A few weeks ago, my husband told me that the 80s metal scene was on the phone for me: it wanted its hair back. See, I have naturally curly hair that I usually beat into straight submission with the help of my trusty flat irons. This takes plenty of work, mind you, since I love bangs and refuse to let them grow out. On this particular bad hair day, I was too tired/lazy/apathetic to do anything other than let it dry naturally…and, voila, the perfect 80s storm of poodle-esque “business in the front, party in the back” was born.
Now maybe your hair days aren’t quite as heinous as mine, but no matter who you are, there’s no woman walking the earth today that’s immune to their ego-deflating power (why do you think J.Lo learned to rock those scarves?). Here are the three most common reasons that your strands misbehave, and how to keep them in check.
#1 Wrong haircut
Bad cuts are like bad boyfriends: It may not be that they’re bad in general, they’re just not right for you. In fact, what often makes a cut bad is that it works against your natural hair texture, or it’s just too much work in general (and too complicated for your lifestyle and beauty routine). “If your stylist spent 45 minutes fussing to finish it, chances are you won’t be able to re-create the look once you get home,” says Washington, D.C. stylist Jeremy Row. When the cut is good, hair naturally behaves better under all circumstances and is more likely to do what you want it to. It also works with your hair texture and type, so it can actually help control frizz and defy the gravity that always seems to be tugging at your limp locks.
Next time you see your stylist, bring along pictures of styles you like but make sure to be honest when you discuss your hair texture, how much time you’re willing to spend on your hair, and what types of products and tools you use. Don’t forget to mention what you don’t like about your hair (the cowlick, the frizz, etc), and ask for solutions.
#2 Hair type
Every hair type has its pros and cons, but the right products can virtually erase those traits you wish didn’t belong to your tresses.
If your hair is fine and limp, go for a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. “The new technologies can really build body into your hair and make a huge difference when it comes to styling,” says celeb favorite Oscar Blandi, who’s teased Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner’s tresses. “Working in a hair thickener before blowdrying can also help hair look fuller, but having lots of layers makes the biggest difference because they keep hair from looking weighed down.” Try Living Proof Full Thickening Cream.
If your hair is curly, apply a hair mask in the shower for extra moisture to seal the cuticle and prevent frizzies. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb in the shower. Rinse most of it out, but leave in a little if your hair is thick and coarse. “Rub a shine serum or argan oil in your palm and comb through hair, from end to roots, depositing less as you move up the hair strand,” says Row. Try Mizani Supreme Oil. Either air-dry or use a diffuser, lightly scrunching to bring out its natural texture. Smooth out any remaining frizz by applying a bit more oil or serum to dry curls. Most importantly, keep your hands away from your hair once its dry—the more you touch it, the frizzier it will get.
If hair is damaged, look for shampoo and conditioner loaded with protein, amino acids, and fatty acids to repair and rejuvenate your hair. Make sure to add a deep conditioning treatment like Kerastase MasquIntense at least once a week.
#3 Weather
Congratulations—the cause of your tress trauma is something completely out of your control. But there is good news: you can beat the barometer with a few tweaks to your routine.
To beat winter cold and indoor heat, don’t blast wet hair with a blow-dryer set to its hottest setting (though it’s tempting when your wet hair is making you shiver). “This damages hair by overheating the moisture inside each strand,” says Row. “If you can, let it airdry until it’s just slightly damp, apply a heat-protecting spray, and use medium heat.” Regardless of your hair type, add an intensive conditioning mask to hair at least twice a month (if you’re hair is fine, apply to ends only). “And if all else fails, lightly rub a fabric softener dryer sheet over flyaways to put them back in their place.”
To solve summer humidity woes, try a shampoo and conditioner made for fine hair (like Garnier Fructis Forfifying for Fine Hair) to avoid any residue that can weigh hair down even more (or, if your hair’s in good condition, skip the conditioner entirely). “Before styling, apply a volumizing root booster to damp roots, and blow dry hair while it’s flipped upside down to get as much lift as possible,” recommends Blandi. “Avoid any heavy styling products, and finish with a mist of humidity fighting spray.” Try Oribe Impermeable Anti-Humidity Spray.
