Help! What should I do with my bangs while I’m growing them out?
There’s no doubt that bangs are a girly, fun way to wear your hair, but the growing-out phase can be annoying. It’s hard not to want to tear your hair out when you’re goin’ fring-free.
But there’s plenty of ways to send your old hairstyle out with a bang. Here’s how to make grow-out time as stylish as ever!
Clip ‘em
Accessorize your strands! Pull your bangs out of your face in small portions and secure them with a simple bobby pin, a cute barrette or an embellished clip. You might need a couple pins, depending on how thick your bangs are, but this is a cute and fast fix.
Hide & Seek
Let your forehead see the sun by tucking your fringe under a headband. Use a dab of pomade or styling wax to smooth your bangs back with the rest of your hair, then slide the headband over top. No one will even know they’re hiding under there.
Swept Away
Wanna keep rockin’ those bangs but don’t want them quite so blunt? Have the best of both worlds with side-swept fringe. While your locks are still wet, part your hair on the side. Blow strands out with a round brush, making sure to sweep bangs to one side. Pin 'em off to the side to keep the shape pretty!
-Lauren Carney
BY CAITLIN R. ON 2/6/2010 7:00:00 AM 156 COMMENTS
Got a crazy case of static strands? You don’t have to wait ‘til summer to land the tresses you crave. Here are our best tricks for calming crazy hair.
Say see ya to static, and wear your fave hats and sweaters without furious flyaways.
Cold air carries less moisture, which makes it easier for your hair to collect positive charges. So, the skinny strands start to repel away from each other. Basically, you can blame science for your frizzy freakouts.
Luckily, we’ve got plenty of tricks to pull the plug on this experiment.
Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize
Use a leave-in conditioner to hydrate hair and leave it less susceptible to static. Avoid using hair tools, and skip the occasional shampoo to make sure your strands have plenty of natural oils (trust us, that’s a good thing).
Toss Your Plastic-Bristled Brush
Brushes made of hard rubber, metal, or natural fibers are better for your locks. Remember: avoid brushes with plastic bristles or risk increasing your static factor. Using a small amount of hairspray, either directly on your hair or worked through with a comb, can also help to keep those flyaways in line.
Do a New ‘Do
Gotta get those locks outta your face, like, now? If you wanna get creative, try dressing up that everyday ponytail with an interesting new style. Part your hair in the middle of your head. Use a brush to gently backcomb some strands at the crown of your head. Loosely gather the hair together in the back and secure with an elastic around the nape of your neck (it’s OK if it looks a bit messy!).
As a finishing touch, tie a cute hair scarf or secure a headband behind your ears. This gets your hair out of your face so it can’t annoy you anymore, while still looking totally relaxed and cute!
Super Quick Fix
The fastest static trick ever? Gently rub a dryer sheet on your locks. Weirdly enough, it’ll kill cling fast. Love it!
-Lauren Carney
BY CAITLIN R. ON 1/30/2010 7:00:00 AM 115 COMMENTS
Hair that’s half up and half down made a return to the runway and red carpet this season, and it couldn’t be prettier. This upswept style is perfect when you want gorge locks but still want to show off your face and keep your hair outta the way.
We’ve got three fun ways to rock this style, whether you’re goin’ to school or hitting the town for a fab date!
Futuristic Fab
Wanna look that’s catwalk cool (but still works at Honor Society meetings)? Prep damp hair with a volumizer. Blow-dry locks, using a round brush to brush hair up and away from your face.
Use a comb to smooth all of your hair back. Then, take a half inch piece from each side and secure it with a tiny elastic (if you make it slightly off-center, it looks extra cool!). Finish with some hairspray and jet.
Loose ‘n’ Laidback
Start with damp hair the night before you want cool waves. Apply your fave beach spray. Twist strands into a few tiny buns and secure with elastics. In the a.m., undo the buns and release the pretty waves. Apply some hairspray and scrunch for a sec.
