Hot Summer Hair Trends

Summer is in full swing. While the weather is beautiful, the humidity that comes with it often leaves most of us in a hairstyle rut. Ponytails and buns are cute, but can become repetitive, so read below for some summer hairstyle inspiration.

1. Braids

Braids are everywhere this season and for good reason – they work with any hair type or length, and are the perfect way to keep hair out of your face while participating in your favorite summer activities.

The latest braids trend is the fishtail style. The simplest explanation of a fishtail braid as compared to a basic braid is that the hair is split into two sections instead of the traditional three sections.

However, don’t limit yourself to just the fishtail style this summer; consider braiding along your hairline a la Lauren Conrad above (great when growing out your bangs) or try adding a few thin braids using pieces from the underneath section of your hair so they peek out and add interest to a low ponytail or bun.

1. Beachy Waves

Curls and waves are always in for summer because they are a great way to work with the natural texture of your hair. The whole point of this hairstyle is not to overdo it. All summer hairstyles are about simplicity and staying away from blow dryers and heat styling tools.

For starters, apply mousse and a salt spray to freshly washed hair. Scrunch the hair with your hands and let it air-dry. If you don’t have the time – or patience – for air-drying, go ahead and blow dry, using a diffuser attachment.

1. Bright Highlights

Color is in this season! From hot pink lips to neon nail polish and the mermaid red-hair trend, bright colors have been everywhere recently.

Instead of taking the plunge with an all-over permanent hair color, try adding bright highlights streaks to your tresses. I suggest shades of blue, purple, pink, and red to achieve an eye-catching look.

To keep the look from being overwhelming, only dye a few strands that frame your face, choose to dye strands in the mid-to-lower layer of your hair, or just dye some of the ends of your hair.

1. Feathers + Flowers

Feathers are a new hair trend, while flowers are a classic hair accessory – and both are super hot for summer. While the feather hair trend will likely continue to be popular throughout the fall and winter, flowers are most appropriate during the summer, so take full advantage of this look while you can.

If you want to try the flower look, flower hair accessories are also available at retail stores, but it’s so much easier to pick a fresh flower yourself. Flowers look adorable tucked behind your ear or placed in a side-bun.

http://www.collegefashion.net/beauty-and-hair/the-4-hottest-summer-2011-hair-trends/

Lauren Conrad's Dip Dyed Hair

“Reality TV”-how does that word taste in your mouth? We either eat it up or spit it out, but there’s always that one person who’s the exception to the rules of the reality star world. Lauren Conrad has risen to the top of her career with two fashion lines, three books, and a beauty website, without falling into the doom and gloom that usually comes with the post-reality show life. Although she came to fame as our favorite “character” on Laguna Beach andThe Hills, Conrad was never just your typical reality star—we knew right away that the girl had spunk. But spunk in the form of dip-dyed ends? Even we didn’t see this coming from the always classy fashion princess. But guess what, we got your back Lauren. We are BIG fans of the dip-dye trend.

Conrad left the power up to us in the form of a poll on her beauty site.  She asked readers whether or not she should leave the tie-dyed tips to the “rebelling teens,” but we all know that there’s nothing better than those teenage years. Sixty percent of “Do It’s” got the job done, and uh…who’s to say whether or not my finger hit the “Do It” button more times than one. Conrad posted the result today and opted for tie-dyed ends of purple, pink, and blue. And well, with a few tousled strands of purple hair myself, I can’t say I hate it.

Like it, love it, want it? Here are some tips on how to dip dye your own hair. After all, this is a new generation of party people.

http://ellegirl.elle.com/teen-fashion/2011/lauren-conrad-dip-dyes-her-hair-how-to-get-the-look/

Make-up Tips for Redheads

If you are part of the small population of people that were born as a natural redhead, then you can consider yourself special, since less than 2% of the US population has naturally red hair! However, you may find that many of the common cosmetics tips may not apply in your case. Redhead makeup techniques and colors are slightly different than other hair and skin color combinations. Here are five red head makeup tips that will help you learn how to accentuate your natural and distinct beauty:

