Unfortunately I must admit, I cannot take credit at all for this fabulously gorgegous hairstyle. A reader actually sent in this suggeted style some time ago and we only received this one pic meaning…. no back shots! !

I know, I know- disappointing right?  Well, this just means we can use our imagination for what the back of this style actually looked like!  I collected some other back shots of other awesome hairstyles that I believe will allow those of you attemping such a look, to acheive a very similar style to the girl in the original picture.

What do you think of these options?

Getting Started

Step 1: To get started on creating this look for yourself, you will begin with adding lots of luscious curls to your hair to create the romantic, fairytale-like look.  You can either use a thick barrel curling iron for larger curls (will ultimately give you a fuller look) or a smaller barrel curling iron for tighter curls.  Leave-in curlers can also work to help lock in the heat to the hair, keeping them tighter for a lot longer.

Step 2: Next, if you have short bangs, comb them to one side over your forehead (your preference) to create the dramatic swoop.  If you have slightly longer bangs, tuck any loose bangs behind your ear and holding the hair in place by crossing two bobby pins over one another.  

Step 3: To create the small “bump” at the crown of the head, take the small section of hair (just passed where you parted your bangs) and push slightly forward to create volume. Holding the bump in place, use two to four bobby pins cross over the hair to lock it into place.  

Step 4: Creating the remaining half up half down hairstyle take the front two sides of our hair and secure them together at the back of your head in a ponytail or securing the hair in place with a clip.  Using the hair from the ponytail or clip, begin twisting small sections of hair and pin them to your head using circular or “loop” shapes. You can continue to pin as much hair as you want in place until you’ve created your own stunning hairstyle!

Step 5: You can finish off the look with your favorite hair accessory, such as a hair clip, headband, hair jewels or fresh flower which Etsy (my favorite hand-made everything online community) has plenty to choose from!

I highly recommend that any prom-goer or bride-to-be to practice, practice, and practice if you plan on doing this hairstyle at home. If you prefer to leave your wedding day hairstyle to a professional and are heading to the salon, remember to take a picture of your favorite hairstyle with you the day of your trial session or the actual day-of so they can see your vision. Remember your stylist is a professional and has probably worked with many brides on their wedding day and can work with you too to create this memorable hairstyle for you!

Again, I hope I didn’t disappoint too many of you ladies with not having shots of the back, but hope you are able to create your own stunning hairstyles for your upcoming events using some the basic “how-to” instructions and pictures. Share your pictures with us to be featured!!

“Picture Call” for all Women’s Hairstyles Readers!!!

We would absolutely love for our readers to send in their own personal wedding or prom pictures to be featured right here on Women’s Hairstyles! 

Share your own hairstyle inspiration for others to see and we’ll enter you into our on-going giveaways.  My Salon Tools prizes range from $50-100 worth of professional hairstyling products including some of the hottest brands in hair straighteners like GHD and Babyliss and blow dryers from brands like Salono and Karmin.  Email your pictures of your favorite hairstyles to mel@mysalontools.com.

Right now our Womens Hairstyles readers can use coupon code myhairstyle13 for $15 off the purchase of $90 or more at My Salon Tools!

You might already be familiar with Argan oil since it has become increasingly popular over the past few years, but I was just recently introduced to Moroccanoil (one of the more expensive brands of Argan oil) by my mother. We both have extremely thick, wavy hair and her stylist recommended she try it to help eliminate the frizz and keep her hair looking shiny and smooth, especially when wearing it down.

I have never been very satisfied with other hairstyling “hold” sprays or gels since they typically leave our hair crunchy and flaky, but after using my mom’s Moroccanoil a few times, it was easy to fall in love with this amazing product.  I was able to finally find a product that made managing my hair easy since all I had to do was add it to slightly damp hair and finish it off quickly with a light dry with my professional blow dryer or simply allowing it to air dry as I headed out the door.

So what exactly is this Argan Oil (or Moroccanoil)?

It is oil produced from kernals of argan tree fruit and typically grown in only a few regions, like Morocco.  This oil is one of the rarest in the world and due to the limited supply and growing demand; you will find higher price tags attached to each bottle.

It is a blend of fatty acids, rich in vitamin E, phenols, omega-6, antioxidants and carotenes. This makes up a wonderfully natural hydrating product, that will eliminate frizzy hair with just 1-2 drops.  It has proven to minimize split ends and actually helps reduce hair loss due to breakage. Damaged hair can be restored and dull hair will shine.  Since the elements in this oil add moisture back to our hair, you achieve natural healthy hair with this product.

