4.12 – Chic, Shoulder-Length Bobs

Meet Leah.

Leah has some gorgeous hair, no doubt.  Alas, she wants a change, so who I am to deny her? Let’s take a look at her questionnaire.

1. What color is your hair? Do you color/highlight your hair? If so, what color?

Natural blonde, no color. (Not interested in color, either.)

2. What condition is your hair? (Dry, Oily, Normal, Chemically-processed, etc.)

Normal (although super dry on the ends right now, which is why I need to cut them the hell off).

3. What type of hair do you have? (Fine, Thick, Wavy, Curly, Straight, etc.)

Fine but there’s a lot of it. Super-duper straight and doesn’t hold curl. Slick and shiny. Stylists always refuse to give me layers in the back when I ask(?). (I do tend to like layers around the face, though.) I have a mild and controllable-to-a-degree cowlick slightly off-center of my forehead (which is where I split the side-swept bangs).

4. Tell me about your lifestyle. What are you looking for in a hairstyle?

I work from home and have a preschooler, so I need to be able to pull my hair off my face and have something quick and easy when I want to wear it down. I love buns and braids for going out. I’ve gone chin-length before, but because I have an angular face, I feel that a blunt cut at the chin makes me look too severe. I love side-swept and blunt bangs, but my husband doesn’t (although I have veto power on what I do with my hair, obvs).

5. How much time are you willing to spend styling your hair each day?

Ten minutes tops. Outside of my family, the only person I see regularly is Daycare Lady, and I love her but I’m not going to spend a half hour fixing my hair for the two minutes I talk to her each day.

6. Do you have a preference for length? If so, what?

It’s almost always been long (too long!), but it’s time for a change, so I’m willing to go slightly above the shoulder.

7. What kind of products/tools do you use on a daily basis?

Fekkai Glossing Cream and a blowdryer (although sometimes I skip that and air dry). If any part of my hair is up, I usually need a bit of hairspray.

8. Do you wear your hair in ponytails frequently?

Almost daily, and usually with my bangs clipped back for work.

9. What kind of environment do you live in? (Rainy, humid, high altitude, etc.)

Mediterranean/temperate. The only weather than affects my hair is super-high humidity, in which case the baby hairs at my temples turn into ringlets(!). Not much anyone can do about that.

Okay! I think I have a pretty good idea of what Leah needs. Since Leah’s hair is so straight, shiny and slick, she needs to work that to her advantage. Let’s see…Leah doesn’t want to spend too much time styling, she clips bangs back on a daily basis while working, layers won’t work on her baby fine hair, and “it’s time for a change”…sounds to me like a simple, shoulder-grazing bob would be a perfect look for Leah. Short enough to give her the change she is looking for, but still long enough that she can pull back the sides or do some fun braiding around the front. What about this?

Photos courtesy of Daily Makeover

Oh, I think Leah could look quite stunning with this cut, don’t you?

As for the bangs situation, with Leah’s features and cowlick, I’m in agreement with her husband. I’m a fan of keeping bangs out of this equation, especially since Leah would just pin them back anyway. Plus, her bangs look to be quite grown out at this point, and adding shorter, sideswept bangs would make the above hairstyle completely different. (Not that it’s bad…just different.) I think the beauty of this style is the chic simplicity of the way the hair frames the face and collarbone, and Leah’s features would be enhanced beautifully with this cut. Also, Leah would most likely wear this style with a slightly off-center part, due to her cowlick, but I like how the cut takes on a different personality just by changing up the part from side to middle.

Now. If Leah deems that option too short, she could always keep the same style, but leave a few more inches of security.

Photos courtesy of Daily Makeover

What do you think? Should Leah take the plunge?

The Best Makeup Buys

Paula Begoun, skincare expert and best-selling author of Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, just released her Best Makeup Buys list. The following is a partial list of products that not only rated extremely high for performance but also really impressed Paula and The Cosmetics Cop team.  Given how many thousands of makeup products Paula and her team review annually, rest assured that these are among the best of the best. (I know there are a lot of lists like this in print and online, but I always really enjoy Paula’s picks. Great products AND all relatively inexpensive!)

