Instant Hairstyling Makeover: Finding Styles For Square Face Shapes

Lenny wrote me a Dear Karen email about her trials and tribulations with her face. She explained that "I want to know what to do with my hair. I've got a long square face with big eyes, hair to my shoulders without a ponytail, big forehead, sharp chin and a long neck." "I don't have a picture from me from the front but one from a side view"

After some emails discussions back and forth Lenny agreed to let me share her hair story and current "before" photo with Hair Boutique visitors in exchange for me working with her to try and find some great new hairstyles for her face shape.

During our email conversations I discovered that Lenny was a very charming, funny, sweet 20 year old who wanted to let her hair grow longer. Unfortunately, Lenny explained that when she lets her hair grow it always gets into her eyes. Putting it behind her ears is not an option because she has deemed her ears as "ugly".

Lenny also wrote that "I want to know what is the best hairstyle for me. One that makes me and my hair look flourishing, healthy and wild. I don't want to take care of my hair. Don't get me wrong. I want hair that is easy to take care of. I just want to get out of the shower, comb my hair, spend 10 minutes on drying it and go."

lenny sent a photo (see below) of a style and wanted to know if it would work with her face style. I pointed out to Lenny that with a square face it is often more flattering to have a side part. The style example that she sent me was parted in the middle and tends to accentuate a square shape.

I also pointed out to Lenny that the model seemed to have thicker hair, which would be harder for Lenny to pull off since her hair is fine and thin. Lenny agreed with me and we decided to look at some other photos for inspiration.

Sample Style From Lenny

HairBoutique.com All rights reserved.

Lenny told me that she was not a big fan of hair gels, sprays or other products and that she never really used them.

She did tell me via email that she would be willing to try a soft type of gel that she could simply rub into her hair, dry it for just a few minutes and get a little resilience and fullness.

Lenny also had the problem of thin, fine hair that broke easily because of how fragile it was. She explained that sometimes little hairs poke out everywhere because they break easily.

I was very amused with Lenny went on to tell me that "my hair is in good shape, but not like a movie star with every hair on their head in perfect place" She added that she thinks everyone who is not a movie star has problems with their hair.

Lenny is right on. In fact, I wrote her back that most movie stars have hairstylists at their beck and call 24 hours a day.

Verifying A Square Face Shape

I told Lenny that I needed to be sure that her face was square before we even discussed some possible styles for her square face shapes.

Lenny sent me a sketch of her face (shown to the side) along with a side shot. It seemed clear to me that her face is square in shape.

If you are not sure what shape face you may have, read this section to measure your face and determine your face shape.

Lenny told me that she also has a pointed chin which is represented in the sketch that she drew for me. Lenny also warned me that her hair has a tendency to "flip up when it hits her shoulders".

Determing Face Shape

While there are lots of suggestions on how to figure out your shape, from outlining your face shape on a mirror with lipstick to draping it with a towel and asking others to help you guess the shape, there is actually a scientific way to determine your face shape once and for all.

To find out the shape of your face measure it with a tape measure or ruler. You will take the following measurements.

1. Measure your face across the top of your cheekbones. Write down the measurement on a piece of paper.

2. Measure across your jaw line from the widest point to the widest point. Write down the measurement.

3. Measure across your forehead at the widest point. Generally the widest point will be somewhere about halfway between your eyebrows and your hairline. Write down the measurement.

4. Measure from the tip of your headline to the bottom of your chin.

Common Face Shape Characteristics

Listed below are the most common shapes. It is possible that your face may not fit exactly into any one category and may be a combination of shapes.

Most people will fit into one of the major categories which include:

Oval Face - Length equal to one and a half times width.

Round Face - Your face is as wide as it is long. This may vary a little but generally the measure is close.

Long - Longer than it is wide.

Heart - Narrow at jaw line, wide at forehead and cheekbones.

Square - Forehead, jaw line and cheekbones are almost equal in width.

Diamond - Wide cheeks, narrow forehead and jaw line.

Square Face Styles For Women, Men, Teens Or Any Age

Several hairstyles are discussed that can actually be adopted for any sex or age. Just apply the same principles to your selected style.

A square face tends to have a wide hair line with wide and heavy jaws. The goal with a square face is to soften the hairline with bangs. Layering helps to soften the jaw line.

A side parting will break up the square ness or the symmetry of your face. Waves which frame the face will also soften harsh angles.

Hairstyles For Square Faces

As I explained to Lenny by email, there really is no "one perfect hairstyle" for a square shaped face. Many things factor into the total equation. The length of your hair, the texture, age and lifestyle requirements all play a part in the best style.

Since we know that Lenny has fine hair that tends to break easily, we know that she needs to add texture and therefore layers. She has gorgeous naturally red hair so she could add burgundy shades to give her new style that would make her hair "look flourishing, healthy and wild".

Lenny could go two levels up and two levels down in red shades of her hair. She would look great with tiny "angel" effects of lighter hair around her face. "Angel effects" relate to creating a type of halo effect by carefully placing highlights around the face to give instant lightness and the image of a type of halo.

One last complication is the fact that although Lenny wants longer hair, when it gets to her shoulders it tends to "flip" up at the ends. Therefore Lenny needs a style that works with the natural flip of her hair at the shoulders or she needs a heavily layered style that will weigh down the ends that tend to flip.

Sample #1

A heavily layered texturized cut like Sample #1 would be easy to take care of and would instantly offer Lenny that wilder look she wants.

I was not sure that Lenny would like this cut since it is shorter than her current hair and she wants her hair to grow longer.

When looking for a new hairstyle it is important to look at lots of options. I decided to email Lenny this style to see whether she liked it or not.

If your face is definitely square like Lenny's, the best hairstyles generally would provide softening around the hairline with piecey bangs.

Layering along the sides helps to soften the jawline. A side parting also will help break up the squareness of your face.

Waves or slight curls will also soften the harsher angles.

I told Lenny that she could wear Sample #1 a lot longer. It could be cut to the shoulders with the hair in a graduated type of shaggy cut around the bangs and the sides.

This style would also be pretty easy to take care of and would require probably less than 10 minutes of blow drying.

Lenny could put a quarter sized dollop of gel on her hands, rub it through and use her fingers to "pick the hair dry and give it fluffiness and body and that wild look she wants.

Also, Lenny could have some foils added with different shades of red or burgundy which would fatten her thin/fine hair up quite a bit. Chemicals make the hair shaft swell.

Lenny did not like this sample at all. She wanted a longer look and decided that this look would probably not translate well to a longer style.

Sample #2

The second sample style would be very well suited for fine to very fine, thin hair.

The side part softens the face and the hair softly curves into the cheekbones which also modify the square ness of the face.

This would be an easy style to take care of and definitely wash and wear. Not much on the "wild and full" side but if she wanted a different look Lenny could some crimping or soft waves. Some highlights would also give it a wilder look.

Lenny also felt that this look was way too short for her needs.

Sample #3

This style is allows for a much longer look. It is more radical by the fact that other than a side part, the hair is not really used to "soften" the square ness of the face.

However, this style will work for people with thinner square faces

Sample #4

This style is allows for a much longer look. It is more radical by the fact that other than a side part, the hair is not really used to "soften" the square ness of the face.

However, this style will work for people with thinner square faces.

I suggsted this style to Lenny because of the longer length. She did not like the style at all and said "it is similar to what I have now and want to change".

