What’s Your Party Hair Personality?

In New York, Fashion Week has started, and that means going to endless events that require primping. For those of you who aren’t taking part in that, you are not off the hook either. Christmas and New Years may be over, but Valentines Day is coming up, and before we know it, all sorts of spring celebrations!

So, when you go out to a party – what sort of look are you looking for? And how does your hair reflect that? I conferred with Marcos Diaz, session stylist at ION Studio (www.ionstudionyc.com), and got a bit of a rundown.

The Romantic
Using your hands only, pull hair back in to a ponytail. With the ponytail, mold it into a loose chignon and put bobbi pins in to hold it in place. Using only your hands to smooth the look rather than a brush, keeps it modern rather than manufactured looking.

The Flirt
For a smart, playful look, use a brush to put your hair into a high ponytail. Curl the ponytail around a 1inch curling iron. Add hairspray when done styling to tame fly-aways and add shine.

The Vixen
A great way to wear your hair down is to curl your hair with a 1inch curling iron, making sure to curl hair AWAY from your face. Once you’re done curling your hairbrush out all the curls, don’t worry about the curls falling out; brushing hair enhances the curling iron set. Make a deep side part and add some hairspray to seal the look. The deep side part is what’s key in making it an expensive and special look.

Are you ready? Try one of these looks, and tell us how it goes!

By. Aly Walansky

Banging Back the Years

As we age, there’s a whole lot going downhill: Our skin sags, our face wrinkles, and our hair grays and loses its vibrancy.

But what we may not realize is it’s far easier than we think to reverse the process. In fact, the right cut and color can take years off our perceived age!

It’s a timeless truth that the right cut will help to draw attention to your face and highlight your best features—whether that’s your eyes, skin, lips, or anything else. —And it can also mask or even hide entirely any flaws you may be insecure about. You know how our favorite Hollywood ingénue, Reese Witherspoon, has a strong jaw? Her long layers and side swept bags are a brilliant maneuver to soften her look!

But if your “flaw” is aging – and honestly, my friends, imagine the alternative – as we start to see those gray hairs peek out, we should counteract by choosing bold, dramatic colors that can actually accentuate aging not mask it. Yvonne Neihule, owner of Neihule salon says, “Dark colors work against the skin to highlight lines and wrinkles, in many cases taking the hair lighter, or adding highlights versus low lights can soften the face and diminish the look of pronounced lines around the eyes.”

Just as cut is important, as is color. A short cut opens up the face, and brightens the skin – which can help to hide wrinkles and lines.  It’s almost like getting a facelift! Feathering also is a great softening style that can hide lines…softer is often better in these cases. Going softer compliments the face and does not focus or highlight harsh lines or shades in the face.

Remember, the ideal style is one that makes you still look like YOU, but younger. Don’t go mid-life crisis and dye your hair purple or get wild extensions…this may make you feel childish, but you’ll probably still look your age!

By Aly Walansky

Fashion Week: Aveda at John Patrick Organics!

Aveda was all Bohemian Chic at the John Patrick Organics Fashion Show at the Keen’s Steakhouse yesterday!  The hair style was super sexy and romantic.  John Patrick told us “This season, I wanted to dig deep below the surface of Bohemian style, and create a free-spirited look that’s chic, pretty, and fresh.  I was inspired by a photograph taken at the Krazy Kat Club in the 1920’s and sought to create of a dressy, “wholesome Bohemia,” defined by artistic endeavor and intellectual pursuit.  The collection is bright and optimistic—true Bohemians are enthusiasts.  It features a mix-match of happy, classic Bohemia and chic, wear-anywhere utility pieces.  The mix-and-match strategy is signature Organic, but shows my wholesome, Bohemian point-of-view.  What’s Bohemia without self-expression?” StyleBell agrees. 

Odile Gilbert was the Aveda lead stylist, creating the magical Bohemian looks.  When asked how to re-create this look at home Odile gave StyleBell the inside scoop.  “This look is gorgeous and easy to recreate for day or evening.  Prep hair with Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam and create a deep side part.  Spray hair with Aveda Air Control Hair Spray and curl with a one-inch barrel curling iron.  Brush through to create soft, full waves.  Smooth the top of hair with Aveda Light Elements Shaping Wax to tame flyaways and achieve a smooth, modern finish.  Lastly, twist the front curl back and secure with a barrette, adding Air Control Hair Spray for volume and hold.”  Thanks Odile!

Your Curly Hair Defined by DevaCurl

DevaCurl is definitely the curly girl’s best friend!  I recently had the chance to connect with DevaCurl and it was amazing.  I learned so many new and intriguing facts about curly hair that I had to share with you!  Below is DevaCurl’s 411 on everything curly!

Curls are like fingerprints; no tow curls are alike.  All curls need individual attention – a little nurturing and some tLC – to become their curly best.  The question is, which Curly Girl are you?  DevaCurl, the premier Curly Experts, will iron out the kinks in this hair mystery and help you find your inner Curly Girl.  The good news is there are some tired-and-true Curly Girl categories that hold the key to your hair’s needs and to maximize its curly potential.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see (or what do you think you should see)?

