Structure of Wavy Hair

A wavy hairstyle is one in which the hair bends and curves in soft, open wave-like formations. Natural waves are genetically determined in each individual and can change due to factors such as time, health, hormones, medication as well as certain cutting techniques because they determine how much weight is pulling down on the hair shaft.

Caring for Wavy Hair

Wavy hair needs to be cut and groomed by a trained hairstylist. Shaping and weight determination can make or break any particular look. Wavy hairstyles can also be achieved with naturally straight hair types by using chemicals and rollers (and rearranging the inner structure of the hair).

Benefits

Wavy hairstyles can be styled straight with the use of blow-dryers, straighteners, and styling aids, and by adjusting the weight through the layers (longer, heavier layers create weight and reduce waves while more layers reduce weight and increase bounce). Taylor Swift is an example of someone who has long wavy layers.

Continue Reading for more Wavy Hair Tips & Videos...

Straight hair is without any curls or waves and can be different textures like coarse, medium or fine and it can be cut, razored, sliced, chipped, or tapered to achieve almost any shape.

How to Take Care of Straight Hair

You need a professional to regularly trim your straight hairstyle and keep it healthy. If you have wavy or curly hair it can be made to look straight by either styling it straight with hair products and a straightening iron, or by having a chemical straightening process.
 

Benefits of Straight Hair

With straight hair you can have the best of both worlds: wear it straight or set it in hot rollers (or use a curling iron) to create waves and curls that will last until your next shampoo.

Beware!!

A good cut is very important for all lengths of straight hair but especially those with short straight hair or uneven areas will be very noticeable. Get into a good habit of having a regular trim. If you can't make it to the salon, try using anti-frizz serum on the ends of your hair to disguise split ends.

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It's no harder to maintain curly hair than it is to manage other hair types.With all hair types, once you practice enough with your hair, you will learn which products work best and which do not. No one will ever know your hair better than you!

But if you learn how to mast the art of the curl, like Ms. Halle Berry has, you will have hair that is enviable by anyone who is walking and breathing.

Structure of Curly Hair

Curly hair bends and curves in rounded formations as it grows out from the scalp. Natural curls are genetically inherited and can vary between siblings.

Cutting techniques can affect curls too by determining how much weight is dragging down on the hair shaft.

There are many quick and easy styles that are low maintenance and natural looking. With the right hair cut, all you would need is a bottle of hair serum with little to no need to style your hair ever again.

Methods To Care for Curly Hair

For the best results natural curls require proper cutting and shaping techniques from professionals. Incorrect layering (weight distribution) can be disastrous, making your curls frizzy (too much layering) or flat and lifeless (not enough graduated layers).

Using hair serum is your best and only friend. It will help keep your curls in place and help you with you feel like switching it up and straightening your hair. Im sure there are many wonderful products that do a variety of things, but nothing is more crucial than to keep serum on you at all times.

Learn more tips and watch videos on how to take care of curly hair after the jump.

Hair rollers also perform the same function as hair curlers but they are meant to be set on and cannot be varied as much. Hot rollers save time compared to rolling your hair and sitting under a dryer. While getting ready in the morning your curls can set as you accomplish several tasks at once.
 

What exactly are Hot Rollers?

Hot rollers are cylinder-shaped hair rollers for curling hair. They're fitted onto an electric tray containing heating elements. Hot rollers heat up and are applied to the hair and then left to cool down - leaving a curl behind.

What are they used for?

Hot rollers are mainly used to add curl, but unlike a curling iron, are clipped into the hair while they work which leaves your hands free to do other things. Hot rollers are especially good for styling the entire head and adding body.

Hot rollers come in five sizes ranging from petite to jumbo.  

• Petite rollers, which are ½ inch, create the tightest curls and for short, fine hair.

• Small rollers are ¾ inch, render tight and spiral curls and are typically for shorter hair.

• Medium rollers are 1 inch and used mostly on short to medium to fine hair, producing medium curls.

• Large rollers (1 to 1 ¼ inches) create loose curls with more body and volume are created using large rollers

• Jumbo rollers (1 to 1 ½ inches) are used on thicker, longer hair, making the largest curls.