There are actually other benefits outside of improving your hair quality, such as your skin, body, and nails.  It’s also proven to increase the elasticity and tightening of the skin, reduces skin irritations, and blemishes if you suffer from acne.  Some pregnant women may consider using Argan oil to avoid stretch-marks.  There are a few cases however that people who have sensitive skin, using products with cosmetics with argan may actually clog pores causing an inflammation in acne.  The oil contains a high level of oleic acid which is highly comedogenic, so you may want to use an anti-acne crème along with the Argan oil if you should choose to use it for your skin.

If you are using Argan Oil, let us know what you think! Have you seen a difference in your hair health?

Want to celebrate Earth Day 2010 with a low cost haircut?  Well Paul Mitchell Schools welcomes you to join them this Thursday, April 22^nd to help our planet Earth by visiting one of their schools’ salons a enjoying a $10-15 haircut. For each haircut their students’ complete on Earth Day, the company will donate $1 to Grow Appalachia, a Sustainable Harvesting Organization. Grow Appalachia was founded by Paul Mitchell himself along with Co-Founder, John Paul DeJoria. 

Residents living in the Appalachian region of the U.S. are provided the education and valuable resources from this organization to grow sustainable and nutritious food within their local community.  With the staggering numbers that continue to climb with counts of residents battling obesity and poverty, this initiative will assist in the community’s reformation to living better and healthier lifestyles.

Community involvement runs in the Paul Mitchell’s blood and has long been a part of the organization since it began 30 years ago this year. Paul Mitchell schools’ raised over $1 million for non-profit organizations like the Larry King Cardiac Foundation in 2009 demonstrating their true dedication to giving back to their community. Other foundations such as American Forests Global ReLeaf, Wildfire ReLeaf, and Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation are just a few that also benefit from Paul Mitchell’s philanthropic spirit.

As a Paul Mitchell student, I can imagine this to certainly be a great way to not only develop your talent and passion for hair and learn from the best, but to also contribute your hands and heart through community fundraising events.  Paul Mitchell excels in the area of creating a unique and fun learning environment for their students and believes education is an adventure. I’m sure students graduating from this program will become confident and successful hairstyling professionals and I hope they take away their own philanthropic missions to create positive change in their future within their local communities and overall for planet Earth.

Spring time is here and summer is right around the corner which means it’s also time for that ultra-sexy new haircut.  Get rid of the long bangs, split ends, and faded color you kept through the winter.  We’ve all been in to see our hair stylist and have probably continued to make the #1 mistake: NOT being prepared!

It’s one thing if you have been visiting the same stylist for the last couple of years who knows you, your personality, and style, but if you’re like me and one to salon hop, visiting new stylists every time I get my hair cut, then it is best you go in prepared.

Here are a few simple ways to prepare for a haircut:

1. Make an appointment: Although there are many salons that accept walk-in customers throughout the day, if you want to eliminate long wait times and want to know you will have a dedicated stylist (and maybe your favorite!), call ahead and be on time.
2. Know what type of hair cut and style you want:  Simply be prepared to tell your stylist if you want only a trim, shave, or cut and exactly about how many inches you want taken off. If you have done your research before hand, then you will know if you want your hair cut all one length, layered, colored and/or highlighted, etc.
3. Bring pictures: Your stylist will thank you if you bring pictures.  A week or so leading up to your hair cut, start cutting pictures out of magazines or search the internet for pictures or what hairstyles or hair colors you like. Bring in a few so your hairstylist can make his/her own recommendations based on your face shape and hair type.
4. Be honest and communicate: Most bad hair cuts happen when there is little or no communication between the client and hair stylist. Speak up if there is something you prefer the stylist to do or change during the cut. But still allow the stylist to be the haircutting expert and listen to their suggestions. They should be able to offer a little guidance based on your face shape or skin tone to help you make a good haircut decision. Ask questions along the way, especially for “at home” styling tips, products, and hairstyling tools recommendations (like hair straighteners, blow dryers, or brushes) you might want to purchase for daily hairstyling up-keep.