To combat frizz, apply silicone hair serum or argan oil to wet hair (how much you use depends on the length and thickness of your hair, but start small and build up to avoid product overload). Gently squeeze the moisture and excess product out of hair with a supersoft towel. Next, comb a smoothing balm through hair, making sure not to miss any strands. After hair is dry, rub a bit of the serum or oil over ends since they’re the first place to frizz.
How do you save your bad hair days?
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I recently caught up with the crazy-busy/uber-successful YouTube beauty phenom (and Lancôme video makeup artist), Michelle Phan, during a Sephora store appearance. She told me that the colors in her new palette (Glamour Eyes kit by Michelle Phan for Lancome) are ones that you don’t typically see together, but that she uses all the time. We can see why—the shades that she packed into the kit can be used in a zillion different ways. Want proof? I mastered three of Michelle’s looks in a single afternoon…with help from her video, of course.
Natural
The most wearable and easiest to ace is the natural look. It uses just two shades: a wash of peach across the lid and a taupe shadow placed just along the crease and lashline. Michelle does something a little different though: she blends the taupe shade along the lower lashline, too. “It adds a little pop of color without overwhelming the eyes. It’s subtle,” she said.
Sexy Smolder
Michelle’s smoldering look is a wearable (and do-able) smoky eye that’s soft enough to pair with jeans and a tee—not just a cocktail dress. It builds off of the natural look, using the same peach and taupe shadows but adds a hint of purple along the crease for more dimension. Follow with a shimmery gray shadow as a liner and a slick of liquid liner before applying a few coats of mascara.
Bright Eye-dea
The third look, Michelle’s diva look, is not for the shy—it’s beautiful and bold for the right occasion. The purple is your base shade, and is prone to flaking, so start with an eyeshadow primer to ensure your handiwork doesn’t migrate. Helpful tip: a stiff, short-bristled brush offers the most precise and pigmented application of shadow. Don’t forget to brighten the inner corners of your eyes with the peach shade (skipping this step may send you into goth territory). Confession: I was frustrated with my first application—getting the cat eye shape to look symmetrical on both eyes is challenging—but after a few trial runs, I felt like a pro.
When it comes to battling crow’s feet, undereye lines, or whatever else you might call the supposedly character-building beauty marks, the best way to attack them is to use a three-pronged approach. First, start treating the lines asap to help diminish them over time. Second, you probably want to minimize the appearance of them immediately, right? That’s why you’ll want to employ key line-hiding makeup tricks. And finally, you need to prevent more (or deeper) lines from forming. With the help of dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner and makeup artist Emily Kate Warren, we’ve got the key tips and products that’ll help you master this approach and send your lines packing.
Treat Lines
When it comes to treating lines, “topical retinoids like tretinoin are the only ingredients that have been proven in clinical trials to improve fine lines and wrinkles,” says Zeichner. You can either opt to get a prescription retinoid like Retin-A Micro, Tazorac or Differin from your dermatologist, or try an over-the-counter product that contains retinol, a form of retinoids. Try SkinCeuticals Retinol 1.0, which is meant to be used all over your face, or Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Instant Treatment Mask, which is an eye treatment patch that contains retinol in addition to hydrating ingredients like glycerin.
You can also opt to use a eye or face cream containing plumping ingredients like peptides and light reflective pigments in order to help temporarily reduce the appearance of your lines, says Zeichner. But, they will only work while on your skin—unlike the aforementioned retinoids, which continue to diminish lines over time. Try Yves Saint Laurent Temps Majeur Eye, which contains a Cyto-Regenerating Complex that includes oligo peptides; Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel that plumps up lines using peptides and hydrating humectants; and Dr. Brandt Flaws No More r3p Cream, which uses a triple peptide formula that’s rich in antioxidants and shea butter to help reduce the appearance of lines.
Camouflage Lines
Until your retinoid-infused products have time to work their magic on your lines, you can use these simple makeup tricks to minimize their appearance.
Prep skin before foundation with a tinted primer, says Warren. It “smooths fine lines” and will “knock out a lot of the creasing and unevenness or redness that comes with age and sun damage,” she says. Try Make Up For Ever HD Primer.
For foundation, use a sheer formula that is lightweight and won’t ever look cakey. Try Shiseido The Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation. Apply it using a damp sponge so “the foundation goes on smoothly with no seams,” says Warren. If the foundation isn’t enough to hide imperfections (like discoloration) then use concealer, but avoid a light reflective or radiance-enhancing formula. “It may be a bit too bright and produce the reverse effect for crinkly undereyes,” adds Warren. And, only apply the concealer in the darkest areas under your eyes or you may actually make your lines look more obvious. Focus the product on the area from your tear duct to the darkest point under your eyes, and blend.
