Well, hello there! We’re finally back to our regularly-scheduled Hair Thursdays.
Except that, um, we’re not. Don’t worry, voting is included, but this one isn’t going to involve much writing.
You see, we are leaving on vacation early tomorrow morning and I haven’t started packing.
(Did I mention that our vacation involves a 14-hour road trip? With a toddler? And that I ENCOURAGED THE ROAD TRIP? “No honey, let’s not fly. We always fly. Let’s take a road trip! Where’s your sense of adventure?! Wito will love it, I’ll love it, we will ALL LOVE IT.” Famous last words, I’m sure.)
Light mousy brown, gets auburn highlights. Happy with color.
Normal condition
Wave pattern is wavy on top, underneath is stick straight
Large cowlick
Open to all lengths beside super short
Uses a flat iron when straight, curling iron for waves
Looks “fuzzy” when straight
Try these options on for size:
Shoulder-length with heavier, sideswept bangs (to hide cowlick) or keep the length with less bang?
Our next participant is Heather:
Heather’s hair:
Has worn her hair in this style for 15 years
Considering donating her hair – needs to take off 10 inches for Locks of Love
Works an overnight shift – would rather sleep an extra thirty minutes than style it (Amen to THAT.)
Wants to stop wearing ponytails all the time
Shiny, happy hair in need of a change. What about these options?
Keep it long with face-framing layers OR go for the gusto (and Locks of Love!)?
Thanks to the extremely generous Casey and my trusty random number generator, the lovely Andrea from Mommy’s Martini will be featured as this week’s Hair Thursday participant. You can read Andrea’s contest entry here, and I am thrilled that she is the winner!
Andrea is a professor with two young children and quite a busy schedule, as you can imagine. Her naturally wavy hair has grown extremely long and she would like something different, yet low-maintenance.
Andrea’s hair:
Medium brown with reddish undertones, grays have started to make an appearance
Has used Clairol Natural Instincts in the past
Would love to be a redhead without repeated, expensive trips to the salon
Thick, wavy/curly, individually fine strands
Likes to pull hair up into chignons and/or out of her face (see above)
Spends 1-5 minutes styling, usually an air dry because curls look best left alone
Has trouble straightening hair with round brush and blow dryer
Andrea is very happy with her stylist, except that she can be a little conservative when cutting her hair. (Hey, that’s better than the opposite in most cases, right? ) From Andrea’s email, it seems her stylist really understands her curl pattern, and uses a technique to create subtle layering without any strong horizontal layers. (Andrea’s hair is so fine that tons of horizontal layers create an overly thinned-out look at the bottom.) The major problem is that Andrea waits w a y t o o l o n g i n b e t w e e n c u t s.
First off, let’s talk about color. Unfortunately, going red requires substantial upkeep – red fades faster than all other hair colors and requires a decent amount of attention. (Low maintenance? I don’t think so.)
However, Andrea could pull off a semi-permanent reddish-brown shade that would add depth to her color, cover her grays, and naturally fade without leaving any “roots”. (Low maintenance? CHECK.) L’Oreal Color Spa makes a temporary color (lasts 28 shampoos) in a reddish-brown shade aptly named, Reddish Brown. Also, Andrea shouldn’t rule out golden brown shades either!
Let’s not forget that Casey is generously paying for Andrea’s salon visit, so I would encourage Andrea to consult with her stylist about adding some reddish tones OR some subtle golden highlights throughout, but later down the road, when she is looking for a DIY option, I would recommend the semi-permanent options.
Now, for the kicker. The CUT. Let’s take a gander.
Option #1 would be such a fresh change for Andrea. With her waves, Andrea could put some Bumble and Bumble Curl Creme in her towel-dried hair and air dry as usual. The cut virtually styles itself. It’s easy, it’s chic, and it’s perfect for Andrea’s lifestyle. (p.s. – shoulder-length hair is really hot right now. Just ask Gywneth Paltrow and Liv Tyler.)
Option #2 leaves more length and adds a long, sideswept bang. Now, the hair in this photo has been styled to the hilt, and I’m not expecting Andrea to wake up and pull out the styling tools every morning. However, I like the length and shape of the cut and think it would look nice dried naturally. (Although, a whoorl curl would look mighty nice once in awhile!)
The time has come. Tell Andrea which look you like the best!
Thanks again to Casey for her generosity, and I can’t wait to see Andrea’s transformation!
Missy from Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch was another participant in the Moosh contest. I had the chance to meet the darling Australian during the last night at Blogher while I was trying to round up 17 people to accompany me to some random bar serving $4 margaritas. (PRIORITIES.)
While chatting with Missy, I informed her that she, in fact, did not win the Moosh contest, but was more than welcome to listen to me babble about her hair right then and there. (By the way, Missy was with Supertiff, who was a recent HT participant and good lord, her hair looked GORGEOUS. Tiffany, send me an update so everyone can see your glorious hair.)
At some point during the conversation, Missy mentioned she was spending the next part of her vacation in Los Angeles, and a dimly-lit bulb went off in my head. (It was late.)