So what are some of the top styles in this spring season?  Check these out:

A short and modern hair cut: Create volume in at the top of the head by blowdrying and brushing under.  Sweep your sides to behind the ear to give you a classic and polished look. If you have bangs, a side sweep adds the modern look to a very classic style.

The curly side ponytail: I write about this often since this is one of my favorite looks. A simple sweep of all your hair tied at the base of one side of your neck (above the shoulder).  You can take a small section of your hair and tie it around the rubber band to create a smooth, professional ponytail style.  Take a curling iron to your locks to add extra volume.  Again, if you have bangs, by adding a side sweep or a small side part swooping them down towards the side of the ponytail will add a crisp, modern look.

The small “bump”: This is definitely a popular trend right now among teenage girls and woman.   Take a small section of your bangs, centering in the middle of the forehead and push forward creating a look of volume and the “bump”.  Use 2-4 bobby pins (depending on thickness of hair) to hold the hair in place. I’ve seen some girls use cuter hair pins to hold the hair in place.  Do what you want with the rest of your hair at this point.  Put your hair up in a sexy bun, a sleek and pulled back ponytail or let your hair flow down on each side of your cheeks.  Add a few waves with a curling iron for a very cute look.

Simple waves: Just want to keep your hair down.  I used to be worried about my hair “getting in the way” or tangled throughout the day or night, but girls who can wear their hair naturally flowing with little product, shout confidence!  Let your hair down, tossing it a few times in the back or again to add volume or take a curling iron to create soft curls and then brushed your fingers lightly through them to loosen them up a little.

The bun: Twist your hair back pinning your hair at the top of your head and add a pin thick enough to hold your hair in place.  With the remaining hair take bobby pins to pinning random strands of hair in place creating a tousled bun look.  For a simple sleek bun, simply tie your hair into a ponytail.  Take the ponytail wrapping it around in a circle around the rubber band creating the bun.  You can then either hold the hair in place with another rubber band or several bobby pins. Spray with your favorite hair styling product to hold in place or allow free falling strands to flow around your face.

Whatever you choose, make it beautiful, fun, and make it YOU!

I have often thought about donating my hair since I was a little girl.  I admit I have certainly taken my thick and long hair  for granted all my life. I think even now almost at the age of 30, I’m probably not so deserving of my hair as much as I complain about its thickness, wave, length, and how much of a hassle it’s always been. I’ve never mastered my personal hairstyling abilities so often wear it up in a bun despite the positive feedback and encouragement form my friends and family to wear it down more often.

So for no reason other than simply being lazy, I have now grown my hair out for 9 months without a cut or style.  It’s been about two years since I last dyed my hair and I have kept my hair straightening to a minimum.  But even when I straighten my hair, I use my professional flat iron that helps maintain the shine and health and causes less damage than other cheap flat irons do.  So I have a few pluses going for me as I begin to seriously consider my stylist taking their hair shears to my long locks and donating it to a child more deserving than I.

So now is my hair even long enough to donate and what are the requirements?

Here are a few of the basic hair donation “prep” recommendations for someone interested in donating their own locks (requirements vary by organization): 

• Hair length must be 8”-12” (from tip to tip)
• You may cut your own hair or have a salon stylist cut it for you
• Layered hair can be separated into different ponytails or donated as one ponytail as long as the longest layer is 10 inches (shorter lengths are sold to offset organizational costs)
• Hair cannot touch the floor (swept hair can not be used)
• Hair must be cleaned and dry
• Over-processed hair,  bleached, or shaved hair cannot be used
• Anyone can donate (men, women, and children of all races need your hair donation!)
• Tie the hair being donated into a braid or ponytail before cutting, then place in a plastic bag and inside a shipping envelope with padding 

What happens next with it and who does your hair go to?

Most likely your hair will be used to make a natural-looking wig for disadvantaged children and others suffering from medical hair loss conditions. Synthetic wigs do not look as “human-like” and can be very expensive (several thousand dollars). These non-profit organizations work with volunteers to make these wigs possible.

Some organizations to consider donating to:

Locks of Love: A non-profit organization providing hairpieces to financially disadvantages children in the United States and Canada.  These children suffer from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.  Children with these permanent hair loss medical diagnoses are often given priority over children undergoing chemotherapy since their hair will more than likely grow back.

Wigs for Kids: A non-profit organization who create wigs for children and adults who have been diagnosed with a hair-loss condition. Each wig is handcrafted and includes about 150,000 strands of natural hair. Each strand is hand-tied onto the foundation of the wing which is created from a mold of each individual person’s head for a perfect fit.  

