Skip this trend: 20′s Inspired headbands
Every magazine I look in, every website I go to this hideous “trend” is staring me in the face. When did it become cool to wear 20s Flapper inspired head bands again? Umm news flash, it didn’t! This look is just a big ol’ fashion mess! I admit that there are about a handful of people who can actually pull this look off and not look totally ridiculous but I can say with almost 100% certainty that the vast majority of people reading this article do not fall into that category.And if you think you’re going to “prove me wrong” and do it anyway I can assure you that the only person you’ll be hurting is yourself (and the people looking at you who have to keep a straight face).
Seriously, if you are not from a culture that wears headbands as part of your everyday dress or if you’re not wearing drop waist Flapper garb and dancing the Charleston, then please don’t try to pull this look off. I know you think you look cool but you don’t, and believe me people are laughing at you (or at least I will be).
3 Summer hair care myths exposed
Okay. So it’s not officially summer yet, but it’s pretty close. Before the even hotter days get here, there are a few summer haircare myths that need to be addressed. Separating fact from fiction will help to keep your hair looking luxe all summer long.
Myth: Sunscreen sprays work on hair.
Truth: SPF is only measurable on skin, not hair. Therefore, douse your locks with a leave in conditioner so there is a physical barrier between your hair and the sun.
Myth: Rinsing hair before swimming reduces chlorine damage.
Truth: Saturating your hair before hitting an overly chlorinated pool will keep your hairs chlorine absorption to a minimum.
Myth: A full 15 minutes is needed for a deep conditioner to work.
Truth: “Any amount of time you can dedicate to deep conditioning is good. It’s better than nothing — just like exercise,” says Amy Abramite, Creative Director of Chicago’s Maxine Salon.
The best bangs to fit your face
Bangs are always a fashion do, in my opinion. They look great on just about everyone, and they’re a very inexpensive way to freshen up a stale hair look. I’ve been rocking bangs for a few years now. Oh every now and then I let them grow out, but I always go back to them. They skim years off of my face and actually make my red locks look less severe and more whimsically fun. So why aren’t you wearing them? Don’t be scared to dive into the always in vogue “bangs trend.” These few simple tips will ensure that you get the right look for your face.
Oval face shapes
An oval face is considered to be a face shape that can wear any type of hairstyle, this includes bangs. So, pick a look and go for it! The chances are that it will look stunning. However keep in mind your hair’s texture when choosing your bangs style.
Round face shapes
The most flattering style of bangs incorporate soft layering or feathering. Go for bangs that gently hug the cheeks areas. When skillfully constructed, feathered bangs can add contouring to round faces, minimizing large round cheeks and giving the illusion chiseled cheek bones.
Long face shapes
Blunt Bangs cut bluntly just around the brow bone will help to give the impression of a more oval-shaped face. The oval look can be enhanced by opting for long or graduated layers around the sides of the face.
Square face shapes
Consider side-swept bangs that gently curve or taper inwards towards the jaw to soften overly pronounced angles of the face.
Heart face shapes
On a heart shaped face, bangs can minimize the general wideness of the heart shaped face and even help to balance the commonly prominent chin. Side swept feathered bangs or textured bangs are both great options. However, a heart shaped face can also carry off full bangs cut straight across the face. Long or short, full bangs can look really great for a heart shape.
Triangular face shapes
Wider cut bangs that are feathered, wispy, or textured can help balance the face and create more of an oval shape. A slight wispy fringe will cover and conceal a wide forehead. It will also bring it into a better proportion with a wide chin. Avoid the flat, pageboy fringes. These can level out fullness and height.
Haute summer hair: The braided bun
Drew Barrymore is rocking one of summer’s trendiest hair looks; the braid. Braids are synonymous with warm weather. But this do takes the very casual summer look and glamorizes it. Why not make that braid into a haute braided bun?! Here’s how to get the look.
1. Simply give your hair a deep side part.
2. Braid front of hair following direction in which hair is falling (remember that slightly messy keeps the look fresh).
3. Take the rest of your hair and secure it in loose braids.
4. Take all the braids and interlace them however you like, at the nape of the neck, and secure them over each other with bobby pins.
There you have it, a great messy braid bun that’s perfect for any occasion this summer.
How to fight frizzy hair
The sun is bright, the days are warm and long, and I bet you’re dealing with humidity in the air; I know I am. So how do you combat day after day of frizzy bad hair? We’re going to tell you how!
