Showing posts with label hair styles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair styles. Show all posts

Monday, May 28, 2012

Long Hairstyles

Women with long hair can play with dozens of braid styles for a simple - or exotic - new look.

When you have long hair, no style is more fun to experiment with than braids. If you think braiding is limited to the standard English style (three strands of equal size, crossed back and forth to form a simple ponytail-style braid), you haven’t explored the possibilities. There are dozens of braid styles-some understated, some complex, all eye-catching.

Braids can be worn by women of all ages, and even those with only chin-length hair can pull them off. They keep your hair neat, off your face when the weather is hot or humid, are perfect if you engage in sports, and can be worn during the day or evening. Some of the most common braids perfectly accessorize both tennis dresses and evening gowns. Which hairstyle can claim greater versatility?

Once you’ve mastered one style of braid, you’ll have the skill needed to attempt others. For braiding success, follow these tips from Patricia Coen and Joe Maxwell, authors of Beautiful Braids:

• Before trying a braid style, read all instructions, and imagine performing them. Braid in your mind before braiding with your hands.
• Don’t watch yourself in the mirror. Close your eyes and concentrate. You’ll work intuitively, which will produce a better braid.
• Work with damp hair, which is more manageable when you’re braiding.
• Don’t use an office-supply–style rubber band to secure a braid, as it promotes hair breakage. Choose proper accessories designed to hold hair: coated bands, clips, barrettes and other ornaments.
• Don’t tense up. If you don’t like the result, you can always try again.
As for braid styles, consider the following:
• Create a simple English braid, and coil it around your finger. Tuck the end of the braid under the coil, and secure it to the back of your head. This is called an “English braid with chignon.”
• The “Dutch braid” is similar to an English braid, but the three strands of hair (equal in size) are crossed under, rather than over, one another.
• The classic “French braid” is one of the most sophisticated—and popular—hairstyles ever invented. You start with a center section of hair and divide it into three strands. As you braid, you add new strands gathered from both sides of your head. The finished braid rests flat against your head and is secured at the bottom. Check out Dreamweaver Braiding, an online educational braiding site, for complete directions, or Coen’s and Maxwell’s book for a step-by-step, illustrated guide.
• The “invisible French braid” is constructed like its classic namesake, but the hanging braid is folded upward and pinned to your scalp.
• The “accent braid”—popular among teenagers—is a single, thin braid that adorns loose hair, positioned on one side of your head. Select three thin strands from one side of your hair and braid them. Secure the braid at the bottom and let it rest against your loose hair.
• The “princess braid” was made famous by Carrie Fisher’s Star Wars character, Princess Leia. The style actually dates back to the 14th century, when it was all the rage. You create two English braids—one on each side of your head, pigtail style—and coil them. Affix the coils to your scalp with hairpins.
• Cornrows are a trendy style among African-American women, but the very Caucasian Bo Derek immortalized them for women of all ethnicities in the 1979 film 10. Cornrows tend to remain in the hair for a protracted period, due to the amount of time needed to create them. If you want this look, go to an experienced braider or stylist, as braid evenness is vital.

You can always work ribbon or yarn into any braid to add a splash of color. Adorn braids with hair jewels or fresh floral buds for special occasions.

Publications: Febstore

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Short Hairstyles

From layered cuts to fashionable crops, celebrities are rediscovering how alluring short hairstyles can be.
Radiant Mariska Hargitay, the Emmy Award-nominated actress who plays Detective Olivia Benson on the NBC hit drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, started out her show-business career with long hair.
What very few people realize is that the 40-year-old actress, who first became a recognizable face when she played hospital clerk Cynthia Hooper on ER during the 1994 season, is the daughter of legendary 1950s blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield, who died tragically in a car accident in 1967. (Mariska and her brother were in the backseat.) Place pictures of Mariska and her mom side by side, and the resemblance is uncanny.

Just married to actor Peter Hermann (who occasionally guests as an attorney on his wife’s show), Mariska (pronounced Ma-rish-ka) has a progressively shorter haircut since her L&O debut in 1999. Preferring short, layered cuts, with both red and gold highlights to augment her medium-brown hairstyle, Mariska has been seen lately with her short hairstyles pushed back, styled away from her face, with the ends flipped up. To duplicate her sleek look, apply a styling cream to wet hair, blow-dry hair away from the face, use a round brush to flip the ends, and clip side and back tendrils to the back of the head with a designer clip.

A great cut is the secret to exquisitely coiffed short hair. For many celebrities, like Oscar-winning Dames Judi Dench and Julie Andrews, the “short crop” has never gone out of style. In fact, it’s their trademark hair do. And while both actresses are among Hollywood’s more mature elite, age—long blamed for the dearth of roles for female actresses—hasn’t slowed their careers. Dame Julie is charming audiences of all ages. Don’t let the short crop fool you. It’s ideal for women of every age, according to Joey Battisti, artistic director for Paul Labrecque Salon and Spa in New York City.

“This style works for almost all face shapes,” he tells Stellure.com. “I feel it works best for people who have softer facial structures. It is very short, which means it will enhance any flaws or protruding facial and head shapes. For example, someone with a longer face may need to keep the edges around the hairline longer to soften the look a bit.”

