Byline: Ning Chao
Speedy hair solutions for when you’re in a hurry
GETTING READY IN THE MORNING JUST GOT EASIER. Quick updos practically guarantee a good hair day, says Boston salon owner Gretchen Monahan, host of the reality show A Makeover Story on TLC. Fast, simple and strikingly pretty, the three looks styled for this story by Monahan take less than five minutes to whip up and save more time later when you switch gears for the evening: Unravel your updo at the end of the day, run your fingers through your hair, and you’ll have loose, sexy waves.
BOHEMIAN KNOT
If you’ve pushed the snooze button too many times, twist dry, messy hair into a loose romantic style.
FRENCH TWIST
Pin up an old blowout to make the most of leftover shine and sleek ends.
CLASSIC CHIGNON
A neat bun works best when you’ve just stepped out of the shower.
FRENCH TWIST FOR AN OLD BLOWOUT
Best for: chin-length and longer hair
1
Gather hair in a ponytail
Since roots can look greasy on an old blowout, Gretchen Monahan suggests absorbing excess oil with an alcohol-based aerosol hairspray or hair powder. Then brush hair well and create a low ponytail. The shorter the hair, the lower the tail.
2
Twist and pull hair upward
Hold the ponytail with your hand upside down (thumb and knuckles should be underneath hair). Twist the ponytail once, then lift it up-ward as you continue to tuck and twist hair in a vertical spiral that runs up the back of the head.
3
Slide a pin through the twist
Tuck the ends of your hair under the twist or leave them out. “They will be polished so they won’t look messy,” says New York City stylist Ashley Javier. Insert a U-shaped pin horizon-tally through the middle of the twist to anchor it.
4
Secure with more pins
Once the pin is through the twist, turn it back on itself so the prongs catch hair at the scalp. Then slide it back into the twist’s seam so you can’t see it. “Add more pins from the base up, crisscrossing them for extra hold,” Monahan says.
USEFUL TOOLS
Hair powders and alcohol-based hairsprays like the ones below will soak up oil when spritzed on the roots.
Bumble and Bumble hair powder, $34; 888-728-6253 for salons.
Logics Color DNA System Creative styling spray, $18; logicshair.com for salons.
Redken Forceful 23 Super Strength finishing spray, $12.95; 800-733-5368 for stores.
Necessary Object: Invisipins, $3 for 24; 212-247-8010.
CLASSIC CHIGNON FOR WET HAIR
Best for: shoulder-length and longer hair
1
Create a low ponytail
First, brush leave-in conditioner through damp hair until it’s smooth. Don’t use products that add hold. “If you make wet hair sticky, you’ll get tangles and bumps on your crown,” says Gretchen Monahan. Gather the hair into a low ponytail.
2
Twist and coil hair
Holding the ponytail, twist hair and guide it into a cinnamon-roll shape. Keep the bun near the nape of the neck. “A high chignon is ballerina-ish,” says Monahan. A lower bun draws eyes to “the curve between the head and neck,” says Ashley Javier.
3
Secure the bun with clips
Tuck the ends of your hair under the chignon, then hold it in place by sliding a mini claw clip through one edge of the chignon so its jaws grab both the bun and the hair that surrounds it. “Don’t worry if a few ends show,” Monahan says.
4
Hide clips behind the bun
Push the clip down behind the chignon to cover up the hinge as much as possible. Two clips on opposite sides of the chignon should be enough to secure the style. Extra clips can create a more polished updo, with fewer ends showing.
USEFUL TOOLS
Try one of these light leave-in conditioners to smooth wet locks and prevent frizz after hair dries.
Umberto Controller conditioning spray, $8.99; at Target.
Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine leave-in conditioning cream, $3.99; at drugstores.
Goldwell Care Moisture Intense Smoothing Fluid leave-in conditioner, $15; 888-881-0330 for salons.
Necessary Object: Scunci Thick Hair small clips, $1.99 for 18; at drugstores.
BOHEMIAN KNOT FOR DRY, MESSY HAIR
Best for: shoulder-length and longer hair
1
Split hair into two sections
Work texturizing cream from roots to ends. Grab hair and divide it down the middle of the back of your head (avoid a severe center part in front). “You want two low pigtails,” Gretchen Monahan says. The tails should be just below your ears.
2
Twist both pigtails
Holding a pigtail in each hand, twist them down and in toward each other. Try twirling the tails around index fingers to make it easier. “Make the twists tight,” Monahan advises. “When you join them, they will naturally loosen a little.”
3
Combine the two twists
Pull the pigtails toward each other at the nape of the neck and gather into one ponytail. Secure it with an elastic that matches your hair color. To create a loop, don’t pull the ponytail all the way through the elastic the last time; leave ends loose.
4
Tuck knot between twists
Lift the loop up and in toward the scalp, hiding the elastic between the two side twists at the center of the head. If you have very long hair, the loop will be big enough to go through the hole between the twists and graze your neck.
USEFUL TOOLS
Tame flyaways and dry, unruly strands with a moisturizing, texturizing product like one of these.
Textureline Playball Beach Creme, $16; 866-849-4095 for salons.
Prive Finishing Texture spray, $20; 866-351-1193 for salons.
Kusco-Murphy Beach Hair, $29.20; 888-658-1761.
Necessary Object: Goody Color Collection elastics, $3.99 for 10; at drugstores.
Q
Which accessories can help me look more polished when I put up my hair?
A
Dress up a basic ponytail with an elastic that has synthetic hair attached (try Tonytail ponytail wrap, above, right, $7; at Rite-Aid). As you wind the elastic around your ponytail, the synthetic hair will cover the band and blend in with your natural locks. For more elaborate updos, try a multitasking tool like the Bandostick (Mother of Pearl style, above, left, $60; tedgibsonbeauty.com). “The combination of the stick and the elastic makes it easy to do a variety of looks because it holds the style tightly in place,” says N.Y.C. salon owner Ted Gibson, who created the Bandostick as a cleaner alternative to a large clip. For a chic, loose updo, he recommends twisting hair into a bun, sliding the stick through it from top to bottom, and then securing the elastic around the coiled bun and the stick. For a classic French twist, roll hair up and into a twist and tuck loose ends into the seam. Insert the Bandostick into hair from top to bottom and wrap the elastic around the twist and the stick.
Q
When I put my hair up, how can I style the front so I won’t look like I have helmet head?
A
For a softer look, try sweeping hair to the side (shown left) instead of slicking all of it back. “Parting the hair on the side makes it look more flirty,” says Gibson. If you have bangs, you can secure them with bobby pins for a youthful look. No fringe? Gibson says that adding extra volume or texture is always a good idea. Use a curling iron to create waves before pulling it back or back-comb the crown for a punkier effect. The fastest fix: “Gently rub the crown with your hands after you put your hair up to loosen the style and create more dimension.”
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Online extra!
Watch our celebrity hair video at instyle.com/makeover.
CAPTION(S):
GREG BROOM
COPYRIGHT 2006 Time, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group