The Corkscrew – You know you have corkscrew curls if:

Your hair role model is Lorraine Massey, the “original” curly girl

When cut too short, “tightly wound” doesn’t even begin to describe it

You have coily curl texture

Your curls beg for moisture and soak up as much conditioner as you give them

The frizz factor has made you question whether it’s even worth going outside on a rainy day

The Botticelli – You know you have Botticelli curls if:

Your hair role model is Sarah Jessica Parker

Your curls gracefully cascade instead of sticking straight out

Your curl texture is fine to medium

Those gorgeous curls on the bottom layer of your hair are often overshadowed by the not-so-curly top layer

Wavy Curls – You know you have Wavy Curls if:

Your hair role models are sex kittens, Eva Mendez and Penelope Cruz

Your hair occasionally develops a natural wave, which you’ve tried to blow straight

Your hair texture can be fine to medium, wavy or straight

Your hair has a tendency to look unkempt

Your hair often looks flat at the crown

S’wavy Curls:  You know you have S’wavy curls if:

Your hair role model is Kate Winslet

Your hair seems straight, but could be encouraged to do a bit more

You think your hair is incapable of the perfect wave

DevaCurl is definitely the curly girl’s best friend!  I recently had the chance to connect with DevaCurl and it was amazing.  I learned so many new and intriguing facts about curly hair that I had to share with you!  Below is DevaCurl’s 411 on everything curly!

Curls are like fingerprints; no tow curls are alike.  All curls need individual attention – a little nurturing and some tLC – to become their curly best.  The question is, which Curly Girl are you?  DevaCurl, the premier Curly Experts, will iron out the kinks in this hair mystery and help you find your inner Curly Girl.  The good news is there are some tired-and-true Curly Girl categories that hold the key to your hair’s needs and to maximize its curly potential.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see (or what do you think you should see)?

The Corkscrew – You know you have corkscrew curls if:

• Your hair role model is Lorraine Massey, the “original” curly girl
• When cut too short, “tightly wound” doesn’t even begin to describe it
• You have coily curl texture
• Your curls beg for moisture and soak up as much conditioner as you give them
• The frizz factor has made you question whether it’s even worth going outside on a rainy day

The Botticelli – You know you have Botticelli curls if:

• Your hair role model is Sarah Jessica Parker
• Your curls gracefully cascade instead of sticking straight out
• Your curl texture is fine to medium
• Those gorgeous curls on the bottom layer of your hair are often overshadowed by the not-so-curly top layer

Wavy Curls – You know you have Wavy Curls if:

• Your hair role models are sex kittens, Eva Mendez and Penelope Cruz
• Your hair occasionally develops a natural wave, which you’ve tried to blow straight
• Your hair texture can be fine to medium, wavy or straight
• Your hair has a tendency to look unkempt
• Your hair often looks flat at the crown

S’wavy Curls: You know you have S’wavy curls if:

• Your hair role model is Kate Winslet
• Your hair seems straight, but could be encouraged to do a bit more
• You think your hair is incapable of the perfect wave

Thanks DevaCurl.  Read more about DevaCurl at www.devachansalon.com!

How to Keep your Hairstyle Overnight

Do you get frustrated because you can’t keep your hair style for more than a day?  Alejandro, from Ford Models, teaches us how to keep that hairstyle from withering away overnight.  All you need is pins or a hair clip.  How easy!  Try it and let me know if it works for you.

 

 

Kim Vo: Hairstyles that Work For You!

Kim Vo, celebrity hairstylist (think Terri Hatcher and Goldie Hawn) and a frequent commentator on the E! channel, gives his picks on hairstyles that work with the subtleties of your face. 

Deepset Eyes
Do you have deepset small eyes?  Wear your bangs to the side to accentuate the curves of the eyes and to open your face.

Prominent Forehead
Do you have a prominent forehead like Christina Ricci?  Wear your bangs right above the eyes to create a softer look.

 

Small (Cute) Ears
Do you have small cute ears like Kate Hudson?  Allow hair to slightly cover the ears to create a sophisticated look.

Get the Brigitte Bardot Hairstyle

Looking for a romantic fabulously classic hairstyle for that special night out? Look no further, Jennifer Brent shows you how to create a Brigitte Bardot over the shoulder slightly teased hairstyle in minutes. Simply equip yourself with a Mason Pearson brush or a small pinned comb for a little teasing and basic hair pins and you are on your way to simply beautiful!

Sexy Beach Curls in Under 10 Minutes

Celeb stylist Johnny Levine details a simple technique to achieve the “just walked off the beach” sexy curl.  Equip yourself with a Hot Tools 1 1/2 inch Spring Curling Iron and Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Styling Wax and you can recreate this look within minutes!