HairBoutique Blog

Jimmy Smits looking handsome in a chocolate brown suit with a pink shirt appeared on a recent Ellen to talk about his fabulous guest starring role on the third season (current season) of Dexter which is on Showtime.

(Image of Jimmy Smiths as Miguel Prado and Michael C. Hall as Dexter (Season 3, episode 3) - Photo: Peter Iovino/Showtime)

Ellen told her audience she is a huge fan of Dexter and has been watching it since the very beginning.

She also told her audience that Jimmy is fantastic on Dexter and showed a very recent clip of Jimmy with Dexter in a battle of words from the current season.

On Dexter Jimmy plays the powerful and intriquing Miquel Prado as the assistant district attorney who works with Dexter (Michael C Hall) to solve the case of the murder of Oscar Prado, Miguel’s youngest brother.

Jimmy had not been on Ellen’s show for quite some time and when he first sat down with her he commented on her “new digs since the last time I was here” and said it’s “all fancy smancy, it looks great”.  (more…)

Some things about hair most of us take for granted.  Such is the case with the ponytail.

Anyone who has grown their hair to a certain point reaches the touchstone of pulling it back into a tail of some kind.  A new pony, regardless of the length signifies change and growth.

(Image of Paulina Rubio wearing a loose side textured pony - DailyCeleb.com - all rights reserved).

A ponytail consists of:

1. The base, where the hair is secured.
2.  The tail.

Ponytails, like all hair styles, go through different phases.  Although it’s always acceptable to wear a ponytail, as far as hair trends, sometimes they’re in and sometimes they’re out.

There’s a lot of info floating around in the hair world regarding ponytails, but some important facts get lost in all the tail noise.

Listed below are some important facts and tips for ponytail fans:

1.  Ponytails Are Appropriate For Any Age, Race Or Sex

Everyone from babies to grandparents, male and female or any race can wear ponytails.  It’s a universally loved and appreciated hairstyle.

If you love to wear them, feel free to rock the style, regardless of current hair fashions or opinions.  It’s your hair, so enjoy it.  Ponies are quick to create, fun to wear, keep hair out of your eyes and can be sassy, sexy and flirty.

2.  If you’re going to wear your hair in a ponytail on a regular basis it’s important to alternate where you capture the base.

If you wear your hair at the top of your head one day, the next time wear it a few inches below the first base location.  This prevents consistent wear and tear with elastic bands and pulling of delicate strands at the very same base point on a repeated basis.  Repeated wrapping of a pony at the very same place will weaken the roots and may lead to rips, tears and knotting.

3.  It’s just as important to be careful wrapping your hair into the pony as it is taking it out.

Again, this is due to the fact that you are pulling and manipulating strands into a band of some kind.  If you love the pony look and plan to wear it frequently invest in the most “hair friendly” elastic pony bands available.  Never use a rubber band unless you don’t care about damage where the base of the ponytail sits.  Rubberbands will rip, pull and damage strands.

4.  A wet of damp ponytail is most fragile.

Remember that hair is most delicate and prone to breakage when wet.  If you wrap your hair into a pony while it’s still wet or damp use extra care.  Never brush your hair when wet so if you are going to pull your hair into a pony be sure to only use your fingers or a wide tooth comb.

5.  Understand The General Advantages of Blax Versus Bungee Ponytail Elastics & Cords

I have polled many celeb hairdressers of the years and a large number use either the Blax or Bungee style elastic bands.  Both have ponytail advantages but should be selected according to personal preference and according to budgetary goals and constraints.

The advantage of the Blax (favored by Celebrity Hairdresser Ken Paves) is that they are inexpensive and can easily be cut off to avoid any hair pulling, ripping, knotting or snagging.  The Bungees (favored by Robert Hallowell) are cords with little ends that open and close.  Bungees have more strength and can be used to anchor ponytail bases in a wide array of heights.

Other great ponytail elastics are available from companies like Scunchie, Smoothies, Karina, Elle Girl, Camilla and Evita Peroni.

6.  Ponytails are a great starting point for other hairstyles from braids to updos.

Many hairdressers who create chignons, updos or other elaborate party hairstyles will start with one or more ponies secured strategically throughout your head.  Ponytails provide instant hair control for coiffing additional curls or textures that are then pinned skillyfully in place.

Experiment with taking your ponytail to the next level by wearing it at various strategic points along your head from very hair to very low - at the base of your neck.  Wear a pony to one side or if long enough, twist it into a soft two or three strand braid.

7.  Ponytails are appropriate for any type of hair accessory.

A casual hairstyle like the pony can instantly be glammed up with a gorgeous clip-in flower, crystal encrusted ponytail clasps or other pony hair accessories.  You can use a wide barrette in place of a base elastic or you can play with a wide array of sharks, jaws, claws or similar clips to achieve a new ponytail look.

