Do you wear your hair the same way day after day? A lot of us get stuck in our simple routine—whether it be flat-ironing, putting it up in a ponytail, or scrunching it with gel. But now it’s time to switch it up! You’d be surprised at how little tweaks can make a big difference. We helped real collegiettes update their looks!
The Ponytail Girl
Angelo David, of the Angelo David Salon in NYC, helped us out with this one. He has styled Ramona Singer and Alex McCord of The Real Housewives of New Yorkand is an expert in easy, everyday styles. He says that you don’t need to quit the ponytail completely, just play around with it to give it more “pizzazz.” David recommends three things to try:
- Play with the part of the hair. David explains, “parting hair in the middle or the side will give you that clean chic look, and can be done in no time.”
- Do something with the “tail.” He notes, “braiding the hair is one quick solution to add that extra oomph, instead of putting hair in a dreary pony. Side braids are currently all the rage on and off the runway, exuding a laidback, easy, breezy feel. Another option is putting it in a messy bun, with little hairs falling on the side, or a simple clean chignon for a quick touch of sophistication.”
- Explore the magic of extensions. David reminds us, “hair additions, such as clip-on extensions, are one way to add volume, giving more life to the simple ponytail.” Check out Jessica Simpson’s fun and affordable line here.
David’s final tip? Always use mousse when styling a ponytail! This will help give your hair the volume it needs to look pretty and polished.
The Leave-It-Wavy Girl
We checked in with Natasha Sunshine of the Byu-Ti Salon in LA (she’s worked with Molly Sims and Tori Spelling!) to figure out how to update your basic, curly-haired look. Her advice for curly girls? Work with your natural texture—don’t try to straighten it.
- Scrunch or curl your hair normally. Sunshine insists on keeping that natural texture, but “change it up by choosing a side part” after you’ve styled it like always.
- Make a braid. To mix up basic curls, Sunshine recommends taking a portion of hair from the front, close to your part on the “bigger side” and braiding it. Then pull the braid and the rest of your hair into a low ponytail.
- Turn it into a chic messy bun. Once the braid and hair are gathered close to the nape of your neck, Sunshine recommends using light hairspray to tease the hair into a bun. For the best hold, she advises that you pin down the bun with bobby pins in a “criss-cross fashion.”
This is an easy look that takes about five to ten extra minutes to style, but the results are great!
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The Flat Iron Girl
What do you do with hair that you straighten every day? “Curl it instead!” Sunshine advises.
1. Start by using a large barrel curling iron. Sunshine recommends the Bio-Ionics 1 ½ inch barrel iron. Make sure you use a heat protectant spray though—you don’t want to damage your hair more!
2. Curl away from your face. For “soft breezy waves,” Sunshine instructs: “Take the same section sizes you would for your flat iron but spin them around your wand in a candy cane fashion, rolling away from the face.”
3. Set with hairspray! Sunshine recommends using Pureology’s Glossing Mist before curling each section, and then once all over when the hair is completely curled.
The Girl with the Basic Bob
What’s a short-haired girl to do? Without being able to put hair up, it might seem like you don’t have a lot of choices, but you do!
- Add a pretty headband. This is great for a night out or a special occasion. You can play around with different textures, colors, and jewels.
- Pin back the front. Part hair on the side and sweep bangs/front pieces back. It is a cute, polished look for class.
How do you do your hair every day? Any new styles you’ve been dying to try?
Sources
Angelo David, Angelo David Salon in NYC
Natasha Sunshine, Byu-Ti Salon in LA