Every summer, I'm bombarded with magazine spreads and YouTube tutorials on how to get the perfect beach waves -- and I devour every one of them. I buy salt spray and sit religiously in front of my vanity trying to create those perfectly undone, (seemingly) low-maintenance waves. Summer beach waves may be considered a "quick and easy" hairstyle, but my limp, un-waved hair insists otherwise. Enter the hair geniuses at Salon Mario Russo in Boston. Owner and lead stylist Mario Russo has created three out-of-the-box techniques for creating beach waves that will work on even the straightest hair, guaranteed. And get this -- you don't need a curling iron, wand or automatic machine doo-dad to get the look. Get ready to have your world rocked, and your waves turned seriously beachy.
Mermaids are portrayed as beautiful, siren-like creatures with gorgeous, long locks; glowing skin and perfect makeup that never runs. But in real life, we know Ariel's fire-engine red hair wouldn't stand a chance against the sun and water. Skin without SPF would burn and blister (not to mention, leave some serious clamshell tan lines), and we'd hate to think of the prune-like state our fingers and toes would be in after a lifetime submerged. What's a mermaid to do? We asked the closest thing to it, members of the Aqualillies, a professional synchronized swimming troupe, who can spend a whole day in the water, and still look gorgeous. Here, their best summer hair, makeup and skin care secrets against which chlorine, sun and surf don't stand a chance.
I have a thing for Pinterest hairstyles. I'm constantly pinning red carpet hairstyles, runway ponytails and anything that looks like it could make my hair even remotely resemble that of a Victoria's Secret model. The thing is -- I haven't accomplished a single one of them. Instead, my attempts end with me showing up late to work in a messy topknot ... again. And I know there have to be others who have the same frustrations (there's a whole website dedicated to Pinterest fails, after all). So we collaborated with a team of celebrity hairstylists to break down the products and step-by-step instructions you need to get that perfect Pinterest hairstyle every time.
Pumping piping hot air into your house during the dog days of summer isn't the brightest idea to begin with, but factor in the knowledge that repeatedly exposing your hair to high temps isn't doing it any favors in the look-good department and taking a break from your blow dryer can seem like a downright inspired concept. Except for the whole "my hair's going to look like cr**" drawback.
If a little bit is good, then a lot must be better, right? Not when it comes to your beauty products. According to experts, the products we use on a daily basis adhere to the Goldilocks principle. Too small of a dollop may mean your anti-aging serum may not work at all, but too big of a blob of deep conditioner could mean greasy hair and split ends (not to mention a depleted bank account).
Hair loss is no stranger to women. The International Society of Hair Restoration reports that nearly 30 million women in the U.S. are losing their hair (yikes!), and it's an epidemic among African American women in particular. Dermatologists report that they are seeing more and more black women -- of all ages -- complaining of hair loss.
It takes a special kind of gal to wake up in the morning, give her hair a quick fluff or twist and head out the door looking genuinely hot. Most of us would get a sympathetic look, an inquiry about our general health or possibly a request to undergo a drug test. That's because that just-rolled-out-of-bed hair usually translates to just-rolled-off-a-garbage-truck hair in real life. But what if you could make bedhead work for, not against you? What if you could take that natural-texture, cool-fuzziness thing you've got going on in the A.M. and make it look chic -- without a lot of fuss? Try these quick styles and little tweaks for making the most of your slept-in locks.
It seems simple enough: A standard tip is about 15 to 20 percent of the bill, which isn't too hard to calculate. But over the years, the rules of salon and spa tipping have become complicated. What do you do, for example, when one person washes your hair and someone else cuts it (God forbid a third person does your blowout)? What about facials at medical spas -- since when do you tip a physician? And does the old rule of not tipping the salon owner still stand?
