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Archive for the ‘Hairstyling Tips’ Category

14 Hair Secrets Your Stylist Won’t Tell You

14 Secrets Your Hairstylist Won’t Tell You

How to get the best appointments, haircuts and even free services!

Whether you think of a salon visit as a fun treat or a necessary chore, you’ll want to get the best service (and hairstyle) possible, right? That’s why we talked to the experts, hairstylists and salon owners. They told us the secrets of the salon — the best times to go, how to get that last-minute appointment when you’re desperate, and much more! See secrets

Tips For Coloring Hair At Home

Top At-Home Hair Color Tips

Beauty salon haircolor experts divulge secrets of coloring hair at home

If you’ve recently started experimenting with at-home color or are thinking about making the switch (in the name of saving cash), use these tips as your guide. With this expert help you can get salon-quality results in the comfort of your bathroom. So go ahead and cheat on your colorist — with yourself! You and your wallet will be happy you did. Read tips

Budget-Friendly Product Picks For Curly Hair

Hard times are hitting everyone these days, and it’s tough to make your hair a priority when you can barely make the rent. Here are some products for curly girls working within a budget:

PRODUCTS UNDER $20

• Curly Hair Solutions Curl Keeper, $15.50: a water-based leave-in conditioner that fights tough frizz.
• AG Re:coil Curl Activator, $18: activates curls and controls frizz.
• Karen’s Body Beautiful Hair Milk, $16, can be used as a leave-in or rinse-out conditioner.
• DevaCare No-Poo, $17.95: an innovative no-fade moisturizing cleanser that makes color last longer.
• HPO Simply Curly Conditioning Styling Pudding, $17.50, smooths and defines curls without leaving them sticky or greasy.

PRODUCTS UNDER $15

• TIGI Bed Head Foxy Curls Shampoo, $14: a great-smelling, moisturizing and sulfate-free shampoo for sexy spirals.
• Jessicurl Too Shea! Extra Moisturizing Conditioner, $12.75: a deep conditioner enriched with shea butter and 14 herbs and spices including basil, peppermint, rosemary and lavender for sweet-smelling hair bliss.
• Kinky-Curly Knot Today, $12: a leave-in conditioner that smoothes and detangles.
• Curl Junkie Coffee Coco Curl Crème, $14: a rich curl crème that works like a leave-in conditioner and gel to moisturize curls and provide a light hold.

PRODUCTS UNDER $10

• ISO Bouncy Cream, $9.99: a must-have, crazy-rich conditioning treatment that’ll leave your curls super-soft and frizz-free.
• Elucence Moisture Balancing Conditioner, $8: Skip your shampoo and wash extra-dry curls with this hydrating and hair balancing conditioner.
• Oyin Handmade Honeywash, $9: Gently cleanse and moisturize hair with this blend of honey, aloe vera, jojoba and walnut seed oil for silky smooth curls.
• Curl Junkie Curl Fuel, $9: Refresh your worn-out curly hair with this unique spray that provides shine and added definition.
• Miss Jessie’s Quick Curls, $9: a quick, easy and lightweight styling cream.

Hair Care Tips For Spring

While springtime brings beautifully bloomed gardens and 70-degree temperatures, it’s also the season when frizzy hair and flyaways are rampant. I wrote an article for Misikko.com detailing the causes of spring weather’s most maddening effects on hair and how to fight March Hair Madness:

The Culprit: Humidity

Spring’s influx of humid weather leaves hair flat and squelches even the most zealous efforts at styling. No matter what natural texture your hair has, this isn’t the time of year to force your tresses into an unnatural style. If your hair is curly, find a ‘do that embraces your curls. If your hair is straight but tends to curl up in humid weather, incorporate loose, light curls into your style. Consider applying a humidity-resistant product like Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum to towel-dried hair for added humidity protection.

The Culprit: Wind

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May — not to mention creating some massive flyaways! Windy gusts grab at split ends and create the static-y look, and damaged or naturally coarse hair has it worse because they have rougher hair cuticles, giving the breeze something to hold onto. Windy times call for hair accessories: headbands, ponytails and clips are a must. Also try products specially formulated for blustery days like Ouidad’s Climate Control Gel, which tames and smoothes unruly tresses while conditioning frazzled ends.

The Culprit: Moisture

April showers bring more than May flowers — they also add constantly changing moisture levels in the air. The problem? Frizz is caused by hair trying to soak in moisture from the air, so chances are you’ll end up with a frizz problem at some point during springtime shifts in the weather.

If you find that blowdrying makes your hair look frizzier, gently blot it dry with a towel instead — but don’t rub. Rubbing hair dry can cause further breakage on already weak strands, increasing your chances of frizz. After you’ve towel-blotted, apply an anti-frizz serum or hair gel to your damp hair and comb it through so the product is distributed evenly. Finally, consider keeping a little product on hand throughout the day to use for smoothing down any strands that may curl up. (You can always toss it in an extra container and keep it in your purse.)

The Culprit: Heat

Spring’s refreshingly temperate weather can be a cleverly disguised cause of hair havoc. Why? Hot air opens the hair cuticle, which leads to split ends, breakage, and duller hair color. Plus, most hair products make your head feel like an oil slick when exposed to hot weather. To beat the heat, give your hair a blast of cool air using the “cool” setting on your hair dryer when you’re almost done blow-drying. Cold air closes the hair cuticle and seals in the moisture. Also consider trying a weather-friendly product like Blow’s Weather or Not Climate Neutralizer, a weightless hair serum that protects hair from the elements without leaving a greasy residue.

