If you’re like me, allotting time to spend on your hair is as unappealing as working extra hours on the weekends—no thank you. Plus, that messy “I totally didn’t try” look is in, right? Well…yes and no. There’s nothing wrong with unkempt waves or bed-head (not the actual “I just rolled out of bed look”), but there are those occasions when the laidback look should take a backseat to something a little more polished.
So take that hairbrush and blowdryer out of hiding, set your alarm for just a wee bit earlier, and follow these styling tips from Natasha Sunshine, owner of Byu-ti/Pureology Salon.
Start with good grooming
If your hair is damaged, it’s going to be difficult to make it look good—no matter what. So start by giving it a little TLC, and stick to Sunshine’s golden rules:
- “Use a hydrating mask once or twice a week to prevent ends from splitting.” She suggests using Pureology’s HydraWhip, which will leave your hair soft and restored, but not greasy and weighed down like other heavy masks can do.
- “Skip the blowdry when flat ironing or curling hair by washing the night before to keep damage to a minimum.” With the winter months looming, this is especially important to keep in mind. Minimizing heat will salvage your locks year-round.
- “Get regular trims!” Six weeks is the ideal wait period between haircuts, which seems like a lot, but is definitely worth it. If you have haircut anxiety like me (I swear it gets shorter every time!), worry not…the more you trim, the faster your hair will grow. Watch out Rapunzel.
- Minimize washes. “Two to three times a week is ideal,” says Sunshine. Think your hair can’t make it that long? It’s all about training. “You'll need to stop washing daily for two weeks before the oil production slows down, so plan on wearing lots of ponytails. Your efforts will get you shinier, more nourished hair as you won't be stripping your natural oils as much,” she says. Insider tip: use dry shampoo to help you through the rough patch.
Fake it till you make it
Even if you aren’t a styling pro (yet!), and even if you haven’t accumulated the right tools or products, there are ways to look polished—so save that messy topknot for home.
- Don’t feel like cranking the heat? Opt for a braided look. “As a hairstylist, I believe our hair always needs to look great,” says Sunshine. “So a lazy day would be a side part, a braid in the front and a braided bun. Classic, clean but polished.”
- Not sure where to start? Stick to the basics. You can’t go wrong with a large 1 ½” curling iron. “You can smooth and polish most people’s hair with this size,” says Sunshine. As for product, she recommends a light and flexible hairspray like Pureology's Strengthening Control Hairspray, which “gives you a touchable hold that works on everyone's hair.” Crunchy is never a good look—so stay away, far far away. As for styling, my favorite trick is to hold a curling iron upside down, and wrap large sections around it sans clasp (I learned from this video, compliments of Cupcakes and Cashmere…and if I succeeded, you can too).
- Embrace style secrets like you invented them yourself. Don’t have time for a full dry? Focus on smoothing out the ends. “Even if you skip the roots or rough dry the roots of your hair, when you smooth out the ends, it'll look like a great blowdry,” says Sunshine. Want to hold onto that amazing blowdry from yesterday? Sunshine suggests using baby powder for added volume or to get rid of the shine. “An oldie but a goodie, she says.” If you’re trying to add shine, look no further than your cabinets. “A little bit of olive oil goes a long way on dry ends if you run out of your favorite shine product.”
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