Wavy and Undone Hair: My Solution For Too Much Sleek

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This summer I've been all about big hair. I crave big, Connie Britton worthy hair, which is likely a reaction to my length, as I’m still growing out that long bob I cut on a whim last summer. That long bob is very easy to blow dry and look sleek and professional, but I've been craving wavy and undone!

This isn't a look that I do for work. Instead, this is a fun look for the weekend. It has a lot of volume and the waves and curls are imperfect on purpose. Everything I used in this look is affordable from Sally Beauty, even the flat iron. I'm so impressed with it that it is replacing my much more expensive model!



Sally Beauty Ion Heat Protection Spray
Sally Beauty Ion Styling Mousse
Sally Beauty Ion Mega Hold Freezing Spray
Sally Beauty Ion Titanium Platinum Gator Flat Iron 1"
Sally Beauty Meta Grip Premium Bob Pins
Sally Beauty Ion Anti-Frizz Wide Tease Brush
Colortrak Tools The Croc Clip



I start this look on dry hair and I think it would probably work best on second day hair. I prepped my hair with the Styling Mousse and Heat Protection Spray while it was still wet. The Mousse is just enough hold, isn't sticky and adds some nice volume. The Heat Protection Spray is a step I'll never skip after frying my hair 2 years ago. This one provides amazing protection but you can't feel it in your hair.

I section my hair off with the Croc Clips. I like that they're big enough to hold a lot of hair. Using the Ion Flat Iron, I curl my hair. Because I'm not looking for perfect curls, I just grab random small sections, start at the top of the shaft and turn the iron 180 degrees. Running the iron down your hair, you'll want a little tension on the edge of the iron that is facing the floor - that's where you'll really get a great curl! I want some curls, some waves and none of them should be perfect.




Once I've finished the entire lower layer I spray everything with the Finishing Spray. It has great hold, but still touchable. Now I take down the top section and repeat the curls up on the top of my head.



Once all of the sections are done, you can see that my hair is definitely voluminous and not perfect. I want a bit more volume at the crown, so I grab a large section and use the Wide Tease Brush and back comb a bit. I also use the Finishing Spray all over the top of my hair too.



Finally, I needed to pull back some of my hair, otherwise I wouldn't be able to see! I experimented with different sections, finally deciding that I liked the way just a small area pulled back looked the most. I used two Meta Grip Premium Bob Pins. I'm a bit of a bobby pin snob, and when I discovered these a few years ago I was amazed! They are very heavy duty and stay put all day!

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Event Hair: Tips to Make Your Up-Do a Success

Nothing to Disclose

This was my last major up-do, thank goodness! Yes, that's my wedding hair, circa May 2003. I obsessed (obsessed, really and truly obsessed) over looking for the perfect up-do. I remember spending hours (on a dial up internet connection) looking at on-line hair galleries. How much thought did I give to preparing for that up-do? Very little. But, in truth, the success of an up-do, and how long it lasts, depends a lot on how well you prepare for it.

A few things to know:
• If the up-do is for your wedding, you definitely should schedule a trial session with a stylist. If you're doing it on your own, practice before your big day. Please.
• If you're going to have a pro do the style for you, bringing in pictures of what you want will make the process much smoother.
• Have your hair color done within a week or so of the event, and if you have highlights make sure you have some around where your part will be for the up-do.

1. Day Old Hair
Yes, it is true, freshly washed hair is usually too slippery to get enough "grip" to keep your hair up and make it last all night. Washing your hair the day before an event is a better idea, though if you are a person that must wash your hair each day, don't fret! You'll need to take a few extra steps to ensure that your hair has enough texture to hold a style, but it isn't a lost cause.

To add in the texture you need, I like to turn to dry shampoo. For an up-do, my favorite is the Redken Powder Grip 03, which is almost a little sticky when applied to hair. Other options are basic texture sprays or a sea salt spray (here's a simple DIY Salt Spray Recipe).

2. Mousse Makes All Things Possible
So, you know those girls that swear their hair won't hold a curl? I used to be one of them. I no longer am, because thanks to Reagan, I now know that if I go crazy with mousse and create a hair foundation, that my hair will hold curl. It does matter which mousse I use (I do best with It&ly Hair Fashion and Aussie) for hold and making my hair not sticky. I usually use about the size of an egg, but if I really want hold, I've been known to use 2 or 3 eggs. Really, just know that with enough mousse, anyone's hair can hold curl and this creates a great foundation for an up-do.

3. Heat Protectant!
Make sure you protect your hair from heat damage while applying products. My favorite way to do this is with a multi-tasking product like L'Oreal's Total Repair 5 hair oil. It is lightweight and adds amazing shine, but also protects hair up to 450 degrees! Frying your hair while styling adds the added bonus of a fried keratin smell that definitely doesn't need to be there. Yuck.

4. Place Your Part
Whenever you do wash your hair, the day before or the morning of, make sure you put your part in the right spot. If you want a center part for your updo, put it there! By drying your part in a different location, you do make it hard to move around later. Plan ahead.



4. Use Bobby Pins Correctly
Most of us have no clue that we are using bobby pins wrong. Seriously. The little ridged side? That goes toward your scalp. Want them to really hold? Overlap them, so 2 pins criss cross. Seriously, your hair is going nowhere now. Also, the best bobby pins ever are the MetaGrip ones from Sally Beauty. They come in a couple of colors, in a big jar or a smaller packet. They're more expensive, but once you start using them you will never go back, I promise!

5. What on earth is that hair pin?
Admit it, unless you are a hair dresser, you have no idea how that hair pin actually holds anything, especially since it just looks like a bobby pin that someone pulled apart. Again, head over to Reagan's amazing hair blog to learn how to use a hair pin.

6. Spin Pins are the Bee's Knees
These pins from Goody are well worth their weight in gold. Twist them in, and let them overlap a little to "lock" them in place. They do the work of many bobby pins, and I can have a bun in place with just 2 of these babies. They come in big and small, as well as multiple colors so they can blend in to your hair.

7. Curl Your Hair
Even if the look you are creating doesn't need a curl, adding some curl to your hair will help add texture and volume to your hair. If you're a girl whose hair doesn't curl well (see #2), extra heat and letting your hair cool down while in the shape of the curl will help a lot. I've noticed that if my hair is curled with something over 390, then I'm good to go. Under that temp and I don't have much chance of holding the curl. I also do better when curling if I immediately pin my hair up or put it in a velcro roller to cool down.

8. Tease to Create Volume and Body
Believe it or not, there is actually a "right" way to tease, and chances are you've been doing it wrong! Check out The Mother Huddle's post on how to backcomb your hair correctly, and I swear it will revolutionize your (hair) life. I recommend the teasing brush above, it's definitely my favorite tool for teasing and it was only a few bucks from Sally Beauty.


9. Use a Good Hairspray
Finally, make sure you use a good hair spray! Don' just trust your up-do to one you've randomly pulled off of the drugstore shelves without testing first. My favorites are L'Oreal Elnett, Laid Brand No More Headaches (which has an adjustable nozzle so you can customize how much product you are using, genius!) and if you're in a humid environment I'd go with Living Proof Hold Hairspray.






the Italian voice via Compfight cc

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