Hit the title/read more to see extra tips and watch a video on how to use hot rollers...

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No matter which brush is best for certain styles, there’s no stopping you from having at least one of every type. Changing your brush may ease your morning routine, or make it even faster.

One thing to keep in mind is quality. Buying the cheapest brushes will only mean that they will not last very long, and may end up scratching your head. Treat your hair well, and it will love you for it!

Round Hair brush:

Round hair brushes are generally used to give a curl and definition to hairstyles.The basic rule is that the smaller the round of the brush the tighter the curl.

For shorter hair, use a smaller brush and curl strategic pieces of your hair.

For longer hair, round hair brushes can be used for curling the ends, or just straightening hair. A larger round hair brush is best for longer hair.

Hit the title/read more to see the rest of the most common hair brushes and their uses...

The Kabuki Brush

Just like a powder brush, only squatter, with more densely packed bristles, which helps you achieve more coverage where you need it. You can also use a kabuki to give foundation or bronzer an airbrushed-looking finish or to apply cheekbone shimmer.







Hit the title/read more to continue reading on all the different kinds of makeup brushes out there...
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 Few things make you appear more groomed than well-plucked eyebrows . Many women have their eyebrows tweezed or threaded professionally leading to eyebrow boutiques popping up across the country.

I recommend you have a professional do your eyebrows first to set a 'blueprint', then all you have to do is pluck where the hairs grow in. (A pro waxing should set you back about $20 depending on where you live).

Here's some tips on how to tweeze your own eyebrows...

• The biggest mistake people make is to tweeze too much. Avoid over plucking as it can take months for brows to grow back. Here's a simple trick to remember: The space between your brows should be equal to, or a little wider than, your eyes. To find where your brow should go, take a long eye shadow brush or pencil and hold it parallel to the side of your nose. Where the brush meets your brow is where your brow should begin.

• To find the end of your brow, extend the brush diagonally from your nostril, following the outside edge of your eye toward the brow. Where the inside edge of the brush hits is where your brow should end.

• The best brows have a slight arch. To find yours, hold the brush parallel to the outside edge of the colored part of your eye (the iris). Where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of your brow should be.

• Cleanse your skin. Exfoliating with a gentle scrub helps prep the area as well. Worried about pain? Expert aesthicians suggest applying to the brow Anbesol, Orajel or any teething gel for babies. Brush brows up and out.

• You'll want to invest in a good pair of tweezers with a slanted edge. You also want to make sure you're near a window with light pouring in or under a bright light with a good mirror (magnifying mirrors are best, but be sure and flip it over to see your overall effect in the regular mirror).

• Make sure to pluck hairs in the direction they grow. Don't grab too many hairs at a time. You can hold skin taut as you pluck.

• It's a myth that brows should never be tweezed from above. You want both the bottoms and tops to be smooth. So be careful, but tweeze the top AND the bottom.

• Stop every few hairs to step back and look at the job you're doing. If you over pluck, you're stuck. Unlike most hairs on your body, your brows won't always grow back once they're yanked.

• Once you're done plucking, you can apply aloe vera gel, which will calm the redness right away.

• To ensure your tweezers maintain their firm grip, regularly wipe the tips with alcohol to remove any oily build up.

• If your brows are sparse or spotty, you can fill them in by pressing a brown shadow into your brow.

• If you use a pencil to fill in sparse brows, apply with short, feathered strokes from the inside of the brow out. Then carefully rub brows with a brush or your fingertips to soften the effect.

• Brow gel helps keep your brows in place all day. Or if you don't have gel, apply a dab of hairspray to your finger and use it to keep unruly hairs in place.

• I've saved the best tip for last. The ideal time for brow-shaping is the week after your period begins. It the time in your cycle when your body is least sensitive to hair removal.

If you suffer from thick, clumpy, spider-like lashes, you may be applying mascara incorrectly.

Ace your mascara application with a three-step process:

Step 1: Wiggle the wand left to right at the base of lashes. It's the mascara placed near the roots -- not the tips -- that gives the illusion of length.

Step 2: Pull the wand up and through lashes, wiggling as you go. The wiggling part is key: Wiggling separates lashes.