When Joey creates a short crop, he relies on his razor for precision cutting.
“The razor is an amazing tool,” he explains, “but it has to be used carefully. The blade has to be replaced very often to make sure it is properly texturizing the hair. The razor helps add a soft, deconstructed finish—rather than the bluntness you receive from scissors. You can use it on all hair types—though not necessarily on thicker, curly or wavy hair because of the natural texture these hair types already have. It works best on fine to medium textures that lack movement.”

While Joey agrees that women of all ages—does the name Halle Berry ring a bell?—can wear this look, he thinks short hairstyles are the ideal style for older women.

“On someone like Judi, it is quite extraordinary,” he says. “More mature women like it for its easy, carefree style, yet it is very modern and sophisticated.”

He also believes it’s a winning style for clients who lack the time to fuss with or pamper their short hairstyles: the wash-and-go set. He advises them to use a volumizing shampoo, towel-dry hair, apply a spray-on conditioner for detangling, and dab a touch of pomade on select chunks of hair. If there’s no time for blow-drying, simply let hair air-dry.

“Pomade is usually made of wax or a silicone/dimithicone base,” Joey says. “This is not good for naturally oily hair types. It works best for definition, separating hair, and adding shine, texture and movement.”

He adores one of his salon’s own products, Paul Labrecque's Shea Butter, because it “shapes the style while conditioning the hair at the same time. It can be applied to wet or dry hair. The shea butter helps protect, moisturize and nourish the hair, while bringing out the natural shine.”

Publications: Febstore

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Wedding Hair Styles

Obviously, your wedding day is the most important day of your life. For this reason, you want everything to be perfect, including the flowers, cake, photography, music, gown, and of course, your hair. Along with all the other aspects of the day, your wedding hairstyles need to look better than ever. You will reach a point where you have to decide the type of wedding hairstyles that appeal to you most.

Some brides prefer an updo while other brides like down wedding hair styles. To make your decision, several factors will come into play. For instance, if you are considering a theme wedding, then you should discuss wedding hairstyles with the bridal party to ensure everyone is on the same page. This is important in that you will probably have friends standing up with you that have a variety of haircuts. For example, if you were planning a Victorian style wedding where the women had long, curly hair, the bridesmaid with the short hair would have a challenge to deal with.

Other factors important to consider include the style of your wedding gown, your specific hair type, the type of veil, headpiece, or hair jewelry you plan to wear, the season, and of course, your personal preference. If you will be wearing a wedding gown that has a low-cut neckline, then wedding hairstyles with soft, feminine curls would look beautiful, cascading around your bare shoulders. On the other hand, if the gown were high-collared, then you would want to consider wedding hairstyles that could be worn up.

If you are simply unsure where to begin, keep in mind that traditional wedding hair styles never become outdated. These styles remain very popular and work well with a formal or informal wedding. This type of hairstyle would include an updo, sprayed and pinned into place and then tight curls created at the nape of your neck. Typically, a veil or headpiece would then be attached to the bun or roll at the crown, with soft tendrils flowing freely at the sides.

For many brides, the goal is to look sophisticated and elegant on this special day. If glamour is what you are looking for in your wedding hairstyles, then you could pull all your hair up in a topknot, which would be ideal for framing the face. With a bun created on the crown and then the rest of the hair swept into it, you would see chic contrasting streaks that are gorgeous and definitely glam.

Another option to consider when it comes to wedding hair styles is one that can be worn with short hair. In this case, the hair would be backcombed, as a way of creating fullness. Then, the hair would be pulled back smooth and pinned to create an oval shape. Finally, with a curling iron, you would create delicate curl that would fall just around the front part of the veil and fastened with bobby pins that match your hair color or adorned with gems.

To achieve a romantic look on your wedding day, you can always use a number of hair ornaments or jewelry. Even simple wedding hairstyles can be enhanced with the right accessories. For example, you could wear your hair pulled back in a ponytail but by adding a chignon or beaded wrap, you have taken an everyday hairstyle and transformed it into a beautiful and romantic wedding style. Even wearing your short hair down, you can add small pin curls and jeweled barrettes to create an elegant look. Other options to enhance wedding hairstyles would be to interweave lace, ribbon, or matching gown fabric in your hair.

With a little creativity, the options for creating that fairytale look are endless. You might consider rolling your hair with medium size rollers with your hair just barely damp. Under a dryer, allow the curl to set and then when the rollers are removed, you can use a wide, bristle brush to brush the curls loosely. Then take the hair and twist it up, leaving small strands of the curl out with the rest of the hair secured with the veil or gemmed hair jewelry.

Finally, if you want a fairytale look, you can roll your hair with medium rollers. For the best results, make sure your hair is damp and then once rolled, set under a dryer. Once the rollers are removed, you will use a wide bristle brush to brush the curls out loosely, being careful not to pull the actual curl out and then twist the hair up and pin it. To complete the look, simply work with the curls until a tousled look has been achieved.

Publications:Febstore
 

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