As somebody with curly hair myself I understand the plight of the curly haired ‘first hand’. How often have you heard a curly haired friend complaining that their hair has been cut too short or cut into a silly shape? Is it really so difficult to find a hairstylist who truly understands how to deal with natural curls?

My top tip for finding a stylist remains the same…
Go by recommendation. If you see someone out and about who has nice curly hair, why not ask them who cuts it? I know it can be a bit embarrassing but most people won’t be outrageously offended if you tell them that you like their haircut. If confronting total strangers freaks you out, maybe just stick to harassing hospitality staff and retail workers with cool hair instead! If that approach fails, then another logical solution might be to look for a stylist who has natural curls themselves… Ok, so having curly hair doesn’t necessarily make them an expert in cutting it, but chances are that they have probably faced the same issues with their own hair and should understand the inherent fear of the curly haired when it comes to haircut hell. In contrast curly hair heaven is all about getting the cutting techniques right and working with the natural springiness and growth patterns.

shrinkage, weight issues & understanding how it can go so wrong…
An important (if obvious) point about curly hair is that a lot of length can be lost in the curl. Depending on the tightness of your curls, even a shoulder-length style can mean growing your hair to the middle of your back when pulled out straight. Then consider that hair is usually cut wet and the weight of moisture in the hair tends to relax the curl. Add to that the basic cutting technique of pulling each section out straight before cutting, and its hardly surprising that curly hair can end up looking a lot shorter than intended or unpredictably shaped after being badly cut. If that’s not enough to worry about, the other issue is that as your hair gets longer it also becomes physically heavier (more hair = more mass) A lot of curly haired people find that the longer their hair is, the easier it is to manage. Many people tell me that their curly hair tends to ‘grow out before it grows down’ – Waiting for the stage when your hair is long and heavy enough to hang well without a lot of work can be the worst part of growing-out curly hair. So when an inexperienced stylist accidentally cuts your hair a tiny bit shorter than the point where the weight of your length helps to control the curl, it can create too much volume and make the hair much more difficult to manage. Not to mention being very, very frustrating!  – The same goes for layers as well as overall length… So what’s the solution?

Tips to help you towards haircut heaven…
In an ideal world you shouldn’t have to worry, but the truth is that a lot of stylists are still clueless when it comes to curls. If you go to a top salon you should be guaranteed a good cut but that’s not always an option depending on your budget or where you live. So its often worth politely reminding your chosen stylist that your hair can spring up and look a lot shorter than it really is. A good stylist will be cautious and watch carefully as the hair reacts to the reduction of length and weight. It’s always better to cut the hair shorter in stages than dive in and underestimate the spring effect – So another thing you can do is insist on having a smaller amount cut off of a single section first, to test how short it really looks before committing to having more taken off. You might find that you only need to have half of the amount cut that you originally intended to achieve the desired look.

Tips for stylists…
Its often better to work on slightly damp rather than soaking wet hair, as you need to see how the hair moves and reacts naturally as the haircut takes shape. Avoid razor-cutting and excessive slicing techniques which can create frizziness, instead try freehand and point cutting techniques where additional texture is required. Remember to work with, rather than against the natural growth patterns of curly hair to create shape and form. Working in this way creates much more attractive looks for curly hair of all lengths that can be surprisingly easy to manage.

Going drastic…
Curly haired people often notice that their hair looks best when its really long, but super-long hair can also be a pain if it just doesn’t fit your personality or lifestyle. A lot of women admit that they would chop it all off if they had straight hair but think that curly hair automatically looks terrible when its cut short. The truth is that reducing your ringlets to a head-hugging crop can look amazing! Depending of course on the skill of the person cutting your hair to give you something that really fits your features and face-shape. Although there are lots of mid-length looks that can suit curly hair if well cut, undoubtedly one of the lowest maintenance and most liberating looks is still the crop. If you do get the urge to cut it all off, the best advice is to be brave and go as short as it takes to eliminate all of the excess volume, so that your natural curls provide attractive texture and subtle root-lift rather than bulk. However, it’s worth thinking carefully before you chop, as curly hair needs to grow a lot further to achieve the same length look as straight hair, cropping it off is a serious commitment when it comes to the time it takes to grow it out long again.

