Tutorial: New Darlings Top Knot for Shorter Hair

I know, I know.  Christina of New Darlings has the best hair ever.  I wouldn’t kill for those long gorgeous locks of super-thick hair, but I could see myself kicking someone.

One of her signature ‘dos is this huge, fan-like bun.  It’s one of those styles that exudes that cool “Oh, this?” kinda vibe, but it can be a little tough to get right.  While Christina does have a tutorial for this style, I’ve refined it for people with shorter, finer hair.  Let’s get started!

If your hair isn’t already straight, it’s not a bad idea to straighten it.  This will make your hair look nice and smooth when you put it up!  I’ve also found that this style works best on next-day hair, so if you can, skip the shampoo for a day.

Gather up all your hair into a high ponytail.  You’ll want it to be right in the middle of your head.  Use a fine-tooth comb to make sure your hair is super smooth.  Take a hair tie and pull your hair through once, then start to pull it through again–but only partway.  Christina suggests taking your hair about halfway through, but if your hair is my length or shorter, you’ll want to pull more through.

Think of your hair like a slinky at this point.  Pull the ends of the “slinky” down and fluff out your hair a little bit.  Then take a couple of bobby pins and pin the ends down in the back.  Try to cover up some of the loose hairs in the back if you can.

Next, pin down the front.  Make sure that you hide your hair tie as you do so.  I think Christina uses the sticky-outy pieces to cover it up, but my hair isn’t long enough to do that.

Once everything is pinned down securely, I like to spritz on a little dry shampoo and keep fluffing out my hair.  Keep going until it’s HUGE!

And that’s it!  You can use some hairspray to keep it secure, but I’ve never had a problem with it coming undone.

It might take some practice to get it just right, and this actually took me two takes!  Over time, it’ll get much easier, I promise!

Let me know if you try this out–I’d love to hear how it turned out!

Tutorial: Easy Double Twist Bun

I was playing around with a version of this style that has braids instead of twists, but you guys!  I’m getting tired of braids!  I came up with something quicker that’s just as pretty, and I bet it’ll be perfect for that holiday that’s coming up in a couple of weeks…

Start by sectioning off the top half of your hair.  Leave it like that, throw it in a bun, whatever–just keep it out of the way.

Next, take a strand of hair from one side and start twisting it away from you.  As you twist, add more hair.  Stop when you get to the middle of the nape of your neck, and hold it in place with a bobby pin.  (I finally got blonde ones! So excited.)

Do the same on the other side.  This time, when you get to the middle, take the twists from both sides and pull them into a ponytail.

Repeat the last two steps on the top section of your hair.

Finally, gather up the top and bottom ponytails and twist them into a bun at the nape of your neck.  And that’s it!

What do you think?  Is this something you’d like to try?  Remember, you can mix it up by using braids instead of twists!

 

 

 

Tutorial: Triple Dutch Braid

I’ve been playing around with triple braids lately.  You know, where you braid three sections of hair and then braid those together–a braid within a braid, if you will

The thing is, my hair isn’t long enough to really pull it off.  Personally, I think it looks best if you have long, long hair, and mine’s only long.  Still, I think I found a way to make it work.

Enter the triple Dutch braid.  By Dutch braiding the center braid, there’s a little more interest at the top of my head and less on the rest of the style.  Here’s how to copy this look:

Starting at the crown of your hair, Dutch braid the middle section of your hair.  If you’re not familiar with Dutch braiding, it’s basically an inverted French braid.  Instead of pulling the outside strands over the middle one, you pull them under.

 

Next, braid the outside sections of your hair.  Secure with elastics and gently tug on them to fatten ’em up.

Finally, take all three braids and, you guessed it, braid them together as you normally would.  That’s it!  At this point, you could leave it as-is, or you could wrap a section of hair around the elastic to hide it.  Or, you could also stick a pretty bow at the end…

Have you guys ever tried triple braids?  And is there a style you’d like me to show you next time?

