How to Put Your Hair up With Chopsticks

Co-authored by Amber Crain Reviewed by Jasmin Todd

Last Updated: November 23, 2023 Fact Checked

Putting up your hair with chopsticks is a popular style that women have loved for centuries. In fact, hair sticks have been discovered amid the ruins of multiple ancient cultures, including Egypt, China, Greece, Turkey and Japan. It's been theorized that hair sticks may have been the very first hair accessory ever invented, which is pretty cool! It's a timeless look with a modern feel - and it is fairly simple for anyone to achieve once you get the hang of the process.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Chopsticks to Create a Traditional Bun

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1
Locate a pair of chopsticks. The wooden kind from a restaurant will work, but not for any good length of time because they can snap easily, causing splinters to get caught in your hair and possibly even hurt you. There are smooth bamboo ones that you can buy that are much higher quality. You can also buy plastic ones, which tend to be the best and are inexpensive.
- Whatever you decide to use, be sure the sticks are clean and new!
- Metallic chopsticks are another option, although these are a little more difficult to find.
- Check out the hair care aisles of your local drug and grocery stores - you'll be able to find a variety of different styles that you can experiment with.
2
Brush your hair. Take care to get all of the tangles out before proceeding. If you have curly hair, use a pick to gently detangle any major knots and smooth it down before proceeding. Make sure to remove any hair accessories or bobby pins before starting the process.
- Many women find that chopsticks hairstyles are difficult to achieve on freshly washed hair because clean hair can be very slippery. Whether this will affect you depends on the texture of your hair, but you may want to try this style on hair that hasn't been washed for a day or two.^{[1]
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Lift up your hair (or the section of hair you want to tie up) and place the chopsticks underneath it, slanting them while positioning.
4
Wrap your hair around the sticks a few times. Do there until there isn't any more hair left to wrap around. The amount of times you wind the hair will depend on how long your hair is.
- A chignon is an ideal hairstyle for adding chopsticks in. In this case, make the chignon first, then push in the chopsticks for effect. For more information on creating a chignon, see How to style a classic chignon and How to style a chignon with a modern twist.
This part may hurt slightly because the sticks pull your hair, but the final result should feel comfortable. If your final style is uncomfortable, it should be redone.
You may want to put a few bobby pins in for additional security. Once you're certain it feels comfortable and in place, it's ready for finishing touches.
If you're worried about the security of your style, try a short mist of hairspray all over the hairstyle. If you have bangs or short layers around the face, arrange them in the way you like best and give it all a short mist of hairspray to lock it in.^{[2]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Chopsticks to Create a French Twist

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1
Brush your hair. Make sure to fully detangle your hair before proceeding. If you have curly hair, gently run a pick through to manage and detangle your curls. Remove any and all hair accessories, such as bobby pins or barrettes, before attempting the hairstyle.
- If your hair is freshly washed and a little slippery, chopstick styles can be a little difficult to manage. Many women think that chopstick hairstyles work best on hair that hasn't been washed in at least 2 days, but it really just depends on your hair. If your freshly washed hair isn't slippery, you should have no issues.^{[3]
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- Have some hairspray and a few bobby pins within reach when doing this style, just in case you want a little more hold or security.
2
Pull all of your hair back into a low ponytail. Holding your low ponytail in your left hand, use your right hand to slide one of the chopsticks (pointy end up) diagonally under the ponytail. Twist the chopstick itself around clockwise, making sure that when you stop, the pointy end is pointing up, just like at the beginning.^{[4]
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- Twist the chopstick clockwise as many times as your hair will allow. Some people will only be able to do it once, others will be able to twist it several times around. Once you start feeling your hair pull a little at your scalp, stop twisting.
- Hold on to the ends of your hair as tightly as you can throughout the remainder of the process, since the twist won't be fully secure until the final step.
3
Push the chopstick all the way through the twist. Taking hold of the blunt end of the stick, pull it away from your head until it's almost horizontal. The pointy end will be pushed up against your scalp at this point. Continue this motion until the pointy end is facing down, and the blunt end facing up.
- Once you've done this, the pointy end of the stick should be nestled about 2 inches deep at the very top of the twist.
Stop pushing once you have approximately the same length of stick poking out of the top and the bottom. The stick should pass through the twist itself, as well as the hair directly below the twist.
5
Gently let go of your hair and take a look at the final result. It may take a couple of attempts before you get it just right, but after a little practice you'll be able to do this easily.
- At this point, you are only using one chopstick. You can stop there, or if you want a look using both sticks, slide the second stick carefully through the twist, taking care not to bump into the first stick.
- If you have short layers in your hair, the ends may be sticking out a small amount. One option is to bobby pin them and use a bit of hairspray to secure the twist.
- Another option is to make this a very casual look, allowing your layers to hang loosely around your face. Arrange them until you like what you see.
If you're worried about the security of your style, try a short mist of hairspray all over the hairstyle. If you have bangs, arrange them in the way you like best and give it all a short mist of hairspray to lock it in.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Chopsticks to Create a Casual Bun in 15 seconds

