The 8 Best Hair Clips for Thin Hair That Will Hold Without Tugging or Dragging
Plus, stylists reveal their best tips for using the clips to add a little extra volume
Anyone with thin, fine or thinning hair knows the (sometimes literal) pain of finding the right hair clip. So many pull and drag delicate strands down, or even glide along your strands like a kid on a Slip ‘N Slide. You may have found yourself at some point tucking one into your hair to find it jump right down to the floor the moment you let go! Where are all the hair clips for thin hair?
The good news: Getting hair clips to stay in thin, fine hair doesn’t have to be a challenge if you know what to shop for. So we asked expert hairstylists for their advice on choosing hair clips for fine hair, and came up with a list of the very best out there.
What to look for in hair clips for thin hair
First, you want something lightweight so gravity doesn’t pull it — and your hair — down. That means going for smaller profile clips without a lot of heavy adornments.
The second key is to find something with a very gentle but firm grip to help it stay put without snagging your strands. The key here is the word gentle. “When choosing a hair clip for thin, fine hair, it is very important to choose a clip that doesn’t put too much tension on the scalp and hairline,” explains master stylist Nyree at Warren Tricomi Salon in New York City.
“Constant pulling can cause damage to your hair follicles which creates further thinning of the hair.” Her rule: “[Accessories] with smaller teeth close together tend to create more tension, whereas wider spaced teeth create less.” However, it’s a delicate balance — the teeth still need to be close enough so that fine hair doesn’t slip right through it!
But no need to stress about finding the perfect compromise — we have the picks below that will take the guesswork out for you!
Best pins and clips for thin hair
- Best everyday clip : Teleties Medium Open Jaw Clips
- Best budget buy : Goody Small Basic Half-Claw Clips
- Best for long hair : Trademark Beauty Claw Clips
- Best for curly hair : Conair Curl Collective Coily Jaw ClipHolds
- Best for short hair : Scunci No-Slip Grip Micro Teeth Extra Hold Claw Hair Clips
- Best for short, broken pieces : Day Rate Beauty Hero Pins
- Best for versatile styling : OFIYOU Black Metal Spring Clips
- Best statement-making casual : Gimme Fine Hair Loop Claw Clips
How to get hair clips stay in thin hair longer
1. Spritz on some texture spray
Ana Paz, hairstylist for the Alterna Creative Team, suggests misting a texture spray onto the spot where you intend the clip to go. “This creates some added grip, ensuring the clip stays securely in place.”
2. Tease your hair
Another to-do to try? “Before you style the hair, lightly tease an inch or two away from the root around the area you’ll add your clip to for a longer hold,” suggests Nyree. Bonus: This will also give you more volume.
3. Create an anchor
And for those really struggling to get their clips to stay put, Kimberly Ruszczyk, a stylist and colorist at NYC The Team in New York City who has worked with Stephanie Seymour, Penelope Cruz and Amanda Seyfried, suggests using what is called an anchor. That means using a small clear rubber band to tie some or all of the hair you want pulled back first, then placing the hair clip on top of it. “This helps stop the clips from sliding out,” she says.
What are the best hair clips for thin hair?
These 8 are ours and hairstylists’ top picks.
Teleties Medium Open Jaw Clips
best everyday clip
Why we like it
- Innovative flexible teeth
- Open, lightweight design
- Great for all hair types
“Teleties’ small and medium hair clips are great for fine, thin hair because they’re comfortable on the head and designed with flexible plastic for non-slip,” says Raven Hurtado, stylist at Maxine Salon in Chicago. That’s thanks to the bendable nylon teeth that shift to accommodate your hair, making them great for all hair types. And the open design eliminates weight so it can stay high on your head all day.
Happy Customer: “I love everything that I have bought from this company so far! And the extra step they go with their packaging! This clip keeps my, halfway down my back, hair in place all day while working in a busy restaurant. And they are seriously unbreakable.”
Goody Small Basic Half-Claw Clips
best budget buy
Why we like it
- Low price
- Gentle clamps
Remember those claw clips from your youth? “They have made a comeback!” Nyree insists, calling them “one of the most versatile hair accessories, with a wide variety of sizes, shapes and designs.” These old-school picks from Goody get high marks for their gentle plastic clamps and unbeatable price. At 12 for $3, how could you say no?
Happy Customer: “Love the quantity of these little clips. I use them to lift my hair when drying it. My daughter uses them too. Great quality not flimsy at all.”
