Today’s hair tutorial is a little odd but it’s great to have as many tools in your arsenal as possible! Today we’re going to getting waves using stockings!
These kinds of overnight styles to get curls are always a bit hit and miss depending on the type of hair you actually have. This is similar to all of those sock buns=waves sorts of things but it’s a little easier to do because stockings are bigger and stretchier.
To begin with tie your hair in a high ponytail.
At this point you can add any hair spray or mouse etc that you like to keep the shape.
Fold the stockings in half and sandwich the ends of your hair between the middle.
Roll the hair around the stockings.
Continue rolling the stockings up until you reach the base of the ponytail.
Tie the stockings in a knot at the back.
You should have something like this once you’re done!
Now add another layer of hairspray and then go and have a peaceful night’s sleep!
Next morning!
Once the stockings are removed the hair should have more volume, especially around the ends which will hold a nice curl. How much curl you get will depend on the type of hair you have and also your hair cut. Layers curl much more obviously!
Now just separate the curls out with your fingers.
If they become too loose you can re-curl the shape with your fingers.
Add a pretty accessory and you’re good to go! Pretty 😀
For these sorts of tutorials, results will always vary so let me know how it goes for you!
Morning! Today’s hairstyle is a little more classic style and features a knitted headband that I made. You can easily make your own or just use another kind of headband.
Start with clean, brushed hair.
Split it into 3 sections, one either side and one at the back.
Put the back section into a ponytail.
Flip the ponytail through itself by poking your fingers through the band and pulling the tail through.
Plait the rest of the hair down and tie off.
Fluff the plait out with your fingers and flip it up to the top of your head. Pin it in place. If you have a long tail hanging across the front like I do don’t worry, it will be hidden under the headband later.
Move on to the first side and divide it into halves. Plait each half and repeat on the other side.
You should have 4 small plaits.
Place your headband on so it sits just behind the plaits. I think headbands which feature plaits look best with this style because they continue the theme. Poke any tails at the top under it so they are hidden.
Take the back plait on either side and wrap them around the front of your head. You can twist them together for a more interesting look too.
Pin the tails under the band.
Now take the front plaits and pull them backwards and around the other side.
Pin their tails under the hairband too. The back will end up something like this. Personally I think this style works best with darker, curly hair because the results have so much texture. It’s really easy to see my parts because of the colour of my hair and roots where as with darker hair you just get the cool patterns.
But there you go! Another hairstyle to add to your repertoire ^_^
Hope you enjoyed and let me know if you give it a try!
Today’s hair tutorial is less of a tutorial and more of a list of ideas. Really, most of you guys have all of the basic hairstyle skills down but it helps to have some nice ideas for inspiration to change up and make your own.
So here are my favourite hairstyles to wear with hats!
1. Plain old down.
Obviously down and out is the easiest one. When I’m wearing a hat I like to keep my fringe side swept even if it’s at the length where I usually wear it straight across. This is because my fringe is usually curled under so with a hat the curl makes it look awkward or get stuck in my eyes. So side swept for the win!
2. Fishtail braid on one side.
This is one of the styles I wear the most often. It’s quick to do, looks complicated and really pretty. You can dress it up with accessories to match your outfit and most importantly, you don’t have hair on the back of your neck so it’s good for hotter weather.
3. Rolled
This is an awesome style for when your hair is dirty or just being annoying and unruly. All you need to do is put your hat on and then roll the hair up so it’s just under the hat. You can leave it thinner or use a hair sausage insert for a more impressive look.
This look works best with hats which have a retro style like cloche hats.
4. Loops
One of the problems I have with styling hair for hats is that it needs to look balanced especially if your hat is a bit elaborate or has a lot going on up top. Doing loops like this gives the bottom a sense of volume and balances out the top.
5. Large low bun.
You can double up with one of each side but I like to just put them on one side and then balance them with large hair accessories. Keeping it lower than ear level means you can easily perch a beret or soft hat on top. For large buns I like to use a donut insert so they are prefect.
6. Mini buns
Twisted mini buns are really cute low down as well and you can vary the shape to sausages or round buns depending on the hat you’re wearing.
