Studio 5 Beauty and Style Contributor Holly Stone shares the secrets to big, bouncy, make-‘em-stare hair!
Sure, it looks good in the movies and in the commercials, but what does it take to get that big, bouncy hair? And can you fake it if your natural hair is less than plump? Put down those fancy products or expensive kits. The simple steps and some basic tools are all you need. Read on for tips to achieve that bold make ‘em stare hair.
1. No Short Cut For Longer Hair
Va-va-voom hair requires a time investment. The longer or thicker the hair, the more time you will need. Even if you are going to try to get a jump start with styling tools the night before, the drying and piecing and wrapping and twisting and securing will take more time with longer and thicker hair. You will save yourself that last minute rush of styling frustration if you are simply aware of the necessary steps and budget time for them.
2. The Best Shampoo?
The best shampoo, is no shampoo. Hair that hasn’t been washed the same day has more volume from environmental elements and natural oils. This gives it more rugged texture to work into your design. If you must shampoo your hair on a day you want big bounce, use a volumizing shampoo and replace a rinse out conditioner with a leave-in spray conditioner to give you added texture to work with.
Holly’s Product Picks
Volumizing Shampoo:
Leave-In Conditioner: Schwarzkopf BC Q10 Spray in Conditioner, $22
3. Apply Wet, Style Dry
If your hair has no “oomph” and you want to create an illusion of volume, apply a volumizing product when the hair is wet. This allows it to bond to the hair and create build as the hair is dried. For the best looking bounce, hair should be styled after it is dry. Wet hair, when styled may result in a kinky, frizzy, piece- tossled look. When the hair is dry, it is stronger and therefore more likely to hold curl, teasing, or any hair clip, hair piece or additional embellishment.
Holly’s Product Picks
Thickening Foam: Paul Mitchell Extra Body Foam Taylor Maid, $9.99
Texturizing Hair Wax: TRI Spray Wax TaylorMaid, $12.75
4. Hot Shot, Cool Do
If you blow dry your hair from the bottom up, you are creating a push upwards. If you blow dry from the top-down, you are flattening your chances for bouncy success. Tip head upside down and use high heat to dry hair. Then flip your head right side up and give it a shot of cool air all over. The cool air sets the volume created from the heat and the upward air flow. Ionic hair dryers are best because they emit negative ions, which attach to positively charged wet hair, and lock in moisture. These dryers add a nice sheen to hair by preserving the moisture.
Holly’s Product Pick
Hair Dryer: Revlon 1,875-watt Ion Dryer Target, $14.99
5. Building A Bounce
Big hair is built piece by piece, or section by section. When using a curling iron or Velcro curlers, separate desired section and then spray with moderate hold hair spray. Spraying each section before you wrap it will individualize the curls and add bulk to each piece holding it more tightly. Once you take out all the curlers, run your fingers throughout your hair to undo the separation and unite the curls.
Another option: simply clip in extensions, piece by piece. If you can’t create fullness, buy it in your color. Extensions can be clipped in piece by piece and look very natural thanks to advance technology in color matching and texture simulation.
Holly’s Product Picks
Rollers: Styling Essential Self Grip Rollers, Walgreens, $10.99
Clip-Ins: For a reasonable option that looks really nice but isn’t an over the top price, I recommend the Revlon ready to wear brand avail at Sally’s Beauty Supply or online at www.maxwigs.com. These come in over 17 color options and over 25 styles and lengths.
6. Teasing Tangles
A good teasing comes not from a comb but rather a teasing brush. With more bristles, this styling tool creates a true tease that simply interlocks the sections of hair, where a comb with fewer teeth can create tangles, knots and snarls. Simply lift section of hair and brush about a 2 inch section starting at the tips and pulling to roots. Brush in the direction of tips to roots ONLY. More than just backcombing, this strategy is giving some substance to the base of your style creation.
Holly’s Product Pick
Tease Brush: Sally’s Beauty Supply, $4.99
7. The Crown Is Where It Counts
Concentrate on the crown of the head for creating fullness. This is the area where you can get an overall lift. By styling at the crown, you are creating a “pulley” for the lower part of your hair, pulling it up and out. With the right products and a little extra effort, the crown area holds superpowers. When hair is about 80% dry, try round brushing the crown area only. When using hot rollers or a curling iron, make sure to select smaller sections of hair around the crown and make sure the curl is wound as tightly as possible to the base. Teasing, curling and spraying this area insures a hairdo that fakes it AND makes it.
8. A Full Head
Adding hair jewels, clips, flowers, hair pins or crystal barrettes is another way to make ‘em stare. Think of the hair as a playground for accessories and bejewel it until it bedazzles…
Holly’s Product Pick
Hair Accessories: Icing, $1-8
Holly Stone is no stranger to business and the beauty industry. Starting as a model at the age of 14 she decided that she preferred to be behind the scenes rather than in front of the camera. She choreographed fashion shows, selected models for events and assisted her agency with make-up.
Her skill for make-up artistry quickly became recognized and the demand for her talent launched a career that would take her all over the country. She received a bachelor’s degree, and took a position as VP of Merchandising for Overstock.com. There she learned the business skills of resourcing, buying, marketing, and negotiating. She moved on to train in Los Angeles at AWARD, a leading make-up artist school in the west.
Today, with her business skills and her passion for the art of make-up, she manages a successful career as an educator and a veteran make-up artist of 16 years. She works in various media with actors/actresses, models, brides, and photographers. She is a consultant to several cosmetic distributors, spas, and salons where she teaches application and technique. She is a nationally recognized educator of cosmetic application and is a personal image consultant to people ranging from high position corporate figures to the everyday woman.
Holly is the owner of Re-Creation Studio, School of Media Make-up Artistry. For information about her classes, visit www.learntodomakeup.com.
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