my recommended products for all hair types

before i did hair, i didn't think that products made a difference, and rarely sprung for a professional hair lines, instead using suave and other nonesense. now after styling head after head, i know it makes all the difference in the world. i know it's expensive to experiment and find just what works for you, so here's the results of my experimentations....

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** I love this curling iron, (and yes, a good one is necessary) and for the price, you can't beat it (of course not compared to Wal-Mart, but compared to professional prices):

Regular 3/4" Professional Marcel Iron Model 1105 For all hair lengthsPulse Technology® senses heat loss and begins restoring it immediately so the iron stays hot, curl after curl.

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**For very piecey, dirty, full of messy texture curls (apply some when wet, but use from middle of strand to ends when dry) this is one of my fav products:

MOLDING & SCULPTING
twisted curl defining créme
Combines conditioning and styling agents to protect, control, and define curl.
Produces frizz-free, springy curl without feeling stiff or crunchy.
Enhances and energizes curl, and helps keep it conditioned and bouncy.
Protects hair from damage associated with hair dryers, curling irons, and flat irons.
how to useRub between palms. Gently distributes from roots to ends throughout towel-dried hair. Push curl into place and style as desired.

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**For Fine/ Thin hair, (that can't handle shine/anti-frizz product, because it just makes your hair look greasy), this is a great lightweight shiner/smoother, for soft pretty curls, with just a pinch of texture:

outshine 01 anti-frizz polishing milk
Defy frizz with super shine and clean definition. Light cream styler with shea butter melts on outspoken shine and smoothness.
How To Use
Apply a small amount evenly through damp or dry hair. Use it alone or create a custom blend with another Redken styling product.

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**For more coarse/thick hair (or medium, but use sparingly) for shiny, glossy pretty curls... never apply any shine/gloss product within at least 3 inches of the roots:

This dry silicone serum fights frizz and smoothes the hiar as it delivers strength with a combinatino of two types of silk proteins and two soy proteins.
The weightless, greaseless formula locks in moisture and protects against humidity and static electricity.
Works great with a flat iron.
Can also be used on the skin for shine and smoothness.

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**For any hair type, any type of curl... this is great to use to piece out the ends, seperating the curls, instead of leaving them clumped together... helps to make curls more casual and everyday, rather than elegant (use sparingly at first... add more as needed)

From red carpet to real life, Sexy Hair Concepts (Sexy Hair) introduces Gleam Me Up, a light weight wax that gives hair texture, definition and lots of shine. Providing a light to medium hold with a natural and soft finish, Gleam Me Up twirls brilliance and distinctive shape into each tress.
Just the thing for short to medium hair, Gleam Me Up forms a "styling memory" and contains nourishing properties of herbal and protein extracts and pro-vitamin 5. With a fragrant hint of peony and apple, the styling wax sculpts hair into chic, fashion-forward styles without a greasy, waxy residue.

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**Great all around gel... not too heavy not too light:

STYLING & FINISHING
Oxygen energized sunflower, juniper, rose hips, and wheat germenrich hair with vitamins for maximum condition and shine
texturizing gel
Oxygen energized, weightless, firm hold styling gel.
Use to mold, shape, and form hair.
Gives hair exceptional texture, volume, and shine.

how to useApply to towel dried hair and distribute evenly. Blow dry and proceed with styling. For wet look, comb and dry naturally.

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** I love this hairspray:

forceful 23 super strength finishing spray
Finish styles with ultimate strength, lasting lift, shape memory and frizz-free shine. Fast-drying, ultra-clean formula delivers lasting shape memory and 8 hours of maximum control. Exclusive Shine Charged Technology helps provide frizz-free, touchable, shiny styles with 24-hour humidity resistance.
How To Use
Spray 8-12 inches from dry, styled hair.

