HAIR TIPS BLOG

Jennifer Lopez wearing a half up half down hairstyle while attending a photocall for ‘The Backup Plan’ at the Villamagna Hotel in Madrid, Spain. The great thing about this hairstyle is that you really can fashion a half up half down hairstyle with various lengths of hair, both long and short.

Kate Beckinsale wearing a loose chic ponytail hairstyle while attending the “Jury” photocall at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. Ponytail hairstyles are very easy to do and while when you hear the name, you think of one style, but in essence there are dozens (if not more !) of different styles you can make by starting with a simple ponytail hairstyle. High ponytail hairstyles, loose ponytail hairstyles, tight ponytail hairstyles, low ponytail hairstyles, and so on and on you get the idea! Either way if your a mother, grandmother, kid, teen, twenty-something businesswoman or what have you, you can easily find a ponytail hairstyle (and for weddings and proms too!) that can be fashioned to your needs!

Halle Berry rocking a short and sexy hairstyle while attending the 2010 Silver Rose Gala and Auction held at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Short cropped hairstyle with the top slightly longer than the sides and back to allow for a little versatility and style ability.

Debra Messing wearing a sleek and sexy , long layered hairstyle while attending the 2010 Joyful Heart Foundation Gala at Skylight Studios in NYC. One thing that is great about this hairstyle and I want to touch base on is her layers. Layers area great addition and change to your run-of-the-mill straight hairstyles. Layers can be added to just about any length of hair, from subtle to dramatic. Now having long layered hair myself I attempted this hairstyle using the following : Ceramic Plated Flat Iron, Shine spray (your choice of brand) and a firm but flexible hold spray (your preferred brand). I lightly spritzed my hair to to help the straightening along, overall it took me 20 minutes to achieve this hairstyle!  Wear this long layered sexy straight hairstyle to events such as weddings, proms, dinners, galas and any special event along with more casual ones as well. One of the best things about this celebrity hairstyle is that you have such versatility you just can’t go wrong!

Lisa Rinna is wearing her hair in a sexy short hairstyle while attending the 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The short hairstyle is one that is both vogue and chic. Both young women and mature women are finding homage in the elegance and sophistication of short hair, not to mention to convenience and ease of maintenance that comes with an outrageously short cut. The shorter haircut is also known to take ages of the face and add youth to one’s bounce, hence its popularity among trendy and fashionable women.

For the woman with the round or oval face, I would suggest a bob cut that is graded to the sides to take away the volumes at the sides of the face while adding volume to the top of the head with tousled or unkempt waves. This would create a slimming effect for the face. For the long face however, you would want to stay away from short cuts completely as these are bound to add more height to an already long face. Square faces and heart-shaped faces are the best faces for a short cut, although generally soft bangs are suggested as opposed to severe straight bangs.

Another thing that one has to consider before taking the short cut is the type of hair that you have. While it may be one thing to say shoulder length layers is a good style for you, if you have wavy hair then chances are that upon cutting you would end up with a mess of untamable hair at the top of your head! Remember that when you have naturally long hair, the weight of the hair often reduces the level of curling or waves that you might get. It is very easy therefore to misjudge the effect of cutting a long hair.

Once you do decide to proceed with the ultimate cut however, you need to decide on the type of cut that you want. The layered haircut is one of the most complimentary haircuts that would highlight just about any type of face on any type of woman. It is in fact one of the most popular looks for the short cut that the celebrities in Hollywood show off.

The second most popular short haircuts among the Hollywood celebrities is the bob haircut. The bob haircut has in fact evolved to be one of the most versatile haircuts, for it also takes advantages of other techniques in its cut. Off the most popular hairstyle used in combination with the bob haircut is the layered haircut to give an end result that is the best of both worlds.

We have to say, Kate Gosselin has gone through some interesting hairstyles but this current blonde, layered hairstyle with sweeping bangs is one of the most flattering. The mom of eight sported this casual, straight hairstyle while doing some back-to-school shopping with her kids.

Think of how often you’ve seen a guy with curly hair trying to manage a part, or a guy with straight hair sporting a crew cut, or — worst of all — a  bald guy with a comb-over.
When it comes to hair, guys can get lazy. Thankfully, we’re here to help you with hairstyling basics. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the basic male hair types, the mistakes guys make in styling them and some easy-to-achieve haircuts each type really deserves.

Normal/thick

Most young American white guys have this sort of hair. It’s full, it’s thick and it has a wave. This hair type lends itself to many styles — provided you’re willing to put a little effort into it.

Mistakes guys make

The biggest mistake guys make is keeping it too short on the sides and too long on top. This look might work for conservative-minded guys with straighter hair, but when the hair is slightly wavy, it has a tendency to grow out misshapen and top-heavy.

Some guys don’t use any hair care products. This creates hair that’s frizzy and breaks into cowlicks. Our hairstyling basics tell us to use a mousse with a medium to strong hold. Alternatively, some guys go too heavy on hair products in order to get a severe side or middle part.

Another bad styling choice is to use clippers or an electric razor on the sides and back instead of scissors. Clipping your hair short doesn’t allow for the great blending and styling that can be accomplished by a barber using a nice pair of shears.