Sample #5

This style is perfect for a square shaped face. It has the side part and soft piecey bangs which tend to really soften the wide hair line.

The graduated, heavy layering would take care of Lenny's thin/fine hair problems and it also helps to soften the jawl ine.

The side part breaks up the square ness of the face and the side layers act like "mini waves" to soften the harsh angles of the face.

There are a few considerations that Lenny would need to keep in mind. First of all she would need to make sure that the side bangs are long enough to stay out of her eyes but still have the same edgy look. She may want to consider having the bangs cut just a little bit shorter or more texturized.

Since Lenny's hair tends to flip up on the ends as it get longer, she need to make sure that the longer hairs are layered to allow some weight on the ends so that the hair doesn't flip.

This style is also well suited for a person with thin or fine hair like Lenny's and would blend in all the little hairs that she says pop out from time to time.

The upkeep would be easy and should not require more than a few minutes of blow drying.

A good gel or styling lotion would work great at giving some shape. Phyto or similar volume enhancing products would also do good things for the full and wilder look that Lenny wants.

Lenny loved this look the best of all the styles that I recommended to her.

Sample #6

I knew when I recommended this style for Lenny that it was somewhat risky because it shows one ear and Lenny is concerned about her ears. She made a point of telling me that she feels "her ears are not her best point".

Although it has a rather wild look and some length at the back, which are two things that Lenny is looking for, Lenny felt that the style was "a little too old for her" and definitely not "what she had in mind".

This look could work well for a square face, but it would require a lot of upkeep in terms of styling products, styling time and maintenance trims.

Sample #7

Sample #7 actually is a photo that takes the layered look to a very long length and adds a lot of fluffiness. Lenny emailed me that she did not really like the puffiness and thought that the hair was not right for her.

She liked the layering of #5 and wanted a longer length, but this was just not right for her.

This is probably good in the long run because Lenny has fine/thin hair and it would require either hair extensions or a lot of work to get this much volume to Lenny's hair.

Sample #8

This style has the side part which softens the face, is out of the eyes, is layered but not as much as #5, and allows the hair to flip at the shoulders.

It is a longer look and it would be an easy style to take care of -- definitely wash and wear. Not much on the "wild and full" side but if she wanted a different look Lenny could try some crimping or soft waves.

Some highlights would also give it a wilder look. One thing that Lenny was very concerned about was how her hair has a tendency to flip out at the shoulders. I reminded Lenny that when her hair gets longer and it folds towards the outside she would need to keep it layered, layered, layered.

Or she would need to make sure that pieces of hair on top of the part that folds out is heavy enough to keep the hair down. Lenny agreed that she would watch this.

Lenny liked Sample #8 almost as much as Sample #5.

Celebrity Heads

After Lenny and I went through a round of photos via email, she told me that she was pretty much set on in #5.

However, she sent me some photos of Christina Applegate, Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Jodie Foster, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone and Catherine Zeta Jones.

We discussed all the various photos and decided that none of the stars had the right face shape or current style that would work for Lenny.

I told Lenny that the star who had the best hairstyle and face shape that was closest to Lenny is Sandra Bullock. Sandra has a classic square face shape and her newest shorter hairdo is very similar to Sample #5.

Lenny's Pick

Lenny emailed me that "I went for style number 5.
(adjusted to MY head of course). I'm very happy with the result".

"The hairdresser who cut my hair understood immediately what my problems were with my hair. She also said "hair that is long pulls down and hair that is short is easy to get some volume in it!"

"The style is great except that I need some sort of gel to place in it and then model it".

I recommended that Lenny check out Phyto, Rene Furterer, John Frieda and Got2Be products.

Picking Your Ideal Hairstyle

There are several things that can be learned from Lenny's experiences looking for a new hairstyle.

1. Do your research before you visit the stylist. Look at magazine photos, look at galleries on the Web (Hair Boutique has many).

One great way to find the best style for your face shape is to buy fashion, beauty and hair magazines and look through them for examples of hairstyles that you like and think would be flattering to your face shape and hair texture.

2. Don't rush into a change. Give yourself time to think about what would look best.

3. Take all the factors of your hairstyle into considerations including hair length, texture, color and any quirks. Lenny was very in tune with her need to deal with fine, thin hair that flips at the ends.

4. Consider maintenance and styling upkeep. There is not point in adopting a style that will take 30 minutes to re-create every morning if time is an issue for you.

5. Don't be afraid to wear your hair any length that you like. Long hair can be worn just as easily as short or medium length hair as long as you wear your hair "forward" onto your face to create a softer appearance.

One trend that is definitely emerging in the hair and beauty industry is individuality.

If you see a style that you love and it doesn't fit the "rules" wear it anyhow. Or modify the style slightly so that it works well for your face.

6. One thing to keep in mind is to find a style that you enjoy. There is no point is selecting "the perfect style" if it is impossible to maintain or you don't enjoy wearing.

7. Make a special hairstyle scrapbook of the styles you like best and then take the entire book to your stylist and ask them to advise you on some styles.

8. Work with your stylist to make sure you get the style that you have in mind. If you don't have a stylist that you trust, make an appointment for a consultation first to discuss your desired style. Then once you feel good about the selected stylist, go back for the new style.

The bottom line is to have fun with your hair. If you are happy with your look, whether it fits the rules or not, you will look better because you will be pleased with yourself.

Hairstyling Don'ts - 10 Top Hairstyle Tips

Knowing what not to do to your is just as important as what you do to create the hair of your dreams. Like everything in life, there are dos and don'ts.

Listed below are the top 10 ten actions you don't want to take when it comes to

1. Don't go to the salon unprepared to request the hairstyle you wish to wear.

Many hair consumers mistakenly believe that their hairdresser can work miracles, can read their mind and can instantly pick out the best hairstyle for them.

There are many variables to consider when it comes to selecting a hairstyle and it is up to the hair consumer to do their homework and research their own hair options. Face shape, lifestyle and budget all play into the final style selected.

2. Don't select a hairstyle or haircut that is impossible to maintain at home on your own.

While many Hollywood celebrities have a expert hairdresser at their fingertips to make sure their tresses look paparazzi perfect, most consumers have to deal with their hair without those constant hairdressing services.

3. Don't skimp on proper hair care or hair styling products

Some lines sold in drugstores may work for some types of hair and some styles. However, if you have highlighted or chemically processed hair or require added volume or control, the less expensive non-salon lines might not do the trick and could make styling your hair a constant challenge.

Consider your options. You may be able to compromise by buying both mass market and high quality products and alternate between them for best results. Or maybe your hairstyle requires high quality hair care lines. Be honest and don't work hard to achieve a great style only to undermine it with products that don't support it.

Ashlee Simpson's Hair: Light & Dark

As sweet blonde Cecilia on WB's 7th Heaven, Ashlee Simpson, "Ash" to her friends and family, is one part America's Sweetheart and one part rocker as MTV's star of her own reality TV series.

Struggling against being type cast as blonde Superstar Jessica Simpson's baby sister, the 19 year old actress and rapidly emerging rock diva, recently opted for the ultimate over-the-top instant image transformation which was recorded on her MTV reality show.

Ashlee did, what so many people do, when they want to make a dramatic change. She decided to color her locks.

Consulting by phone with her longtime New York based celebrity colorist, Rita Hazan, the TV star decided to ditch her 7th Heaven girl-next-door buttery blonde tresses for a dramatic, dark chocolate, Patti Smith inspired hue.

