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

Extensions and Weaves

Weaves and extensions add length and volume, allowing women with short hair to enjoy an instant makeover.

If you’re looking for an effective way to add length or volume to your hair, extensions and weaves may provide a perfect solution—but only when applied by a qualified stylist.

With extensions, hair strands are either braided into, or glued onto your hair. Each extension may be the same length or the stylist may apply several lengths. Extensions are relatively easy to maintain and allow for many styling options: worn loose, tied into a ponytail or coiled into an updo.

Weaves, by contrast, are sewn onto the hair. The stylist first braids the natural hair, starting at the scalp and creating a series of evenly spaced rows. The weaves are then hand-sewn into the braids—a process that necessitates meticulous attention to detail and takes more time to complete than extensions.

Weaves and extensions are ideal for women with short hair who want to add length and fullness, but women with hair of any length can wear them. You have your choice of human hair, which is more expensive, or synthetic hair, which can appear less natural and sometimes be itchy. Synthetic hair is also heavier, holds water longer and dries more slowly, according to Dianne M. Daniels, a certified image consultant in Norwich, Connecticut. Excess heaviness can make your natural hair more fragile, leading to possible breakage.

Whether you choose extensions or weaves, it’s critical to find a qualified stylist. With improper techniques you run the risk of developing problems that require a physician’s attention. Dr. Corey L. Hartman, a dermatologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has some issues with these styles because he has personally seen the consequences of poor salon and do-it-yourself jobs.

“If one must use hair weaves, then the sewn-in method is much more desirable,” he tells Stellure.com. Glue is more problematic because contact with the scalp may cause an allergic “contact dermatitis”—an inflammation of the skin characterized by irritation, scales and even scarring “if the process is deep and intense enough,” he notes.

As a specialist in natural hair care, Farika Broadnax, owner of No Lye in Washington, DC, has spent many hours during her eight-year career correcting other hairstylists’ weaving and extension errors. The major problems she sees are hairline thinning and follicle damage.

“Sometimes braiders braid too tightly, for a ‘clean’ edge line,” she tells Stellure.com, “but the drawback is that edge-line hairs are finer, weaker and thinner than other hairs on the head.” Hair follicles become overstressed, and the hairline can actually begin to recede.

Clients who wear extensions, weaves or braids need to allow for “downtime”- a “less stressful hairstyle between applications, usually every three months,” Broadnax says.

Proper maintenance is also essential.

“Clients think that because they can't wash their hair by submerging it in water, they do nothing to the scalp,” Broadnax explains. “In time, this creates an unhealthy scalp. Because the hair is not being combed, brushed or stimulated for three to four months at a time, the scalp is also not being stimulated, so it doesn’t shed as it should. The results can be a dry scalp and clogged pores drowned in oils applied by the client. Not good! Using products like Sea Breeze and ‘no lather’ shampoos can help remove oil, dirt and debris from the scalp so the pores don’t get clogged and flakes can be removed. Some braiders don’t tell clients how to maintain their scalp health—just how to maintain their look.”

“Washing weekly, or once every two weeks, is recommended for maintenance of a clean and healthy scalp,” adds Dr. Andrew Alexis, a practicing dermatologist and associate director of the Skin of Color Center at St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. “The frequency depends on a woman’s susceptibility to ‘seborrheic dermatitis’—an itchy, flaky scalp—and oil build-up,” he tells Stellure.com. “Washing more frequently than once a week, however, will often lead to unwanted drying of the hair.”

Before having extension or weaves applied, ask your stylist the following questions, supplied by Broadnax:

1. How do I maintain them?

2. What products should I use on my hair—and on my scalp?

3. What can I use to clean my scalp if I can't wash my hair?

4. How long should I wear this style before taking it down?

5. Do you have a portfolio or your work?

6. How long have you been doing braids?

Publications: Febstore

To Blow Dry or To Air Dry?

Should the hair be blow dried or air dried?

It is a matter of preference, actually. Some people do not have much time to devote to styling their hair, or want to achieve the maximum styling they can get for their hair, so they opt for blow-drying it. On the other hand, there are some people who think that blow-drying is a waste of electricity and is the quickest way of damaging the hair, so they opt to have it air dried.

Which is better, you may ask?

Both ways of drying the hair have their advantages and disadvantages, and there are proper and improper ways of doing both. Read on and find out what these are.

Air drying. Air drying is usually done by people who have short and low-maintenance hairstyles, or by people with curly hair. There are also people who have long hair yet have their hair air dry, as air drying does not subject the hair to excessive heat. Therefore, the hair is not as susceptible to damage as hair that is blow dried.

If you are going to have your hair air dried, it is very important to remember that the hair is at its weakest when it is wet. So, take care not to rub your hair dry with the use of a towel. The friction caused by rubbing the hair with a towel will make the hair brittle and eventually break. Rather than rubbing it, you should instead blot the moisture out of your hair with the towel. Also, be careful not to tug or pull at your hair that much when it is still wet. Once the water is blotted out of the hair, fluff it out with your fingers.