Step 3: In this final step (which I always skip), close the eye and place the mascara wand on top of lashes at the base and pull through to remove any clumps.

Lash Tips to Save Your Life

• Keep lashes from clumping. For some, lash combs are simply too fussy. But for some makeup artists, they're a great invention and keep lashes glob-free and perfectly separated.

• Apply mascara at the lash base. Then wiggle the lash comb through to the tips of your lashes.
  

• Not into the lash comb? Get rid of clumps without them by removing excess mascara from the wand. Wipe wand on tissue, this eliminates blobs BEFORE you start.

• Try a spoolie (a disposable mascara wand). Sweep a clean, fresh mascara wand through lashes when they're wet.

• Mix mascaras. A trick makeup artists use to make lashes pop is apply one coat of lengthening mascara, followed by one coat of thickening mascara. Remove excess product with a clean spoolie wand.

• Don't shy away from colored mascara. Basic mascara rules are simple: Black works for everyone but can be harsh on light-skinned blondes. Blondes should opt for brown/black by day and reserve black for night.

• Blue mascara brightens blue eyes while purple mascara makes brown eyes pop.

• Use an eyelash curler Curling lashes gives eyes the appearance of being wider and brighter. Shoot warm air from your blow dryer on the mascara curler for 3-5 seconds to warm it up before curling lashes. Touch it first to make sure it's not too hot. It's a myth that you have to curl lashes before you apply mascara. You can curl lashes after mascara application; just make sure the mascara is dry first.

• Give a few coats to the edges by blinking. Blink onto the brush to give ends an extra coat.

• Powder under the eye before applying mascara. Sometimes mascara smudges because it's attracted to oily concealer or eyecreams.

• Zig-zag the wand. Zig-zagging the wand back and forth during application helps cut down clumps.
  

• Use a mascara primer. Primers coat lashes and separate them before you apply mascara. Makeup artists swear by mascara primer. I tried it and like it, but because it's an added step, I usually use primer only on special occasion when I spend more time on my makeup.

• Want that 2nd coat? Just make sure to do it before the first coat dries, otherwise you'll get clumps.

• Do NOT pump wand in and out of the tube. This only introduces air into the tube, which will cause your mascara to dry out sooner than it should.

• Another smudge-proof tip -- bend the wand. A top makeup artist once gave his secret to his steady hand: he always bends his wand at a right angle. Wait five seconds before blinking. You don't want to paint your lids, do you?

Consider these things when choosing a foundation:

• Skin Type - Choose a foundation formulation appropriate to your skin type

• Coverage - How much coverage to you need or want?

• Color - With a makeup-free face, examine your skin tone in natural light and then at a reliable beauty counter, get some input from a consultant. Test the color on your jaw and in natural light. The color should blend and disappear into your own skin tone.

The right foundation balances your skin tone and instantly makes your face come alive. But applying a formula that's too light or dark for your complexion is a major faux pas. To counteract this common beauty blunder, you need to know what shade is right for your skin color. Start by testing the base or foundation color by applying a thin line of color to the jaw line. This way, you can compare the color to the skin on the face as well as the neck to avoid any obvious, unnatural differences.

The end result: the color should blend perfectly with your skin tone. When the seasons change, it's best to switch the color and texture of your foundation accordingly. During warmer weather, forgo the foundation and try tinted moisturizer - a lightweight, more breathable formula that keeps skin fresh and fabulous no matter how high the levels of heat or humidity.

Different Types of Foundation:

Liquid:

Skin Type: normal and combination

Objective: smooth satiny finish with sheer to medium coverage

How to Apply:  small dabs or strokes blending a little at a time

Tools:  foundation brush or sponge  * a damp sponge will increase sheerness

Cream

Skin Type: dry skin or climate situation with no humidity

Objective: smooth dewy finish with medium coverage

How to Apply:  beginning central to the face dot a little at a time with a damp sponge

Tools:  latex free sponge

Stick

Skin Type: oily or combination skin or as a concealer

Objective: matte more opaque finish

How to Apply:  using finger pads, patting for spot coverage or brush for all over even tone

Tools:  stick itself, brush  and/or very clean finger pads

Powder

Skin Type: all (except super dry skin)

Objective: matte finish, considered easiest to apply

How to Apply:  using light hand, central start smooth outward, i.e. bridge of nose and outward across cheeks etc.