Pantene Beautiful Lengths: Providing wigs for women battling cancer. With over 60% of women dreading the loss of hair when they face chemotherapy treatments, Pantene has made the commitment to providing natural wigs for these women to help restore their confidence and help fight them fight their way through their treatments and recovery.  

You can visit each of the organizations’ websites for more donation details and contact information.  Research salons in your city who is familiar with donating hair.  Some may even offer discounted prices for the hair cut and/or mail your hair donation for you.

You can certainly make a difference in someone’s life who might be suffering from alopecia areata (a medical hair loss diagnosis with no cure), possibly recuperating from scalp burns, or a child undergoing chemotherapy treatment.  You can help restore self-confidence, self-esteem and create a better sense of “normalcy” in someone’s life.  This should be an internally rewarding experience and I look forward to making my donation soon!

Here are a few quick tips to liven up the simple ponytail in less than five minutes.

Eliminate the “flip it up and tie it back” method: You want to think about whether you are going to be somewhere that you need to look maintained and orderly (like the office), or if you feel like being a bit more adventurous(say, for dinner with the girls). Decide what kind of look you are going for, and with a tiny alteration to the ponytail, you can turn heads in any setting.

Give your bangs a little flare: Going to work in the morning is something most contemporary women have to deal with. And if you’ve got kids, then you spend most of your morning making sure they are ready for the day. So when it comes time to look in the mirror before rushing to the office,you hardly have time to try something new. At work you want to look sophisticated and well kept, without a dowdy or old fashioned look. You don’t want a lot of loose strands on your face, because it tends to look unprofessional. If you have bangs, you want those to be cut neatly, above the eyes, or pinned back away from the face.

You could try a side part: With a small bit of styling lotion to tame fly-aways, part your hair diagonally from the center of the crown to one corner of your hairline. Pull hair down and back and gather hair at the nape. This ponytail looks elegant, and still only takes a few seconds. For a variation, take a small section (thick enough to cover the elastic band used to secure hair) from the underside of your ponytail, near your neck, and wrap tightly around the base of the ponytail, then secure with a pin. This gives the hair a more uniformed look, and it hides the elastic band, which always helps me. Been doing this trick since high school! You also may want to try adding an elastic headband, or short scarf, about an inch back from your hairline, secure this with a couple of pins just above the ears.

Add hair accessories: More casual alternatives would be simply adding a decorative pin opposite your part, above the temple at the corner of your hairline, or pulling the ponytail slightly higher, to the back center of your head. In this case you could leave a layer of hair loose at the nape of your neck, under the ponytail, about a centimeter thick. When you have secured the ponytail, twist the loose hair and wrap it tightly around this base of the ponytail. By using a thicker section of hair to hide the hair band, you create the illusion that the length of your ponytail is pulled through a bun. This makes the hair look more full, and everyone will think it took much longer than 5 minutes.

Add wave or curl to the ponytail: Instead of a side part, if you’ve had your stylist take her hair shears to your bangs recently,gather about a two inch section at the hairline, above your face, twist and pull back. Pin this down at the crown. Leave a few thin whisps loose at the temple, you may want to curl or add a little wave to these, and then pull the rest of your long locks into a high ponytail, just behind where you’ve pinned the front section back.

Whatever the occasion, the idea is to take what you are comfortable with and add your own style. Have fun with it, and don’t be afraid to try something new. Remember to express yourself, even in the smallest way.

Braids: Easy and looks great on a princess! A sleek and simple single braid is classic and appropriate for all day Easter festivities.  If she’s Easter egg hunting, this will keep her hair pulled back and out of her face so she can grab those eggs quickly (especially if they are filled with candy or better yet- coins or dollar bills!)

Ponytail: Again, this is another classic but give it some curl! Pull her long or medium length hair into a high ponytail and attach a barrette or fun clip for added flare.  If she’s a little more mature aged, then maybe a lower wavy side ponytail pulled and tied at the shoulder will make her feel a little more “grown up”.  Hayden Panettiere is famous for this look and she always looks so charming.  You can even add a few waves to give it some extra flare!

Bun:  I remember with my long and thick hair at a very early age, this was an easy one for mom! After pulling all the hair up and securing it with a rubberband, sprial the remaining hair into a bun and secure it with another rubberband or bobby pins.  This always goes perfect with any sundress!