Fashion Week’s Hot Runway Hairstyles

Hot Runway Hairstyles

From classic updos to disheveled waves, a sampling of what’s hot this spring

The hair trends for spring are already being determined. Think sleek ballerina buns, beachy textured hair extensions, braids and French twists. You’ll never be bored with your hair if you try these styles. See styles

Spring 2009 Haircolor Trend: Champagne Blonde

As if interviewing celebrity colorist Jason Backe wasn’t enough of a treat, Jason also gave me a bonus tidbit about the latest trend in haute couture haircolor shades: champagne blonde. (Of course, the fashion victim in me had to have him mimic the trend when he colored my hair. I gotta stay current, you know.)

This hot new shade of blonde haircolor is popping up on the runways of designers like Calvin Klein, Versace, and Prada—and Spring Fashion Week hasn’t even begun yet!

What makes champagne blonde so special? It solves the age-old conundrum blondes face in trying to choose a natural-looking shade that’s still flattering and gorgeous on its own.

• Ash blondes are traditionally the most natural-looking blonde haircolor shades, but can look dull and add a grey cast to some skin tones.
• Golden blondes, on the other hand, don’t take much to go from beachy to bleachy-looking, and often take on a brassy tone that simply screams fake.

So what’s a blonde to do? Simple: try champagne blonde, a natural beige-y blonde with hints of golden tones to add luminosity and depth. To get the look, Jason used Clairol Perfect 10 in shade #9 on my roots, then used their new shade 9G through the ends of my hair.

Images via Style.com

Hairstyling Tips: Conditioning 101

The cold weather is in full effect, providing a harsh reminder to keep hair hydrated during dry months. Lucky for you, we’ve got some conditioning basics to help your hair stay healthy this winter and all year round.

The hair’s cuticles are parched after shampooing, so following with a daily or deep conditioner is an absolute must. Basic conditioners detangle strands without causing the hair stress, but they should also be adding back moisture. Proper application is key in maintaining beautiful, healthy hair, so follow these simple steps to ensure your treat your hair right!

1. Thoroughly rinse shampoo out of hair with warm water. The warmth will help liquify shampoo and make sure it’s completely rinsed out.
2. Pour a small amount of conditioner onto your fingers in one hand. Rub fingertips together to evenly distribute conditioner.
3. Apply conditioner two inches away from the scalp. To do this easily, gather hair into a mock ponytail and slide fingertips down to the ends. Conditioning is most important for the ends of your hair. Never rub conditioner into your scalp! You’ll clog the follicles and cause split ends.
4. Run your fingers or a plastic wide-toothed comb through your hair to detangle and condition the hair shaft. (Tip: avoid combs with rubbery ends on the teeth; their edges can grab and rip out strands after a few uses.)
5. Leave conditioner in for three minutes to plump hair with moisture and proteins.
6. Rinse hair by letting cool water run through it, rubbing only the scalp with your fingertips to remove any remaining conditioner. Cool water helps to smooth the cuticle so it lays down flat and avoids split ends and frizz.
7. For extra hydration and to seal the cuticle further to prevent frizz, follow with a leave-in conditioner. This helps hair hold onto moisture, creating a protective barrier that adds shine while safeguarding hair for overall health and vitality.
8. Daily conditioners may not restore the nutrients that give hair lasting strength, so use a deep conditioning treatment at least twice a month. Deep conditioning restores vital proteins and amino acids that are lost through heat styling and weather. A deep conditioning treatment should always include heat; this allows the protein molecules in the cuticle to melt and bond together, rebuilding the molecular layer and restoring hair’s strength. (If your deep conditioner doesn’t have a heat component, simply wrap a hot towel around hair while conditioning.)

Photo source: harpersbazaar.com

Solutions For Static Hair

Found your hair looking like the Bride of Frankenstein’s do one morning after a shift in the weather? This little trick is an oldie but a goodie: Run a fabric softener sheet (like the Snuggle ones you use in your clothes dryer) over your hair and watch your static electric flyaways disappear. (You can even use a sheet you’ve already put through the dryer, if you’re cheap like I am – the used ones work just as well.)

If you continually find yourself having problems with static frizz, here are a couple of tricks to help keep negatively charged locks at bay:

• Deep condition regularly with a product like Bed Head Dumb Blonde Reconstructor. Properly moisturized hair is less likely to be affected by static.
• Avoid products that include drying ingredients like alcohol or sodium lauryl sulfates.
• Use a leave-in conditioner like Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique to smooth your hair and weigh it down.
• Use anti-frizz or glossing serum to finish your style; we like AG Liquid Varnish Smoothing Polish. You can also smooth it through your comb before combing your hair. This will ensure an even application and will dispel any frizzifying effects your brush’s bristles might impart on your hair.

Photo source: Girlz Night

Making A Salon Blowout Last

The au courant trend in prepping for a night on the town is getting your hair blown out at the salon, and the luxurious feeling that ensues of having naturally straight, voluminous hair is a beauty addict’s favorite kind of high.

Alas, all too often do we wake up the following day with lackluster locks and withdrawal symptoms. So how can we hang on to the dreamy hair of yesterday? Here’s some tips for making your salon blowout last:

• Use a coated fabric shower cap when you shower. The plastic ones can make you frizzy and sweaty.
• Ask your stylist to use minimal product to keep hair from getting greasy.
• Mist dry shampoo on your roots after a shower to reduce grease, a tip from celebrity stylist Oscar Blandi.
• Skip the flat iron: it’ll kill all of your hair’s gorgeous salon body. Touch up with a blow dryer and brush instead.

Photo source: Getty Images

Are You in a Hairstyle Rut?

Break Out of Your Hairstyle Rut

Got 10 minutes? That’s all you need to dramatically change your look

It’s so easy for us to get into a routine of styling our hair the exact same way every day. But how boring is that? Shake things up with one of these new styles, there are plenty to choose from so you can find a new look no matter what hair cut you have. See hairstyles