I had the pleasure of meeting a dear friend Karen’s sister, Mary, and transforming her hairstyle into a much more manageable and flattering ‘do.
As you can see from the “before” picture, Mary’s hair was a curly, frizzy, out-of-control mess. Of course I say that with love, but the color was washed out, and the style looked unkempt.
It wasn’t that she didn’t try; it was more that no one had really helped get her hair into good condition or given her any information about how to take care of it or style it.
Anyone who knows me knows that it does not make me happy if you have a style that you can’t maintain easily. I will give you tips and tricks to style your hair without a ton of time and products.
After chatting, Mary gave me carte blanche to do what was necessary for a big change. I love when this happens, but it’s not often enough.
I started by cutting off about two inches, then colored her hair a beautiful chocolate brown. I added some caramel highlights for interest and dimension.
After coloring I did a Brazilian blowout. The beauty of this service is that it changes the texture of the hair, taking away and stopping that halo of fuzz from occurring after being outside for five minutes.
It closes the outside layers of each hair (cuticle), making the hair reflect and shine, and best of all, resistant to the humidity. This means no frizz – the best result ever.
It makes the hair much easier to style because the curl is tamer and can be straightened or scrunched in very little time without compromising any body already in the hair, and it stays whichever way you style it.
Finally, I finished the cut taking into consideration the shape of Mary’s face. I always want to bring attention to the cheekbones and eyes.
I gave her a layered bob. I graduated it up in the back to take advantage of the now frizz-free curls, which gave Mary a wonderful profile. The fullness brings the focus up and away from the neck and chin, giving an instant facelift and making her look 10 years younger.
Mary and her sister Karen wept at the outcome – because they were so happy. Mission accomplished, and it warmed my heart.
Joy Ross is owner of Style It Salon in Old Town Bluffton. www.styleitsalon.com
