Learn how to create great updos with hair accessories

It’s been a while since I’ve written about hair accessories. It is great to be able to pull out some fun thingies in your arsenal of options to keep from getting bored out of your skull with your hairstyle. I find that most of my clients who don’t use hair accessories simply don’t know how to use them in a creative way. Well, I have good news for those of you who are in that “I don’t know how” boat.

Jaime Byrd was kind enough to send me a heads up about her new videos featured on her hair accessory website. Jaime has produced a line of hair accessories that are hand crafted in her studio in North Carolina that are fun and unique. But what stands out about her site is the neat way she has used “how to” videos to walk you through the step-by-steps on exactly how to create a unique hairstyle with hair accessories. Don’t miss it. If you haven’t experimented much with hair accessories, it just might be the boost you need to step out of the box and create a new look.

A couple of years back at the Golden Globe ceremonies, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron and Beyonce were seen with hair accessories, once again giving credibility to a classic fashion secret that has been around for decades.

Several times a week, this time of year, I need to get my hair up off my shoulders, either when I’m active, at the beach or at a pool party. Summertime is an especially good time of the year to remember the versatility of hair combs, headbands, silk flowers, hair clips, hair sticks, hairpins, barrettes, hair magnets, snaps and French pins.

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Growing out your hair in style

If you’re coming out of a season of shorter hairstyles, there’s no better time to consider growing it all the way to a shoulder sweeping length. Worn above the shoulders, fine hair looks healthier and thicker, while thick hair really show off it’s stuff.

“let all your hair
grow in unison”

When growing out a layered haircut, continue to get regular end trims (just a half-inch or so), slowly allowing layers to “catch up” with the ends. With each hair salon visit, ask if your layers need better blending to work with your cut as hair grows out. If you’re growing out bangs, too, at some point they will need to be blended into the sides and directed back.

A super-short crop actually presents fewer problems. Simply let the entire top and sides grow; when they are as long as the underlayers or close-cropped sides, let all your hair grow in unison. If you reach any awkward stages, use clever styling to conceal it. Adding wave, curl and movement with hot rollers, curling irons or pin curls can blend layers or bangs and hide problems by creating new shapes.

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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Shape-up Tips for Your Eyebrows

According to hairdresser Maria De Los Aneles of Kim Lepine Salon in New York City, shaping your eyebrows is a beauty routine you shouldn’t skip. “It opens up your eye, giving you an eye-lift,” she says.”When you don’t shape your eyebrows, most of the hair grows where your brow bone is, making your eyes look saggy.” The shape of your eyebrows is most critical if your hair is short, she points out, because they become more visible, and your face is totally open. Women with longer hairstyles can get away with slightly thicker eyebrows; when the hairstyle is shorter, thinner, better-shaped eyebrows work best.

For optimum results, Maria suggests having your eyebrows done professionally. If you can’t afford it on a regular basis—the service can run from $30-$80 at the hairstyling salon—it’s a good idea to have them done at least once by a pro so you can get a good line. Then, you can follow it up at home using good tweezers. Maria recommends Tweezerman, which are available with both pointed and square tips. “Square tweezers are good for excessive hair growth and are easier to use; pointed are great for hard-to-reach eyebrow hair and for sculpting,” she explains.

Once you have the right tools, it’s time to start plucking. Begin by placing your index finger in the middle of your eye at the top of your eyebrow so you can see the eyebrow bone shape. See where it naturally becomes thinner and thicker. Pull the eyebrow in the direction in which it grows while tweezing—otherwise, you risk breaking off the follicle and ending up with little black dots, she warns.

Brush your eyebrows as you go—this prevents what Maria calls “tweezer frenzy”, which can leave you with a really weird facial expression! Be careful not to grab more than a hair at a time, and begin and end the eyebrow parallel to where your eye begins and ends.

Remember that you should examine your eyebrows every three to four days, since that’s how long it takes for new growth to come in.

Article courtesy of Harris Publications

You might want to check out these other articles that refer to eyebrows:

• How to Shape Your Eyebrows
• Eyebrow Tint Tips
• How to Shape Eyebrows
• Celebrity Hairstyle News November
• Eyebrow Threading
• Coloring your hair? What about eyebrow coloring?

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

• Eyebrow Threading
• Eyebrow Tint Tips
• Eyebrow Makeover Can Take Off Ten Years
• Eyebrow Sculpting vs. Botox
• How to Shape Eyebrows
• Coloring your hair? What about eyebrow coloring?
• Eye Brow Basics