Then, loosely pull half of your hair back. Gently push it forward to create a bit of height (not a full-on poof, though!). Secure with an elastic. A cute flower pin ups the girly factor, big time.
Glamour Girl
Start with dry hair. Use a comb to create a deep side part. Then, use a
wide-barrel curling iron to create a few big ringlets throughout your
locks. Pull half of your hair back and secure it with an elastic. A
pretty clip adds just the right amount of bling!
-Katie Abbondanza & Megan Parker
BY CAITLIN R. ON 1/23/2010 7:00:00 AM 166 COMMENTS
Need to add some luster to your locks?
Winter weather got your strands looking less than fab?
Don’t fret, we’ve got you covered with some great new tricks that’ll save you time and make your hair shine in any sitch.
Gorgeous beyond words, girl!
The Trick: Use Your Flat-Iron for Touch-ups
Instead of going from curly to sleek by straightening your hair for hours, use your flat-iron in the a.m. to get rid of the last bit o’ wave.
The night before you want straight hair, shower and let hair air dry for a bit. When your hair is damp, apply a heat-protector. Blow-dry hair, brushing using a round brush as you go. When you wake up, use your flat-iron to smooth hair. So much quicker!
Bonus: It can create curls, too!
Don’t have a curling iron? Wind a section of hair around your flat iron and let the heat sink in for 15-20 seconds. When you let your hair go it’ll have a loose wave to it. Repeat until your whole head is done. Shake it out and hit it with hairspray.
The Trick: Nab Beachy Waves with Your Curling Iron
A curling iron doesn’t have to mean stiff pageant-girl curls. Here’s how to get everyday waves!
The trick to scoring loose curls? Get a curling iron with a 1.5 inch barrel. Only wrap the hair around the barrel—don’t clamp it. Avoiding curling all the way up to your roots. Once you’ve curled your entire head, shake out the curls and loosen with your fingers. Finish with hairspray.
Wanna wear your hair down? Pull locks into a low side ponytail and secure with an elastic.
Bonus: Go from waves to curls in an instant for a date!
Got wavy hair? The night before a big event, shower and let your hair air-dry until it’s damp. Then, apply mousse and twist it into 2-3 buns. Go to bed. When you wake up, undo the braid. Got some pieces that stayed flat? Twist your hair around the curling iron to create stunning ringlets. Then, use some anti-frizz serum on your whole head to kill flyaways.
The Trick: Apply Moroccan Oil to Get Shiny Strands
Don't let glossy mean greasy. We'll show you how to shine the right way.
Some of you girlies were lucky enough to find this hot hair product in your stockings. Here’s how to use it!
This oil repairs damaged hair by renewing the cell structure in each strand. Massage your scalp and stands with this oil after you shower. Style as usual—this formula won’t build up or interfere with your other hair products. It’ll give your locks that glossy finish!
The Trick: Apply Smoothing Serum Before Blow-Drying to Knock Out Frizz
Can't seem to cut down on the fuzzies? A li'l dab of serum gets your coif sleek.
Frizzies can kill your hairstyle with that first flyaway. Smoothing serum adds a glossy sheen that will make your hair scream out in happiness.
When your strands are still damp, work a dab of the product throughout your hair. Then, dry hair. At the last second, turn your blow-dryer on cool to lock out frizz. Viola!
The Trick: Turn a Sporty Headband into a Retro-Cool Style
Sometimes your hair just won’t cooperate and that’s when we love to whip out an arsenal of headbands. Done right, a plain band can look super glam.
Take a dark cotton headband and place it more at the forefront of your forehead so it goes over by at least 1.5-2 inches. It should be covering your ears. Let your hair flow down from it freestyle. Finish the look with the Egyptian look and extend your eyeliner about a quarter of an inch past your lid. You’ll look chic—and it takes zero effort!
-Liz Roberts
BY CAITLIN R. ON 1/16/2010 7:00:00 AM 184 COMMENTS