So there you go, hopefully next time you’re wearing a hat this will give you some more ideas!
I love this style in Summer, I always get really obsessed with braids in Summer for some reason! So today’s hair tutorial is a little bit of a different braid, it’s a waterfall style!
It looks complicated but all this really means is that some of the top strands fall down to the bottom rather than continuing through the entire braid.
So let’s get started!
We will be working on the side of the head today but you can do this in any direction once you understand the mechanics.
To help things along I’m going to colour code it. Take a small piece of hair at the very top front and divide it into 3 pieces as if you are going to start a regular braid.
Begin braiding, starting from the bottom piece.
When you are going to move the top piece down, move it and then completely drop it so it hangs loose.
Continue braiding with the bottom strand as if nothing happened. When you add the next piece of hair in from the bottom you will actually trap the hanging piece down in place.
Now when you need to take the next section from the top, grab a completely new piece of hair at the top, move it over and then drop it.
You can see what I mean a bit better here:
Continue doing this for the entire braid. Here is the complete pattern colour coded:
When you get to the back you can plait it down and then repeat on the other side or just keep going all the way around the other side. It looks really cool if you do two rows of these braids next to each other.
Taadaa!
Dropping pieces of the braid feels very unnatural when you start out doing it but once you understand the movement it’s as quick to do as any other braid!
It has a really pretty effect though! Hope you enjoyed the tutorial and let me know if you give it a try.
Hair tutorials are back! This time I’ll be doing a lot of the reader requests that have been sitting on my list for ages!
So let’s get started, today we’ll be doing a bear ear style while was popular for a while in Japan.
Start with clean, brushed hair and part in the middle. This style works best if your hair has been straightened up the top as it forms loops more easily.
Take a small section at the top on one side.
Tease it a little bit around the roots. This will give the finished style a nicer shape.
Hairspray the area a little bit.
Fold the section upwards and back down so it forms a loop. Put the tail of it in front of the loop, this will help it look a bit more natural rather than something just stuck on the side of your head.
Pin it at the base. You can use one pin or two in an X shape to hold it in place.
Now repeat on the other side too!
Yay! Ears!
This calls for your best bear impression… Yeah this was apparently the best I had >_>
I like to add some bows to the bottom of the loops as an added point of interest.
Hope you enjoyed it and let me know if you try it out!
It’s been a long time since I’ve updated my hair FAQ so I thought it was high time to make it a bit more comprehensive!
For the record: I really couldn’t care less what hair trends are, I’ve had my hair a LOT of different colours and styles over the years. The first time I did different colour tips was in 2003, I started doing gradient/ombre colours in around 2009ish and have been doing it consistently since. You are welcome to voice an opinion about my hair (and many people have clearly voiced them!) but please don’t think that leaving me negative comments will some how convince me to changing my hair, that is just a bit silly -_-’
During dying I usually look a little like a crazy person.
After dying and sleeping on it damp:
After using the L’Oreal Rowenta Steam Pod on it:
What brand of dye do you use?
For bleaching I use L’Oreal Super Blonde Creme Prelightener. It’s basically a colour stripper. Generally one would add other dye after using this bleach or use a toner. I like the orange shades it leaves so I do not.
You used to use Wakk Stain dye, where can I buy that?
Yes I did, it was great. Unfortunately it’s no longer being produced so I can’t tell you. If you find any, let me know!
Do you get it done at a salon?
No. I cut and colour my own hair due to financial constraints and a general distrust of people who wield sharp pointy things near my face.
How often do you do you dye your hair?
Around once a month I bleach and every second wash I add a little more pink while I’m conditioning to keep it bright.
What other colours have you done?
Black, blue, green and various shades of red and orange, blonde to black/brown gradient, bright red with blonde tips and the current combination. Here is a post on my hair history.
What colour is your hair naturally?
This one:
How can your hair withstand so much torture and damage?
My natural hair is really thick and frizzy so it could always take a lot. I think the really important answer though is that I’ve been dying my hair since 2001 so I have experience, I know what works with my hair and what doesn’t. I always read and follow instructions fully and I avoid things like heat and bleach as much as possible. I tend to film all of my hair tutorials on the same day every few months so there’s really not that much damage actually going on here.