Ashlee is a huge fan of Patti's and would love to cultivate a similar image and style of performance.

Rita, who is also the long time colorist of Jessica, Jennifer Lopez, Brooke Shields and Carmen Electra, confided from her namesake NY salon that LA based Ashlee "wanted me to personally do the dark color transformation for her" but because of impossible "scheduling and timing" conflicts "I just couldn't get to her".

although big sis Jessica was temporarily brunette with the help of Hazan, a few years back, Ashlee's famous sibling adores being blonde. In fact, its fairly well-known that hubby Nick Lachey prefers Jessica in highlighted blonde hues and longer lengths.

according to Ken Paves, her longtime celebrity hairdresser, Ashlee's switch from vanilla to dark chocolate color was not all that surprising since "Ash is a young woman who has a very strong sense of her own style and definitely knows how she likes to wear her hair".

Ken, who coifs many of the biggest superstars such as Jessica, Carmen Electra, Celine Dion and Christina Applegate, has been working with Ashlee for "many years".

With A Little Help From Her Friends

Once filming on the WB series was completely wrapped, the 19 year old Libran boldly decided to do her own color change in the privacy of her home, with some long distance encouragement from Rita and a one-step hair color kit.

While her walk on the hair color dark side was easily and beautifully accomplished, the first four episodes of MTV's The Ashlee Simpson Show caught the star with her former buttery blonde tresses intact.

On the second MTV episode, Ashlee was filmed suffering through an early morning hair trauma as she prepared to shoot a music video with singer/songwriter Ryan Cabrera.

Her still blonde locks were curled and crimped by an unnamed hairdresser into an overdone coif that wigged out the rising rockster.

With the loving assistance of her ever devoted mom Tina, Ashlee was instantly suspended over a bathtub to wash her hair, successfully escaping the stigma of the disastrous do.

Extending Her New Hair Style

After she achieved her gorgeous dark chocolate transformation, hairdresser Paves was like a proud papa making sure that everyone knew that Ashlee did the new color all by herself.

In the past Ken, has styled Ashlee's hair, for major media and red carpet events. He also helped shortcut a painful growing out stage by adding custom extensions around her face line to add instant length to her bangs.

Shortly after her journey to the brunette side of the world, Ken added a series of matching chocolaty hair extensions. The perfectly applied extensions gave the adorable star more length and volume to her chunky, choppy layered style, which Ken had originally created for her.

Back To Her Roots - Sort Of

Ironically, when Ashlee returns for her third season as Cecilia on 7th Heaven, she will be required to return to her character's long standing baby blonde locks.

Rita Hazan confirmed that she "will be taking Ashlee back into the world of blondes before filming resumes on the WB hit show in the late Summer". I

Rita explained "the producers of 7th Heaven have a vision of what the character of Cecilia should look like and one key ingredient is soft, beautiful blonde locks".

Both Rita and Ken have stated they really love Ashlee's new edgy brunette style. Not only does it make her look older than her 19 years (Ashlee turns 20 on October 3) it truly shows off her edgy rockster inner style.

Ashlee herself has commented in the media that she prefers herself in the darker locks, as did most of the cast of 7th Heaven, many of her friends and family members.

Her Fans Prefer Her As A Blonde

Oddly, many of her fans prefer the blonde Ashlee to the brunette version.

Of the 1,379 people that voted in a recent poll on Hairboutique.com, 677 or 49.09% indicated that they preferred Ashlee in her former blonde shade. A total of 272 pollsters or 19.72% preferred her new brunette hue while 138 or 10.01% thinks she is gorgeous in either blonde or brunette shades. Approximately 21.17% or 292 respondents simply don't care whether she was blonde or brunette.

The majority or 49.09% of the respondents to the poll liked Ashlee best as a blonde. Maybe because they identify with her as Cecilia on 7th Heaven, or maybe they just believe that she looks more beautiful in her lighter hues.

Summary

Regardless whether Ashlee is blonde, brunette or some other color, watch for this high energy, kooky but fun, rockster to make her own way into superstardom.

Long Hairstyles - Moon Bloodgood - How To

Actress Moon Bloodgood was born Korinna Moon Bloodgood on September 20, 1975 in Anaheim, California. The beautiful long tresses performer has a mixed heritage of Korean, Irish and Dutch.

Most recently Moon was co-starring in the NBC TV series Journeyman as Livia Beale. Sadly the sci-fi style show was cancelled in December and will not be coming back now that the writer's strike has ended, which is very unfortunate for Blood's many fans.

The Journeyman series was based on the premise of time travel. Moon, staring as Livia, was one of the time travelers. In fact, in several of the episodes Blood as Livia had a series of meetings with her former finance, Dan Vasser, played by Kevin McKidd.

Moon, as she is called, previously co-starred on Day Break as Rita Shelton. Ironically, the Day Break series, now cancelled, involved a day that recurred over and over again.

The Day Break show was similar in its premise to the popular show, 24.

Moon's acting career started in 1997. In the past she has had a guest role on the popular show Monk as well as CSI. She has confessed to fact she is struggling to build a body of acting work feeling that she is really new to the acting game.

Getting Blood Moongood's
Long Hairstyle:

Blood Moongood's tresses, in Journeyman, were worn in a series of long and lush hairstyles, cascading down towards the top of her waist with hints of loose waves. Blood wore her hair off her face, creating a beautiful frame around her gorgeous square shaped face.

Blood's long hair style would work best on people with natural wave or movement that is medium thick.

Naturally curly hair could wear this style if it was first straightened and then hot ironed to recreate waves. Stick straight strands could wear this style with a little help from hot rollers and curling irons.

It appears that Blood has some slight layering around her hairline, along the sides and in the back that extends down in ribbons around the base of her neck.

In an interview about her role on Day Break Moon told TV Guide that part of the challenge on that show was the fact that her hair had to constantly look the same because she was living the same day over and over.

Not only did she report that her hair had to look exactly the same, her highlights, which she mentioned, also had to look identical. She agreed the need to keep her hair exactly the same for all the episodes drive her "a little crazy".

How To Recreate The Hairstyle:

Blood Moongood appears to have natural texture and bend in her long tresses. On Journeyman, as well as for red carpet events, Blood usually wears her hair long and with either soft waves or straight.

Her base color is a light caramel with ribbons of light cream interwoven around her crown and her face line. She also appears to have light chocolate lowlights in the underlying layers.

Blood's wave infused hairstyle can be created on long strands with the help of hot rollers and/or curling irons.

Complete the following steps listed below:

Step 1: Shampoo and condition your hair with your normal products designed for your current hair type, texture and condition.

If your hair is highlighted like Moon's use either a moisture enhanced or color enriched formula. If your hair is dry from chemical processing, consider diluting the shampoo formula to protect your strands.

Shampoo products to try: Phyto - Phytojoba Hydrating Shampoo, PHYTO - Dry Hair System, Phyto - PhytoBrush Shampoo. If you have baby fine or thin hair and wish to build in the same lush movement and volume that Julie has, use a volume enhancing shampoo.

Skip any rinse-out conditioning products that might make hair too soft and flat. If you must use a rinse-out conditioner, make sure that you limit how much you use and that you concentrate on the middle to the ends. Rinse well with a cool water spray which helps build natural volume and increases shine.