1. Care for your complexion. Red heads often have very fair skin with freckles. This makes them very susceptible to sun damage. Protect your skin and your milky white complexion by using plenty of sunscreen every single day (SPF of 30 or greater at all times, even when it’s cloudy out!) and avoiding unnecessary sun exposure. Red heads with fair skin tend to burn very easily, and too much sun can lead to more freckles, as well as leathery skin and wrinkles.
2. Choose the right foundation. For natural red heads with freckles, using a sheer foundation to even out the skin tone is important. When you try too hard to cover the freckles, it is often obvious and appears unnatural. Instead, use concealer to cover any especially dark spots, blemishes or redness after you smooth out the tone with a sheer foundation. You can add a touch of bronzer on the bridge of your nose and across your forehead for a beautiful glow, without looking overly made-up.
3. Highlight your eyes. Because redheads often have very light brows and lashes, eye makeup is a must for accentuating the natural beauty of the eyes. Red hair comes in a very wide variety of shades—while blondes and brunettes seem to have only a few shades, red heads are almost all unique! Those with auburn and strawberry blonde hair colors may find that without eye makeup they have a very “washed out” look. With the right eye shadow, eyebrow pencil, eyeliner and mascara, a beautiful and natural look can be achieved. Light brown and brownish-black eyeliner and mascara look very nice. For eye shadows, most redheads should opt for neutrals, such as brownish peach blends. While this sounds boring, consider tones like chestnut and terra cotta to bring out the best in your eyes. If you happen to have green eyes, as many redheads do, shades of purple and violet can be fun for evening.
4. Red hair, not red lipstick. When choosing lipstick, most redheads should generally steer clear of the pinks and reds, with the exception of those warmer reds like brick red or copper reds. Instead, opt for corals and brownish neutrals. For a super striking look, experiment with shades of lavender that go with your skin tone.
5. Choose natural looking blush colors. Blush should also fall into the peachy, coral, brownish tones for the best look. Pinks can give a clownish look to many natural red heads and mistakes like these should typically be avoided!

Red hair is unusual and unique, and is an increasingly popular look. Many people choose to dye their hair in shades of red to get the same beauty that natural redheads experience. Because of their special look, redhead makeup tips are somewhat different than those typically followed by blondes and brunettes. Draw the right attention to your natural beauty by choosing the colors and techniques that accentuate your beautiful features.

http://www.freebeautytips.org/redhead-makeup.html

The Different Types of Hair Dye

Even if you have already had your hair colored by a professional, or used an at-home hair coloring kit, you might have questions as to what formula is best for you. And if you’re not ready to make a commitment or experience a dramatic change, then you don’t want to jump into anything and use the wrong hair dye formula.

That’s why it’s a great idea to look at all of the options you have when it comes to coloring your hair. This being said, here is a quick rundown of all the different kinds of hair color you’ll find:

Types of Hair Colors

Temporary Hair Color

Temporary hair color products are often sold as color rinses, and are widely used to camouflage gray hair or give your natural tone a slight boost. This type of hair dye formula stays on the surface of your hair, and on the outer parts of the cuticle; thus it only adds color to the visible parts your hair, instead of penetrating the cuticle like other hair dyes.

By using temporary hair color, you will not be able to transform your dark hair into a lighter shade, but it is still great for adding dimension and depth to your natural hair color. You can purchase temporary hair dye in a rinse, color mousse, spray, hair mascara, or color-tinted shampoos and conditioners. The downside to using temporary hair dye is that it only last a short period of time; in fact, temporary products only last up to your next wash. People often use temporary hair color methods for Halloween because they are so easy to apply, and wash out with only a few shampoos.

Semi-Permanent Hair Color

This hair dye formula deposits color onto the hair without having any lightening effect. The semi-permanent hair dying process helps to raise the cuticle of the hair shaft to allow the color to absorb into the hair strand. However, you won’t end up with a huge difference in hair color with semi-permanent formulas, and they aren’t good for covering up gray hair.

This type of hair dye lasts for up to 6-12 washes, fading a little every time you use shampoo. A couple of other facts about semi-permanent hair dye are that it is also known as a “glaze”, and it contains no ammonia or peroxide, which helps immensely to reduce hair damage.

Demi-Permanent Hair Color

This hair coloring method is similar to semi-permanent hair color. What makes the two dyes different is that the demi-permanent hair dye formula has smaller molecules that allow it to soak into the cortex of the hair strand, and also get deep into the cuticle. For someone with gray hair, demi-permanent hair dye is a better option because it is more penetrative than semi-permanent hair dye. Demi-permanent hair dye is also slightly more powerful because it contains a small amount of ammonia, allowing it to darken or lighten the hair more than semi-permanent dye. Your new color lasts longer with demi-permanent hair dye at approximately 12-24 washes, but just like semi-permanent products, it will still fade eventually over time.

Permanent Hair Color

This type of hair dye formula penetrates the shaft of the hair to reach the cortex directly. Permanent hair color has a “developer” that raises the cuticle for the molecules to travel into a hair strand’s cortex. The developer found in permanent hair dye contains aniline derivatives that combine with hydrogen peroxide to give you larger tint molecules, which get trapped inside the cortex.

Permanent hair products are able to deposit the color into the cortex, and can also be used to lighten the color of hair according to the strength of the hydrogen peroxide used as the developer. This type of hair coloring formula doesn’t wash out or fade away because it has ammonia and peroxide working together to break the natural pigment down, thus allowing the natural color to be replaced with the permanent hair dye. Permanent dye formulas are even better for covering up grays, and offering your hair a dramatic change. Keep in mind that permanent hair dye doesn’t fade, and once your roots grow out, you’ll need to re-dye your hair regularly.
http://www.beauty-tips.net/hairtips/hairstyletips/different-types-of-hair-dye.htm#axzz1Q7AEp2kM