The Best of the Best

Boots No7 Cheek Tint ($9.99)
Generously-sized cream-to-powder blush that can go from sheer to intense
Application is super-easy and all of the colors are gorgeous

M.A.C. Haute & Naughty Lash ($18.00)
Two mascaras in one component, each with impressive, distinctive effects
Wears beautifully yet  is easy to remove

Sephora Rouge Cream Lipstick ($12.00)
Elegantly smooth cream texture imparts rich color
Brilliant range of shades without garish frost or sparkles

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Custom Glow Blush & Bronzer ($12.49)
Beautiful pressed powder blush and bronzer in one sleek compact
Looks great when used separately or together

Victoria’s Secret VS Makeup Soft Focus Liquid Foundation SPF 20 ($16.00)
Outstanding sun protection from gentle mineral actives
Supremely silky with a satin glow finish to enliven dry skin

Maybelline New York Lash Stiletto Voluptuous Mascara Waterproof ($8.49)
A waterproof mascara that does everything right, but nothing too extreme
Quickly enhances lashes, then wears without a worry

Revlon Luxurious Color Satin Eye Shadow ($4.99)
Powder eyeshadow singles that’s shine done right
No matter how much you apply, the shine won’t flake!

Revlon Age Defying Moisturizing Concealer SPF 25 ($8.99)
Creamy, eye-area concealer with broad-spectrum sun (and wrinkle)  protection
Provides great coverage without magnifying the look of lines

Physician’s Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Powder Foundation ($14.95)
A powerhouse of potent sun protection to help prevent wrinkles and discolorations
Enviably smooth texture with a soft, flattering matte finish

N.Y.C (New York Color) Extreme Lip Glider Lip Gloss ($3.00)
One of the least expensive lip glosses with a smooth, non-sticky texture
Enticing range of sheer colors in a convenient squeeze tube for quick application

BONUS: Paula’s Choice Illicit Lash Maximum Impact Mascara ($10.95)
Nimble rubber-bristled brush reaches each and every lash fast
Brilliant way to get longer, defined lashes with a soft curl

Want to know if one of your favorites got a top rating?  Visit Beautypedia.com FREE through February for a complete list of the best makeup and skin care.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s Fave Hair Product

So, APPARENTLY I’m not the only one!!

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Photo: © The Image Gate/Getty Images

Gwyneth Paltrow says the secret to her gorgeous hair is dry shampoo.

The Country Strong actress always keeps dry shampoo on hand to mop up excess oil from her roots and scalp, with her favorite being Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk.

Gwyneth wrote in her GOOP newsletter, “This stuff’s great when your hair needs a little spiffing up, especially when it’s starting to get a bit greasy. If you want to maintain a blow dry or don’t have time to do a full wash and blow out, this really does the trick. It gets right to the roots and brings back volume and makes your hair less oily.”

The 38-year-old star–who has children Apple, six, and Moses, four, with husband Chris Martin–is a fan of French beauty products and always makes sure she stocks up on her must-have products when traveling in Europe.

She added, “Many of the absolute best beauty products I’ve found come from regular French pharmacies. I always stock up on these items when I’m in France or ask friends to bring some back when they’re passing through.”

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Try on Gwyneth Paltrow’s hairstyles in the Makeover Studio!

Are You Rocking a Side Braid Yet?

The side braid has been a trend for quite some time and doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Celebrities including Ashley Greene, Audrina Patridge and Sohee have been recently seen sporting this fun, flirty hairstyle. The greatest part about a side braid? It’s totally a breeze to create. Sam Brocato, stylist and owner of the Sam Brocato Salon in New York City tells how to pull it off!

Get the look with these 4 easy steps from Sam:

Step 1: First, pull all of your hair over to one side. If you want your hair to be behind the ear, be sure to shift the hair in that direction before starting to braid.