Tools:  large powder brush

Tinted Moisturizer

Skin Type: normal to dry

Objective: natural, glowing finish

How to Apply:  gently massage into face to meet desired needs, if SPF give even coverage

Tools:  clean fingers

 Why are makeup artists addicted to concealer? Because the coverage won’t show, but the results are obvious. With its high-powered coverage capabilities, concealer is your skin’s best secret weapon.

Call on concealer to blast blemishes, defy dark circles, hide redness or banish the appearance of aging. Just keep it hidden; your perfect shade should always be completely invisible. Too much concealer can get cakey, so start with one dab and go from there.

How to Choose

Here’s something to consider when you’re selecting concealers.

Form: The most common forms of concealer are stick and liquid. A stick concealer comes in a solid formula that provides complete coverage. Liquid concealers offer less coverage but are easier to apply and blend into your skin.

Benefits: What kind of imperfection do you want to conceal? Once you decide, you can choose a concealer that’s targeted to your skin concern. Yellow-toned concealers can hide a variety of skin problems such as brown spots, scars, pimples and under-eye circles.

How to Find My Shade

Concealer should match your skin tone or be slightly lighter. Test concealer on your jaw line to see how it works with your complexion. Your perfect shade should disappear into your skin. If you can’t find a match, try blending two shades of concealer to get to the exact shade you need to go under cover.

How to Use

Use concealer after foundation to prevent it from rubbing off. If you don’t wear foundation, apply concealer before you apply blush and powder so you can prepare your skin with perfection.

Most celebrity makeup artists agree that concealer should be reserved for those flaws (pimples, scars, under-eye circles, redness around the nostrils, broken blood vessels, dark inner corners of eyes, etc...) which cannot be covered with a few thin layers of foundation.

It should be applied in the same way as foundation, with a thin layer first, totally blended, and then more thin layers as needed. It is always better to apply several thin layers, carefully blending the layers rather than one huge glob. Depending upon the color, you may apply it before or after foundation.

 

When to Use That Specific Concealer

In general, dryer concealers adhere to skin better than creamy ones which can be sheerer. Stick concealers are the driest. They can resemble a pencil or a tube of lipstick. The "compact" variety can be either dry or creamy. The "pot" variety comes in a pot, tube or wand and is almost always creamy and therefore sheerer.

For covering a pimple, you will probably want a dry stick one so the opaque color will adhere longer. To cover under-eye circles, most celebrity makeup artists want the consistency of a creamier one.

When choosing a color, stay away from white! It will only draw attention to the very things you are trying to hide. It will also make you look pale and wan. Yellow-based colors are the best for almost everyone, because they counteract both redness and blueness.

If you would like to forgo foundation and wear only concealer you must shop around for one that matches your skin color as well as possible. This may be very hard, since they do not come in a wide spectrum of colors like foundations do.

How to Apply Your Concealer

Apply with sponges, brushes, or fingertips, in a thin layer and then add more thin layers if necessary. Always set it with powder.

If you wear foundation apply it after and then set both with a powder. This will make it last longer.

It is sometimes better to apply it with an eye-shadow brush, because a finger will generate too much body heat and may cause it to melt a bit.

For the most flawless, undetectable application, blend the edges of it into the skin with an eye-shadow brush. If you wish to cover a pimple, it is better to apply one that is lighter than your foundation. This will lift the pimple up to skin tone. The foundation is then necessary to hide the concealer.

When covering under-eye circles, do not apply too much, it can make eyes look smaller. Do not use shades lighter than your skin tone on under-eye circles or you will end up with what the industry refers to as “raccoon eyes”.

Remember to not cover a blemish so much that you only call attention to it. Do not aim for a flawless finish, or you will apply too much. Instead, aim to de-emphasize the flaw. The places that make a huge difference in your appearance that most gals forget to cover are the dark areas on the sides of your eyes next to your nose.