Trademark Beauty Claw Clips
best for long hair
Why we like it
- Snag-free non-slip coating
- Multiple colors to choose from
Although they may look small, Hurtado says, “these clips are large enough to hold long hair and also lightweight enough to stay up.” And their 4.8 star Amazon rating would agree with reviewers praising the non-slip coating that helps hold it in place without tearing at delicate strands. And as a bonus, they come in a set of four colors to give you choices from day to day.
Happy Customer: “The variety of colors in this claw pack is great! They are super vibrant and adorable. I have hair on the thinner side and it still does a great job of holding my hair up all day without having to take it out and readjust it a thousand times like a lot of other clips. Definitely a great clip!”
Conair Curl Collective Coily Jaw ClipHolds
best for curly hair
Why we like it
- Wide-set tension-free teeth
- Grabs curls without creasing
This clip made for spirals and waves has a cult following within the curly community thanks to its widely spaced teeth that allow for good grip without creating tension on fine coils (the key to a good clip in general, according to Nyree). It also gets love for having a fully shielded spring, which means you don’t have to worry about it catching when it opens and closes, and also for not creating creases and dents in the hair, even after a full day of wear.
Happy Customer: “This is my go-to clip for in the shower use. My wet hair tends to slip out from other hair clips. This clip holds everything in place. I have Medium volume hair, this wouldn’t be great for thick hair use.”
Scunci No-Slip Grip Micro Teeth Extra Hold Claw Hair Clips
best for short hair
Why we like it
- Gentle non-slip rubber teeth
- Small versatile size
- Inexpensive price
Hurtado loves that Scunci’s wallet-friendly claw clips are covered inside in tiny gripping teeth to keep hair in place all day. And these clips are especially great thanks to their small size, which makes moving them around as needed easily — so you can tame any unruly sections of short hair that may pop up unexpectedly.
Happy Customer: “I was afraid the little plastic grips would hurt and would snag hair (as opposed to the silicone grip lined ones). But, I didn’t have any trouble with them. And, the grippers definitely work. Regular clips slide right through my straight, thin hair. Not these. Lastly, they seem to have some kind of new joint/joint cover. Whatever that is really helps with longevity of the clip and also prevents hair being snagged in the joint.”
Day Rate Beauty Hero Pins
best for short, broken pieces
Buy from Day Rate Beauty, $11 for 12
Why we like it
- Special nylon coating
- Sleek and chic style
Paz says when it comes to catching those unruly broken pieces around your hairline, there’s nothing better than a bobby pin. “They provide the most secure grip on fine hair, keeping it in place,” she insists. These sleek ones from Day Rate Beauty are not only impossibly chic looking, they’re nylon-coated, so they’re snag-free and perfect for anyone prone to breakage.
Happy Customer: “I LOVE these pins…they REALLY work to hold my hair in place. I have thick curly hair and finding a pin that can hold my hair in place has been no easy task UNTIL now. These pins hold perfectly AND I LOVE the various colors that they come in. I have light hair and can match the pin to my hair color or, what’s really fun is use the pin as an accessory – just love them!”
OFIYOU Black Metal Spring Clips
best for versatile styling
Why we like it
- Perfect tension
- Low profile
Ruszczyk loves the options barrettes with spring release give those with thin hair, as, she says, “they can hold the hair in different styles” and “are very easy to take on and off if you don’t want to commit all day for that accessory!” One thing she looks for in a spring clip? “Good tension,” and according to its glowing Amazon reviews, this 2-clip set has it. Reviewers also love their simple design and lower profile for days when you want to pull your style focus elsewhere, like a fun pair of earrings.
Happy Customer: “Great barrettes for both finer and thicker hair. Hold hair well without yanking hair out.”
Gimme Fine Hair Loop Claw Clips
best statement-making casual
Why we like it
- Lightweight
- Cute design
Specifically made for thin and delicate hair, Hurtado loves these clips because “They are thin, and gentle, yet strong enough to secure hair with a cute loop design.” Says one Walmart shopper, “When I saw that these claws were specifically for fine hair, I thought I’d give them a try. So glad I bought them; they’ve stayed put all day!”
Happy Customer: “I have silky, fine, somewhat thin hair. I recently tried a rectangle clip, and my hair slid right out, while the clip stayed put! I ordered these online, and when I received them, I was worried they’d be too big. I was wrong. I’ve had the black one in my hair for 9 hours now, and I haven’t had to adjust it a single time! Not once! That’s major! And you can’t beat the value of this two pack. The two neutral colors are perfect. I hope new shades come soon!”
For more of our trusty hair product recommendations, click through these stories:
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