A NEW Hairpin Has Arrived
One of the biggest problems in our industry as a hairstylist is that tools and products are sometimes designed by someone who isn't doing what we do on the daily basis. I call the "Corner Office Conundrum" ...someone high up in the corner office has a "brilliant" idea that is good in theory but has some rather fatal flaws in real life application. That's why I was so happy when Damian Monzillo (a world famous hairstylist) designed and created a NEW take on hair pins, (a critical but typically flawed designed product in our industry). Things we as stylists previous had to work around or create hacks to achieve he addressed with this new creation. I had the honor of being able to interview him. Here the podcast here . Check out what he had to say directly in his own words below:
"1-What inspired you to create these products? What inspired me to create my line of pins was to help hairdressers meet their potential. I’ve been so frustrated when I have an idea and my tools hold me back from what’s in my mind. When you put hair up you need tension to keep the hair in place. The pin has to be able to parallel the tension that you’ve created.There needed to be a professional pin because they aren’t strong enough here. Lastly, most pins are considered disposable and are usually thrown away after one use. I knew with the right materials in use that could change. These are made of high test spring steel which snaps back so they can be reused many more times than what everyone is used to. This totally changes the game.
2-Can you walk me through the special features of each of the types of pins? Tension-There are 2 rules for changing hair: heat and tension. Whether you’re styling short, fine, thick or long hair you need tension to hold the shape in place. My pins give you the tension needed like no other pin. Design-Most pins are shaped like a Y which makes them hard to blend into a head shape. My pins are designed to be slightly rounded and so to disappear and be seamless as a pin should be.
Size-What exists in common pins are usually a small and a large of hairpins and bobby pins. What is needed is a wider range. When you think of hair products, there’s practically every conceivable texture and weight to use. Why is there only 2 sizes each to use with common pins? I carry 5 versions of bobby pins and 6 versions of hairpins, plus multi colored bungees which will easily help you create any kind of shape that you can think of. Nothing like these-What you’ll find in a professional beauty supply and a drug store is exactly the same. With most every profession that uses tools there are higher quality and specific tools to help them produce the best results. The quality of pins as far back as I remember has never been very good. That’s one reason why we need these.Professional-There should always be a difference between consumer and Professional tools. After 25 years of doing hair there are so many styles that would either be harder to do or not be able to do at all because the right tools didn’t exist. When you have the strength and therefore the confidence behind you to push yourself because you have the right ones, your head explodes with the amount of ideas that are possible. My career wouldn’t have been the same without the tools that I trust. In a lot of ways, hairdressing is like architecture. I don’t believe anyone would want to walk into a building that could fall down. To me, it’s the same idea. When you build a shape, you want the structure to stay where you finished it. This is why I have only used these pins.
RRR - Reduce Reuse Recycle! REDUCE-With these pins you reduce the amount of pins you need because they’re stronger. Because of the range, no more putting a long pin in where a short pin should go. REUSE-Common pins are single use. Once they come out of the hair( assuming they make it in) they’re thrown away. My pins snap back are able to be used over and over and over! You’re also saving money by not having to replace a pack after every style.RECYCLE-Everything from the pin to the packaging is recyclable & biodegradable so you don’t have to worry about our planet when you buy these pins!
3-What makes these pins better than the pins existing out there already?
Strength. Any pins that I’ve bought in the states are made of a very weak steel which means you need a lot of pins to hold what my pins only need a few to do. Shape. The shape of the common pins don’t adhere to a natural head shape. They’re very awkward to use and to wear. My pins are slightly curved and don’t have that annoying edge that sticks out. When you put hair up it should look effortless (if not magical)! Plus, several of the pins I carry can put anyone’s hair with 1 single pin. I can’t say that for any other pin out there. Smooth. To me there’s nothing better than putting in a pin that slides in smooth. As much as I carry both wavy and smooth pins, wavy pins can get caught in the hair going in and also removing. If you’re doing a really clean shape and you need to adjust, wavy pins can disturb the shape more than smooth ones will.
4-Who would you consider is the ideal customer? My ideal customer is someone who enjoys doing hair, whether it’s their own or someone else’s. Whether they need a quick and easy hairdo for a day of housework or the gym to a professional who’s doing a high end shape for Vogue or anyone in between. People go to such extremes for convenience. What I’ve done is give a backbone to styling hair. These pins make organizing your hair easier for a novice as well as a master stylist. My pins give the stability to do more with less. Depending on what you want to create, you’ll only need a handful of pins for most shapes you want. Professionally, there’s a ton of money to be made by knowing how to put a few pins in a client’s hair. It’s so much easier now because there’s lots of loose and soft shapes that are easy to learn. Certainly, the amount of creativity that exists in styling is a huge benefit! Psychology- There’s a lot of research that’s been done on how happy people feel after having their hair done. I hope in some small part that I’m part of a lot of happiness when they use my pins.
5-Is there a wholesale option for professionals? It will depend on the situation. If they have a resale license, cool. Generally wholesale is for a shop whether brick and mortar or online. I’m happy to work out a deal for a large order.
6-Anything else you would like to add? I have a routine that I teach called “Blind Hairdressing”TM where after studying the model’s face and bone structure they’re
blindfolded and given 1 minute and 1 long hairpin to put up her hair. This has been a success every time! Unfortunately, there are people who are intimidated by putting hair up because they over think it. Once people realize how easy it is they relax and then it’s off to the races! Everything is recyclable and biodegradable from the packaging to the pins. There’s way too much waste in the world. I didn’t want to create packaging that ends up in the dump after being used once. So please feel at ease that RRR is in full effect!"
I think the thing that stuck with me too was the commitment to the environment. I will fully admit that if a company pledges to save the planet and is visible making moves to do so not only will I likely use their products but you probably have a fan for life. I will 100% go out of my way for those products and to think through the packaging... bravo! I've been using these pins lately and I can personally testify to their amazing quality. I use less pins and no longer have to hack solutions. This style was done using Hair Pins By Damian Monzillo.
Interested in purchasing? Click here to go directly to his online store. If you want to do a bulk order or resale reach out to him to arrange something for your unique needs and wants.
Whenever there is a leap forward to embrace and enhance the technical abilities of hairstylist it's always appreciated. I am so grateful there's thinkers out there solving these problems and able to bring these visions to life. Here's to the future of better styling!