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!
Amy in StL
July 31, 2008 at 8:40 amI voted for option #1, it’s awesome! But as a salon redhead let me warn Andrea that going red is not for the faint of heart. I tried doing it myself at home. The box color was too harsh on my hair and the semi-permanent didn’t impart enough red to my hair. I get my hair dyed deep red and by now (week 5) it’s a soft brownish copper. Sometimes I can’t stand the roots so I cave and get my hair done every 4 weeks, but most times I stretch it to 6 or 7 weeks just because it’s expensive. But I can’t go back to brown, I’ve been a redhead for 15 years and I’m addicted! Let this be a warning to you!!!!
Jamie
July 31, 2008 at 9:32 amLooks like Andrea has some seriously awesome natural volume – so a shoulder-length cut would really suit her. The curl will pick up once all that weight is shed, and her root volume will really amplify the easy/breezy cut in Option #1.
As a natural redhead who routinely laughs (not judges, just laughs) at people who have really horrendous, blatantly fake, red hair…well, let’s just say that I would recommend going GRADUALLY into the reds. Resist the urge to go whole-hog into gingerland. Baby steps are best.
Rhi
July 31, 2008 at 11:24 amI’m a big fan of the B&B Curl Creme – but I must say – for me, I absolutely have to use it along with the Thickening Spray, or I do not get enough control (my curls are CRAZY).
Sandhya
July 31, 2008 at 12:40 pmI love #1!! I think she would look adorable in it, and if she ever were to learn her way around a blowdryer and a round brush, she could style it into a pretty, straight bob, too. The only thing I would be concerned about is volume – the cut needs volume to pull it off. However, it does look like she has lots of volume at her roots! I like this haircut a lot, and since I have Andrea’s hair (except for the color), I think I’ll be making a trip to the salon soon as well! :) Good luck, Andrea!
Keryn
July 31, 2008 at 1:19 pmI think she should go for number 2. I really love her hair long, so I don’t think she should go shoulder length. I have naturally wavy, long hair, and every time I get it cut even close to my shoulders, it turns into an ugly triangle. Maybe I just haven’t found a good stylist, but I’m afraid to try anymore. She looks gorgeous as is, and I don’t understand why she wants to cut it!
Keryn
July 31, 2008 at 2:38 pmI have a question about the semipermanent haircolor. I’ve always used permanent haircolor on my hair (the diy kind), so can I use a semipermanent kind now? I mean: Will the semipermanent haircolor make the roots of my hair the same color as the rest of my hair? Thanks!
MommyTime
July 31, 2008 at 4:04 pmI have resisted leaving a comment all day because I don’t want to influence the voting — so I’m not saying here which cut I prefer — but I LOVE the color advice and can’t wait to take it, and I’m so excited for a new style. Thank you thank you thank you for this! I can’t wait to see what everyone else says.
MommyTime
July 31, 2008 at 4:04 pmPS Sorry for any confusion. MommyTime = Andrea.
Spandrel Studios
August 1, 2008 at 4:02 amAndrea could totally pull off Option #2. Would love to see all that shine! Go for it!!
Am I the only person who has found a talented colorist at one salon, and an excellent stylist at another? Ah, well… Guess if there’s anything I’ve learned from Hair Thursday, it’s that hair maintenance requires some commitment, right?
designher momma
August 4, 2008 at 5:25 amher hair has such potential! She looks like a natural kinda girl to me, but totally think she could rock the hotness of option #1.
Nicole
August 4, 2008 at 7:29 amI loved option 1, but since she’ll be cutting so much off, I’m wondering if a donation to Locks of Love would work!…..it’s only 10 inches and they can accept donations of even less at times. She should check into it!
Adventures In Babywearing
August 4, 2008 at 7:52 amShe has beautiful hair! I’d say either length will look great, but option 1 might be a great change!
Steph
michelle
August 4, 2008 at 11:41 amI have naturally curly hair and LOVE Bb Curl cream that you mentioned. With her hair much shorter (option 1 -my vote) the curl will be more prominent and beautiful!
MommyTime
August 4, 2008 at 12:06 pmNicole, You are absolutely right about the donation, and it’s something I’ve already been thinking about since I wrote my post entry: If I’m going to cut of a huge great hunk of hair, I might as well cut off enough to give to a good cause, right? I’m going to look into it and find out the process.
Rachel
August 4, 2008 at 12:24 pmOption 1, It looks so much more fun and easy too. It looks like it will work well with her hair texture. With wavy/curly hair that doesn’t blow dry straight, side-swept bangs can end up looking pretty funky more often than not. (been there, done that) I mean, there is always the flat iron option but chances are if you only spend 5 minutes or so styling, you won’t pick up that habit either.