HairBoutique Blog

Kelly Osbourne goes ultra glam with Old Hollywood style by instantly translating her normal short and sleek cropped hair cut with pumped up volume.

Kelly is wearing the hottest fashion trend which is animal print.   Her Raven black glossy thick hair is brushed up and off her face ending in a modified curled pompadour style.

(Image of Kelly Osbourne - Flaunt Magazine’s 10th Anniversary Party And Holiday Toy Driver - DailyCeleb.com - All Rights Reserved).

The newly engaged Kelly’s hair is styled from a very deep side part off one side.

Her hair is also directed from the back of the crown with the bulk of her hair directed down onto her forehead and coiffed into one  well-shaped large pin curl shape.

Large pin curls were also layered along the opposite side and one pin curl was pulled slightly forward onto one cheek.

Kelly’s Red Carpet Hairstyle is a brilliant example of how to dress up a short cropped hairstyle which Kelly has been recently wearing with a long sleek and straight side-swept fringe. (more…)

Actress Aisha Tyler (Friends, CSI, Ghost Whisperer) recently paired the season’s short and sassy Holiday ruffled black (strapless) gown with a precision cut sleek and sexy rich burnette Bob.

(Image of Actress Aisha Tyler at the Los Angeles Premiere of “Bedtime Stories” on 12-18-08 - DailyCeleb.com - all right reserved).

Aisha, who in the past was famous for wearing her tresses long and lush, has traded her previous long hairstyles for a polished, sophisticated slightly below-the-chin sleek super shiny hair style.

Adding an unexpected twist of glam to her shimmering medium length Bob hairdo, Aisha wears one side slipped behind her ear with the opposite side pulled slightly forward and seductively tucked slightly under her chin.

A wispy point cut fringe cascades foreward from mid-scalp brushing softly across the former CSI’s forehead and directed gently to one side with a slight tapering showing off uneven lengths.  (more…)

You know how it goes, no matter how hard you plan your Prom hairstyle, things may still go awry.

Listed below are some tricks to get you through the last minute Prom Hair Crazies with ease:

1. You decided at the last minute to touch up your hair color only to discover some of the dye got on your face or skin.

What to do?

Reach for the toothpaste and and apply to the dye spots. Rub and rinse until the dye is completely gone. Toothpaste is abrasive enough to do the job but won’t dry our your complexion.

2. You spent hours washing, blow drying, hot curling and fixing your hair into your dream Prom Hairstyle only to watch the curls droop in less than an hour.

What to do?

Go ahead and create your dream hairdo but once you have it exactly the way you love it, carefully divide your hair into either individual curls (if you want to wear your hair down) or sections 2 1/2″ thick and wrap the curls around your finger and then pin up against your scalp. Spritz with hairspray and wait until you are ready for the photos before unpinning. This will help curls hold their shape much longer. (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…)