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to finish up talking about curly hair...i just have to tell you that my husband, bless his heart, has been begging me for a tight perm for a long long time. what can i say? he likes to be unique. i finally gave in:

tyler is the boss of some teenage skater kids who immediately requested perms after seeing him. tyler is quoted as saying "i'm a trend setter. get used to it." watch out. the perm's coming back. in all seriousness though, i have been working on a technique to give a body wave (yes, i just used the term body wave) that looks like sjp's hair, and i'm getting close to it's perfection. i just need some guinea pigs. anyone want a perm in 2007?

reader request: curly hair help

we are using sjp for a learning model today. her hair is as gorgeous and coveted as jennifer aniston's- and look! this wild mane is what she naturally has to work with. i know some people hate their curly hair- but really it's awesome. it gives the body you need to pull off any style. sjp has worn her hair long, medium, and short with every degree of straight or curliness; no matter what she does it looks great because of the texture and body that her curls give it. here's what you can do with your curls and how to pull it off:

look one: work with it! (the long curl) ok, so we know i am obsessed with beachy curls and long flowy hair. and the reason is this: i have wave in my hair, and my hair is thick and coarse. this is a look i can do to work with my body to make it pretty instead of crazy big. this look is easy easy for even the curliest of hair. it is done one of two ways. 1. if you have really tight curls you need to set it when it's wet. comb through and add a texturizing product. then take large sections and hand form them into curls and bobby pin them loosely to your scalp. blow dry hair like this and then take out pins. use your hands to lightly piece through and tossel, and then apply a gloss finish. this might take a couple times to perfect but it will change your life! 2. if you have just wavy unruly hair, blow dry it first in every direction without using a brush, then use an awesome curling iron (come back tomorrow to see which one i use) and curl from the top down away from your face in large sections. set with a flexible hairspray. (this is how i do my hair).

look two: short tossled curls. this cut is so awesome and easily maintained and is really only available to naturally curled ladies so rejoice! (how i wish i could look like meg ryan in city of angels sometimes!) anyway, the key here is the cut. it must be a very good one, and frankly, there are a lot of not very good hairdressers out there that cannot do this. come see me if you live close or really research to find a good one near you. it's layering and layering some more done just so (really, this is true of long or medium curls too. otherwise you have what we call a triangle). when the cut is done right all you need to do to style is run product through your hair, use your hands to shape the curls and blow dry for a few minutes (depends on the amount of curl you start with how quick this process will be).

three: the mediums and "growing it out lengths". so pretty and just require some combo of the short and long styling. just play around with it. you really won't go wrong with the bobby pinned big sections while it's wet.

four: straitening at any length. if you must. you are very lucky because your straight look will have the body and bounce that naturally straight girls go to great lengths to get. to retain some of the curl apply product and then use a round brush to blow out the hair in every direction. to go absolutely straight you're going to have to go to town with a straightener after a punishing blow dry. i just say go with the curls!

look five: this is where curly girls are the luckiest of all! up do's are beautiful when you have soft waves to be loosley falling out and surrounding your face. for days when you have no time at all throw your hair in a messy bun, pull out a few curls and you'll look like juliette!



work with what you've got. get a good stylist, good product and take an evening to play around with it (these styles take the tiniest bit of practice to perfect). soon you will be able to get these looks in five minutes every morning and feel like a million bucks.

curly hair part two coming tomorrow: curling iron and men's curls and trend predictions!

modern curls

how stunning do these two look? soft beachy unfussy curls are my favorite, my specialty, and my pick for my own hair. the secret is a really, really good curling iron. then curl from the top down (rather than rolling up, wrap the hair around the barrel) away from the face. gorgeous.

i know, i know

they are a weird-brainwashed-wannabe royal family. but i love their look. copying katie's hair is all in the styling. that bob is just a short haircut with layers, and could look very mommy and run of the mill if parted down the center and flipped out, like a lot of women get stuck doing. the key is to blow dry in every direction, avoiding the "flip" and parting far off to the side for a sweeping look in the front. and of course, have a man that looks like tom cruise and a baby that looks like suri. that'll help too.