Blow Drying. Blow drying the hair is the most convenient way of doing it, and because most people live fast-paced lives, blow drying the hair is the way most people want to do it. Moreover, drying the hair using a blower adds volume to the hair. But as convenient as blow drying can be, it is also damaging to the hair, especially if overdone as it can make the hair very brittle.

If you blow dry your hair, make sure that it is not soaking. Blot the water out with a towel first. Do not hold the dryer too close to your head; keep it at least six inches away from your hair and move the dryer constantly around your head. Protect the outer strands of your hair from being over-dried by bending over and blow drying your hair with your hair hanging upside down. Also, try not to dry your hair completely with the blow dryer. Stop while the hair is still slightly damp.

Whether you air dry your hair or you blow dry it is completely your own choice based on your own lifestyle and preferences. But whatever you do, always remember that the hair is fragile. Be careful when handling it.

Publications: Febstore

How to Blend Nail Tips

For some women, 10 long and flawless fingernails make them feel more feminine. However environmental and physical factors can cause nails to peel or chip. Fortunately, alternatives to perfect natural nails exist. Nail professionals apply artificial tips to the nails to lengthen them.

If you have patience and a steady hand you can apply your own tips. Blending the tip well is a critical step in application.

Significance

Blending the tip creates a natural-looking nail extension. It also creates a smooth base for the application of nail enhancements such as acrylic, silk, fiberglass or gel nails. Without properly blending the nail, a ridge forms where the product joins, and does not create the stable base needed for a long-lasting enhancement. Blending the nails becomes especially key when you intend to wear sheer or French manicure nail lacquer since an obvious seam detracts from the beauty.

Tools

Select a thin, fast-drying glue that dries clear and leaves no reside. Purchase a file to gently reduce the plastic material that forms the artificial tip. To make the job easier and faster, use a tip blender. It has acetone, which breaks down the plastic material of the nail tip. For the finishing touch, use a buffer to smooth the tip and make the transition to the natural nail seamless.

Techniques

Select a nail tips that fits snuggly between the sidewalls of the nail. Apply glue directly to the tip, using a small dot of fast-drying nail glue, allowing it to spread evenly on the tips, so you do not have air bubbles once you apply it to the natural nail plate. Place the tip at the top of the free edge of the nail plate and gently roll the tip onto the nail. Once the glue dies, apply the tip blender. Use a 180-grit file to thin the tip where it forms a joint with the natural nail. Buff the nail with a 240-grit buffing block to give the nail a smooth natural surface.

Considerations

Use a soft 240-grit file to remove the natural shine from the surface of the natural nail. A coarse file could disrupt the layers of the nail plate and cause air or contaminates to become trapped between the natural nail and the tip, resulting in the growth of mold or fungus. Dehydrate the natural nail with alcohol to remove the oils from the nail plate and improve adhesion of the tip to the nail.

Publications: Febstore

The French manicure is a timeless classic in the beauty world.

I can lift any outfit and instantly make you feel pretty, feminine and ready for any special occasion.

Increasingly, nail art is expanding with new colorful tricks and techniques being introduced, and we're not just talking glittery acrylics.

Nail wraps, crackle polishes and newspaper print nails are among the new wave of artist designs that are taking the beauty world by storm. And the best bit? You don't need to spend a fortune on having falsies put on to achieve the looks.

None of us have the luxury of having salon perfect nails, but if you want to achieve a quick and simple manicure, then here a quick step-by-step guide.

1. Apply a base coat to the nail and let it dry.

2. With white polish draw two small vertical lines at either side of the tip and draw a thin line along the tip of the nail. The two lines make it easier to keep the line even. A handy hint, keep the brush flat and make sure there is no excess on the nail to avoid dripping.

3. Once you have your basic line on each nail, go back and make it as dark and defined as you like.

4. When it has dried add a couple of coats to add color and pigment to the nail.

5. When dry, add a clear nail polish for extra shine and protection from chipping.

If you struggle to achieve a straight-ish line on the nail, either use paper tape or French manicure stickers for a rough guide.

Following on from the spring/summer season's love affair with color, it is so easy to use this classic style to change it up a bit with a twist.

Instead of using the traditional base coat pink and white tips why not go for something a little more colorful and daring.

You can combine any contrasting or complimentary colors you’d like and chose a different combination for each finger and really follow the block color trend.

Follow the same technique as the above, but empty out your collection of polishes and have fun creating your own personal manicure!

A little tip...my nails at the moment are red and bubblegum pink, but instead of a red body, pink tip I've gone a little different and drawn a diagonal line across from one top corner down the nail. You can make the line as fine or big as you’d like.

It's eye catching and is a great tip for shorter or longer nails.

Publications: Febstore