“Come down to Orange County and I’ll give you a personalized Hair Thursday! I’ll get you in with my stylist!”
I think she thought I was kidding, but hoo boy, I was NOT kidding. Standing in that dark lobby, it was the best idea ever! Of course, I wasn’t really thinking of the logistics of this arrangement (such as What To Do With Wito In A Salon For Several Hours), but hey! It’s Hair Thursday! I’ll make it work.
I returned home from Blogher, contacted my stylist, Missy made her appointment time, and there you go.
I met Missy at Tek Salon yesterday with my toddler in tow for my first ever Hair Thursday: IN THE FLESH.
Without further ado, meet Missy.
Missy’s hair:
Naturally wavy/curly, but she straightens it 90% of the time
Mostly one length, with some grown-out fringe on the sides
Likes the length
Colored at home quite awhile ago, color is faded and uneven
Missy seemed a little nervous that I was going to suggest chopping her hair off, but rest assured, that was not the case as you can hear in this video. Can you sense the fear in her eyes during this clip?
Oh my GOD, my voice is so annoying. Going to cry now.
I sent Missy off with the very talented Tera and let her work her magic.
First, a nice wash:
Since Missy’s color was a little faded and uneven, Tera added random chunks of dark chocolate brown that matched her natural color to break up unevenness. The result was fantastic because you could still see bits of the lighter reddish brown but it looked fresher and more interesting. She cut about 1.5 inches off her length (less than 4 centimeters, Missy!) and created many face framing layers with a sweeping bang.
Her layers are shorter in the back and work into longer layers in the front, which will give her long hair more texture and movement and will look amazing when she wears it curly. All of her layers were cut with a razor to give more texture, followed by texturizing scissors to take out more weight.
Voilá! Gorgeous.
Still long, but fresh and updated. (And those layers will really allow her great curls to BOUNCE when she wears it naturally curly.)
Isn’t she beautiful? Overall, a happy customer. (I hope.)
And possibly, my hair twin.
I hope you had fun, Missy! Have safe travels back to Australia!
Since we’re dealing with many (cute! musician!) participants, let’s get to it. Most of these haircuts are on the shorter side because 1) I strongly believe that the majority of musicians don’t need to look like trannies/80’s rejects/homeless, and 2) Oklahoma is hotter than shit in the summer months.
Shall we start with Brian? Brian’s transformation is probably the most important, mainly because he is a dear friend who could sabotage me with vicious threats of blackmail if I steer him in the wrong direction. The world does NOT need to know what Brian has witnessed over the years in regards to yours truly. Also, I very much like his wife and darling little boy.
Let’s look at some options for Brian.
Option #1 would give Brian some great volume at the crown…and I’m kidding. Those are horrible.
I’ve seen Brian with all different hair lengths. And although I do think leaving a little length would be best, Brian, GET THAT HAIR OUT OF YOUR FACE.
How about something like this?
This style leaves a little length on the sides and back, but keeps the front short enough that it can’t hang down into the eyes while he is drumming away. Perfecto.
How about Aaron?
Am I the only one who senses a modified Blue Steel pose here? Aaron has the easiest transformation – all he needs is a styling wax to give texture and mess it up a bit. Bumble and Bumble Sumotech or Paul Mitchell Grooming Pomade would work very well.
Mark:
Mark’s style reminds me a little bit of Michael John’s hair. (WHAT? I enjoy a little American Idol from time to time.) However, I TOTALLY envision him with a shorter, 50’s Mad Men-type style. The style in the above photo would look so fantastic with his features. (So would the suit, but I’m probably pushing it, yes?)
Michael:
To make Michael’s densely thick hair look like the above style, I would recommend having his stylist texturize throughout his hair, as well as use a product like Fudge Styling Clay or Texture Paste to get the right amount of texture and hold.
And last but CERTAINLY not least, Chad.
And that’s where you come in. To beard or not to beard? To grow or not to grow?
First off, I must say that Chad’s hair has major potential. He’s got a lot of it, and the gray coming in on the sides is my favorite part.
(Quick sidebar completely unrelated to Chad: Men. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, quit coloring your gray hair. It looks SO UNBELIEVABLY FAKE. Gray is sexy. Poll coming soon on that one.)
I love Keanu’s style in Option #1, and Chad’s hair could look exactly like it with a little more texturized length on the top and some shaping on the sides and back. The question is, should he trim the beard to get the overall look of Option #1 or shave it off completely like Option #2?
Decisions, DECISIONS. The future of Chad’s face is in your hands.
If you are in the Oklahoma City area, The Moons will be playing with The Uglysuit on August 1st at the 51st Street Speakeasy (1114 NW 51st Street). Make sure they look presentable, will you?
Dark mahogany brown rapidly going gray
Colors to cover the gray, prefers dark brown
Dry – rinses/conditions every day, and washes occasionally
Batshit curly, out of control, frizzy (her words, not mine)
Is open to all lengths, but hasn’t found a short hairstyle feminine enough
Went though a period of straightening every day, but is not willing to spend that kind of time now (THANK GOD)
Uses a salon quality shampoo and conditioner, de-frizzing serum, and curl-enhancing lotion
Wears ponytails frequently
I’m not even going to pretend that I am a curl expert. (Wave expert? Maybe.) The curl experts reside over at this fantastic website, which EVERY SINGLE curly girl (and boy) should visit.
