The Lob

Not too short, not too lengthy, the Lob (beauty speak for “Long Bob”) is still Hollywood’s cut of choice. From sexed-up waves to Seventies groupie bangs, these celebs show you  smoking-hot new ways to rock this summer’s sexiest look.

The simplest style is also the chicest – create a deep part and comb your lob back behind your ears, finishing with a glossing serum. Sleek and sultry.

Pair piecey, tousled waves with heavy bangs for a Seventies rock groupie look that have your man dying for backstage favors. To smooth bangs, apply a straightening balm before blowdrying.

Equal parts “Borderline”-era Madonna and beach bombshell, this lusciously wavy lob is yours with a few liberal mists of a sea salt spray on damp hair. Don’t forget to scrunch!

Beach Babe: 5 Easy Ways To Get Carefree Waves

No matter the season, no matter the destination, no matter the woman — one of my favorite hairstyles is natural, beach-y looking waves. There’s just something inherently effortless and feminine about a thick mane of twisting, curling, waving locks that I can’t help but appreciate.

Tip: As with any curly or wavy hairstyle, you’ll want to use an anti-frizz serum or shine spray to reduce fly aways and smooth hair down. Tamed curls are always better than their crazy counterparts (unless you’re channeling Cruella de Vil or Sweeney Todd’s Mrs. Lovett).

Oh, and here’s a quick tip for those of you seeking out beach waves. If you don’t have enough time to complete any of the following tutorials, you can spray hair with a “sea spray” product and scrunch gently to create some body. This instantly gives hair that beach-y vibe. Make your own beach/sea spray by adding a tablespoon of salt to a spray bottle full of warm water.

FLAT IRON WAVES

How can you not love Lauren Conrad’s The Beauty Department? It’s like a mecca of insightful beauty guru knowledge that every woman (and her sister, mother daughter…) should be aware of. Be wary, though — you’ll get sucked into clicking page after page of tutorials and before you know it an hour will have passed. Anyway, I have to highlight TBD’s flat iron waves tutorial, which has made a splash (get it?) in the beauty world as of late. Essentially, you clamp and twist your flat iron 180 degrees, then flip the iron and repeat. All the specifics are covered on the blog.

GORGEOUS BEACH CURLS

I love the simplicity of this “gorgeous beach curls” tutorial from Darlene at the How Does She? blog. Darlene takes you through this simple process, but I’ll give you the break down. First, divide semi-damp hair into four sections. Next, lightly spray with flexible hairspray and twist each section (in the direction you want the curls to go) until you have a tight coil. Secure into a bun, blow dry, remove the buns and style as you wish. Genius!

MESSY, CHUNKY BEACH WAVES

Whenever I compile these curated posts, I can’t wait to try all the new hairstyles I’ve written about. This one’s moving straight up to the top of my “must try” list because it looks so easy and the results are fab.u.lous! Dana at the Wonder Forest blog dubbed this hairstyle as “messy, chunky beach waves.”She says she created this beach waves technique herself and that it’s her favorite way to curl her hair because she loves the end result no matter what (and loves that you don’t have to sleep in wet hair). Basically, you twist a small section of hair around your fingers, coil tightly all the way up to your head and then flat iron the twisted lock. Release, repeat on entire head and style.

5 Awesome Hair Accessories That Will Turn Heads This Summer

Looking for a new ‘do this summer? You can get plenty of sassy styles with some of this summer’s hottest hair accessories. The best part is, they’re easy to wear with just about any hairstyle! From summer’s hottest hats to the new ponytail wraps, there’s a perfect hair accessory for you.

FLOPPY HATS

Floppy hats are effortlessly glamorous–just grab and go! This Melissa Obadash Jemima Sun Hat comes in a classic color and brim size. We also love the fun stripes on this San Diego Hat Co. Wide Brim Hat. The gorgeous red trim on this Kokin Wide Brim Hat is sure to turn heads.  And if you’re looking for something glam that still matches with just about anything, you’ll love this Eugenia Kim Bunny Metallic Striped Sunhat.

SUMMER WEDDING STYLE

If you’re a summer bride or attending a wedding this summer, a little bit of glitz is definitely in order. And this Jenny Packham Acacia Headress II is gorgeous for any formal event you may be going to. Planning on an updo? Try this Jenny Packham Valentine Comb. If a glam headband is in order, try this Tasha Crystal Beaded Head Wrap.

PRETTY PONYTAILS

Forget those plain black hair bands, ponytails are getting a major hair accessory revival this season! Add some color to your pony with these Marc by Marc Jacobs Turn Lock Cluster Pony Ties. Looking for something a little funky? Try these Tasha Polka Dot Hair Ties.  Baubles and jewels are also making their way into the ponytail this season, like with this L. Erickson Faceted Mesozoic Ponytail Holder.

HEADBANDS

Headbands are still a hot trend and we couldn’t be happier about it! Whether you’re wearing it hippie style across your forehead, with an updo or just a down hairstyle, headbands are an easy accessory to incorporate into just about any hairstyle. We love how delicate this Dauphines of New York Mischievous Goddess Headband is. For something lovely yet simple, we love this Filigree Headwrap. This Cecile Organza Headband is one Blair Waldorf would approve of, and we love its perky color.

