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I have a feeling y’all might know today’s participants. Let’s just call this one Attack of the Pretty Brunettes.

First off, we have the lovely Emily of Not That You Asked fame. (Now in TWO FLAVORS!)

Emily’s hair:

Natural color
Healthy – no split ends or damage
Thick
Curly
Uses a ceramic flat iron every day
Wants to go shorter

Emily and I have been email pals for quite some time, and recently had the chance to touch each other’s luscious locks in person at Blogher. (And maybe consume lots of sangria, wine, beer, cape cods, and martinis.) What I’m trying to say is, I CAN’T SCREW THIS ONE UP.

Emily had a general idea of her new cut – short, choppy bob with long sideswept bangs and a color change, and I agree wholeheartedly. (Except for the color change…it’s so warm and perfect for her skin tone! Like hot chocolate!) One of the best cuts for a heart-shaped face like Emily’s is a chin-length bob. For instance, Katie Holmes’ new bob, which is razored and choppy and super fun. However, since Emily is already proficient in using a flat iron every day (would you ever have guessed that? It’s so shiny and NON-damaged!), she could also pull off a chin-length, one-length bob. Let’s take a look.

First off, I have to apologize. I try my hardest to find hairstyles of the same color to help visualize the cut, but Jenny McCarthy’s bob was exactly what I was looking for in a one-length bob. So, just imagine it’s brunette.

(Oh, that reminds me. I really appreciate your tips regarding those online “hairstylers”, where you can try styles on your own photo, but I always find the final look in those programs to be unnatural and well, a tad hokey. I think I will stick with this for the time being, but thank you all the same!)

I equally love these two styles for Emily, and in essence, they are very similar. The only main difference is that Option #1 has the long sideswept bangs and some razored layers throughout. Here’s another photo showing her layers more clearly. This option could be great for Emily because she could use the flat iron, but also let a little of her curl come through on other days. And this look is definitely “choppier” than Option #2.

Option #2 is probably less versatile than Option #1 due to the same length all around, but this would look gorgeous on Emily. You have to rock some seriously shiny hair to pull this off. Think about it, if there are no layers to allow more of a messy look, you really have keep it straight and healthy. Obviously, Emily has the perfect hair for this and since she already uses the flat iron regularly, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to style. However, I would definitely recommend a thermal protectant before drying!

What do you all think?

The next participant is the lovely Miguelina (of the blog formerly known as Diary of a Reluctant Housewife).

Miguelina’s Hair:

Natural color
Straight and fine
Thick
Wants to keep it long (for ponytails)
Doesn’t do more than brush it twice a day (Uses a Mason Pearson! YAY!)
Loves products, but most make her hair feel heavy

Miguelina, just pipe down and brush your gorgeous hair. Sheesh.

Okay, okay. I know where you’re coming from. Although your hair is gorgeous (and your baby!), it does lack a “style”. Well, that’s easy to remedy! Feast your eyes on this!

Long layers! Long bangs! Big round brushes! CERAMIC CURLING IRONS!

Both of these options exhibit a similar style – Option #1 is just longer than Option #2. So, the question is should Miguelina add long layers only or should she add long layers and cut off 3 inches? Once she has the layers, she can blow-dry with a big round brush for Option #2′s look or use a certain person’s curling iron technique to duplicate Option #1.

(By the way, Miguelina confesses to being lazy in the hair department. I totally understand, but if you want a style, you need to STYLE it! See Hair Rule #2.)

As for the long face-framing layers, I would suggest blow-drying the top front section of the hair downwards into the face. That way, it will sweep downwards and to the side, instead of up and over, like it wants to do naturally. Just doing that will change the overall look dramatically. I think it could be exactly what Miguelina’s looking for in a style. Also, look into purchasing a light mousse for a little lift. Several hair brands have recently introduced new, lightweight mousses for natural-looking volume. They ain’t your momma’s old mousse, that’s for sure.

What do you all think?

Voting is closed.