Growing it out…
Ok, so if short curls only look uber-cool when they’re super-short what happens when it starts to grow? Well, longer short-hair looks can also work really well on curly hair, but the advice is the same… Be brave! As a general rule the stronger the shape the more definition occurs and the better it looks. For example if you let the top sections grow out, try going super-short through the back and sides ‘a la’ US pop-rocker Rihanna. Some people use straighteners to get through the inevitable awkward phases. This is a great solution, but try to keep heat settings low and use plenty of heat protection products to minimise potential damage. With practice even daily straightening can become a breeze. Just try not to get sucked in to hair straightening paranoia! It doesn’t have to be pin-straight 100% of the time. Running medium hot-straighteners over corkscrew curls will add smoothness, reduce frizz, relax the curl and will develop a soft wave over the next few hours that should hold for up to a couple of days between shampoos. Add a little light serum to ward off environmental humidity and it’s all under control.

Beat the frizz – Haircare tips for colossal curls…
Whether your curls are long or short, you will have almost certainly been a victim of the ‘frizz monster’… You know, the invisible beast who sits behind you on public transport or at the office slowly turning your glossy manicured ringlets into cotton-wool. How does Carrie Bradshaw cope!? Thankfully there are a few product related tips & tricks that you can try…

Let’s start with shampooing…
While moisture in the air can make frizz worse, moisturizing in the cosmetic sense is a good idea as high-quality moisturizing shampoos tend to contain water-soluble silicons that add weight and shine to curls, and something called panthenol (provitamin B5) which is believed to improve the smoothness and suppleness of curly hair – making it more manageable.

Condition, condition, condition…
Specialist conditioning masks are great, but you can also use your regular conditioner as a mask – Try shampooing your hair when you first step into the shower, apply loads of conditioner, comb through and just let it sit there while you get on with everything else. (The steamy environment will help the conditioners to penetrate your hair – unless cold showers are your thing!) Finally, just when you’ve almost forgotten that you still have to rinse your locks out, that’s the time to take it off… Manufactures state anything from 3-5mins to 20mins, so remember to check individual product labels for guidance.

After shower…
Moisturizing mist sprays are great for longer locks that tangle easily and leave-in conditioning creams like Paul Mitchell’s ‘The Conditioner’ are great for adding weight and definition to curls without causing greasiness. If your long curls are particularly prone to frizzing at the ends, try a lightweight serum – Sometimes marketed as an anti-frizz aid, split-end ‘cure’, or as a heat-protection product – runny serums are usually almost pure water soluble silicones which coat the hair to help prevent and disguise split ends, reduce frizz, protect against environmental damage and add gloss – For super-glossy ringlets add a small amount to damp curls (mid-lengths & ends) and allow to dry naturally, you can even add some more when your hair is completely dry, separating and arranging individual ringlets with your fingers.

The physiology that makes hair curly can also make curly hair a bit more prone to breakage than other hair types. A general rule for all hair types is to comb rather than brush the hair when it’s wet to avoid unnecessary breakage, and this is particularly important for curly hair. Go for a wide-tooth comb and remember to check for sharp edges and any plastic-molding errors that might snag or tear your hair before you buy. Decent salons should stock professional combs. Some larger pharmacies & department stores also stock a good range.

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Photography: © Inga Ivanova, HadK, Kirill Mikhirev
Additional Retouching & Digital Artwork: Neil North MA.