8.  Ponytails are only limited by your imagination.

Over the years I have seen ponytails in just about every possible setting or style.  They are often worn on the catwalks with a unique signature such as having multiple stacked ponies or wearing a pony as a faux Mohawk.  Of course there are the splayed tails that can be teased and sprayed to flow in the wind.

9 . Ponytails can work for any hair type, length or texture.

Yes, even short tressed people can instantly clip on a ponytail extension to lengthen their hair.  Super curly or kinky hair may not be as easily wrapped into a pony in its natural state but if you are dreaming of wearing your hair in a tail, you can do so with a little pre-straightening time.

Ponytails that have lots of texture are beautiful and interesting.  Don’t think your tail has to be bone straight.  Mix it up and let your own texture flow or add a few extra curls of waves.

Professional hairdressers may or may not agree with my ponytail facts because everyone has their own opinion of the famous hair tail.  I have met hairdressers who believe there is a time and place for ponytails.  They believe ponies should not be worn for celebrity or high fashion events.  Others think they are fabulous regardless of the events.

Bottom line, its your hair and you should wear it exactly the way you like it.  So without further ado I encourage you to go pony up.

Additional Notes

To view additional ponytail styles along with thousands of hairstyles don’t forget to visit HairBoutique.com’s Hairstyle Gallery.

If you have ponytail ideas to share I would love to hear them.  Please post a reply or stop by the HairBoutique.com HairTalk Gallery and share your ponytail or other hair thoughts and philosophies.

Other related ponytail topics include:
Ponytail Hairstyles
The Perfect Add-on Pony - Tips for an instant ponytail.
25 Ways To Jazz Up Your Ponytail

360 Waves

Although this has been a classic hairstyle featured in the African American community, not everyone has heard of this mostly male specific hairstyle. When I attended Velma B’s Cosmetology school in Dallas to learn traditional African American hairstyles the 360 Wave style was discuss as were braids, coils and other related styles.

Why is the hairstyle called 360 Waves?

Because when it is perfectly developed, the hairstyle, looking from the top down, consists of a series of perfectly formed waves that fall into 360 degree circles.

A perfectly formed 360 Wave hairstyle is truly a work of art and very impressive. And yes, it can take time, work and the proper techniques.

360 Waves do not work well on longer hair since the longer the hair, the harder it is to hold the 360 wave pattern. It is not always easy for every African American male to re-create. This is because the 360 style often requires work for the perfect creation of waves.

Although the theory that constant brushing will guarantee waves, this is not always correct. Other factors are at play and some African American male hair textures are not as conducive to the development of 360 Waves as other textures. Some hair textures are either too kinky to soften into waves and other textures may too loose to hold the wave pattern.

Some have much better success developing the traditional 360 Waves than others. It’s a fact that some men have a much harder time developing perfect 360 Waves than others. Are there secrets to creating 360 Waves? Absolutely. Some of the best known techniques are included in this post.

(more…)

Eric Dane

Eric Dane is one of the Dr. Hotties on TV’s Grey’s Anatomy.  He is also famous for his hairstyle which is considered uber sexy and distinguished.

Eric, who is married to naturally curly tressed star Rebecca Gayheart, recently stopped by to see Ellen DeGeneres and talk about the new season on Grey’s Anatomy.

Looking definitely steamy in a fashionable suit with a rich blue suit, Eric dished about his grey hair.

He congratulated Ellen on her “recent nuptials” and told the talk show hostess “I’m having a great time” when discussing how great being married is.

Ellen asked Eric if he was “one of those guys that grew into his looks or was he always handsome?”  She asked him if it was “a shock to him that women find him so handsome.”  (more…)

I recently took a class on the Rusk AntiCurl™ line which I must say is a really fantastic product. Although it’s officially called AntiCurl™ by the good people at Rusk, if you have to classify it, you might say it is more like a relaxer than a permanent chemical straightener.

Why? The AntiCurl product results will soften over time and the original texture of the hair (curls, waves or combined) will eventually return as they were before the treatment.

With a chemical straightener, the hair does not ever revert to its original condition until root regrowth starts to appear. The Rusk AntiCurl™ product is available in three different formulas - #1, #2, #3 depending on your hair type, texture and needs.

In the Anti Curl class the professionals who were teaching it mentioned that AntiCurl is ideal with guys who wish to soften or greatly reduce the appearance of their waves and curls without going through the process of a chemical straightening. Depending on their hair type and how much texture, they may requires #1, 2 or 3. (more…)