 

 

Tutorial: Braided Hairband for Growing Out Bangs

I mentioned last week that after roughly 26 years of bangs, I’m taking a little break and growing them out.  The thing is, growing out your bangs is a notoriously tedious process.  Those little wisps that once looked so cute across your forehead are now an awkward fringe that makes you feel just as dorky as that weird bob you had in middle school.

When I tried growing out my bangs at age ten, my strategy was to part my hair straight down the middle and clip half my bangs to one side and half to the other.  Luckily, I’ve learned a little more about hair since then, and I’ve been experimenting with a few ways to keep my bangs under control.  This braided hairband is my current favorite, and it’s so easy!  This is perfect for those of you who are in the same boat as me–but it also works for just about everyone else, too!

Step 1: Pull back a small section of hair from your crown on one side, then pin it back out of the way.

Step 2: Leaning forward, braid a 1″ section of hair right above your temple.  Leaning forward will make it lie flatter when you stretch it across your forehead later.

Step 3: Thicken your braid by pulling gently at the edges.

Step 4: Pull the braid across your forehead, pushing back your bangs.  Secure it on the other side with a bobby pin or two, then tuck in any stray hairs.

And that’s it!  It’s such an easy style, and it keeps my bangs back like a charm.  Now, if your hair isn’t as long as mine, you can make a second braid on the other side and pull that over to meet the first braid–it’s the same concept as milkmaid braids, really.

What about you? If you’re growing out your bangs, how are you keeping them tamed?

By the way, I’ve been using the Winter Blend shampoo from Maple Holistics lately.  It smells amazing (eucalyptus and mint and bergamot, oh my!), but more importantly, it’s been calming my frizzies and soothing my dry, bleached-out scalp.  I have found that my hair tangles a little more easily when I use this, but other than that, I really like it.

If you want to get your hands on some free samples, check out their site right here!

The August Ipsy Bag Revealed!

Ipsy is like playing a monthly round of White Elephant.  You never know what you’re going to get–it could be something you can’t live without, or it could be a total dud.  And after it’s over, you end up trading stuff with your mom.

This month, I unwrapped my bag and wound up with a whole lotta useless.  And the one thing I did like…well, I’ll tell you about it below:

IT Hair Care 12-in-One Amazing Leave-in Treatment

I got excited about this stuff because it promises so much: it gets rid of frizz and tangles, it repairs damaged hair (ooh that’s me!), it adds body and shine, the list goes on.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t get past the greasy, thick feeling it had on my hair.  I made sure to use the recommended amount, but still, my hair just felt like I hadn’t washed it in a few days.  No bueno.

Formula X Nail Polish in Dollface

Okay, I really, really liked this one!  I prefer very pale nail polish colors, and this one fit the bill exactly.  It went on smoothly and still hasn’t chipped (after three days, for reference).  Sadly, I accidentally left my sample at the nail salon.  I’m going to take that as a sign from above that I should go ahead and buy a full-size bottle.

Pacifica Sundreams Lotus Infused Bronzer in Sunkissed

REALLY, IPSY?  I’m about as pale as they come, and they sent me a bronzer that’s about ten shades too dark.  I tried to make it work.  I applied it like a “3” on my forehead, the hollows of my cheeks, and my jawline, but I looked absolutely ridiculous.  No amount of blending was gonna make this work.

Beau Gachis Paris Pro Series Applicator Sponge

NYX Professional Makeup Born to Glow Liquid Illuminator in Sunbeam

Well, I at least liked the applicator sponge.  It soaked up the illuminator really well and allowed me to dab on just the right amount–no drips, no mess, nada.  The illuminator, though, didn’t work for me.  I have fairly oily skin, so my face gets shiny on its own.  It doesn’t need the help.

Do you get Ipsy bags?  If you do, what did you think of this month’s bag?

By the way, do you like my background?  It’s just a sheet of wallpaper that I got from Paper Source!

Teach Me: Double Rope Buns

A few posts back, I was rocking a hairstyle that can best be described as “two cinnamon rolls stuck to the back of my head.”  I’ve since refined it and given it a little extra oomph by coiling some thick rope braids.  There’s something about it that seems more fall than summer, so I have a feeling I’ll be doing my hair like this a lot more often when it comes time to wind some woolly scarves around my neck!