BARETTES

Who doesn’t need a giant barette? This Adia Kibur Jumbo Hair Clip makes quite the statement. For something a little flirtier, try this Topshop Bow Barette. If you just need something classic, the assorted colors of this L. Erickson Covered Rectangular Headband should have you covered.

From Long To Short In Minutes: The Faux Bob

If you’re anything like me, you may have a hard time committing to a hairstyle other than the one you’ve been rocking for a while now. There’s just something about the ease of your go-to style that makes branching out a nerve-racking endeavor. Even so, hair metamorphosis is invigorating and can make you feel like a brand new woman ready to take on the world — or at least the neighborhood.

While short haired women may easily employ the use of extensions, those with longer locks believe the only way to go short is to introduce their hair to a pair of cutting sheers.

Not true.

Thanks to the “faux bob,” long and medium haired ladies who’ve contemplated a cropped do can now give the style a test run.

Bethany from Treasures and Travels by Kalos says she often goes back and forth on the idea of chopping her hair off, as well. Her solution, naturally, is to do a quick hair tuck and rock a faux bob instead of taking the short-hair plunge.

Her tutorial is basic and works best on those with layered hair. First, put the ends of your hair into a loose pony tail, then tuck it under toward your neck and secure with bobby pins. Voila: a shoulder-length bob in under five minutes.

If you want to create a faux bob with body and waves, take your cue from  Chanel Drror’s tutorial at Camille Styles. She transforms long, curled locks into an above-the-shoulder curly bob by pinning small sections at a time. The result? A believable bob that’ll make people think you just paid a visit to your stylist.

For those worried their hair is just too long for this style, fear not. CristopheSalondemonstrates the look on a woman with hair all the way down to the middle of her back. As you can see from the tutorial, women with longer hair will just have a more voluminous faux bob compared to those with a shorter coiffure. This particular look has a super glossy and polished finish — perfect for the office

Spring Hair 

Advice Tips

For Fabulous

Spring and 

Summer Hair

As the seasons change from dry and cold in the winter to warm and moist during the spring and summer, our hair changes with the climate. Hair often goes from dry and full of static to frizzy and sun bleached by the end of the summer. Preparing for this change of the seasons can help you have a better hair day all year.

Moisture Balance.
One of the hardest things to conquer with hair is proper moisture. Just when you get your hair all moisturized to combat the dry season, it gets wet and humid, and then the sun comes out and wreaks havok on your locks.

As the weather starts to warm up and the humidityin the air increases, its time to change your conditioning habits. It doesn't mean that you need to stop conditioning, just make a few adjustments. If you deep condition once a week in the winter months, change it to every other week. If you use a heavy daily conditioner in the dry season, try changing to a lighter moisture or balancing conditioner.

The rule of thumb with moisture is to listen to your hair. If you notice static, dry ends, a lot of tangles, or if your hair feels rough to the touch you are lacking moisture and need to add adeep conditioning treatment or a moisturizing conditioner to your hair routine. If your hair is limp or oily start cutting back on the moisture.

Healthy Highlights
Balancing moisture can be a whole other issue if you highlight your hair in the summer. Frizzy and dry ends on highlighted hair can be more pronounced in the summer, especially if you lighten your hair more, spend time in the sun, or spend a lot of time in the water. Protein treatments or protein enhanced conditioners can help restore your highlighted hair's strength. Balance the strength with a good conditioning treatment or even a leave-in conditioner on highlighted hair.

Manage the Sun's Effects
Just as the sun causes your skin to age, it also will effect your hair. You may notice that your hair lightens in the summer. As a child, I was always super blond in the summer and more of a dark blond in the winter months.

While the sun's natural lightening doesn't cause significant damage to your hair, over exposure to the sun's rays can cause dryness and unwanted lightening to colored and highlighted hair. To keep the sun's effects at a minimum, try a UV protecting shampoo, conditioner, and styling aids.

Chlorine
If you spend a lot of time in the pool, it won't take long before you realize that the chlorine build up can be a real issue. Chlorine can dry your hair, cause your ends to appear more damaged, and build up on your hair. The build up feels unpleasant and makes hair dull and hard to style.

To prevent chlorine from causing problems, the first step is to wash your hair thoroughly immediately upon exiting the pool every time with a clarifying shampoo and follow with a balancing conditioner.

Although shampooing often and getting into a regular clarifying routine is a great way to start to combat the chlorine problem most of my clients say that it doesn't completely get rid of the chlorine build up in your hair. Many salons can do an in-salon treatment to help remove the chlorine build up in hair. I recommend that my clients with chlorine issues come in for a treatment every 6-10 weeks.

Deep Conditioning Advice
Regular deep conditioning is as important during the spring and summer as it is in the fall and winter. While you may not need to deep condition your hair as often, a monthly treatment can help keep hair soft, conditioned, and prevent damage. Try my absolute favorite deep conditioning treatment once a month.

NEW TEEN BRAIDED HAIRSTYLES