If you’re into the idea of shorter hair but not quite sure you’re ready to take the plunge, why not pin your long locks up into a faux bob next time you’re getting ready to go out? This will give you the opportunity to see if you dig yourself with a bob (or, better yet, the new, longer bob!) without the risk of scissor shock.
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How to Fake a Bob (courtesy of Self, October ‘08, p.84):
01. Divide hair into two sections in the back.
02. Tightly roll the ends of each section under until it hits midneck (or grazes the shoulders, or wherever you want your new hair to hit!).
03. Crisscross bobby pins over ends to secure.
04. Finish by feathering layers over the bob to make it look natural.
Even if you end up deciding that you don’t want the look longterm, you now have a new hairstyle in your arsenal for special occasions…and who doesn’t love a change now and then?
Ever since she was a little girl, in movies like Mermaids and The Addams Family, Christina Ricci has established herself as the kind of actress who blazes her own path and isn’t afraid to take a risk. This tendency toward the atypical has only become more pronounced as she’s gotten older, so it’s not surprising that she takes chances with her look as well. In fact, I’ve noticed that her hair color, in particular, is always changing - in fact, it’s positively chameleonic! Whether it’s for a role or just for fun, Christina’s hair has been every color of the rainbow, save for a few shades in the Crayola box:
Her latest hair hue can be seen in the pic on the right: A pretty, vibrant red. I’ve already written of my love for unnaturally red hair, so it probably won’t shock you when I say I think this is my favorite of her hair colors to date, with black a close second. Do you like to change up your hair color like Christina, or are you content with keeping your hair just one shade? And of course, the all-important question: Which color do you like best on her?
Hmm. So Herbal Essences is kicking off yet another promotion in which purchasing HE products will, at least in theory, lead to a voucher for a beauty freebie (last time it was a mani/pedi, this time it’s a haircut). According to Herbal Essences, just buy any 2 specially marked bottles of Herbal Essences shampoos or conditioners, print a redemption form from their website, mail it in with your receipt for the products, wait for your voucher, go back to the website, find the list of participating salons in your area, choose a salon, bring in your voucher, and get that free haircut!
(Confused yet? The Terms & Conditions are practically inscrutable!) In addition to the arduous task of actually getting the voucher and figuring out where you can redeem it, my last post about the manicure promotion has a comment from LatestBeauty member SugarB, who warns that she followed the directions to a T and still wasn’t able to find any salons in her area or talk to a customer service representative! Hopefully Herbal Essences has remedied this situation by now and the free haircut promotion will go smoothly…but I have to admit I have my doubts. Did anyone else try to take advantage of the free manicure promotion? Were you able to do so successfully? Will you bother to attempt to score a free haircut, or is the whole process just more trouble than it’s worth?
We’ve come across this ad in several magazines here at Latest Beauty headquarters and totally thought that Vitamin Water was now in the shampoo business. We’ve been had! And Vitamin Water is not happy about it.
According to Fashionista, they have nothing to do with this product and are in the process of suing. Interesting enough, if you go to VitaminShampoo.com, they have already changed the look of the bottles, but not by much….fishy! Have you tried this shampoo out yet, under the guise that Vitamin Water was producing it? I was planning on checking it out but it’s kind of lost its appeal. What do you think?
Ok. So I still haven’t gone to get my haircut (since May) and I will cave soon, there is no doubt, but right now I’m still trying everything to keep my hair looking as healthy as possible. I’ve been using a deep conditioner but it doesn’t seem to be doing the trick anymore. And I just read in Self that sometimes "The moisturizing effects of a mask wear off, and hair will become susceptible to dryness in between treatments"(10/08, pg. 92). I think that might be happening here. I think I also need to get a haircut. Then I read on the next page to trim split ends at home, literally only trimming 1/10 of an inch. Very minimal trimming, but still…I don’t think I’d want to trim my own hair. But I know plenty of people do it…so I’m curious…
If you’re into the idea of shorter hair but not quite sure you’re ready to take the plunge, why not pin your long locks up into a faux bob next time you’re getting ready to go out? This will give you the opportunity to see if you dig yourself with a bob (or, better yet, the new, longer bob!) without the risk of scissor shock.
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=
How to Fake a Bob (courtesy of Self, October ‘08, p.84):
01. Divide hair into two sections in the back.
02. Tightly roll the ends of each section under until it hits midneck (or grazes the shoulders, or wherever you want your new hair to hit!).
03. Crisscross bobby pins over ends to secure.
04. Finish by feathering layers over the bob to make it look natural.
Even if you end up deciding that you don’t want the look longterm, you now have a new hairstyle in your arsenal for special occasions…and who doesn’t love a change now and then?
Kate Moss chopped off her signature long locks and debuted a long bob over the weekend. I love the tousled wavy look and the length. The golden color really makes the cut stand out because it looks so fresh and healthy.
