Hair Up, Hair Down: Etiquette

Everyone posts about hair care, hair styling, and healthy hair - but I've never actually seen a post on hair etiquette. It's a little out-of-the-ordinary, but taming your hair and knowing when-to-wear-what is important, too! So, without further ado, here's a list of etiquettes you should always practice when it comes down to hair.

1. Unless you're attending a costume party or culture festival, you should never wear your hair up in an "afro". Afro-like hairstyles scream wild and unnecessary, especially for school or formal outings.

2. Wear it soft, 99% of the time. Soft hair is usually more delicate and looks not only healthier, but also prettier in the way that it's easier to style. It gives the impression that you spent time on your hair and you care.

3. Never leave your hair unattended. When your eating, clip it up. When you're parting, let it down. Everything changes with occasion, but just make sure to never leave your hair unattended.

4. Trim it. A lot. Super long hair (a couple inches above your waist) is hard to attend to and maintain. A good rule of thumb if to measure the inches down from your chest area - 0 to 12 inches longer is fine, while anything after that is a sign you need to go trim your hair
5. Wearing hair straight versus wearing hair curled. A good measure I like to use to determine if I should wear my hair straight or curled is how formal the event I'm attending is. If it's a large school gathering like homecoming or prom, then go for large, soft curls. If it's semi-formal like a big sporting event or concert, wear it wavy. And, if it's just a normal day at school, wear it straight.

*

Credits

"Side Braid"
{1}

Skywaver: A Hair Tutorial

I am so, so, so in love with Demi Lovato's song Skyscraper. It's emotional, raw, and most of all - beautiful. What more could a song ask for? But if there's one thing that I'm a teensy more in love with at this moment, it has to be Demi's hair. How pretty are her waves?!

Today's "Skywaver" hair tutorial is inspired by her hit song, Skyscraper. In the music video, Demi's sporting straight hair, but I thought that this hairstyle also exemplified the tone of the song amazingly. So without futher ado - Demi's hair tutorial!

You Will Need:

-5-10 Hair Elastics

-4 to 5 Large "Clamp Style" Clips

-2" Curling Wand

-Heat Protectant

-Wide Tooth Comb

-Detangling Spray

The Look:

1. On clean and slightly damp hair, divide your hair into 2 sections: top and bottom. The top layer should be slightly thicker than the bottom layer. Clamp the top section onto the top of your head using a large clip.

2. Divide the bottom section of your hair into 2 sections, left and right (half and half). Tightly, braid your hair into a classic braid and secure with an elastic on both sides.

3. Loosen the top section of your hair from the clip. Spray or apply heat protectant to your hair, then wrap approximately 1/4 of the top section of your hair around the curling wand (leaving about an inch of hair un-curled). Immediately let the hair drop, then after 2-3 seconds, scrunch it up and clamp it to your head. Continue on and repeat with the rest of the 3 sections.

4. Once you're finished, unbraid the bottom section of your hair and unclamp the top section. Turn your head upside-down, and spray all over with a detangling spray, making sure to get into the "inside" layers of your hair as well. Flip back up.

5. Use a wide comb brush to gently brush out tangles and to slightly reduce wave intensity.

6. To obtain a "breezy" look like Demi's, use a hair dryer or fan to blow your hair back!

You're done!

*

Credits

"Skywavers"; Demi Lovato; Skyscraper

{1; 2; 3}

Ponytail: Do's and Don'ts

It's not a surprise that the world's taking on this year's ponytail trend with extreme demand; after all, it's the easiest, simplest, and most chic hairstyle around. Simple do's come with risks, though, too; style mistakes, fashion misfits, and most of all, outfit mismatches. Here are a couple do's and don'ts for ponytail wearing...

-Do wear ponytails with short sleeved shirts, V-necks, crop tops, and middle cropped tees.
-Don't wear ponytails with long sleeved shirts, cuffed shirts, tank tops (unless you're sporting a "sporty" look), and formal blouses.
-Do create a messy look (like the one in the picture above) and pull out a few strands when styling.
-Don't go for a completely perfect ponytail. If it's for a formal event and the messy pony doesn't fit the occasion, then that's a hint that you shouldn't be wearing one.
-Do leave out a couple strands from your bangs.
-Don't leave out a whole section of your bangs.
-Do wear your ponytail with straight hair.
-Don't opt for a ponytail with curly or wavy hair.
-Do leave your hair in natural condition and only with a hair brush when styling.
-Don't use hairspray, moose, or use minimal styling products.
-Do tease your hair and brush it into a ponytail with a wide tooth comb or rats tail brush.
-Don't tease your hair and brush it into a ponytail with a curled brush. (This can cause damage to the individual ponytail!