Step 2: Towel blot strands. Do not rub wet hair which is more fragile and can break. Detangle strands from the ends to the roots.

Step 3: Apply your favorite texture enhancing mousse or styling cream. Distribute from the top of the ears to the ends. Distribute well. If you prefer, mix with a good leave-in conditioner for super shine and softness. To protect against blow drying heat and add body, distribute a leave-in conditioner, mousse or gel from the top of the ears to the ends. Distribute well.

If your hair is fine or thin, apply a volumizing gel or similar products to the roots to get lots of body and movement.

If your hair tends to frizz or is naturally wavy or curly, you may wish to combine a volume product for the roots with a smoothing serum for the rest of the hair. Anti-Frizz Product to try: Rene Furterer - Control Emulsion Anti-Frizz)

Root volume products to try: Phyto - Phytovolume Actif, PHYTO - Volume System, Phyto - Phytovolume Shampoo).

Step 4: If your hair is naturally wavy and/or curly, use a long finger diffuser to create a natural wavy style.

Working from side to side and separating hair into 2" sections, use a long finger diffuser attached to a blow dryer and allow strands to nestle into the bowl to dry and enhance natural waves.

Continue to use diffuser until entire head of hair is dry. Avoid touching hair as little as possible to prevent frizz.

Step 5: If your hair is naturally straight you will need to build in volume at the roots for a more balanced look with the waves forming at the middle of the strands and cascading towards the ends.

To build in volume at the roots, use the round brush to lift your tresses up and direct the air flow from the dryer up the hair shaft to the root. This "ruffles the cuticle" helping to add natural fullness.

If you prefer, bend over at the waist and direct the air flow of the dryer up the hair shaft towards the roots. When hair is 90% dry, bend right side up and work on the hair from the ears down to the ends.

Seal the style by finishing up with a blast of cool air, if possible, from your blow dryer.

Step 6: If you used a long finger diffuser to create natural waves, once your hair is completely dry, use your fingers to very carefully arrange waves into the desired pattern. If you wish, you may use a large barrel curling iron to create more defined waves.

Step 7: If you used a round brush, when hair is completely dry separate into 2" sections and roll with medium to large sized electric rollers. Let rollers cool in the hair. Remove and arrange new curls and waves with fingers. Use a Marcel style curling iron to form right ringlets.

Step 8: Spray the finished style with a good holding hairspray.

Hairspray to try: PhytoPro - Instant Hold Spray #15).

Step 9: Apply a tiny drop of shine serum, drops or spray into the palms of your hands. Lightly brush the palms over the top of your style and you are ready to rock.

Shine products to try: Phyto - PhytoLisse (Formerly Phytodefrisant RelaxSerum)

If you prefer, you can use a curling iron to turn under the ends a little bit or use a straight iron on selected pieces around the face to give a contrasting texture to the finished look.

Note: Hairstyles-&-Hair-Style-Articles - Visit our section devoted to hairstyles.

Summary

Moon Bloodgood has a natural wave to her hair and she wears it long with an array of wave patterns. For her role as Livia Beale her hair was almost always worn down and brushed off her face.

She favors an off-center part which works well with her square face shape.

Unfortunately the fate of Journeyman is up in the air. If this show is cancelled don't worry about Blood's acting opportunities. Expect to see this lovely performer and her stunning long lush wavy hairstyles dominate the acting world in the very near future.

Best Prom Dresses And Best Hairstyles

Prom Dresses will surely be a big part of your entire look. But so will your hairstyle which explains why we are going to speak about these two factors. If you're searching for some amazing ideas for hairstyles for this prom, take some inspiration from the red carpet. Hair accents have struck the red carpet with a vengeance this year plus they are sure to add some additional pizzazz to your prom hair. Try adding an a pretty tiara, fancy clips, rhinestone combs, a flower, or a ribbon headband to quickly move your own style from dull to lovely.

You can try the Looped Ponytail. This easy, glamorous style can have you prepared and out the door in less than 30 minutes. First, tug your hair upwards to a high ponytail. When you have curly or wavy hair, straighten it by using a flat iron first. Tame any stray hairs or frizz by simply spraying the top of your hair with a spray gel and lightly brushing it down flat. When your hair is glossy and smooth, split the ponytail into three areas. Roll each section below and pin each with a couple of bobby pins or hair clips in a completely different direction. Be creative with the directions; there are no rules regarding how this style must look. To finish your look, include a flower, attractive hair clip, or even a pretty tiara.

According to what you are motivated to get for prom night, the prom gown is most likely going to be the most expensive item on your list. The dress is so hard to price given that there's every type of good quality out there, and that means you may spend anywhere from $75 to $500 for your gown. But does it imply that a dress is really worth what you spend for it? It sometimes does, sometimes it doesn't. Fact is, it isn't about the cost, but about the quality, appearance, and feel of the dress.

You'll find gowns that you spend a fortune for, but they're rubbish; and there are dresses that are perfect treasures, and are quite literally deals. Whatever you end up paying, keep in mind that prom is definitely a special night, and that you wouldn't like to look like something the cat's been messing with. And definitely don't forget: cost is not the last word on level of quality!

Prom dresses need to be selected with care. In order to avoid the sizing dilemma, always check at a manufacturer's size charts for homecoming dresses. These list the Bust, Waistline, and Hip dimensions for each and every size. It is usually better to choose the size that fits to the biggest of your bust, waist, or hip measurements. Basically, when you are a size 36 bust and a size 26 waist, and the dimensions chart says size 36 busts equals size 8, but size 26 waist equals size 6, and then buy size 8. You can often have the waist taken in afterward. The thing is that you just can't always get the bust line (or other dimension) taken out since there might not be enough fabric.

Hair removal

Hair removal may be classified by different criterions, for example, location (facial, body, bikini), removal type (waxing, shaving, plucking) or by type of hair (vellum or terminal). Knowing what type of hair you will be removing will help you choose the way of performing the procedure.

Vellum hair is soft, fine and short. This type of hair usually appears on women back, chest or face and they are so small that the removal is only optional, unless you have a darker complexion, which can make them more visible. Terminal hair is coarser, darker and longer. It's the hair that grows on your head, legs, armpits and bikini zone.

Laser hair removal, plucking or waxing is the most recommended methods for vellum hair removal. It might be more painful, but the effect will last longer and hair won't get thicker (the effect shaving causes).

erminal hair can be removed by using such methods as shaving, plucking, depilatories, waxing, electrolysis, laser and prescription treatment. The choice of methods depends on your ability to deal with pain, area you want to clean and your financial capabilities.

Shaving is cheap and won't cause you any pain. Yet the effect won't last so long (1 to 3 days) and you'll have to do it again and again. It is very comfortable in a way that you do not have to make any appointments with anybody. The major drawback is that you can't shave them until they reach a certain length.

Plucking lasts long (from 3 to 8 weeks), yet it's really painful and takes time. As far as you can pluck only one hair at a time removing hair from your legs would probably take a whole day. Plucking is recommended on small areas such as eyebrows, upper lip and chin.

Depilatories are inexpensive and won't cause you any pain. The effect lasts from several days to two weeks. They can be used on any area, yet you have to be very careful when purchasing one, because it usually has a lot of chemical components. It's not recommended for people who have sensitive skin.

Waxing is probably the most painful method of hair removal, however, the effect is long lasting (from 3 to 6 weeks). For some people it may cause skin redness, inflammation and bumps, yet these effects will not take long to disappear, leaving smooth skin.

