Care & Ritual · 保養與儀式
A thing you do twice a day
Eight-fifteen in the morning, eleven at night. The pin is an excuse to pause twice — nothing more mystical than that, and nothing less useful.
Choose 08:15
Pick the one that matches the day, not the outfit. It is the first decision you make for yourself, so make it slowly.
Twist 08:17
Gather the hair, twist once, and push the pin through horizontally — the shaft runs level, entering one side and leaving the other.
Release 23:00
Unwind rather than pull. Slide the pin out along its own curve and let the hair fall where it wants to.
Feed Sunday
A drop of camellia oil on a cloth, once a week. Rub along the grain, wait ten minutes, buff dry.
How to wear it properly
- Make the bun first. A low chignon or a single twist at the nape works for every length of hair.
- Enter from one side. Push the tip through the twist, not into it against the skull.
- Cross the whole bun. Both ends must emerge — a pin that only half-crosses will slide out by noon.
- Let it follow its own curve. If you have to force it straight, take it out and re-twist smaller.
- Check it once. Level shaft, head sitting above the other side. Done.
Caring for ebony
Every week — feed it
Put one drop of camellia (茶花) oil on a soft cloth and wipe along the grain. Ten minutes later, buff with the dry side. That is all ebony asks for. Skip it for a month and the wood looks thirsty; do it weekly for a year and the surface deepens into something you will not want to lend anyone.
Once — never do this
- No soaking. Never leave it in water; ebony does not forgive it.
- No direct sun on a windowsill for days on end — it dries and greys.
- No radiators, dashboards, or saunas.
- No alcohol wipes, perfume, or hairspray directly on the wood. Spray your hair first, then put the pin in.
Storage
Lay it flat in its box, or stand it in a small cup. Do not throw it loose into a bag with keys — ebony is hard, but a carved petal that had to be only four millimetres thick will lose an argument with a keyring.
- Silver heads will darken slowly. Polish with a silver cloth — never with the same cloth you oiled with.
- Cloudiness means the surface is dry, not dirty. Feed it, do not scrub it.
- Travelling? Roll it in a cloth; the box goes in the suitcase.
Still deciding?
Size and length questions are answered here.
Read the FAQ