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1
Brush your hair. Make sure to fully detangle your hair before proceeding. If you have curly hair, gently run a pick through to manage and detangle your curls. Remove any and all hair accessories, such as bobby pins or barrettes, before attempting the hairstyle.
- This is a very casual look that truly only takes 15 seconds, so don't worry about getting your hair perfect before you start. Just get the tangles out.
- Have some hairspray and a few bobby pins within reach when doing this style, just in case you want a little more hold or security.
For this style, the height of the ponytail is up to you. You can do a low ponytail if you want the final look to be situated close to the nape of your neck. You can also gather your ponytail at medium height or you can try it slightly higher than that.
Using your right hand, grab your hair at the ends and twist it so that your ponytail looks kind of like a rope. You can twist it as tightly or as loosely as you like, depending on how you'd like the final style to look. If you want the final style to be neat, twist it tightly. If you want a more casual look, twist it loosely.
Continue to pull it around, forming a bun, until you run out of hair. Tuck the ends of your hair under the bun.
You will push the pointy end out through the center of bun. You should have approximately the same amount of stick showing on both sides.
Then pull the blunt end straight up, so that the pointy end brushes against your scalp and is then pointing down. Push the pointy end back through under the bun, which will secure it in place.
7
Gently let go of your hair and take a look at the final result. At this point, you are only using one chopstick. You can stop there, or if you want a look using both sticks, slide the second stick carefully through the twist, taking care not to bump into the first stick.
- If you have short layers in your hair, the ends may be sticking out a small amount. One option is to bobby pin them and use a bit of hairspray to secure the bun in place. For a slightly more casual look, allow your layers to hang loosely around your face. Arrange them until you like what you see.
If you're worried about the security of your style, try a short mist of hairspray all over the hairstyle. If you have bangs, arrange them in the way you like best and give it all a short mist of hairspray to lock it in.

Community Q&A

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Question

How long does my hair have to be to do this?

Community Answer

Your hair probably needs to be at least down to your shoulders.

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Tips

There are also sticks sold for hair purposes only. You can buy those for added effect.

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Decorate the chopsticks for added effect. You can paint them, or try gluing sequins or rhinestones on them as embellishments. You could even drill a small hole and thread through sparkly crystal beads or small, dainty objects that weigh very little and tie them into place. Of course, only add decorative elements to the end that doesn't get pushed through your hair.

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If the wooden chopsticks are too long, cut them down a little to suit your hair length. Smooth them off at the end with sandpaper before using.

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Warnings

In many Asian countries, where chopsticks are used as eating utensils, this hairstyle is often seen as ridiculous or even stereotypical, especially for Asian-themed costumes (just think how silly you would look with a fork in your hair!). Instead, you could try using a hair clamp or decorative comb for a similar look.

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It is highly probable that your scalp will start hurting; this usually happens when the style begins to pull as a result of the weight of your hair. If it hurts too much, just pull out the chopsticks and have your brush handy to tidy things up. Remember to brush out your hair until there aren't any knots before proceeding.

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