Electrolysis is permanent, yet it takes time for you to see the actual effect and you have to make appointments for that. It's usually used only for small areas such as upper lip, eyebrows and underarms. The procedure is painful and may cause dry skin, scabs, scarring and inflammation. Also, electrolysis is expensive, being the only permanent hair removal method.

Laser hair removal is expensive and painless, with the effect lasting for about 6 months.

Waxing Tips and Getting Rid of Unwanted Hair Techniques

Who doesn’t like to get rid of unwanted hair and feel the comfort of soft silky skin? However, a lot of people are still not comfortable with this act and think twice, especially when it comes to waxing.

Waxing, even though a bit painful, is one of the most favored and effective methods of hair removal. It is also the longest lasting temporary hair removal technique available. There are two types of waxing techniques – hot waxing and cold waxing. Hot waxing is the common method of waxing performed in salon while cold waxing is preferred by most people at home. However, hot or warm waxing is more effective than cold waxing.

Waxing involves a minimum amount of discomfort. However, following some easy to follow directions and simple tips you can perform this method perfectly. And once you experience the benefits of this hair removing technique, you would perhaps not think of any other means of hair removal but waxing.

Tips while preparing for a wax

Whether you use hot wax or cold wax you must make sure that the hair is atleast 1/8 of an inch for hair to be embedded by the wax. You must also make sure that the skin is clean and thoroughly dry to get the best waxing results. Also ensure that the wax is not over heated, as it might cause a skin burn. The consistency of the wax should be like honey. However, to avoid mess try using disposable cellophane strips rather than the traditional cloth ones.

Tips on applying wax during waxing

You should try and test a small area before proceeding with a large one to make sure that there are no allergic reactions. Also make sure to apply the wax in the same direction as that of the hair growth. While removing the wax strip make sure to pull it against the direction parallely and not straight up to the body.

Post wax tips

Applying hand pressure on the waxed area helps in soothing the skin. A lotion or the application of oil on the skin also does well. A lot of people tend to suffer from redness or itchiness just after a wax. Applying an ice pack can be the solution to this problem.

Many a times it happens that the skin appears darker after a wax. One should avoid exposing the waxed area to the sun for a minimum of 24 hours or use a good sun blocker with a high SPF.

Also make sure that you avoid waxing before and during your menstrual cycle, as the skin is much more sensitive during that period than what it is normally.

Avoid waxing sun burned skin as well because it has a tendency to come off. People suffering from diabetes or teenagers prone to acne should also avoid waxing.

If one follows these tips religiously and is also regular with the process, not only does the hair become softer but the growth of hair also lessens considerably.

Laser Hair Removal Tips and Treatments

With the modern methods becoming the hype of the day, laser hair removal treatments remove your hair so efficiently that it imparts you with a fresh skin and soft look. The main advantage of laser hair removal is it removes and destroys your hair permanently and gives you a wonderful feel. Laser hair removal functions by sending a beam of laser light to the hair follicles with enough power to destroy the roots but never destroys the surrounding area.

The laser hair removal is also called photothermolysis, which only targets the hair and not the skin. The laser hair removal uses items like gel, spray and cooling items that cools the surrounding skin from getting burned. So laser hair removal is a safe and easy process that relieves you permanently of all hairs. The laser beam basically targets the melanin that gives dark hair color to the skin. But hair removal by Laser is not basically electrolysis.

Tips for getting the best laser hair removal procedures

Laser hair removal is effective only on hairs that are visible. However following are the Laser hair removal tips that make you feel fresh and wonderful:
 At least two to three days before the laser hair removal procedure, you should shave the area and allow it to grow stubble.
 Avoid waxing and plucking the hair a few days before the Laser treatments.
 To avoid all discomfort apply a thick layer of over-the-counter cream with anesthetic lidocaine to your skin at least an hour before the treatment.
 In case after the treatment you are suffering from pain, swelling, redness, blisters, scarring and skin discoloration then visit the doctor immediately to get the best results.
 Before undergoing the Laser hair removal services, you should check on the efficiency of the doctor, equipments, and services and do a skin test.
 Inquire on what kind of laser is good for you and what type of pain relievers are present with the doctors in the clinic.
 You should look for the terms and conditions in the treatment papers, know the ways that will be applied on you, make sure of the prices of each process and then sign the papers for the Laser hair removal treatments.
 To reduce the risks of complications in Laser hair removal, you should not take medications like aspirins, and other non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, and dietary supplements like niacin and vitamin E.
 If you have a tan from intense UV sunrays then wait for the tan to get over and then go for Laser hair removal.
 You should wear goggles to protect your eyes from accidental exposure to laser lights.

When you go for Laser hair removal processes you should opt for newer neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser, which basically suits every skin type. If you are interested in removing light or gray hair you can go for a method called intense pulsed light that uses a broad spectrum of non-laser light. Whatever skin type you have this process promises perfect results and always prevents abnormal scarring, allergies, excessive sun exposures and herpes infection.

Now experience laser hair removal tips to feel completely free of all unwanted hairs in your body.

Choose The Best Hair Color For You – Change Your Look Completely

Coloring the hair in different shades has taken the world by sweeps. Whether one is old or young, coloring the hair changes the entire appearance dramatically. Often people color their hair first and then go for a series of clothes to match with their hair color. With a change in hair color, you simply look a world different from your present looks. So if you want to give that different touch to yourself then quickly go for a hair color change to get the best results.

Hair color looks best when it suits the complexion, matches exactly with your dresses and looks perfect to your personality. Pale skins suit any type of hair color. If you have pink skin then opt for ash tones to neutralize your complexion. A streak of deep red here and a golden there will change your look completely. Avoid yellow, orange and gold streaks for getting the perfect look. If you have short hair then avoid highlights and color it completely to impart a rich texture to your look.

Ways of coloring your hair

When you want to color your hair, you should know whether you want it permanently or for temporary uses. When you want permanent color, it should be mixed with hydrogen peroxide to lift hair color. When you want semi-permanent or temporary color, you can either vary the tone within natural highlights or get darker streaks.

Tips to get the best hair color

To get the best hair color, you should know your skin tone and how the color will suit you.
Here are some tips that will help you get the best hair color for yourself:
 If you have blonde skin complexion, then opt for virgin dark brown hair color.
 If you have a very fair complexion and dashy personality then opt for rich red [brunette] hair color for the best.
 Colors like chocolate-brown, dark blonde, and bronze shades of honey look good on natural toned complexions.
 Black hair color looks simply awesome on people with olive skin types and darker complexions.
 If you have gray hairs, then use any color of your choice ranging from blond, black, lavender, red, green, to different shades of brown to give a perfect look to yourself.

Your hair color can also depend upon the color of your eyes. If you have gray, brown, or blue eye color, then use shades like blond and black to look good.

Tips to get funky hair colors

If you want to be that special in an entire crowd or want to give a Halloween look to yourself, then the best way is to bleach your hair.
After bleaching, get the following hair colors for yourself to get the best effects:
 Get special effects hair color like electric blue or fluorescent colors of orange and green to look simply stunning.
 The punk hair colors are wonderful for they get washed away after a second shampoo. So you can change your hair color after the particular occasion is over.