Whatever you hairstyle you choose, I’m sure your little girl will look precious!

What would you use your $50 gift certificate on?  I know I’ve been considering buying a new hair straightener myself lately. Although I absolutely love my professional tourmaline flat iron (which by the way has lasted me 5+ years so definitley worth the investment of $150!), I have been considering adding a new one to my inventory of hairstlying tools. 

MySalonTools.com has a wide range of hairstyling tools to choose, including a great selection of blow dryers, hair straighteners, hair shears, clippers, cosmetology kits.  Brands include Solano, Babyliss, Karmin, Kenchii, Bonika, Kamisori, and more.  I mentioned that I spent about $150 on my first professional flat iron but for a professional level hair straightener this is about the average cost and definitely worth every penny. I have super thick hair and although there are many in-store options to choose from that are certainly less expensive, most do not have the high quality plates that help keep your hair shiny and cause less damage.  The nice thing about MySalonTools.com is they have a range of hair straighteners in all price ranges for me to choose from including the BabylissPro ”Nano Nano” Mini Flat iron (only 6 inches long which makes for easy travels, but still heats up to 430 degrees!) selling for only $30. The mid-priced Hot Tools Snow Leopard (yes it has a cool leopard print handle!) sells for about $70 and then it goes on up from there with other $100-150 hair straighteners to choose from.  

So anyway- if you’re in the market for a new flat iron, blow dryer, or maybe even hairstyling shears, check out Kindred Spirit Mommy’s blog to find out how to enter for this giveaway!  Lindsey has a great blog and is a fun loving mommy with a huge following! She offers great parenting tips, life lessons, lots of product reviews (so if you’re in the mommy market for new goodies for your little ones, you might find one of her reviews helpful), and tons of giveaways including the one from My Salon Tools!  

Giveaway ends on April 22, 2010 at midnight PST.

Okay first off you should have seen what Brig was wearing! She was definitely showing off her very loud and eccentric personality. She was drowning in what looked like to me clown pants and suspenders and an oversized Minnie Mouse bow on top of her head. Anyway thank goodness this competition is not about fashion sense.

Alright, so as this is this was the last episode before this season’s finale (airing next Wednesday), you bet their challenges were going to be tough! During their first challenge, they were challenged to style the host herself! Yes, Ms. Camila Alves sat in as their first model and only judge for this round. With her thicker hair type and texture, she is a stickler for keeping her hair line smooth and slick and the stylists had to give her a ‘do that she was comfortable wearing down the red carpet. Camila felt Brig’s end result was not age appropriate (with a very “promy” bun hairstyle) and Janine used a quick blow dry to create her hairstyle which did not impress Camila at all. Jon had the best shape but she felt like he didn’t exactly execute it right. Matthew, although leaving a small bump at the base of her neck, kept it smooth and polished leading to his overall win!

Stylists were given the ultimate surprise when no-other than iconic guest judge, ORIBE stepped out as guest judge in the final elimination round! Competitors immediately jumped on a stylist high and this certainly increased the nerves. Stylists were challenged to “define their signature hairstyle” and show judges their true hairdressing personalities. They had to create a portfolio of three styles that define their signature style. Models were used for their first two styles. They each then had to go up in front of the camera themselves as the third style used in their portfolio.

All were given 2.5 hours for the elimination challenge and there wasn’t any bit of time that went to waste. Matthew went for a more “natural” look while Jon rocked it out with a “rock-in-roll and beautiful” theme for his models. Janine sought after a “Japanese Gothic”, fun-loving “Chola” style, while Brig went over the top once again using LOTS of synthetic hair. It truly was a masterpiece like no other!

After hearing the judges review, I have to admit I was a little shocked that Brig actually came in the top two this round (along with Matthew). Janine and Jon fell in the bottom and soon after the judges’ made their evaluations, it was Jon they sent on the next train home. Brig came in on top winning the overall challenge which also gives her a huge advantage in the final challenge of the season next week!

Although I am sad to see Jon get the boot, I guess it makes for good T.V. to have Janine, Matthew, and Brig battling it out in the end since the fire flared between the three of them for the entire season.

In next week’s finale, the final three stylists remaining in the Shear Genius competition will go up against each other for the overall win of $100,000!

So who do you think the winner will be?