While reading through my messages, I noticed that some of you are suffering a with a lack of inspiration when it comes to mid-length hair at this time of year – For reasons we are about to get into, mid-length hair can be far from boring but it’s not a huge surprise that some of you feel this way. Especially considering how easy it is to create dramatic or sexy party looks with long hair. Even very short hair can be simply sharpened up for the party season with a fresh cut & colour. So what about mid-length hair? Well, in general it does requires a bit more imagination and skill to pull off a real ‘head-turner’ of a look. The good news is that if you have the patience to experiment and the courage to try some bold styling, those of you with mid-length locks can have a lot more fun than you might think. So if your hair-length sits somewhere between your jawline and shoulders and you have already resigned yourself to bland blow-drys and stubby ponytails for the holiday season, here are a couple of ideas that should help to brighten things up…

In the 1940′s & 50′s, Hollywood glamour was all about voluptuous, highly polished mid-length looks. The key being lots of body, structure and shine! So what better cure for the winter blues than good old fashioned, over-the-top retro-glamour, with a contemporary twist. The best thing about mid-length hair is the fact that it gives you just enough length to dress up without the sheer weight and bulk of long hair. So in theory you should have a pretty versatile base to work with… So lets see what can be done with two girls, one big bag of rollers and a handful of hair products!

Look #1 – Burlesque Blonde…
This look can be described as a 21st Century update of an 80′s version of 40′s glamour. Phew! I hope you’re following the train of thought here… It’s big, bold and not for the faint of heart. If you’re looking to make an entrance, this is definitely one to try. The look works best on mid-neck to shoulder-length bob cuts without layers. As these cuts tend be longer on the top and front of your head and shorter through the back and sides, helping to create the rounded shape of this burlesque look.

Hair Type & Texture – Our model has fine/medium natural blonde hair and lots of it, which is perfect for creating those ‘tunnel rolls’. You can try this look on all hair types, the general rule is that thicker hair allows for a more dense curl and is therefore better suited to making bigger curls – For fine hair, try using slightly smaller rollers for similar structure with tighter rolls.

Colour – Classic Hollywood glamour is about creating sumptuous, rich block-colour. To achieve this look, our model’s natural ash-blonde hair has been tinted to a glossy light-beige-blonde to add warmth and depth to the hair. One good tip for managing shades of blonde (particularly if your natural colour is only 2-3 shades darker than your chosen blonde) is that you don’t always have to use lightening products to achieve the correct tone. In fact, sometimes darkening your blonde by one shade (for example from a base 10 to a base 9) will give more depth to your colour and help disguise regrowth, without anyone really noticing that your hair is that tiny bit darker. Using tinting products rather than lightening products in this way is generally better for your hair, as the chemistry is less strong and it allows you to really punch some rich tones into your blonde hair.

Styling – The best way to achieve this level of root-lift and control is with good old fashioned rollers. You can go ‘old-skool’ with rollers & pins for the tightest possible ‘set’ if you have very straight hair that rebels against curling. (Rather than using the Velcro type, which tend to be better for hair that curls easily and for softer, less structured work.) To create this look, damp hair is doused with setting lotion and wound onto large rollers in parallel rows from one ear, over the top of the head to the other ear – Winding the hair in an anti-clockwise direction throughout. The back sections are also wound in the same way to create what will become that continuous tunnel effect. This can be super-tricky to do yourself, so if you do come into a salon for this, remember to wear a top with buttons or a really wide neck – Or you might have to make the choice between wreaking your new ‘do’ or cutting your favorite T-shirt off of yourself when you get home! To complete the look the hair is gently teased out to create the illusion of those signature continuous-tunnel-curls without disturbing the roller-set shape. Each section is then secured with a kirby grip and spritzed first with a strong hold hairspray, followed by a shine spray for a super-glossy finish.

Look #2 – Bohemian Brunette…
Our second look is a lot less structured, dressed-out version of our first look – For those of you who like your party glamour with a little more subtlety. This time it’s all about romanticism and natural softness. The look works best on shoulder-length (or just above) lightly layered haircuts. Because unlike the first look with it’s crisp structure, we want this one to be all about the tactile textures and movement. So hair that is a little shorter on top and not too heavy will give you the best results.

Colour - Very finely woven light-golden-brown highlights create an natural sunkissed effect on previously tinted dark-bunette hair. This a great solution for those of you who dye your hair at home and have gotten into the situation after a number of applications, where you feel that it’s just a bit too dark. Rather than damaging your hair by trying to strip the colour out completely, why not get a few subtle foils placed around the front of your hair just to add some ‘colour texture’ and to break up the dreaded ‘colour-helmet’ effect! In most salons this is a fairly inexpensive service and can make a huge difference.