Causes Of Hair Loss And A Permanent Solution

Thinning hair and baldness afflict millions. These conditions are caused by several main factors:
1. African-Americans and others who style their hair in “corn rows” or tight braids often suffer hair loss, because chronic pulling of the hair follicles (roots) slowly destroys them. This usually results in permanent hair loss of the frontal scalp. 2. Pattern baldness is a genetic condition that usually afflicts men but also occurs to a lesser degree in women. This condition, also known as male pattern baldness, is caused by excessive amounts of the hormone DHT, which attacks and destroys hair follicles, causing baldness on the top of the head.
Excess DHT is caused by too much testosterone in the blood. This may occur naturally or be caused by certain pills and supplements.
3. Hair loss may occur as a side effect of some medications and certain medical conditions. These include thyroid and anemic disorders. Hair will probably stop falling out if the medication is discontinued or the gland or organ is restored to normalcy, but in areas where hair follicles have died, hair won’t regrow and a person may be left with permanently thinned hair or bald spots. Many of the pills, potions, gimmicks and gadgets on the market claiming to restore hair are ineffective or downright fraudulent. A few of them may produce some hair, often of marginal quality, but that hair may fall out when the drug or treatment is discontinued.
Hair transplantation, or hair replacement surgery, is the one solution to hair loss that is permanent and that does not depend on ongoing, expensive medications or therapy.
Hair transplantation is accomplished by making a small strip incision in an area where hair is plentiful, usually back of the head. This hair is plentiful because it has been genetically programmed to grow throughout life (even in cases of pattern baldness). This donor area is then sutured shut, with hair concealing it. Each small donor strip contains as many as three-thousand hair follicles. These are harvested, separated into units of two or three hairs, and inserted into tiny incisions in the bald areas of the scalp. The surgery requires just a local anesthetic. In most cases, two three-to-five-hour sessions are sufficient. In many cases patients are happy with just one or two sessions since the genetically fecund transplanted hair follicles will produce hair for the rest of one’s life. Unfortunately for the unsuspecting public, it takes a bit of sleuth work to find a knowledgeable and highly experienced doctor. Such doctors are rare, and most people naively assume that plastic surgeons and dermatologists who do a few hair replacement surgeries a month will do a good job. Others fall for hair transplant companies that are merely sales offices, many importing inexperienced doctors. The results can be disastrous: “doll’s head hair,” (unnatural-looking plugs or tufts of hair), freakish hairlines, scarring, and flaps.
So How To Find A Specialist Hair Surgery Doctor?
1. Look for a doctor whose sole focus is hair replacement and who performs this type of surgery every day, having performed thousands of procedures throughout his career. If a doctor is part of a large group working for a transplant company, or has been in practice just a few years, he may not be able to fulfill this criterion. Don’t be afraid to ask how many cases the doctor has personally performed.
2. Ask if you may observe a procedure.
3. Most importantly, ask for the names of many, many patients whom you may call.
If you meet resistance in obtaining any of this information, look elsewhere. You are not buying a car. You are making a decision which will determine your appearance for the rest of your life. If you insist on the best, you will be delighted with the results. Consulted From: Articlealley.com

Are You Losing Your Hair?

We tend to think of it as a guy thing. But some experts believe that dramatically thinning hair--the fallout (literally) from stress, poor nutrition, an underlying medical condition, harsh hair treatments, or heredity, among other causes--is as common in women as it is in men.
Roughly half of all women over age 40 experience excessive hair loss. And one study estimates that it occurs in 75 percent of women over age 65.Perhaps you've noticed a few extra hairs in the sink after a combing. Or maybe your scalp appears a little more visible when you emerge from the shower. If you fear that your hair may be thinning significantly, read on to learn more about hair loss in women--what causes it, what it looks like, and what you can do about it.

What's Causing My Hair Loss?
The most common type of hair loss from the scalp (as opposed to hair loss all over the body) is androgenetic alopecia (AA), or pattern baldness. When it occurs in men, it's called male-pattern baldness; in women, it's female-pattern baldness. AA accounts for 95 percent of all cases of head-only hair loss and it results when, for reasons science hasn't identified, hair follicles become sensitive to the hormone androgen.

Who Gets It?
AA is hereditary. A history of the condition in men or women on either side of your family (not just your mom's side, as most people believe) increases your risk of developing it and also influences the age at which your hair loss begins, the speed with which it occurs, and its pattern and extent. But a family history isn't always a factor: About 12 percent of people with AA have no trace of it in their family trees.

What Does It Look Like?
Alopecia means baldness. But women with AA rarely go completely bald, as some men do. Most often a woman's hair simply thins gradually and diffusely on the top of or all over her head. In both men and women, AA is permanent and continues with aging.
What Can I Do?
Be sure to consult an expert who can help determine why your hair is thinning so you can treat the problem correctly. To find a physician in your area who specializes in diseases of the skin and hair, check out the American Academy of Dermatology Web site. Click on Find a Dermatologist to search by state, city, area code, zip code, or last name.
In the meantime, however:
Don't Be Afraid to Wash Your Hair
It won't lead to hair loss.

Avoid Brushing or Teasing
Both can lead to hair loss. Use a wide-toothed comb instead.

Try a New 'Do
A style with layers will help your hair look fuller. You can even perm or color your hair; medically, there's no reason not to. Just avoid a weave or any other style that can put prolonged tension on your hair or cause it to break, which can lead to further hair loss.

Am I Losing It?
The truth is, you are--everyone is. Most of us shed 50 to 150 hairs a day. Once a hair is shed, a new hair from the same follicle replaces the lost strand--unless you have AA. AA occurs when the rate of hair shedding exceeds the rate of hair regrowth, or when the new hair shafts that grow in are thinner than the previous ones, making your mane look progressively less thick.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
You can experience temporary hair loss, and unlike androgenetic alopecia, it's not gradual. Here are two for-women-only causes of temporary hair loss.

Giving Birth
During pregnancy, the rise in hormones sends hair into its resting phase, so hair that would naturally fall out doesn't. Several months after delivery, hormones return to normal, and some women experience an increase in hair loss (all over the head, not just at the top). This can last between 1 and 6 months; then, it usually corrects itself.

Starting the Pill
Some women lose hair while taking birth control pills. The reasons: shifting hormone levels (caused by the Pill) and heredity. If this happens to you, talk to your gynecologist about switching to a different Pill or birth control method.

How To Stop Hair Loss and Prevent Hair Baldness

Possessing dense and luxuriant mane covering the scalp is the dream of us all. However, very often this dream is eclipsed by the nightmare of large scale hair loss. It brings with it worries and depression. We start to desperately look for ways and means to check this menace completely or at least curb it.

It may be mentioned that a certain rate of hair fall i.e. loss of a number of hair strands per day is normal. However, when it exceeds a certain limit then it becomes a cause of concern and is considered as a problem.

Causes of hair loss and their remedies

The causes of hair loss may be many. Very often some internal malady may be the root cause. This needs to be ascertained. Bringing into effect the proper preventive treatments can stop hair loss even before it begins by detecting the symptoms. Diseases like lupus or diabetes are a cause for hair loss. The hair loss serves as an early indication of the disease. The hair loss gets treated alongside the treatment of the disease.

Hair loss can also be the side effect of certain medication. When the administration of such medicines producing hair loss is discontinued the hair loss also stops.

Lack of proper nutrition- inadequate intake of vitamins, minerals, proteins etc. may cause hair loss. Ensuring proper nutrition usually checks such hair loss.

