Mistake 1: Making the Cut If You’re Curly

Corkscrews and short hair don’t mix. “If you have tight curls, you’ll have to use a blow-dryer and pull on each ringlet to stretch it out, which is time consuming,” says hairstylist Serge Normant of the Serge Normant at John Frieda salon in New York City. “You’re better off with a layered bob—the weight of the extra length relaxes the curl.”

Mistake 2: Helmet Head

If you look like you could host the evening news, your haircut is too blunt. “Adding layers throughout—especially underneath—makes a short cut look more youthful,” says hairstylist River Lloyd of the Serge Normant at John Frieda salon in New York City. You also want to mess up the texture—”when the hair is smooth and you can’t see the layers, that’s when it starts to look like a helmet.” Ditch the hair spray and pick up a bottle of spray wax (Lloyd recommends Sally Hershberger Genius Spray Wax). Mist throughout and then blow-dry the hair up and over to the opposite side of the head. When you let it back down, it will hang flat, without that dated under-flip.

Mistakes 3 & 4 (Big Body, Small Head & Mixing Hairstyles)

Loose curls are a very popular style with many women who are trying to find the perfect hairstyle for a formal event.  Creating a hairstyle that uses loose curls is a great way to try an updo or even a halfdo hairstyle.  Loose curls are a fun way to create both elegant and classy hairstyles.

One elegant style you can try is a ringlet inspired updo.  To accomplish this hairstyle you will need to wash your hair at least twenty four hours before you want to wear this updo, as dirty hair works best to keep and hold the curls in place.  After you wash your hair use a diffuser to help create tight ringlets in your naturally curly hair.  If you do not have naturally curly hair you will need to set your hair overnight on tiny rag, foam or spiral curlers to create a lot of wonderful curls.  Once you have your curls created you will need to form a half ponytail in your hair and then loop that half ponytail around itself to create a loop.  Pin this with bobby pins to hold the loop in place.  Once this step is done you can take the bottom half of your hair and part it in the middle.  Take one section and pull up toward the base of the half ponytail.  Pin the curls as close to the base of the half ponytail to create balance.  Repeat with the other side of your parted hair and secure with bobby pins.  Once you have completed the steps you will have created a beautiful ringlet updo.

Another great loose curl updo is created by using a large barrel curling iron.  When using a large barrel curling iron to create loose curls wrap your hair around the curling iron rather than the usual and traditional way of using a curling iron.  Wrapping your hair around the large barrel rather than holding your hair in place with the curling iron in the traditional sense will create beautiful loose curls with out the crimping that can sometimes happen while using a curling iron.  Once you have made the loose curls in your hair use a finishing spray to hold the curls in place.  When the curls have been set with the finishing spray you can then begin to create a halfdo.  Take a few curls from either side of your head and pull them toward the back center of your head.  Use bobby pins to pin each curl to your head and repeat until you have a nice amount of curls pinned up.  Make sure that your curls hang nice and loosely down the back of your head and place a beautiful jeweled clip in the center of the pinned up hair.  By pulling back only part of your hair you will have created a beautiful halfdo that looks both elegant and fun.

Thick and curly hair can be a beautiful combination however it may also be a difficult combination to maintain.  Difficult because styling this type of hair requires some effort.  For example many styles require straightening the hair and over time the heat and damaged caused from a flat iron takes its toll.  Here are a few ideas to help maintain thick curly hair.

The first idea is to use a good conditioner in your hair regularly.  Using a good conditioner for your thick and curly hair will help you have better control over it and will help your hair to be healthy and shiny.  Conditioner is a good idea no matter what type of hair you have however thick curly hair tends to be coarse and can really benefit from conditioning.

As we said conditioner is an essential part in maintaining thick curly hair.  The different styling methods used for curly hair often include daily straightening.  Hair can easily become damaged and can be prone to breakage because of the heat used to straighten the hair.  So it is important to protect your thick curly hair before you even begin.  Make sure to use a heat serum on your hair before you begin straightening.  This will help protect your hair from the heat and will also help create a nice straight look.

Another idea is to have your thick curly hair trimmed often.  This will help your hair remain healthy as well as give your hair a nice style.  Thick, curly hair is a beautiful combination and with a few little steps in your routine you can maintain this hair with ease.

When thinking of prom and how to style your hair in an updo, girls with thick curly hair seem to have the advantage over the girls who do not.  The girls with out thick and curly hair will need to create volume on their own with the use of hot rollers or curling irons to help create lift and volume needed for an updo.

One elegant style you can try is a ringlet inspired updo.  To accomplish this hairstyle you will need to wash your hair at least twenty four hours before you want to wear this updo, as dirty hair works better to keep and hold the curls in place.  After you wash your hair use a diffuser to help create tight ringlets in your naturally curly hair.  If you do not have naturally curly hair you will need to set your hair overnight on tiny rag, foam or spiral curlers to create a lot of tight curls.  Once you have your curls created you will need to form a half ponytail in your hair and then loop that half ponytail around itself to create a loop.  Pin this with bobby pins to hold the loop in place.  Once this step is done you can take the bottom half of your hair and part it in the middle.  Take one section and pull up toward the base of the half ponytail.  Pin the curls as close to the base of the half ponytail to create balance.  Repeat with the other side of your parted hair and secure with bobby pins.  Once you have completed the steps you will have created a beautiful ringlet updo.

Another great prom updo for curly thick hair is a curly halfdo.  To get this look you simply use a curling iron or hot rollers to add curl to your hair, if it is straight, if not use a styling product to enhance your already natural curls.  Pull your hair back at the sides just above the ears and pin it up allowing some of the curls to hang softly to add volume and the appearance of an easy relaxed look.

There are a lot of great accessories that will compliment your prom updo.  You can find rhinestone bobby pins, which will add a bit of glamour to your look.  You can use special combs or clips which will allow you to put your hair up and enhance the look you are going for.  And last but not least remember the best accessory of all, hairspray.  Hairspray is a great tool to keep your hair in place once it’s been pined up.   Updos can be both elegant and edgy.  So have fun with the look you are going for.

If you have any questions about the Prom Updo For Curly Hair, then please “Ask The Hairstylist” your question and we will post the response here.