Styling – This kind of look is easily achieved using rollers, only this time they should be larger and of the Velcro variety. We are looking for root-lift and waves here, rather than strong curls.  For a quick fix we roughly blow-dry the hair and spritz with a setting lotion before winding all of the hair onto rollers. The placement of the rollers and the direction of the hair depends on how we intend the hair to fall after styling. In this case we want the sides swept back away from the face and the top section to flop romantically over to the left side of the head. Once dry, the hair should be unrolled and separated with the fingers (at this stage you can even brush it all through with a large vent-brush to lose any remaining evidence of those rollers.) The real key with this look is to make the hair a bit sticky. I don’t mean so that it looks dirty or clumpy, but don’t be afraid to use quite a lot of product on this look. Matte wax works well to create definition and spray gel can also be used to achieve just the right level of sticky texture. The look is finished by backcombing at the roots and loosely clipping the back & side sections of the hair into place using kirby grips, while leaving the top free to cascade. Finally mist with strong-hold hairspray and follow with shine spray.

Let me know how you get on with your party looks and as usual I’ll be answering any questions you might have… Here’s wishing you all a great holiday season!

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Photography: © Carlo Dapino / Konrad Bak
Additional Retouching & Digital Artwork: Neil North MA.

I often hear from women who say that they have trouble managing their baby-fine hair… A friend of mine in North Finland once told me that she could never grow out her closely-cropped haircut as her head always ended up looking like a ‘licked coconut’ after a couple of months. The result – Well she always kept her hair brutally short. Occasionally shorter than her husband’s, who was in the military! I’m not saying that the minimalist look wasn’t right for her, she always made it look gorgeous – I was just slightly sad that she felt it was the only option for her hair-type. In contrast, a Swedish girl I know has the polar-opposite approach to dealing with her baby-fine hair. Growing it out past her waist and almost never cutting it. Embracing her broken ends as part part of her rock-chic bohemian personality. Perfect for her, but it’s not the solution for everyone… So what is the best approach for growing and maintaining luscious, long baby-fine tresses?

Understanding your hair-type…
The good news is that fine hair is often pretty thick… What!? I mean that people with the classic baby-fine Nordic/Slavic hair-type often have a surprisingly high density of hair… Yep, each individual hair is very narrow, but there can be a lot of them! The hair tends to look ‘flat’ as the individual hairs often lay very close to each other. If your hair feels thin and flat, try running your hands through your hair from the back of your neck, up towards your crown and grab a couple of handfuls close to your head – It feels thicker than it looks… right? That’s the good news.

So how do we get that hidden volume out and on show?
For longer looks avoid cutting too many layers as this will rob your ends of any fullness. Rather, keep your ends ‘point-cut’ for softness and to blend any breakage so it becomes an attractive part of your style (like my bohemian Swedish friend.) Any layers should be ‘shattered’ through by using a deep-point cutting technique, because creating softness in your ends and layers will encourage root-lift and movement in your hair. Avoid the straight hemline look at the bottom of long hair or chunky ‘club-cut’ layers, as they work against, rather than with your hair’s natural texture. Strong fringes add structure to long-hair looks on fine hair. If you do decide to try a fringe, go for heavy, blunt cuts to frame your eyes and as a contrast with the soft ends or shattered layers mentioned above.

Styling…
Try blow-dry your hair with your head tipped forward (upside-down) to add root lift. The key to styling fine hair is to use very small amounts of product to avoid making the hair feel too heavy. Matte waxes, often marketed at men (so raid your boyfriend’s bathroom) are a good option. Glossing serums, although great for thicker and frizzy hair types, tend to smother fine hair and ultimately weigh it down – Although a little light ‘repair-serum’ on the ends can help guard against splitting. Light-hold hairspray should be your best friend for plumping and spritzing throughout the day. Remember that you have lots of hair, you just need to separate the individual hairs for volume… Avoiding excessive use of hot-styling tools is good advice for all hair-types, but particularly for fine hair. Try to keep hot-styling for special occasions or just Saturday night. Using a good heat protection product is essential. Choose a lighter spray-in product rather than the serum types which feel heavier and can weigh your hair down.