I blame Zooey Deschanel for the moment I walked into the hair salon and proclaimed I wanted blunt cut bangs just like the actress. Sure they were cute and trendy for all of 20 minutes, but then came about three years of growing out those bangs and zero knowledge of how I could style them during that awkward growing-out phase (This was pre-Pinterest mind you). Thus, I'm not going to let any of our readers suffer through growing out bangs like I did. These quick and easy hairstyles get those bangs out of your face and out of your eyes. Whether you're looking for an updo, down 'do, casual style or hairdo for an evening out, there's an easy hairstyle for anyone growing out her bangs. Remember, this too shall pass.
They say wearing workout clothes makes you more than twice as likely to actually work out. We say throw a neat hairstyle on top, and you've got a girl ready to sweat up a storm.
There are a million reasons why styling curly hair is more difficult than styling straight hair -- the products, the curl manipulation, and ensuring they all look the same for (at least) most of the day. Not to mention the whole length issue (shrinkage, anyone?). Which is why finding someone who can cut curly hair without butchering it requires more than a neighborhood Yelp search. It requires research -- knowing exactly how to get the perfect haircut with hair so full of personality.
Hair accessories are basically jewelry for your hair -- which might explain why we just can't get enough. They're a quick way to add color and personality to basic hairstyles. Pop a Swarovski-encrusted comb alongside a topknot, and suddenly you're a modern day Holly Golightly. Throw a patterned turban over beach-y waves for an instant dose of bohemian cool.
With skin, it's more obvious: Skip the SPF and you feel it. Thankfully, your hair doesn't sting or turn bright red after you've been baking in the sun. It puts up a good front, but your hair is just as sensitive to sun as your skin, especially if it's color treated or already damaged. According to Dr. Francesca Fusco, a Clear Scalp & Hair dermatologist, the sun, its UV rays and the heat it generates can damage your hair in a number of ways. It can fade your color, burn your scalp and even break down keratin fiber in your hair (translation: brittle, straw-like hair).
We love a good lob and effortless beachy waves, but some hairstyles are so classic that they deserve a spot in the Hair Hall of Fame. Whether it's Holly Golightly's famous updo or a disco diva's legendary curls, some hairstyles just stick around -- getting copied and reinterpreted again and again. Check out photos of the most popular hairstyles at recent awards shows and Fashion Week presentations and you realize that some 'dos just never get old.
We've all had our fair share of beauty nightmares: Your stylist adds five inches to your "trim," the lady waxing you reveals it's her first day on the job, something that shouldn't be burning is definitely burning ... Sometimes you need to read an especially cringe-worthy beauty horror story to put your bad haircut or botched manicure in perspective. Misery does love company, after all. From unintentional mullets to traumatizing chemical burns, women far and wide (including our very own Total Beauty Facebook fans) have experienced it all. Here's to hoping none of these salon nightmares or DIY disasters happen to you.
"It'll grow back." When you're brimming over with tears at the sight of a new head of hair you didn't ask for, that's the last thing a woman wants to hear. My first bad haircut was at age seven, and I can still recall bursting into tears in the back of my mom's minivan after shyly nodding that, yes, I liked my new bangs, to the stylist moments before. Decades later, and I still haven't learned the art of politely informing a stylist that I hate what she's done to me. When I wondered out loud how to fix a bad haircut, my coworkers had plenty to say. We've all had bad cuts over the years, so we had a hair stylist expert, Chris Petroff (he's done Jared Leto's hair, and we're all jealous of those locks), weigh in on when to speak up and what to say.
While spring is a glorious season -- tulips! sandals! al fresco dining! -- it can also be a challenging time for hairstyling. Even a giant umbrella doesn't really protect your blowout from gusty winds and downpours. And as the temperature and humidity intensifies, so does your battle with frizz.
If we were giving an award for best hair, Kate Middleton would win hands down. Always sleek and shiny, we've never seen the Duchess with so much as a hair out of place (even the day after giving birth!).
Is your hair care arsenal lacking? Give it a revamp with the best hair care products from the 2014 beauty awards. We tested every last hairspray, dry shampoo, deep conditioner, treatment and tool to curate a collection of hair products like no other. Among them, you'll find the best drugstore dry shampoo, the most divine hair oil to ever grace your strands and a detangler to end all detanglers.