As after effect of a major surgery or illness you may lose much hair. However, this loss is considered to be temporary and is associated to the illness or stress borne by the surgical operation carried out. Post pregnancy hair loss is also commonly heard of. This is due to some temporary hormonal changes which soon ceases. Otherwise the help of a doctor is required.

Hormonal imbalances may result in hair loss. The malfunctioning of the thyroid glands may cause hair loss. Attending to the particular type of hormonal problem and adequate treatment provided for it helps overcome the excessive hair loss too.

Treatments of hair loss are carried out as per the nature and correct cause of the problem. A proper diagnosis which may include blood tests and biopsy needs to be done for detecting the problem.

Hair loss arising from some infection of the scalp can be treated as per prescription from a doctor. Medicines are available for retarding or preventing the development of baldness by hair loss. It takes some time to find out the efficacy of such drugs.

It must be borne in mind that there is a hereditary factor too which may be working behind hair loss and baldness. This is also observed to be more prevalent in case of men. This is not easy to counteract.

It may be that no suitable treatment can stop the hair loss and baldness develops. In such cases persons concerned about their personal beauty and aesthetics with regards to their crowning glory may opt for a wig or a hairpiece. New techniques of hair grafting and hair weaving can also be sought resort to.

How to Control Curly Hair in Summer?

First of all, understand that if you were born with curly hair, 90 percent (if not more) women with straight hair have been jealous of your hair at some point. Women with limp, stick-straight hair spend hours of their lives with curling irons trying to mimic what comes naturally to you. How do I know this? I have straight hair. I own four curling irons.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, there are pros and cons to having curly hair. The pros include body and the fact you don't suffer from Oily Hair Syndrome and therefore have to wash your hair every day. The cons include frizz and Puffy Hair Syndrome, which tends to happen in high humidity and when the hairdresser gets too snip-happy. But there are secrets to living with curly hair and I've discovered every single one of them.

Secret #1:

Thou Shalt Not Fight Your Natural Curl on Humid Days
If you're in a hot, humid climate, you might as well put away your flat iron. You might spend hours straightening your hair, only to step outside and ... POOF!

So what to do in humid climes? Embrace the curl. We'll get more into that in a bit.

Secret #2:

If You Want to Go Straight, You Can One of the great benefits to curly hair is with a little bit of muscle or chemicals, you can go straight. Nicole Kidman has been sporting stick straight hair on the red carpet for years now, but the truth is, she has super curly hair. There are several types of professional hair straightening available, it's just a matter of finding one that fits into your budget and your hair texture. The solution used is much like a perm, only instead of curly hair, it straightens it.

Even after a professional straightening, you'll likely need to iron hair. Invest in a great ionic flat iron --it's much less time-consuming and a great iron won't fry your hair.

Secret #3:
No, You are Not Destined for a Life Full of Frizz
As you likely well know by now, humidity can wreak havoc on curly hair. Curly hair tends to be dry and therefore vulnerable to humid air -- it simply wants to soak up moisture. This causes cuticles to expand, which causes frizz.
The secret to keeping frizz at bay involves a few products: a leave-in conditioner, a deep conditioner and a styling product involving silicone. If you have curly hair, these should be staples in your bathroom cabinet. All either keep the hair moisturized or protects the cuticle from moisture.

Preventing frizz is basically a four-step process: deep condition once a week. Apply a leave-in conditioner to ends after a shower. When styling hair, apply a serum that contains silicone (look for "dimethicone" on the bottle) to wet hair, coating every curl.

Secret #4:
There are Right Ways & Wrong Ways to Use a Blow Dryer
The blow dryer can be a curly girl's nightmare if used improperly. To avoid poof, let hair airdry as long as possible, then blow dry hair with a diffuser. If you don't use a diffuser, aim the blow dryer nozzle downward, in the direction hair grows.
How to use a diffuser: Hold the dryer under hair, squeezing curls in your palm as you dry hair.

Secret #5:
Throw Out That Brush & Invest in a Comb
A comb is your best friend, a brush is not. Some women swear off even the comb, preferring finger-combing (I know of one woman who swears she's never, ever combed or brushed her hair).
Combing hair is great, because it ensures you're coating locks with that silicone serum you have dutifully purchased.

Secret #6:
Curly Hair Looks Best Long-ish
Remember when actress Kerri Russell cut off her famous long, curly locks and the public went ballistic? Turns out her long hair was beloved and she just didn't look so great with short hair.
The problem with short hair on curly women is that short hair doesn't look good. That's all a matter of face shape. The fact is short hair tends to be poofy. Curls need length to weigh them down, so women with curly hair tend look best with hair that grows below the shoulders. When I say "below the shoulders" I mean when hair is dry.

Secret #7:
The Most Flattering Type of Haircuts
Curly hair tends to look best with layers cut into it. Without layers, long curly hair tends to resemble a Christmas tree.
I almost always advise women to seek out stylists who are experienced in cutting curly hair. This can be daunting, I know, because if you call a salon and ask for such a thing you'll likely be assured that all the stylists can cut curly hair. If you admire another curly woman's hair, get her stylist's number. It could be the most coveted seven digits in your cell phone.

Extra tip: Stylists with curly probably know how to cut curly hair.

Secret #8:
Some Styles Look Better on You Than Anyone Else
Personally, I think ballerina bands, which are utterly hot right now, look best on women with curly hair. There are some romantic updos that I covet and that look good only on naturally curly hair. After all, when one thinks "romantic updo," the image conjured up in the mind is not a sleek chignon. It is curly hair pulled back and up. Just be careful with the tendrils, which are too '80s.
The half-up, half-down hairstyle is also very romantic and looks great on curly hair.

Also headbands. Headbands look fabulous with curly hair, which leads me to ...

Secret #9:
Headbands are an Excellent Choice When You're Short on Time
For curly-haired women short on time, a headband can be a lifesaver. If you pull hair back in a band while it's damp, it's a great way to "flatten" hair at the crown, leaving the curls at your hair's ends. Later you can pull off the hairband and you'll have gorgeous body.

Secret #10:
Loose Buns are Utterly Sexy
Because you abide by secret #5, chances are you have long hair and long hair looks fabulous pulled back in a loose bun. To get this look, simply pull hair back, then twist at the nape of the neck into a bun. Secure with a rubber band. Loose and messy is good, tendrils are not.

I Want Long Hair - NOW As told to Karen Shelton

Introduction

Ever since my hair all broke off about 5 months ago (we won't go into WHY it broke off) I have been considering hair extensions. (Before photo to the side)

I knew at that time that my hair was too short for them (it broke off about 1/4" from my scalp) but of course all that meant was I had plenty of time to research and think about hair extensions as an option for me.

While I waited for my hair to grow long enough (most hair extension professionals won't attach them until hair is at least 4-5" long) I looked on the net for more information. The HairBoutique.com site by far had the most information, with articles on the different types of hair and the different methods of attachment. They also offer many different opinions from many different experts who don't necessarily agree.

I chose to go with real human hair, because it looked the most real, and to have the hair extension expert recommended by HairBoutique.com in Dallas do the actual work.

My total cost was around $1,600.00. I realize that might be very expensive to some, but this is my hair I was thinking about. I wasn't going to skimp, and of course I had 5 months or so to save up for it :). After coming to a decision about those points, what I wanted was personal accounts. What did it feel like to have extensions? Could I brush my hair, wash my hair, sleep with them comfortably?