Colouring…
Colouring your hair can be drying and compound the problem of breakage. However, darker colours can add physical density to your hair, (permanent colour opens the cuticles and material fills the inside of the hair or sticks to the outside) effectively plumping the hair shaft and making it feel thicker. They can also add a glossy shine to the hair… If you are lightening your fine hair, make sure that your colorist understands the importance of not over-processing it. If you’re having your roots done, your ends won’t need any more lightening, so don’t let your colorist bleach your whole head each time – It’s the biggest long hair killer! Some lightening products can add tone to your ends, but they should be diluted and applied for the last five minutes only. Don’t be afraid to share your concerns with your colorist. Listening to you and respecting your wishes is part of their job!

Which shampoo & conditioner should I use?
Bodifying shampoos are everywhere these days, many of them work by leaving a residue on the hair that effectively ‘bulks up’ the thickness of the hair shaft. However, they can leave your hair feeling a bit lifeless. My recommendation for baby-fine hair is… You guessed it, baby-shampoo! Paul Mitchell do a good one but there are lots of alternative shampoos aimed at infants. These should gently cleans your hair without weighting it down. Don’t expect shampoos for babies and young kids to be deep-cleansing, so if you use a lot of hair products, you might want to use a stronger shampoo once or twice a week as well… As for conditioners, the lighter the better. We are talking, ‘detangling’ products rather than deep conditioners. Try to keep those hair-masks for your ends only or as once-a-week treat.

Static & Flyaway issues…
Women often ask me how to eliminate static and baby-fine hair is really prone to it, especially in dry environments. The best solution (depending on your style) is to keep it slightly moisturised by using a moisture mist product to ever-so-slightly dampen your hair. To do this, spray the mist up into the air and walk into it, rather than spay directly into your hair. Your hair won’t look damp (unless you over do it) but the hydrostatic properties of the mist should be enough to tame ‘flyaway’ hair for a few hours. That’s great for natural, bohemian locks, but crating a damp micro-climate around your head might ruin a more structured look. In this case try spraying some light-hold hairspray (remember, its your new best friend) onto your brush and brush your hair through… With the hairspray less is definitely more, as you don’t want sticky patches. It takes some practice, but it’s a technique worth knowing… Start on the ends and work your way up through the mid-lengths. If you want to boots your root-lift at the same time, flip your head forward and brush in the opposite direction to natural hair growth.

Breakage…
As ‘fine’ hairs are narrow, less density means that it’s more fragile and prone to breakage. Cold, dry weather can make your hair more brittle. Keeping your hair under a hat will help. Braiding or platting your hair is also a good solution if it’s very long, try experimenting with ‘fishtail’ braiding as well as traditional three-strand methods for a different look.

Change the way you think about your hair…
Baby fine hair is gorgeous! It can be delicately pretty and relatively easy to style compared with coarse hair types, as it’s lightness means that is tends to stay put with just a few spritzes of hairspray. Many women with fine hair want their hair to be fuller and free of breakage. My advice is to look at how other women in the public-eye have their baby-fine hair styled, use the advice here, experiment and learn to love your natural hair-texture.

As usual. I’ll be answering your comments and questions, so feel free to ask additional advice about any of the tips featured in this article…

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Photography: © Carton King/istockphoto.com
Additional Retouching & Digital Artwork: Neil North MA.

This article is written as a guide for ‘new-face’ editorial models, but many of the points apply to anyone who is looking to make the best of their personal style…

Stand out from the crowd.
Having classic long locks is not always the best way to get yourself noticed as a editorial model. One of the keys to success, is to work with a hairstylist who understands the importance of giving you a versatile haircut…

So what does that mean?
Well, it means working with the natural texture and growth patterns of your hair. The last thing you or a session stylist wants to do is wrestle with a badly tailored haircut. Doing little things to make other peoples jobs easier on set is always a good way to make yourself popular. Leaving people with the impression that you are easy to work with is one of the best ways of winning those important call-backs.  It can mean the difference between insisting that you keep your ‘one-length’ curtain of hair that needs constant straightening to keep it under control. Or agreeing with the session stylist or art-director when they suggest to you that layers will work better with your natural waves.