Step 2: “If you have straight hair, spritz it with a texture spray like Brocato Back to the Beach to give it a ‘not so finished’ personality,” says Sam. Smooth the top with your hand and start to braid. “A typical three-strand braid works perfectly, but the more you experiment the more personalized the look will be,” says Sam.

Step 3: Once the braid is in place, tie the end with an elastic hair tie. Now, hold the braid in the middle with one hand. Then, with your free hand take one or two strands of hair at the end of the braid and pull on these strands of hair. Now gently push the braid in hand up towards the scalp in one-inch increments. Repeat a few times. This gives the braid a chunky, disheveled appearance.

Step 4: “Finally, take very small pieces of hair near the end of the braid and pull them free so there is a sort of unfinished, messy look to the braid,” advises Sam. That’s right, the look is supposed to be messy, on purpose!

hair thursday makeover 87

Meet Joanne.

From Joanne’s email:

Just last night I turned to the bottle AGAIN. (Frost and Tip – I’m cheap, and I regret it every time!) Although I like that it’s really blonde, I know that it’s also really BRASSY! I also did a lousy job on the back so there are lots of dark roots still showing. I feel my best as a blonde, but I have a ruddy complexion and I rarely get the tone right. Any suggestions you can offer would be great! And I promise to take your suggestions TO A PROFESSIONAL and to not attempt it myself.

As for cut, I prefer it to at least my shoulders and would love to grow it out to the style like your last updated reader Shuchita, but I have a rectangular/square face, so I don’t know if it’d suit me. Also, I must admit, my hair is FRIED and could use a good hack. What do you think?

Joanne’s hair:

Naturally mousy dark blonde
Been bleaching since the age of 13
Chemically-processed and dry
Thick, curly at the back and wavy around my face with cowlicks.
Prefers shoulder-length or longer
Uses Frizz Ease Serum
Layers tend to “puff out”

Wait. Joanne, they still make Frost and Tip? I had no idea!

Here’s the good news – you are moving in the right direction. I like the longer length with your face shape and I also think blonde is your color, especially since you are a natural mousy blonde.

(Sidenote to readers – Joanne died her hair red last year and quickly realized it was NOT her color.)

Your two problems will hopefully be relatively easy to remedy.

#1 – Your layers DESPERATELY need to be texturized. Your thick hair is creating a shelf layer around chin-length that needs to be thinned out. You can really see this problem in the back of your hair. It’s almost like you have a bob with some little bits of longer hair hanging down. Not so good, Joanne. But this can be fixed easily! Does your hairstylist texturize your hair? If not, it’s time to get a new one. Once texturized, your layers will blend much better and you could actually wear your hair naturally wavy, which would add another look to your arsenal.

As for the cut, square face shapes have great hairstyle options to soften their angular facial structures. To make wide foreheads and jaw lines appear narrower, you should wear deep side parts or soft bangs, and choose face-softening textured looks like tousled curls or piece-y cuts.

#2 – It’s time to say goodbye to the drugstore bottle and let a professional even out your color, as well as take care of your roots. Add a little more golden blonde into the mix to warm it up a bit. Perfect for summer!

Here are my proposals.

I like Brinkley’s warmer color and Carrie Underwood’s cut is perfect. Notice how Underwood has the side part and lots of layers, but they are texturized to blend in with one another. I really think these little changes will make a huge impact on your overall hairstyle! Add in a shampoo and conditioner specifically made for dry, color-treated hair and a heat protectant such as Kerastase Ciment Thermique and you should be golden!

Can’t wait to see the results!

Weelicious

This is one of those sites in which I bang my head against the wall for JUST finding it. Whhhhhyyyyyyy?

I love Weelicious – the aerial views of her son’s lunchboxes, the easy-to-prepare recipes and the super cool videos. (The granola balls are perfect for preschool snack day!) If you are trying to infuse more fast, simple and healthy recipes for your little ones, I highly recommend Catherine’s website!

(Does she look familiar to you too? Yep. She was a Victoria’s Secret model. Life is unfair.)