I’m a big fan of the long bob that has been making it’s way across Hollywood. When Gwyneth showed off her long legs and short hair she revitalized her image earlier this year during her Iron Man press tour. Liv Tyler has been seen recently with this flattering cut and Charlize Theron has been showing how versatile the look can be as she jets from event to event.
I love the look of the long bob because it is universally flattering, no matter your face shape. The cut looks great straight or wavy and provides great versatility since it can be worn down or pulled back. It’s a great in-between cut for those that want short hair but are afraid to go all the way with it. The length is short but not too short, hovering above your shoulders, providing flattering face-framing layers. Plus, since this is one of the big hair trends, my hair looks like it’s stylish instead of neglected. Yeah, I totally planned my hair length…it has nothing to do with the fact that I haven’t been to a stylist since May…no…
Posh must have been envious of her friend Katie’s new ‘do and decided that she must take action. She debuted her newly shorn locks at the Marc Jacobs show last night. Of course, I’m a fan of short haircuts and I think Victoria has the perfect look to pull this off. But what do you think?
If you are as big a fan as I am of braids, then you have to check out Free People’s BLDG15 Threads blog today. They’ve broken down three different hot braids of the moment (the fishbone, the knot and the twist) into easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions. And they even have a video tutorial. Love it! I think braids are such a fresh and beautiful way to keep the hair out of your face and still look feminine and playful. And I’ve been dying to figure out how to do the fishbone braid, so today is my lucky day!
On days that I feel my hair is looking a little lackluster, I lather up with Garnier Fructis Shine Burst Shampoo. I like to use different shampoos throughout the week and this one is always in rotation. What I love about it is the way it really makes my hair shine but doesn’t weight it down. My hair is very fine and limp on it’s own accord, so the last thing I need is a weighty shampoo. I am always skeptical about shine products because I think that most are more hype than substance. This shampoo has opened my mind (a little) to shine products. I love how healthy my hair looks when I use it.
Do you have a shine product that you swear by? Leave a comment and tell us all about it!
I am in desperate need of a hair cut. The last time I went to my stylist was at the end of May and he did something that I’ve never experienced before and don’t plan on experiencing again: He gave me the royal treatment, spent extra time shampooing my hair, paid extra attention to my haircut. So far, so good. But then he went ahead and did what he wanted with my hair instead of what I asked for, was so pleased with himself that he showed off my new ‘do around the salon - which didn’t look bad that day but I was never able to make it work again - and THEN when I went to pay (feeling pretty ok at this point, despite not getting the cut I asked for - it looked good at the time) he said, "How much do you think this cut is worth? It is pretty great, no?" I said, trying to be polite, "Oh, it’s priceless. Thank you." I mean, it was nice, but nothing amazing. "No, no," he said. "Really, how much do you think I should charge you? Write down your price." Folks, there is no winning here. If I say too low, I insult him. If I say too high, I get screwed with paying more. So instead I said, "Well, last time you charged me $65." He smiles and says, "Ok, I will charge a little more then." And then he charged my credit card $80! Excuse me? At this point I was a little upset and said, "Well, that’s how much I would have given you with tip." And so we agreed that I wouldn’t tip on top of that price. The point is, I didn’t ask for special treatment - I really just wanted a trim - and I’ve never had to haggle my haircut price before. I had planned on tipping nicely, probably more than the final total, but shouldn’t that be the way? If you provide a service I am happy with, then I’ll tip handsomely. You can’t just charge me more because you’re pleased with yourself. So I’m done with him.
Ok, so the point of that diatribe is that I have some split ends I need to mask while I search for a new stylist. Here’s a good tip I just read in this month’s Cosmo:
Your tips will look healthier if you keep them hydrated, says celeb hairstylist Ashley Javier. "Put on a leave-in conditioner before you blow-dry. Then run a flatiron over just the cuticles so they look glossy." The conditioner will protect against styling damage, he says. (9/08, pg. 126)
Hopefully this will work for a bit. In the meantime, any readers in the LA area that have a good stylist they recommend? And anyone else have scary salon stories they want to share? I would love to hear them! Mine is really mild since it doesn’t end with me shaving my head or something like that. But I know there are plenty of salon horror stories out there. Get it off your chest!
Some women look their best on the red carpet, and some women look their best when they’re just traipsing around town. I think supermodel extraordinaire Gisele Bundchen definitely falls into the latter category. Observe this recent shot of her out and about:
I love everything about her look here: The amazingly well-cut jeans that are neither too short nor too long, the simple gray tank, and the perfectly complementary accessories (trendy yet understated sandals, classic black belt, neutral slouchy bag and delicate necklace). Looking pulled together in a simple outfit without crossing over into sloppy territory is a sartorial skill that is deceptively hard to master; I think Jennifer Aniston is another celeb who does it exceptionally well. But what really caught my eye here is Gisele’s hairstyle: A loose, messy braid. I used to wear my long hair in a braid all the time when I was a kid, but I haven’t really bothered with it in years. (Ponytails are just so much easier and faster!) Yet I’m really digging this look on Gisele; it seems like a great ponytail alternative to me. Do you agree or do you find braids too childish?
