There's something about summer that inspires us to experiment with our hair. From funky colors and highlights to adorable accessories that match our favorite summer dress, 'tis the season for festive 'dos. Though our creativity is flowing, high temps, never-ending humidity and splashes of chlorine and salt water can put a major damper on our style. When you're not sure what to do or are stuck in a hair rut, braids are a classic go-to that just about everyone can sport. From long to short, curly to straight, we found some easy-to-replicate braided hairstyles that will spice up your summer strands.
Bangs really are the fastest way to pull a hair look together. Somehow they make the most simple bun or ponytail take on a new life. But bangs take patience and a little extra effort — and the results are so worth it.
Fine hair can pose some unique challenges. We want to keep strands soft and shiny, but we don't want any added weight. Also, tamping frizz and flyaways can mean kissing our volume goodbye. If this sounds like you, it may be time to try a lightweight hair oil. There are many wonderful oils to choose from that will nourish your hair and give it shine without the heavy, greasy feeling that can make your struggling-to-exist-strands deflate before your very eyes. Check out some of our favorite lightweight hair oils for fine hair and treat yourself to a little weightless TLC.
Thinking of making the big chop? Consider the micro bob: A super-short 'do that combines the best of both worlds of a face-framing bob and a gaminesque pixie cut. The stylish short hairstyle has been sported by many a celebrity of late, from Emilia Clarke to Audrey Tatou; each variation more fetchingly effortless than the last.
With temps expected to surge this weekend, you're probably looking for ways to stay cool. Sure, you can break out the cutoffs and your favorite strappy tank or a flirty summer dress, but the best way to avoid overheating is with a chill hairstyle.
Curls are magical things when they're acting the way they're supposed to act. Curly girls know that sweet spot of happiness when our coils and kinks are supple, hydrated and behaving. But throw in summer heat and humidity and they can turn into an absolute nightmare: frizzy, crunchy and resistant to all styling and taming. It's true: fear of frizz can ruin our summer fun.
Summer has many fine points. See beach days, the opportunity to use adorable Instagrammable pool floats and the fact the season makes ice cream taste so much better. The trouble is, some of the summer vibes can be hindered by office dress codes. In the interest of staying in your boss' good book, you need a polished look to survive both the sweltering temperatures outside and the frigid ones in the office. And it needs to be strong enough not to wilt after a few hours. It can be a challenge coming up with an appropriate outfit, but figuring out an appropriate hairstyle can also take some experimenting.
The best color protecting shampoo will do exactly what the name implies: Preserve your freshly done, beautiful hair color and keep it (and your hard-earned money) from being washed down the drain. After all, it makes no sense to spend a fortune on coloring your hair at a salon only to use hair care products that strip the color at home. So stocking up on proper hair care products post-treatment is an absolute must.
It used to be that vegan products in the beauty space were very niche and trendy — and hard to find. For the products that advertised being vegan, the formulas seemed inferior to its general market counterparts and the results were often less than satisfactory. Today, veganism isn't just a fad. It's a lifestyle and people are dedicating not only their diets but their lives to eliminating chemicals and foreign ingredients and sticking with goods that come from nature itself.
Whether you have a dry or oily scalp, one thing's for sure: your noggin can benefit from a scalp scrub. That's because, as much as you may swear by your Mason Pearson to stimulate your strands and scalp while smoothing them into absolute perfection, tailored shampooing, conditioning and brushing doesn't always cut it. What does? A scalp scrub designed to rebalance that sensitive area of skin that so often leads to oil irregularities and subsequent discomforts. With the right scalp scrub, you'll finally know what it's like to stretch a shampoo more than every other day and, best of all, you'll fee fresh and flake-free.
When our skin gets sunburned, it's painfully obvious. We're left with hot, it-hurts-to-move skin that is fire engine red and can sometimes be blistered. When our hair gets damaged by the sun, it's not so easy to recognize. We likely notice the straw-like ends and faded color, but we often blame things like our addiction to heat styling tools, our love of mermaid hair color or only getting trims when we absolutely have to.
Balayage highlights have some major beauty staying power thanks to their timeless and elegant appearance, but if you're looking to break out of the conventional beauty mold this summer, you may want to give metallic highlights a try. Metallic highlights are a fun, iridescent spin on the traditional multidimensional color looks using tones of rose gold, silver and even steel gray.
When it comes to finding the best hairsprays, you want the ones that keep your 'do in place without making it look like a helmet, right? Luckily, the light, flexible formulas of today's best hairsprays bear little resemblance to the hair-stiffening hairsprays of yesteryear.
No matter what your hair type, it seems like the search for strand-perfecting products is never over. From weather-related frizz to limp strands that need revival, bad hair days can really ruin your mood and cramp your style. When styling your hair becomes a headache or isn't working the way you'd imagine, solid styling products are key.
Braids are a go-to style no matter the season or occasion, but as much as we love braids all year long, their unofficial season is summer. And it's the fishtail braid that's the undisputed style of the warm weather.
Summer might be your favorite time of year, but your hair might not be loving it quite as much as you are. When the sun's beating down, the air's full of humidity and you're spending all your waking moments in a pool, your hair takes quite the beating, leaving you having to do damage control against everything from frizz to greasy roots. Here, top hairstylists explain how to combat the biggest summer hair issues so that you can keep your mane in tip-top condition this season.
Any hair care expert will tell you that in order to prevent hair from becoming damaged and broken, it is crucial to apply some sort of heat protectant, like a heat protection spray, serum or cream. You've missed a step if you subject your strands to high temperatures from irons and dryers without one.
Blowouts and fancy intricate braids are nice but sometimes they just don't suffice when it comes to spicing up your hair. When you're in a rut or feeling bold enough to try something new, hair color is most often the first thing that comes to mind. While coloring your strands is fun and exciting, most women don't realize the commitment it takes to care for colored hair. It's more than rocking a vibrant hue, it takes commitment, maintenance and upkeep to keep your color fresh and your locks healthy.
There really is nothing truly better than a fresh and voluminous blowout. Unfortunately, summer isn't too kind to our sleek salon look, with all the heat, humidity, sweat and UV rays conspiring to ruin our once-gorgeous blowout. To ensure better hair days ahead, we spoke to a handful of experts to get their insider tips (plus product picks) on how to make your summer blowout last for days. Trust us, with hacks these good, you may rethink how you shower and style altogether.
Hair is a serious matter for black women. No matter how fussy or laid-back some of us are about our appearance, as soon the temperature rises, like clockwork, we start looking for easy protective hairstyles to limit the amount of time we spend on our hair — and more time having fun. As the name implies, protective hairstyles are a convenient way to protect your natural hair from constant manipulation, as it's safely tucked away and left alone for days or weeks at a time. Plus, when done properly in a way that's not pulling at one's edges, they can even aid in hair growth since you're not yanking or tugging at your hair constantly, leaving it to flourish freely.