From a Beast to a Beauty

A tale as old as time...

"But I just washed my hair!"  I know that such an excuse does not really hold up anymore with all of the styling products available to us.  However, when you are in the midst of a transition haircut/style wet hair can cause quite a conundrum.  With my hair being as short and fine as it it, I have a very short window of opportunity to decide what I want to do with my hair before it is too dry to do ANYTHING with!  Somewhere between bone dry and soaking wet, there is a sweet spot that allows me to have a little flexibility with my hair... but only a little bit.

Damp hair "sweet spot"

The two hairstyles below are ones that I consider presentable in respectable company. Both require a bit of work (and definitely a lot of product) to achieve... but (again, since my hair is short and fine) "a lot of work" for me means that I have to spend 10 to 15 minutes beating my hair into submission.

My equipment for styling has come from various recomendations from a couple different stylists, but I would definitely recommend them:

• A blow dryer (nothing special... just something that can dry your hair and add some body)
• a Chi hair straightener (mine is hot pink)
• Osis+ Dust It Mattifying Powder (it's like pixie dust for adding texture, but a little goes a LONG way)
• Avines Sea Salt Primer (it also smells fabulous)
• Pantine Pro V Hairspray (probably any hairspray will do)
• Fine toothed comb
• Round brush

Headband and poofed

Down and poofed

To achieve the "down and poofed hairstyle", I first blow dried my hair with emphasis of brushing the bangs forward and trying my best to poof the back of my hair (use the primer before you blow dry for optimum poof).  Next, I used teasing and the Dust it to tease my hair for 2 purposes: 1) to add volume to the sides and back of my hair and 2) to encourage my hair to go where I want it to go (teasing it back instead of to the front so that my bangs are distinct).  Cover all of that with hairspray.

To achieve the "headband and poofed hairstyle follow a process similar to the one above but also pin back your hair into a sort of half up style and add a headband!  (I know, my instructions are very precise)  

Let's see if I can hold out a little longer before I get my next haircut.  I'm hoping that my next milestone will be when my hair is about even with my chin... but I'm pretty sure the uneven-ness will require maintenance before then!

Happy Summer!