So it turns out that the advice re: exfoliating your hair that I so dutifully passed on to you, courtesy of one Mr. Oscar Blandi (that’s him at left) via Cosmo’s special Style & Beauty issue, might not be quite the beauty godsend that the mag made it out to be. A comment on my original post from an alert reader (thanks, phee92!) warns that, since hair is made up of already-dead cells - unlike your skin, which is constantly replenishing itself - exfoliation will only make it "weak, brittle and frizzy," and that it’s actually some of the "WORST and most DAMAGING hair advice" ever! After checking out this blog from the Beauty Brains, I have to agree. Turns out the most harmful part of the entire process is the backcombing, which Blandi claims will open the hair’s cuticles to allow for better absorption of the exfoliating treatment. In reality, taking off that protective outer layer will just weaken your hair and lead to more breakage and split ends; in fact, the Beauty Brains experts compare the process to "scraping the shingles off the roof of your house because they’re dirty. Both approaches cause more harm than good." Egads! And to think I endorsed trying this out!
My apologies, dear readers. New advice: Stay away from backcombing and don’t exfoliate your hair! Oh, and perhaps it might be best for all of us if we take any future nuggets of wisdom from Mr. Blandi with a grain of salt, hmm?
Not to be an alarmist, but I’m concerned that the apocalypse may be imminent. Why? Let’s blame it on the fact that a startling number of trends that I remember - with little affection, I might add - from their ’80s heyday have begun to reemerge on hapless women who really should know better. Despite the cyclical nature of fashion and beauty fads, these are trends that I felt sure fell into the "Too Unflattering to Come Back" category…but, sadly, I was wrong. First, we witnessed the return of the fanny pack. Next, Hypercolor reared its ugly head. And now we have…crimped hair.
Why, Tyra? Why?! Yes, I used to crimp my hair when I was a kid. (Much to my embarrassment, I believe my 4th grade school picture even prominently features some crimping action.) But now I’m older, and far wiser! Crimping just makes your hair look big and frizzy and unnatural. The crimps are like waves, but not pretty. Is this hairstyle really catching on again or is Tyra just toying with us?
Looking at Angelina Jolie’s recent Vanity Fair cover, I couldn’t help but think, What’s with the hair? Sure, it’s sexy, but it’s so over-the-top! And now no less of a beauty authority than Elle has reported that big hair is back. How do you feel about this new trend? On one hand, I think voluminous hair can be really pretty and flattering, and my hair is usually a little on the "big" side naturally, but on the other hand I don’t think we should all start reaching for the rattail combs and Aquanet just yet. What happened to elegance and subtlety? First the fanny pack, now this!? Of course, that may be a bit of an overreaction. What do you think of the big hair look?
ADORE Katie Holmes new hair cut!! I can’t stop looking at it and wishing it was my haircut. This is like a modified Rihanna and I seriously might do something drastic and go cut all my hair off. I’ve also been thinking about becoming a redhead, but that is another post for another time. For now, let’s look at Katie’s new ‘do and weigh in with a poll:
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PS - I also love how she is rockin’ the summer scarf and a ruched cardigan similar to the ruched tee Rachel Bilson wore around town a few weeks ago.
Most women are aware of the many benefits of exfoliation - namely, soft, smooth, glowing skin. But I had no idea that your hair could be exfoliated until I saw this easy 3-step process in Cosmo’s Style & Beauty special issue:
1. Gently tease your hair using a paddle brush. Target small (1") sections of hair and lightly brush from ends upward. This will open up your hair’s cuticles, allowing them to absorb more of the exfoliating treatment.
2. Apply the exfoliant (i.e., Oscar Blandi’s Trattamento D’Alternanza Exfoliating Treatment, which has jojoba beads to stimulate the hair and scalp) to dry hair and brush in a counterclockwise direction. (For instance, brush the hair on the right side of your head to the left, and vice versa.)
3. Bend over and brush your hair forward over the crown of your head, pressing the bristles of your brush (preferably a paddle brush) firmly against your scalp. Rinse.
That’s all there is to it! Feel free to exfoliate once a week, or whenever product buildup or exposure to the elements makes your scalp feel dry or your hair look dull.