Can you advise me on how to dye my hair like yours? Or give me any tips on doing this myself?
Nope! It’s not because I don’t want to help but I have no idea about your hair and I don’t want to give you any bad advice. I don’t suggest you try any of the things that I do because your hair might be dramatically different to mine. I really can’t give you any advice so I suggest that you seek it from a professional stylist. A professional stylist can touch and feel your hair to make a judgement on whether the colour you want to go is realistic to expect without frying your hair. Stylists usually offer advice sessions for a small fee so you can always ask advice even if you are planning to do the dying yourself. For nice hair it’s well worth the expense!!
Can you do my hair for my prom/event/whatever?
Sorry this isn’t the kind of thing I do, I don’t have any hair related qualifications and am not comfortable doing other people’s hair.
Where did you learn how to do all of these hairstyles?
Trial and error! The best way to become good at something is to do it over and over again. There are 365 days in a year so you’ve got at least that many chances to practice each year ;D
Why don’t you do you hair in *INSERT STYLE* anymore?
I get bored very easily 🙂
I didn’t understand *INSERT TUTORIAL STEP*, can you re-film it, explain it, or take more detailed photos of it?
I can certainly try to explain things more clearly but keep in mind that my schedule is very tight so I don’t generally re-film or re-take photos, I will sometimes update the text with more information if many people have problems with a part.
Can you please make a tutorial on how to do *INSERT PHOTO I FOUND ON THE INTERNET*?
I can certainly add it to my to do list but it’s quite a long list!
Why don’t you do tutorials for people with short hair/no fringe/other things you don’t have?
Well mostly because I don’t have those attributes myself so I can only work with what I’ve got. I do try to find friends or models to work with me so I can do a bigger variety but most people I know prefer to be off camera and at this point I’m not going to cut my hair just to film short hair tutorials. Maybe in the future if I feel like a change it will be a possibility.
What shampoo/conditioner/treatments do you use?
Previously I used baking soda instead of shampoo and I really liked that. Unfortunately because my hair is so long and easily damaged from filming hair tutorials after around a year I found that I needed something stronger to fix the damage. I switched to the Garnier Goodbye Damage range. There is a review here.
In terms of serums I use the Goodbye Damage serum on my split ends and the L’Oreal Steam Pod one on the rest of my hair after showering to protect it from heat damage.
I use some kind of hair oil (currently L’Oreal Mythic oil but they are basically all the same) to protect my hair while I’m bleaching.
In terms of hairspray I haven’t found a perfect one since my favourite black Cedel was discontinued. I’ve gone through several bottles but nothing is quite as good so I will update this when I find a good one again.
That’s it, I don’t usually use treatments, masks etc.
What appliances and styling tools do you use?
I use a Parlux 3800 hairdryer if I have to dry my hair. I hate using a hairdryer though so I air dry if possible.
I use a GHD occasionally to curl my hair. I think they are quite expensive though so previous to the GHD I used a VS Sassoon travel curler.
I use the L’Oreal Rowenta Steam Pod to straighten my hair and do my fringe. I also use it for basic curls sometimes. It’s expensive as hell but it’s an amazing product and I was lucky enough to win one as a door prize.
I’m not sure what brand this brush is but I prefer brushes with thicker nylon bristles. No particular reason, they just feel nice.
I also occasionally use a teasing comb if my styles require more volume or staying power. The teasing comb I use was from Takuya but any old one will do.
What did you use to keep *insert hairstyle* up?
Most likely bobby pins and hair ties. I don’t generally use anything other than these unless it’s a really specialised style because it’s not needed. You can really achieve pretty much anything with hair ties, bobby pins and a good dose of hair spray.
Can I bombard you with questions even though you already answered them here?
Sure thing. You’re always welcome to email me and I’ll do my best to help but keep in mind that I get a LOT of emails so I can’t always reply.
Hope that answers all of your questions! Let me know if you have any others and I’ll include them here 🙂
Illustrator. Strong tea, knitting, watercolours, and making a video game called Moonlight in Garland. Living with her adorable husband Jimmy, fluffy puppy Miss Lottie and Bergamot Bunny in Melbourne, Australia.