Alas, there are few places that have the answers to these types of questions.

So, before I relate my own experience of the actual attachment, I will address a few issues relating to hair extensions that others might be interested in.

Can I brush them?

Of course you can. I recommend using any soft bristle brush. In fact, I personally brush it thoroughly at least twice a day to prevent tangles and help distribute the scalp oils along the extensions to keep the hair shiny.

Basically, you can brush the hair, sleep on the hair, pull it up in a ponytail or a bun, anything you can do with hair that grew out of your head.

How long does my hair have to be?

My hair varied from 3-4" all over my head when I had mine attached, and this seemed plenty long. My hair is very thick, so I was lucky that they were able to attach additional extensions very far up on the crown of my head, which looks even more natural, as if it grew that way. If you are unsure, visit the extension artist you plan to use or send pictures, and they will tell you whether your hair is ripe for extensions.

Do I need to use special shampoos?

I was advised to avoid Redken CAT shampoo. For some reason this brand deteriorates the attachment bond that keeps the extension on the hair. All other shampoos were declared fit for use. I was told to add conditioner to the ends of the extensions, then comb through any tangles gently, follow with a shampoo on the scalp letting the suds rinse through the ends, then end with conditioner before a final rinse. My hair still feels great so far.

Do they start falling out?

It is normal to lose a few of the attachments as time goes on. A mass exodus of extensions leaving your head signals a problem, usually stemming from improper care or your own hair being too short to have extensions in the first place. If most of your extensions are falling out in large chunks, visit your extension artist to identify the problem. From my own experience, I am able to tug on the extensions quite fiercely and they stay quite attached.

What is they best type of extensions to get?

This is strictly a personal choice. I chose to use the HairBoutique.com hair extension expert because of his reputation as recommended by HairBoutique.com I chose real hair because the look I was going for was a natural, grew-out-of-my-head look. Different methods and different types of hair result in different looks and are available in varying price ranges. Shop around, and do some research to help you decide what is best for what you are trying achieve.

"Let's do this!"

I got off the plane at 12 noon and my dad picked me up. We were on our way to the hair extensions studio (located off 635 in Dallas, normally about a 20 minute drive from DFW airport) when ACK! Traffic jam! I was terrified I was going to be late but everything worked out fine and I made it on time.

When I came in the hair extension expert was probably more excited than I was! He greeted my father and I with a large smile and bundled me off into the studio while my father (who is not really interested in hair, bless his heart) escaped to I know not where for the duration of my appointment.

First my hair was washed clean of conditioner and styling products, then blow dried straight by a wonderful woman who would be doing one half of my head while the hair extension expert did the other.

The hair extension expert showed me the hair he planned on using and explained how the hair extension attachment method works. The hairs are grouped in little pieces of about 50 hairs a section, and attached close to the scalp.

He asked me how I usually styled my hair, and where I parted my hair so that he could assess how best to attach them so they would be hidden well. I told him I usually let my natural part (straight down the middle) go its own way and that I very rarely styled my hair in any type of updo.

He parted my hair down the middle, brushed it, then handed me the hair so I could see how nice it was, and to make sure I was pleased with the quality. I was, so we began.

The hair extension expert and his assistant sectioned my hair on each side and began the attachment process. They took small sections of about 50 hairs and attached the extension to these sections with a special device used to bond the hair extension to my own hair.

It did not hurt at all. He assured me that the bonding process DID NOT harm my own hair in any way. I was glad to hear this since my main motivation in getting the extensions is to cover up my own multi-length hair while I grow it out.

We took a break about two and a half hours into the session to grab coffee and stretch our legs. I looked rather comical walking around with half a head of long hair and short hair on top.

After we resumed, the hair extension expert and his assistant took stock of their progress and discussed how best to proceed. It was decided that since my own hair is so thick, they could continue to place extensions far up on my scalp and they would still be well hidden.

By doing this, they explained, it would help make it look more natural because I would have less blending to do with my own very short hair.

Another two hours of hair-adding later, they began to finish up my extensions. They added a few 'half pieces' around the top - pieces that are half the thickness to help blend in the line of where my own hair stopped and the extensions began.

This completed, he turned me around and... Wow! I had hair! Long hair! NICE hair!

He had me stand up and asked me how I would like it cut and/or styled.

I explained that I wanted to keep most of the length, so he cut a diagonal line across the front of the hair to add a little depth. Then a few well placed layers were added to help blend in the extensions, I received a good brushing, and then I was done.

In just four and a half hours I had hair that would normally take around two years - or more - to grow naturally.

I was very pleased with the work. I found that the hair extension expert and his assisnt were very interested in my hair. Their chief concern was my happiness with the outcome.

All during the process they instructed me on the care and feeding of my new hair. They also instructed me in the maintenance of my hair extensions which would be required if I wanted to continue to keep them after this set was removed.

I would absolutely recommend that anyone thinking about extensions, if you can afford it and you can get to Dallas, go there and have it done.

My only wish is that it didn't take so long! It took around 4 hours to do my entire head working from the bottom up, but of course with my thick hair I couldn't expect it to go quickly.

When I got home everyone at work couldn't believe how natural they looked, and I actually had to point out where the attachments were!

Some people thought it was rather weird that I would want some unknown person's hair on my head ("You don't know where that hair has been!" they cried) but I don't even think about it. In my mind it is just as much my hair as if it grew on its own.

Natural Dead Sea Products glow the Hair

Most products used on the skin of the Dead Sea are also a part of the skin and scalp are found useful for. And because the nature of the Dead Sea minerals, it does not irritate sensitive skin, what assurance is applied to any hair type. The discovery of the Dead Sea products in a much more focused on the skin can benefit. But we talk about hair care, Dead Sea of Spa products may be of great help. It is also the head of the Dead Sea minerals, natural, healthy glow can be restored will be found out. Dead in the head by applying the product, using the method of nature, do it.

Every day we are always exposed to a lot of pollution, so we created different chemical products and dangerous, we cannot put the life of the head. They can be shiny hair you notice that it will not last long. No staining of cellophane or greater. You can see that if you want naturally beautiful hair, naturally with the help of it. This negatively affects you a lot closer to what the goal will bring additional. Why Cosmetics Dead Sea products are very helpful for human health because of the Dead Sea salt contains about 10% of the sodium Beauty and the remainder is composed of minerals essential for health. When these minerals are extracted several benefits if we’re going there to get into the skin care products. Dead Sea products also their natural source, solar radiation, oxygen-rich atmosphere, and some geological phenomenon is useful because of the unique blend.

Dead Sea minerals, vitamins and aromatic oils, just as you would like to use the bath in the Dead Sea products, but it’s fun and rich. Then you use one, you can find again in the head with a glow and then apply them as general hair health extenders, you do not need to change consciousness. This is the benefit of the Dead Sea; natural beauty is a natural way to achieve. Dead Sea Mud and Dead Sea bath salts activate the glow of the head can help are two of the Dead Sea products. By applying to the scalp, strengthen hair roots and hair would fall would be reduced. It is also in the treatment of dandruff and oily hair will help. It is four times more for Premier Dead Sea Products other than cosmetics brand to different products to prove more effective. Dead Sea products for hair care oils, conditioners, serums, masks, creams and shampoos can be purchased in repairs. Because these products smell like honey, do not worry aloe Vera, avocado and desirable, and other common ingredients to produce the smell.