It’s time for an upgrade. Banish boring bobby pins and embrace one-of-a-kind style. I will show you how to personalize these hair essentials…with nail polish.
Personalizing bobby pins (or any hair accessory for that matter) is so easy that I have actually been doing this since middle school!
All you have to do is paint your bobby pins with nail polish, add any embellishment you want with super glue and voilà! You have instant updated hair flair. (On the flip side: Use the longer tip of the bobby pin as a nail dotter/nail art tool.)
This is a great, inexpensive way to revamp old pins or create a custom look. This DIY tutorial is simple and goof-proof enough for children to do as well.
What you will need:
- A piece of paper or thin card board to secure bobby pins and catch excess paint
- As many bobby pins as your heart desires
- Your favorite nail polishes (My fave right now is anything from Julep. The more variety, the better!)
- Any embellishment you want. (I like to use rhinestones (new or ones that have fallen off other things) or broken pieces of jewelry)
- Super glue to adhere embellishments (optional)
Steps:
- Slide bobby pins onto paper or cardboard, flat side facing you. The wavy side should be worn underneath the hair, facing the scalp. The bumps are what grab the hair so the pin will stay put!
- Line bobby pins up at least half an inch apart (to avoid pins sticking together).
- Select the nail polish color you want and make sure the paint is not dripping off the brush.
- Gently sweep the color along the flat side of the bobby pin. If you like, you can create multi-colored designs.
- Once the bobby pins are painted, let them dry for about five minutes. You do not need to seal the paint but feel free to use a top coat if desired.
- If you wish to add embellishments, wait for the nail polish to dry completely. Apply the super glue (I prefer the gel formula) to the embellishment first and then press it on to the flat side of the bobby pin. Allow at least three minutes for the super glue to dry.
Julep Colors: Winona, Eva, Valerie, Oscar
Perfect Match:
I bought these gold and ivory bobby pins a while ago from H&M and transformed them into little match sticks by adding a some red (Julep color Sheila) to the tips!:
*You can try different types of paint if you have them handy. I use nail polish because I have loads of colors to choose from, they dry quickly (you could literally do this project anywhere, on the go) and it’s been my tried and true method for nearly 20 years. Wow, that sounds like a long time!
*For glitter/translucent shimmer polishes, you might want to paint a base coat with a complementing color to help make the finish more vibrant.
*Try updating office supplies and other accessories with nail polish (i.e. Color code keys, makeup brushes or paint plain paper clips and thumb tacks). Yes, I have used bobby pins as substitute paper clips and ear bud clips!
*You can even create a red bottom tape dispenser like I did below:
You can find this tape dispenser from Staples.
Elizabethology 