Tired of trying to de-frizz your hair when the humidity rises? Bored with your long, limp locks? Wish you could feel the breeze on the back of your neck? You’re in luck: The hottest haircut right now is a supershort crop, inspired by the delicate sexiness of ’60s starlets like Mia Farrow and Jean Seberg. Alternately referred to as a "gamine" or "pixie" cut, this style offers a sneaky, counterintuitive way to look soft and feminine - provided you do it right. First of all, make sure you have the right foundation to pull off a cropped haircut; this style really puts your face center stage, so it tends to work best on women with defined bone structure and smaller facial features, as well as those with more petite frames. If you’re feeling a little nervous or you’re not sure how well you’ll adjust to such short hair, ask your stylist to give you some soft, wispy layers around your face, or leave a little length in front (as seen on Victoria Beckham or Rihanna) - this style is the perfect transitional cut if you already have a bob. And, finally, once you have the cut, don’t forget to keep your everything looking pretty and healthy by maintaining your color, getting regular trims and making sure your hair stays smooth and shiny (now is the time to try a shine serum, like Aveda’s Brilliant Spray-On Shine). Fortunately, the crop is an equal opportunist when it comes to color, looking lovely on women with both light and dark hair.
Once you decide to go gamine, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how little styling it needs, and how versatile the cut can be - spike it, scrunch it, curl it, dress it up with a clip or a sparkly headband - not to mention how incredible your jewelry suddenly looks (particularly dangly earrings and necklaces that show off your newly naked neck and shoulders!). So what do you think? Would you dare to go this bare?
Who knew Eva Longoria could look so….girl-next-door? She’s joined the likes of Victoria Beckham, Katie Holmes and Rihanna and has jumped on the Bob-Haircut train. We know how stylish and chic the bob can be, but I’m wondering…do you think she pulls it off? It completely changes her look, which could be what she is going for. And maybe it’s what she is wearing here and how her whole look is styled but…I’m not loving it. And that is big coming from me because I actually have a bob haircut and love it and think everyone should have one. Well, not really, but I’m a big advocate of the Bob. So I’m on the fence here and am going to have to reserve my final judgement for when she is a little more done up and not just having a casual lunch with friends. Because I certainly wouldn’t want my haircut judged based on some casual lunches I’ve had. I know I’m not one to "style" my hair everyday. In the meantime though, what is your first reaction to her new do?
It’s no secret that I’m not a fan of Ashlee Simpson. However, after viewing a couple of recent shots of her, I have to admit that there is one thing about her that I dig…
…her hair! I think her vibrantly red, Angela Chase-esque hair color is very pretty and flattering. If I had to dye my hair again (I’ve sworn off hair color ever since a particularly traumatic experience going from black to blonde in high school), I would probably choose a shade similar to this. What do you think of Ashlee’s unnatural hair color?
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Posh must have been envious of her friend 
On days that I feel my hair is looking a little lackluster, I lather up with 
I am in desperate need of a hair cut. The last time I went to my stylist was at the end of May and he did something that I’ve never experienced before and don’t plan on experiencing again: He gave me the royal treatment, spent extra time shampooing my hair, paid extra attention to my haircut. So far, so good. But then he went ahead and did what he wanted with my hair instead of what I asked for, was so pleased with himself that he showed off my new ‘do around the salon - which didn’t look bad that day but I was never able to make it work again - and THEN when I went to pay (feeling pretty ok at this point, despite not getting the cut I asked for - it looked good at the time) he said, "How much do you think this cut is worth? It is pretty great, no?" I said, trying to be polite, "Oh, it’s priceless. Thank you." I mean, it was nice, but nothing amazing. "No, no," he said. "Really, how much do you think I should charge you? Write down your price." Folks, there is no winning here. If I say too low, I insult him. If I say too high, I get screwed with paying more. So instead I said, "Well, last time you charged me $65." He smiles and says, "Ok, I will charge a little more then." And then he charged my credit card $80! Excuse me? At this point I was a little upset and said, "Well, that’s how much I would have given you with tip." And so we agreed that I wouldn’t tip on top of that price. The point is, I didn’t ask for special treatment - I really just wanted a trim - and I’ve never had to haggle my haircut price before. I had planned on tipping nicely, probably more than the final total, but shouldn’t that be the way? If you provide a service I am happy with, then I’ll tip handsomely. You can’t just charge me more because you’re pleased with yourself. So I’m done with him. 
So it turns out that the advice re: exfoliating your hair that I so dutifully passed on to you, courtesy of one Mr. Oscar Blandi (that’s him at left) via 
Looking at Angelina Jolie’s recent Vanity Fair cover, I couldn’t help but think, What’s with the hair? Sure, it’s sexy, but it’s so over-the-top! And now no less of a beauty authority than 
Tired of trying to de-frizz your hair when the humidity rises? Bored with your long, limp locks? Wish you could feel the breeze on the back of your neck? You’re in luck: The hottest haircut right now is a supershort crop,
