Hair Style

I’m going to be perfectly honest – my hair is a major factor in my daily self-esteem level. I could be decked out in a designer outfit and have my makeup applied by Bobbi Brown herself and still feel like hiding out at home thanks to frizzy hair. Because of this hair-dependence, I’ve become a master at making my style last for as long as possible. My secret weapon? A fantastic blow out.

Whether you’re practically a pro with a round brush and blow dryer in your bathroom, or you require regular visits to a true salon professional, a good blow out is an investment in time and money. It only makes sense to safeguard that investment. And by prolonging the time between blow outs, you’re eliminating the consistent stress and potential over-heating that daily styling can cause on your strands. Follow these quick tips to make the most of a good blow out.

Choose the Right Tools

Girl getting hair cut at a salonAn ionic hair dryer and a round natural bristle brush are essential in getting (and keeping) a great blow out. Ionic hair dryers are the gold standard in salons, and they’ve become more accessible and affordable for the rest of us.

What’s so great about ionic dryers? They don’t strip the hair of moisture during the drying process. Instead, ceramic heaters negatively charge to break down water molecules.

This technology allows you to dry your hair faster while maintaining its strength and shine. A natural bristle brush (like boar bristle) straightens and smoothes strands without snagging or tearing them.

Use as few products as possible (straightening lotion, sprays, etc) on your finished blow out. The more product you put into your hair, the more likely it is that your locks will attract dirt. You could end up with a very greasy scalp after just a day or two.

Hands Off

Avoid touching your hair and scalp. Every time you twirl, flip, or play with your hair, you’re drawing dirt from the air and natural oils from your fingertips right to your scalp.

You should also avoid pulling your hair back very tightly in either a headband or a ponytail holder. Doing so increases the likelihood of bumps, waves and lumps ocurring in your hair – not good come day two or three! Cut down on snarls while you sleep by resting your head on a satin pillowcase. A satin case has just enough “slip” to it to keep you from waking up with knots and frizz.

Touch Up As Needed

You may wake up the day or two after a blow out and need to do some minor touching up. The two spots that will most likely need a little maintenance are across the top layers of your hair and along your neckline.

Don’t worry if you have a little bit of frizz or if your part has fallen flat. Reach for your flat iron to set your hair straight where needed.

If you’ve got a touch of frizz, mist lightly with water and blow dry. If you notice a touch of greasiness along your scalp, hit it with a little bit of dry shampoo. There are lots of great formulas of dry shampoo on the market, both in aerosol and non-aerosol formulas.

Style Accordingly

The first and second days after a blow out are naturally the best times for you to wear your hair down and loose. On day three, try a half-up half down style. It’ll make the most of the straightness that a blow out can achieve while masking roots that may begin falling flat. On day four, make the most of the texture of your hair to create a sophisticated ponytail or a fun up-do

Besides fancy shoes and designer handbags, one of the best accessories a girl can have is chic and stylish hair. Whether it’s short or long, a hairstyle says a great deal about a woman and it’s one of the first features we notice when we first meet someone. Some women use their hair to make a statement while others simply just want to look good!

Short Hairstyles

The beauty of having a short haircut is that it can be sleek, sexy, professional, dressed up, or dressed down. Not to mention that it’s a huge timesaver because short hair doesn’t take very long to wash and style. Pictured to the left is Eva Longoria at the 2008 Emmy Awards with a slicked-back short hairstyle that probably took 15 minutes to create!

There once was a time when a short bob was just a cute hairstyle, but in recent years Victoria Beckham along with Vogue Editor-in-Chief, Anna Wintour, have turned the bob into their signature cut – and many women have followed suit. Katie Holmes has been seen sporting a jaw-length bob which makes her look very classic and chic. It’s is a very versatile hairstyle and is especially suited for women who don’t want to fuss around with their hair. It also looks best with straight hair, although it can look good when you add little curls with a curling iron.

The bob hairstyle looks especially stylish when your hair has volume and that extra bounce. Try putting your hair in big rollers to add some fullness. If your hair is a little wavy, you can blow-dry it straight or use a flat iron to tame any frizziness.

Another short hairstyle that will turn heads is the dramatic sleek and short hairstyle. This is one of those hairstyles that is very, very easy to wear. You could literally wake up, roll out of bed, and not even have to fix or comb your hair. Singer Rihanna (pictured above right) gives us the very sleek look with her short-short haircut while model Agyness Deyn (pictured above left) offers a tousled look during the Anna Sui Spring 2009 runway show.

You can create this sleek and short hairstyle on your own by applying a mousse or gel throughout the hair. Next, blow-dry the hair using a large round brush, pulling all the layers under and down. To add the extra smooth finish, run sections of bangs through a flat iron and finish off the look with hair spray.

Long Hairstyles

Although long hairstyles require more time and effort to maintain, there are so many styling options available for long hair. Long hairstyles can be worn as curls, waves, or different textures. You can wear long hair up in a ponytail, wear it wavy or curly, or get that luscious and glamorous Victoria’s Secret model hair that’s bouncy and full of volume!

A very classic look for long hair is the straight and layered look which we’ve seen on celebrity models like Kimora Lee Simmons (pictured to the left), Heidi Klum, and Gisele Bundchen. With or without bangs, this hairstyle can be worn casually with jeans and a t-shirt or with an evening dress for a night on the town. This is a type of long hairstyle that could look good on many facial shapes.

To keep long hair looking sleek and straight, use a ceramic flat iron throughout the hair. However, the beauty of a flat iron is that you can create different looks with it! Remember that when you do use a flat iron, always use products that contain thermal protection ingredients to help prevent heat damage.

Long, soft, and wavy hair is just as classic as the straight and layered hairstyle and gives off an aura of carefree sensibility perfect for those who enjoy that bohemian look. If your hair is naturally wavy you can accentuate it with gel or mousse so it doesn’t frizz out. If you have thick, course hair a wavy hairstyle can offer an alluring and sexy look.

To give your hair those sexy, beachy waves, first you’ll want to blowdry your hair straight. Next, separate your hair into 3-4 sections. With a wide-barrel curling iron, wrap each section. Then roll curl and bobby pin each section close to the scalp. Once the pinned curls have cooled, take them down and separate the curls using your fingers. To add shine you can spritz the curls with a serum and set them with hairspray.

No matter what length your hairstyle is, I’m sure we can all agree that taking care of your hair through the use of the right hair products and styling tools is very important!