Finally, avoid using too much powder as it “tends to settle into lines,” says Warren. Also, play up your lashes and subtly fill in your brows to define them. Both will add instant lift to your eyes and draw attention away from your lines.
Prevent Lines
If you don’t have too many obvious lines yet (lucky you), and if you want to prevent the lines you do have from becoming deeper and more obvious, it’s time to start taking a few precautionary measures.
First, “sun protection is key to prevent damage to collagen and elastin in the skin,” says Zeichner. So, slather on your SPF rain or shine. (Try Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 50 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid.) You should also keep your skin well hydrated by using moisturizer regularly. It’ll help the “skin retain water and stay healthy,” he says. Look for products containing hyaluronic acid, which is one of the most hydrating ingredients available. Try Lancome High Résolution Night Refill-3X.
Preventing lines, however, goes beyond using the right skin care. Zeichner also urges us to wear sunglasses to prevent squinting, which can cause lines, and suggests wearing regular glasses to read or watch a movie (if they’re needed) because that too can lead to squinting. And, avoid smoking. Not only is it bad for your overall health, but it also leads to squinting when you’re trying to avoid getting smoke in your eyes. And, “nicotine has been shown to constrict blood vessels and can interfere with nutrient delivery to the skin,” he says.
While many pimple-prone American women swear by three-step, acid-drenched regimens to get rid of their acne, women in other countries turn to tried-and-true, all-natural zit zappers.
India
Indian women mix freshly powdered turmeric with mint juice to form a pimple-preventing paste that is used as a spot treatment for 30 minutes and then rinsed off with tepid water. Another plant used to treat acne in India is Tulsi (Basil). Based on ayurvedic medicine, dried tulsi leaves are steeped in hot water. Once cooled, the mixture is used as a tonic for the face.
Japan
Known for their flawless, porcelain-like complexions, Japanese women spend a lot of time taking care of their skin (good genes certainly help, too). And, one ingredient that women in Japan love in their beauty products is Camellia Seed Oil. Rich in fatty acids, this oil restores skin elasticity and has been known to soothe acne outbreaks.
France
French women use cosmetics religiously, and nothing says clear skin like French Green Clay. Filled with minerals like smectite and illite, French Green Clay has oil-absorbing properties, which is why women in France don’t think twice about slathering it on their faces as a mask to help draw out acne-inducing impurities.
It may not be rocket science, but choosing the lipstick you wear day in and day out can feel daunting…or worse, boring (as in the same blah color you’ve been wearing for years). To find a fresh new shade, think out of the barely-there box. “Bright tones bring out your personality and are a great conversation starter,” says celeb makeup artist Tim Quinn, a favorite of Gwen Stefani and Kate Bosworth. So don’t save them for a big night out. Here’s how to break out of your daily lipstick grind and find a new gorgeous go-to.
Use color as a pick-me-up. A bold color can perk up your face faster than a supercharged latte, so try a sheer version of fuschia or coral to look instantly energized. If you have fair skin, go for a lighter, apricot shade like Yves Saint Laurent Pure Lipstick in Silky Apricot. Medium skin tones can go darker with rosier, brighter pinks like Ecco Bella Flowercolor Lipstick in Pink Rose. Dark skin looks great when a bit of purple is mixed into your pink (like Smashbox’Lip Tech Lip Color in Sangria).
Make red your signature color. With the right shade, red can be a classic, sophisticated everyday shade that lets you get away with wearing almost no other makeup (save for a swipe of mascara). Instead of focusing on your skin tone, use your eye color as a guide. For light brown, green and hazel eyes, try a red-orange tone like L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolour in Volcanic. A true blue-red works great for blue eyes, and for brown eyes, try a berry toned red like MAC Lipstick in Ruby Woo. Still nervous? Try a sheer version or stain instead of a cream or matte lipstick.
Think pink. Pick a sheer pink that’s a shade or two darker & brighter than your lip color to add warmth to your face. “It’s a very natural effect that looks modern and not fussy.” Save the heavy gloss and shimmer for nighttime, and stick to a creamy, soft shine for day.