The first thing you need to know to fight frizz is what causes it. In a nutshell, damaged cuticles are a major factor in creating frizzy hair. Hair cuticles are made of overlapping layers that, ideally should lie flat over each other. When the layers sustain damage it affects the porosity of hair. And once that happens, hair becomes unable to retain moisture. It becomes dry, brittle, dull, and in some instances frizzy. But these few steps will do a lot to help you fight frizz.
- Deep condition your hair at least once a week.
- Always towel blot your hair after washing. NEVER rub your hair with your towel to dry it (it damages the cuticle).
- Avoid overuse of styling products that require heat, including blow driers.
- If you have to blowdry your hair, keep it on a medium setting and constantly moving so no one section of hair is overexposed to the heat. Also, avoid holding the drier too close to your hair.
- Use a silicone based hair serum to keep hair coated and to protect the hair cuticle.
- Avoid touching your hair too much, this is a common cause of hair frizzing during/after styling.
It doesn’t take much to make hair fabulously frizz free. For more hair care tips CLICK HERE.
10 Hair color tips
Whether you’re going blonde, red, or brunette nothing is worse than watching your once vibrant hair color fade into a dull lifeless version of it’s former self. Well, now you don’t have to. With these 10 hair color tips, courtesy of Marie Claire, your red can stay radiant, your brown can be brilliant, and your blond will look golden well past your hues projected expiration date.
10. THOU SHALT play THE COLOR FIELD
“Hair color is like an accessory,” says Marcy Cona, Clairol’s color director. “Play with shades lighter, darker, or redder than you usually choose. You might make a pleasant discovery.” For real commitment-phobes, try a tinted gloss or washout color-enhancing foam.
9. THOU SHALT CODDLE THY curls
Coloring curly hair is a delicate business, says Ouidad, of Manhattan’s Ouidad Salon. Because it’s naturally dry and porous, it absorbs color faster and is more susceptible to damage than straight strands. Ouidad says to dilute the dye by replacing a quarter of the activator with distilled water. Then proceed as usual.
8. THOU SHALT age GRACEFULLY
“To cover grays, choose an allover shade that falls between your new silver strands and the color you had as a child,” says Slattery. “This softens your face and camouflages regrowth.”
7. THOU SHALT NOT trash THY TRESSES
“The more you baby your hair, the better it maintains new color,” says Slattery. So choose shampoos formulated for color-treated tresses and deep-condition at least once a week.
6. THOU SHALT touch up WITH CAUTION
“Mismatched roots and ends are a dead giveaway that you dye your own hair,” says Backe. “This happens when dye dribbles down from the roots and oversaturates already-colored ends.” Better to get a friend — or a three-way mirror — to help you confine dye to the regrowth area. Need to refresh the rest of your hair too? Wait until the last five minutes of the process, then run color down the shaft.
CLICK HERE to read more.
Splitting hairs: How to stop split ends
Hair is a woman’s crowning glory. I recently had that revelation, even though I’ve read it numerous times. I have been blessed with a head full of thick beautiful hair, hair that I love to chop off the minute is flowing down my back. However, I’ve recently decided that I need to part ways with my beauticians scissors and let my hair be all that it can be. So, no more hair cuts for me! I’m going to stop sheering the long luxurious hair God gave me, but where do I start? With split ends. That’s the number one killer of beautiful hair. There are a few simple steps to keep in mind to keep split ends at bay.
1. The number one way to keep hair free of split ends is regular trims. Make sure you schedule to have your hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks. Your stylist will only need to take off 1/4 of an inch to 1 inch of hair. Getting rid of split ends before they even have time to travel up the shaft will make for healthier hair.
2. Avoid the heat. That’s right, all those heating products you use to style your hair are wreaking havoc on it. So, step away from the blow drier, far away, and put down the curling iron. Invest in soft rollers and sleep in them over night.
3. Invest a good comb and brush. It seems so simple but most women use combs and brushes on their hair that actually do more harm than good. If you have a plastic bristle brush in your drawer then you need to toss it, NOW. Stick with brushes made from soft boar hair or wide tooth paddle brushes. As for your comb, avoid ones with teeth that could catch your hair and break or split ends. Also, keep in mind that your comb should be able to glide through your hair, so make sure the teeth accommodate the thickness of your hair. For instance, I have very thick hair so I use a large wide toothed comb.
3. Keep your hair conditioned. Making sure that you keep your hair hydrated and moisturized will curb split ends. Saturating your mane with a leave in conditioner 3-5 days a week is a great way to keep your hair happy and healthy.
