair, worn often, can lead to hair loss over time. The fix is size and placement, not tension.

If none of this helps, look at the clip itself. A slack spring or a broken tooth will let any style go.

Which clip to choose

Choose by how much hair goes into the clip, then by length. Our sizes run Mini, Small, Medium, Large and XL.

• Fine or thin hair, or a half-up section: start small. A clip that closes fully around a slim twist grips. A big one hangs. See claw clips for thin and fine hair.
• A medium amount of hair, around shoulder length: start in the middle of the range. That covers the basic twist.
• Thick, long or curly hair in a full twist or bun: go larger, so the teeth can close around all of it. See claw clips for thick hair.
• Small sections: mini clips are for a side twist, bangs, or the loose pieces a larger clip misses. They are not meant to hold a full head of hair.
• If you lean back a lot: a flat claw clip sits closer to your head, with less depth for hair.

The test is the same for every size. Closed over your hair, the teeth should mesh or nearly mesh, and the clip should stay put when you shake your head.

Taking the clip out

Squeeze the clip fully open before you lift it away. Pulling on a half-open clip drags the teeth through your hair and catches strands.

Questions

Which way should a claw clip face?

For an upright twist, the clip runs up and down, in line with the twist, with a row of teeth on each side. For a bun, it goes across the middle of the coil. In both cases the teeth point toward your head, and their tips should reach the hair against your scalp.

What size claw clip do I need?

One that closes around your hair with the teeth meshed, and no larger. If the clip pops open, it is too small. If it closes and hangs loose, it is too large.

Can you use a claw clip on short hair?

Yes, with less hair in the clip. A half-up twist with a small clip works from about chin length, and mini clips hold side pieces. A full twist up the back of the head needs hair of roughly shoulder length or longer.

Do you need a hair tie under a claw clip?

No. The twist does the job of the elastic. A small elastic underneath helps in two cases: fine or freshly washed hair that slides, and heavy hair worn high, where the elastic carries the weight.