First, split your hair into two ponytails.  I’d suggest using small hair ties, because that’ll make it easier to pin the braids later on.

Now for a little transfiguration: you’re gonna turn those ponies into ropes!  To make a rope braid, split each ponytail in half.  Twist both strands in the same direction until you get to the bottom.  Then twist them together in the opposite direction.  Secure with another small elastic.

Take each rope and coil it around itself.  Tuck the ends underneath and pin in place.  I like to use about four or six pins to make sure it really stays.  And I’d suggest you use U-shaped pins instead of Bobby pins for better hold.

And that’s it!  I love making the rope braids first–the buns come out looking so thick.  I would imagine you could try this style with regular braids as well.  In fact, I might go and do that next!

Teach Me: French Buns for Wet Hair

You may or may not be aware of this, but I am one of the Laziest Bloggers on Earth.  If I can take some kind of shortcut with my hair or makeup, you can bet I’ll be all over it.  That’s why I love this hairstyle!  It’s quick, easy, and you can do it straight out of the shower.  Here’s how:

Starting with wet hair, comb back the top and twist, twist, twist!  You’ll want to twist until your hair starts to double back on itself.

Roll the strand into a bun and secure with a bobby pin.

Take two pieces of hair from each side of your head and do the same thing–twist them into a small bun and secure below the first one.

Then do it once more to get all your hair into teeny buns.

And that’s it!  Once you get the motions down, experiment with the number of buns or the placement–have fun!  If you try this out, be sure to let me know!

 

Teach Me: French Braid Rolled Updo

I came up with this style in a moment of frustration: I had been trying to make something else work, couldn’t do it, and wound up taking some French braids and rolling it all up into something pretty cute.  Here’s how to get this look!

On either side of your head, take a 2″ section above the ear (leaving some hair in front) and French braid it.  Keep going until you get close to the back of your head.

Tie the two ends together and flip the tail over and through.

Take small sections of the rest of your hair and do the same–roll it over and through the part where your two French braids meet.

When it’s all nicely tucked in, slip a few bobby pins in there to keep it secured.

And that’s it!  I don’t know about you guys, but I’m going to use this style every chance I get this summer.  In fact, don’t be surprised if you see it in an outfit post soon…

Teach Me: Styling Second-Day Curls

Whenever I curl my hair, I look forward to second-day curls.  I always feel like my curls are a little too tight and ringlet-y on the first day, but on the next, I get some seriously sexy waves.  Lately, I’ve been wanting to amp up the Bardot factor, so I’ve been adding a little pouf.  It’s super easy and stays in place all day!  (I did my hair like this in my last post, and it stayed through some incredibly strong winds!)  Here’s how I do it:

When I wake up, all I do is wash and blow dry my bangs–they tend to look a little stringy if I don’t scrub them down.

Next, I brush out my hair.  The curls are so much looser and wavier the second day!

Once my hair is nice and smooth, I take a small (2″ wide) section right at the crown of my head, behind my bangs, and backcomb it until it stands up from my head by about 3″.

Using a rat tail comb, I smooth the backcombed pouf, and then I comb back a small section on either side of the pouf.

Finally, I secure it in the back with a pretty bow!

And that’s all there is to it!  You can smooth it down as much as you like, but I love keeping my hair a little messier with this ‘do.

What about you–how do you like to style second-day hair?

Teach Me: Quick Crown Twist

I’ve been playing around a lot with new hairstyles, and this is one I came up with for days when I’ve slept past my alarm, I haven’t had time to shower, and I need to do something nice to my hair for a big meeting.  This style will take you all of one or two minutes, and all you need are a few bobby pins!

1. Part your hair deeply on one side.  I like to part mine right above my ear.
2. Take the top section of your hair and start twisting away from your face. Take small sections of hair and incorporate them as you twist your hair around your head.
3. Once you get around your head once, take the remaining hair and twist it into a long…twist.  (I don’t know if there’s a better word for that!)
4. Pin that twist above the opposite ear, carefully tucking the ends underneath.