Versatility also means working with your body-shape, face-shape & features. As an editorial model, you’ll want to get at least three different looks out of the same haircut. (Unless you are going for a single statement look, which we’ll get into another time.) You should challenge your stylist to develop a cut for you that can be styled in distinctly different ways. If their consultation skills are spot-on, they should be able to explain each look to you before they place the scissors anywhere near your head! Your stylist should also be able to explain how the new cut will work to enhance your features in various ways. However, if they don’t manage to convince you, it’s ok to politely refuse, it is your career on the line after all – and if there is one thing I’ve learned, you can’t please everyone all the time.

Be daring, take professional advice & don’t be afraid to make changes...
Sometimes making the leap from your comfortable, everyday style to the best cut for your hair type and features can involve taking a fair amount of hair off! This is where a lot of new models panic and decide to stick with a look that isn’t quite working for them. Of course it feels a little risky, especially if you are used to popping into high-street salons to get your hair done, with varying degrees of success. However, session stylists and art-directors that work on photo shoots are usually at the top of their game and understand your requirements as a professional model. This doesn’t mean that you should follow everything that’s suggested – After all, it’s you that has to feel comfortable in your look. The best course of action is to consider all advice and make up your own mind, but don’t reject change and good advice just because you are afraid to try something new.

My general point is that if you trust a photographer, stylist or art-director’s talents and you are impressed by their portfolio, consider this: Why would they make you look any worse than the best you can be? Their images and reputations are on the line too. So if you know that an industry professional has a successful track record for re-styling models, my advice is to just go with it, it might be the best thing you ever did!

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Photography: ©Mayer George Vladimirovich

Apparently quite a lot of us are at the moment. Not least of all because chopping it all off seems to have become a bit of a Hollywood trend. With the recent flush of close-crops including talented young actresses; Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), Carey Mulligan (Wall street / My Fair Lady) and now Emma Watson (Harry Potter) the closely cropped head could well be on it’s way to a glamorous comeback.

Earlier in the summer, Hilary Alexander, fashion director of British newspaper ‘The Telegraph’ commented that the Jean Seberg inspired short hair is making a comeback this season. While Elle UK gushed: “…we love Twiggy-inspired crops. They look fresh, fun and are a great way to survive the summer’s heat.”

It’s exactly half a century since actress Jean Seberg’s famously shorn blonde head hit cinema screens in Jean-Luc Godard’s iconic French New Wave movie ‘Breathless’ (A Bout de Souffle) in 1960. The Seberg look may also have inspired fashion model ‘Twiggy’ to get a similar iconic chop later in the same decade. So has the crop really made a come back for 2010?

I would suggest that the cut is such a classic that it’s never truly gone away. With contemporary versions of the look having been around since at least 1798 when the ultimate ‘natural’ style of cropped hair was labeled as the ‘Titus’ cut by the fashion press – We know this from the letters of Madame de Sevigne. The cropped hair of the early 1800′s might have been a backlash against the previous years of extravagant powdered wigs and wild hairpieces. (as sported by Kirstin Dunst in Sofia Coppola’s 2006 movie Marie Antoinette.) Just as the latest reincarnation of the crop could be a backlash to recent trends for hair extensions and more-and-more ‘fakery.’ Whatever the reason, it appears that the bravely cropped look is back for another round.

I predict this trend to grow during the Autumn/Winter season and emerge even stronger next Spring/Summer as it filters down from the red carpet to the high street – I have a feeling I’ll be writing more about it in the months to come… Will you be taking it all off!?

Our model wears the ultimate natural-look crop. This very short, graduated haircut is created by ‘point-cutting’ each section to length with the tips of the scissors. The interior is then lightly ‘castle-cut’ to reduce bulk and then ‘sliced-through’ on the diagonal to produce feminine softness and texture. Taken in close around the neck and ears, the top is left slightly longer to allow a little styling versatility – Mess it up with styling wax for a spontaneous elfin look, or sleek into place with wet products or gloss for gamine Parisian glamor.