GIVE YOURSELF A WAVY BLOWOUT.
A blowout with body looks more modern than a stick-straight one. Begin by blow-drying the hair straight with a round brush, then part it on the side and, using large hot rollers, coil small sections of hair under, rolling them up toward your part. Then use a paddle brush to coax the curls into a few big waves.
TRY A CROWN BRAID FOR EVENING
Long live the milkmaid braid! Some say this hairstyle is elegant and traditional, and others think it's hip and eccentric. We’re inclined to agree with both; if you’re searching for a simple, standout hairstyle, why not give the braided updo a try?
This sweet hairstyle is a little Heidi and a little Sienna Miller—and takes only minutes to create. Braid a ponytail hair extension that matches your hair color and pin it at the nape of your neck. Wrap the braid around your crown, pinning the ends at your nape, then let your hair hang loose or twist it into a low knot directly above the braid.
Anne Hathaway Braided Hairstyle
GET SUPERMODEL WAVES
Gisele's tousled waves are both wild and refined, and her hair style is one of the most sensuous (and requested) around. To get the look, curl your hair in large sections with a one-inch-barrel curling iron, but leave the ends out. That way, the waves will look more natural. When finished, use your fingers instead of a brush to separate the curls.
Achieve shoulder-length waves like Jessica Simpson:
Wet your hair and add a curl amplifying spray, wrap it in Velcro rollers about 2″ in tight curls and air-dry. After removing the rollers spritz with hairspray. Also it is best to use shampoo and conditioner that enhances curls like Pantene.
DO A SLICK TWIST
1. Run a few drops of shine serum through damp hair and blow it straight with a paddle brush.2. Brush the hair straight back so it's slick against the scalp, then gather it into a low ponytail just above the nape.
3. Tie the ponytail with an elastic and wind it around the base to create a bun.
4. Tuck the ends underneath and hold them with bobby pins.
5. Stick a few more pins into the bun in various spots to secure it.
Slick Twist Hairstyle
CREATE ROMANTIC CURLS
Even straight hair can hold these curls. Prep damp hair with volumizer, and blow-dry with a round brush. Next, wrap sections of hair around a medium-barrel curling iron, stopping an inch or two from the roots. Place the curls randomly so they don't look like old-fashioned ringlets
Curl Hairstyle
Neat, yes. Boring, no. To make any bun or twist look clean yet feminine, tease your hair a little at the crown before you gather it back. Smooth the top and sides of hair with a brush, and pull out a few face-framing pieces along your hairline for a soft finish.
Neat Knot Hairstyle
SWITCH SIDES
Add instant volume at the end of the day simply by changing your part. Flipping it to the opposite side not only gives you more lift at the roots, but it also helps you achieve a different look—without a trip to the hair salon.
ADD SOFT TEXTURE
There's a laid-back vibe to textured hair, probably because it looks effortless—and it almost is. Simply run leave-in conditioner through damp hair to calm frizz, scrunch large sections, then tuck hair behind your ears while it dries to create a gentle wave.GO HALFSIES ON A PONYTAIL
Pulling a ponytail just halfway through its fastener gives it new shape. Create a deep side part, then sweep the sides back and clip them in place behind your ears with a thin barrette or bobby pin. Next, make a low ponytail, but pull the tail only halfway through the elastic on the final loop. Use your fingers to loosen the hair gently above the band, and finish with light hair spray.
GET MESSY
There's something romantic about hair that looks as though it were just casually pinned up. To create the effect, run mousse through damp hair and let it air-dry before sweeping it up—this way, even if you pull your hair back tightly, it will look soft.
Messy Ponytail Hairstyle
GO WITH THE BAND
A headband adds femininity to any hairstyle. Be sure to place it an inch or two back from the hairline— no more— to avoid a schoolgirl look.
MAKE BROWN HAIR LOOK LUSH
A little rough texture breaks up dark hair and gives it dimension. Tease the hair in the front when you're wearing it up, or use rollers or a curling iron to add bend when it's long and loose
BE BLUNT
Give your layered haircut a sharp update by asking your stylist to cut the bottom of your hair blunt—that way the ends will look thicker and the layers will look longer.
FLIP YOUR BANGS
Looking for a new way to wear blunt bangs? Give them '70s-style feathering: Wrap two-inch sections of hair around a large round brush and roll up, not under. Spritz with light hair spray, then blast with a blow-dryer and unravel.
PUMP UP THE VOLUME
For full, bouncy hair, create volume at the roots by blow-drying with a medium-size round brush as you pull the hair out to the side of your head at a 90-degree angle. Optional: Holding the iron vertically rather than horizontally, work from the ends to three-quarters of the way up in small, one-inch sections for fine hair, or two-inch-wide sections for thick hair. Once finished, run your fingers through your hair to separate the curls.
TURN IT UP
A simple twist of a low ponytail creates an instant elegant updo. Part hair on the side, tie it back in a low ponytail, then loosely twist the tail and loop it upward to the cover the base. Secure with a tortoiseshell clip, then smooth flyaways with shine spray.
GET SIDESWEPTYou don't always have to play it straight when you have chin-length hair. For an elegant change, start by creating a deep side part, then take a two-inch section of hair at the center of the hairline (where bangs would be) and roll it away from the face around a medium-size hot roller. While that cools, wrap just the ends of the rest of your hair around a half-inch-barrel curling iron so they flick out. Take out the hot roller, guide the front section into an S shape, and mist all over with aerosol hair spray.
GO (MOSTLY) STRAIGHT
Give straight hair a modern update by tweaking your blow-dry routine. Instead of the round-brush-and-flatiron combo, dry the hair using a paddle brush—it won't pull strands too tautly, so your hair will get shiny without becoming too flat.
BE HIGH AND MIGHTY
To make a simple ponytail look more interesting, lightly tease the hair at the crown with a fine-tooth comb. Gently smooth over the teased area with your palm, and secure it in the center of the back of your head.
DO A SIDE-PARTED PONYTAIL
Start with hair that's got a slightly roughed-up texture—this will keep the style from looking too sweet. Spritz damp hair with volumizer and toss it around with your hands while you blow-dry, then part it just over the arch of one eyebrow before pulling it into a low ponytail over the ears on the opposite side.
"I've had long hair since college," says Ellie Schantz, a meal-center manager and mother of two girls, ages 15 and 11. With her 45th birthday just days away, she came to the salon excited about a new look. Says Decuers: "When Ellie walked in, I could tell she had great energy. Now her cut matches her personality." Ellie's biggest post-makeover surprise? "I can actually get my hair to look like this 'after' photo," she says.
"I have always been hesitant to cut my hair," says Shannon Jenest, 32, a public relations executive and mom of a 3-year-old son. "I thought long hair was more feminine. But my new short crop makes me feel alive, and to me, that's really sexy." Shannon warmed up to her new, coppery-red hair a bit more gradually: "I have a pretty classic style, which can translate as boring. This hair is anything but," she says.