Styling strategies

Go for slightly longer and layered on the top and front, and slightly shorter on the sides and back. This is such a hairstyling basic that many stylists call it the “college cut” and it’s a flattering men’s hairstyle.
Another option is to keep it short and layered all around. Spike it up with a pomade and style with your hands for the always popular “bed head” look.
To achieve a straight-hair look, cut your hair to a medium length, keeping it slightly shorter around the ears and the back of head. Then, comb it back with mousse and let it dry. Once dry, fluff out the hair and it will fall straight to the sides.Mistakes guys make
Not all guys enjoy the floppy look of straight hair, so they buzz it off. Don’t let straight hair go to waste. Many people regard straight as an ideal; if your hair is straight and provides good coverage, grow it out a bit and play around with it. Embrace conditioners and mousses to give it some bounce.
Another mistake we see is guys who cut their straight hair to a medium length (sans layers) and part it down the middle. Please avoid this “bowl cut” look; it’s a little boy’s style, folks.
Other men embrace straight hair’s styling advantages a little too much, growing their hair to shoulder-length or more. While medieval kings and rock stars can pull off a long mane, the look ultimately requires more upkeep and maintenance than it’s worth. It’s also a hairstyle women hate.

Styling strategies.
Just as the classic “college cut” works for men with wavy and normal hair, it also works for men with straight hair.
Straight also lends itself particularly well to the fabled Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible II (2000) haircut. It was a crappy movie, but Cruise’s locks sure looked good. For this look, keep your hair long (about 3.5″ to 5.0″) and layered on the sides, back and top, but keep the bangs shorter.
A cousin of the faux “bed head” look described above is the haircut that involves cutting straight hair to a short or medium length with uneven layers. Comb it forward on the top and down on the sides for that tousled look

Kinky/curly
How much of an explanation do you need on this one? A head of curly hair is full of bouncy curls and usually gives thick coverage. When you grow out curly hair, it forms the classic “white boy ‘fro.” Although not ubiquitous, this type is common among men of Greek, Spanish, Italian, and Jewish descent.

Mistakes guys make
To relax the curls, many guys overuse gels, pomades and heavy creams. Slathering on “product” can not only damage hair, but it also gives it a shell-like, unnatural appearance.
Other curly-haired guys go the opposite route and let their curly locks go wild. Yes, it looks cool if you’re in a band or in college, but just imagine working the white boy ‘fro at a job interview or on a first date. It ain’t happenin’.

Styling strategies
Cut your hair short all around and leave it unlayered (with the exception of around the ears). Use a small amount of mousse, comb it back and let it air dry. Or, instead of combing back, you can try a slight part on the side.
Of course, if all that seems like too much work, you can do what curly-haired men have done for years: Buzz it off or clip it very short and spike it up.

Balding/bald
Ninety-five percent of all balding or bald men suffer from male pattern baldness (MPB). MPB begins with a receding hairline at the front and/or thinning at the top.

Mistakes guys make
Where do we begin?

The first common mistake is combing the hair straight back. This may cover bald spots, but it does far more damage up front, exposing the forehead and emphasizing the precarious hairline.
The second is growing long hair in the back to compensate for what’s missing up front. This unbalances the head and draws even more attention to the scalp and the baldness.
Younger guys with thinning hair might still use gel — big mistake. Gel clumps your hair together and reveals scalp. Similarly, growing your hair long in an effort to get more coverage actually causes hair to separate and show more scalp.

Styling strategies
Use mousses and conditioners to provide fluff that is more natural. Grow your remaining hair out to a few inches, layer it and brush it forward to break up the receding hairline.
If your hairline is stable, but the top of your head is thinning, you can get away with keeping the front long and combing your hair straight back to cover the bald spot. Eventually, your bald spot will expand, however.
When faced with a shiny bald pate, your best bet is to either “shave and embrace” or get a short, spiky ‘do that feathers out the remaining hair for maximum coverage.

Black
Thick, tiny, tightly packed curls define black hair. When grown out, it forms the classic Afro. Thankfully, for those who aren’t down with the ‘fro, there’s an entire range of products, barbers and hairstyles for black men — something curly-haired white guys can only dream of.

Mistakes guys make
Black women may still straighten their hair, but for black men, this style went out in the 1950s. Any sort of high-top fade or flattop cut belongs back in 1991. Similarly, the Jheri curl belongs in 1981.
While stylish, cornrows exert so much pull on the forehead that, if worn for long periods, can cause a receding hairline.
When cutting it themselves or with friends, some guys create uneven lines at the forehead or back of the head. It always pays to seek out a classic “black” barbershop in a big city like Chicago, Los Angeles, Detroit, or New York.

Styling strategies
The classic shaved head is always a popular option, as is a closely cropped look with well-defined hairlines at the forehead, nape of the neck and around the ears.
Medium-length braids are a good way to add volume and length without going the Afro route. Alternatively, a medium-length, relatively symmetrical ‘fro has a low-key but stylish appearance that works in formal and informal settings.

Actress Elisabeth Shue was back in the spotlight at the Piranha 3D premiere and looked pretty in her blonde hairstyle. Elisabeth Shue added a flirty flip to her thick blonde locks creating an attractive hairstyle for the red carpet.

Drew Barrymore wore this unique wavy hairstyle with scattered braids throughout to the worldwide premiere of Going the Distance in London. Sporting darker hair near her roots and blonder ends, Drew Barrymore completed her bohemian hairstyle with a larger braid in the back of her beachy waves.