Welcome to Deep Reviews—your one-stop destination to discover the absolute best products and brands the beauty industry has to offer. The Who What Wear staffers you already know and trust will research, test, and review the market's most sought-after and buzzed-about products to see which formulas (of the hundreds up for consideration) are worth your hard-earned money and attention. You can expect honest, uncensored feedback and no-BS recommendations our hard-to-please testers endorse without reservations.
The majority of our Deep Reviews will feature our editors' honest, ultra-hot takes on entire product categories or multiple products from a particular beauty brand, but every so often, we'll sprinkle in a special single-product format called Honestly, I Love It. As the name suggests, these reviews will hone in on one standout beauty formula our editors can't shut up about. This time, I'm highlighting my favorite hair accessories and tools brand, Emi Jay.
Since I'm a beauty editor, everyone always assumes that I'm constantly put together. My skin is in perfect condition; my makeup is flawless; and my hair is always springing up in a bouncy blowout. Well, I hate to say it, but that's rarely true. Just like everyone else, I have my fair share of skin issues (mostly sun damage and a stubborn case of rosacea. I'm also no stranger to the occasional makeup fail (smudged eyeliner, flaking mascara, you name it). As for my hair, I know this might be shocking, but I rarely style it unless it's a special occasion.
Why, you ask? For one, my hair is naturally wavy, and lately, I've been trying to embrace and accentuate its natural texture. Secondly, my hair is also naturally dry and thin, so I try to keep it away from damaging heat tools as much as possible. Thirdly, I'm lazy. There, I said it. If I can get 10 minutes of extra sleep, I'm going to take it, and that often comes at the expense of consistent hairstyling.
That doesn't mean I never touch my hair or I just let it do whatever it wants. Nope. I use a variety of products as part of my weekly routine, including hair masks, serums, and oils. I also have an entire drawer devoted to hair accessories. Trust me, no one will ever know you just rolled out of bed if you have the right headbands, bows, and hair clips. And, to me, the right ones come from the trendy, internet-famous brand, Emi Jay.
The Claw Clips
Emi Jay is known for one of its best-selling products—the Big Effing Clip. These claw clips come in a variety of colors, designs, and finishes, but one thing remains the same. They're all big enough to hold a full head of hair, and they're functional enough to wear all day long. They don't slip; they don't pull; they don't fall apart. I wear them constantly, and I've never had one break or scratch. I've also never gotten a tension headache like I have from other claw clips. The best part is that each one is made from custom, biodegradable acetate. So, yeah, they're fairly eco-friendly too.
Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll probably say they see me wearing an Emi Jay claw clip more often than not. With the Big Effing Clips, I toss them up in my hair every which way. Sometimes it's purposely haphazard; think of ruffled-yet-chic references like Bridget Jones or Kate Winslet in The Holiday.
Don't think all of Emi Jay's accesories are of the precious, sugar-sweet variety. The brand offers a variety of colors and designs to fit any aesthetic. I, for one, opt for this cherry red clip whenever I want my look to read more sophisticated or sultry.
I like to pair a dark red claw clip with a more polished hairstyle. That's why I'll do a sort of French twist with my hair before securing it with the claw clip. If I'm really feeling fancy, I might add a bit of hairspray or pomade onto my front pieces for a defined look.
If a large claw clip isn't your thing, know that Emi Jay makes smaller ones. They're called Sweetheart Clips. Like the larger versions, these come in a variety of trendy colors and designs, but they're small enough to create chic half-up, half-down hairstyles.
For this look, I gave myself an at-home blowout to give my thin hair some bounce and movement. Then, I used the Sweetheart Clip in Cherry Pie to secure a simple half-up, half-down hairstyle. It was so easy and took all of 10 minutes to complete from start to finish.
The Styling Tools
Emi Jay doesn't just sell claw clips (although I highly recommend checking those out first). The brand also sells a bevy of other hair accessories and tools, like this hair brush. It's so aesthetic, I can't help but keep it proudly atop my bathroom counter. What can I say? Some things are just too pretty to put in a drawer.
This brush is plastic-free and pure bamboo. It has a high-quality construction that's designed to glide through the hair without snagging or tugging while distributing the hair's natural oils from root to end.
Speaking of the hair's natural oils, I like to use Emi Jay's Boar Bristle Brushes whenever I'm trying to skip shampoo. The natural material distributes oil like a dream, making my roots look less greasy and my ends look more moisturized. It's also the perfect brush for creating a slicked-back look. Trust me, use this to brush your hair back into a slick bun or ponytail, add a little bit of Emi Jay's Angelstick ($38) on top, and your style will last for hours and hours without any flyaways.
5 More Emi Jay Hair Tools & Accessories I Love
This big, red bow is the perfect statement hair accessory.
This reminds me of '90s butterfly clips in the best way.
I'm dying to wear this on vacation.
A black, velvet bow will always be iconic.
This pink headband is giving Sofia Coppola vibes.