It seems like Mir is a 3b, and the folks at Naturally Curly have some great tips for this type.
What to try for 3b hair: For Type 3b hair, gels, styling creams and puddings work best. Curl & Tonic is our Curly Cocktail for 3b hair. Or, try some of these:
Tips for 3b hair : This hair type needs extra moisture and products that define curls and fight frizz. Let hair air dry or use a diffuser. Use duckbill clips at the crown of your head to lift top curls as needed. Once curls are dry, rub a little pomade into the palm of your hands and smooth over your hair. Please do not brush or comb your dry curls. Sleeping on a satin pillowcase is recommended to reduce tangles.
Oooh, satin pillowcase. Fancy.
First off, I’m glad Mir doesn’t want to deal with straightening her hair. EMBRACE THE CURLS, I SAY!
While I was looking at the tips, I noticed a photo of Juliana Marguiles and realized Mir’s hair has a very similar curl pattern. In my honest opinion, the length of Mir’s hair looks a little bit like a curly helmet. She has such great curls, but the slightly-below chin length really isn’t doing much to showcase them.
I truly think Mir needs to grow out her hair. Why?
1. I’ve seen Mir’s hair at even shorter lengths than this, and the thickness of the curls looks a little rigid.
2. It doesn’t need to be as long as the photos below (maybe brushing the shoulder or a little longer), but length will keep her hair from looking too stiff and boxy.
3. Her hair will actually be easier to style and she’ll have many more options for getting it off her face, if need be.
If you look at the first photo of Juliana, you’ll notice that Mir has a similar hairline. That type of hairline will give her a nice lift as her hair grows longer. I included the second photo as an additional styling option for Mir to keep her hair off her face during the warmer months, which still looks super polished.
(And that’s the thing, my friends. Sure, a shorter and trendier hairstyle might seem more stylish, but for curly hair like Mir, the longer the hair, the more styling OPTIONS will be available to her.) Ponytails will look prettier, barrettes will look prettier – it will just be a bonafide Festival of Pretty.
I know a Hair Thursday post about g r o w i n g o u t t h e h a i r might seem a little boring, but Mir needs to trust me on this one. Trims every 6-8 weeks and she’ll be there in no time.
No voting, as this is my FINAL WORD. Go forth and spread the hair love.
Take a look at our next participant, Tiffany (and her boyfriend).
(This reminds me. I prefer individual photos to be larger than this, considering I am so far-sighted it’s embarrassing. Yes, I have to put on glasses to read the menus at dining establishments and I’m THIRTY-THREE. Bifocals before forty, here I come!)
Here’s an excerpt from Tiffany’s email:
If I’m doing anything even remotely important, it takes me at least an hour and twenty minutes to get ready. You know, I need to shower, check some blogs, blow dry my hair, WHICH TAKES FOREVER (and, by the way, I blow it out for a few minutes with a regular blow dryer, and then flip my hair upside down and blow it straight with a blow dryer that has a brush-thing on the end). THEN, I pull the crown-part of my hair up and round brush it under the blow dryer. This is the only piece of hair that gets this special treatment. THEN I flat iron the pieces that fall around my face, in an attempt to keep them from getting frizzy. This seldom works. and THEN I put hot rollers in ( I use 5) to keep the ends bouncy. This also seldom works. As you can see, i am in desperate need of help.
Whoah, Tiffany! That’s a lot of work for a hairstyle you don’t particularly love!
First things first. Tiffany, I’m thinking REALLY red.
Secondly, Tiffany MUST cut some more layers all over her hair. Judging from the second (tiny!) photo, the hair is just too bulky. It needs to be freed! Texturize! Texturize!
Third, she should take off about 3-4 inches off the bottom.
Fourth, lose the blow dryer with the brush attachment. Tiffany should use the her regular blow dryer and a round brush with a flat iron touch-up on “normal” days. For special occasions, use the hot rollers all over the head or a curling iron.
I think a color change and layering around the face alone will make the biggest difference. Tiffany, let me ask you, what does your hair look like air-dried? Is it straight? Wavy? If you do have a subtle wave pattern, the layers could help give some bounce, and you could forego the blow-drying altogether on some days.
Here are the options.
I love both of these similar cuts for Tiffany and I adore the red hair color. Is it too much of a change for Tiffany? Has the cold medicine thrown me over the edge? I don’t know.
What do you think?
Also, Tiffany’s boyfriend is looking for a change. He wants to keep some length to his hair, but wouldn’t mind more of a style. Here’s a shorter option and a medium-length one. (How scary does David Bowie look in that photo? But you get the idea.)
I admit, I’m biased towards shorter hair on men, so I might not be the best judge. Do you all have any suggestions for longer male hair options?
You all figure it out while this girl takes a nap.
