10 Hair Rules You Need to Break

I've always been very self-conscious about my hair. I have very fine hair now. It used to be thick when I was around 10 years old... straight, thick and long.  I got a perm when I was a freshman in college. Let's just say I looked like Diana Ross. Get the picture? In my sophomore year I chopped it off into a bob to get rid of the mane of frizzy hair. It was really short above the shoulder with a little flip.. kind of like That Girl's Marlo Thomas.  When I grew the hair out (it took forever) I ended up having a permanent wave to my hair. When I had kids, that process really messed up my hair. My hair thinned out and I really never got the volume back.  Yes, having children can change your body drastically. And not for the better either. Thank goodness I love my children to death or I would have had a huge grudge on them.

Now I like my hair shoulder length and I 'try' to style it everyday. I say 'try' because I don't have 5 hands to hold the hair dryer, roller brush and clips to part, brush, curl and dry my hair. Whatever I can do it's with 2 hands.  I can never get my hair to look like the way it does when I come out from the salon. Never!! One time I went to the school after a cut, style and color to pick up something. Everyone raved about how good I looked and asked what did I do. I told them I won't look like this tomorrow. Tomorrow I'll go back to my normal amateur-styled look.

When I go to my 'stylist' (the ones that charge an arm and a leg are called 'stylists'), I used to get a cut and highlight. Now I also have to get an all around color. Yes, I started the need to color my hair to hide the yucky gray. Just a highlight won't do anymore. Sigh! So whenever I'm there, I'm there for 2-1/2 hours. It's a long process but well worth it at the end.

I enjoy reading magazine articles that help me be a better person or at least 'look' like a better person. I'm always open to new hair styling tips. Realistic ones of course. The following tips are from InStyle Magazine and I thought they were interesting enough to take note of.

The following are 10 Hair Rules You Need to Break!

1. Older Women Shouldn't Go Long
Break It: Long hair after 40 doesn't automatically make you look older, but since hair thins as you age, pump up the volume with layers and movement around the face. "Poker-straight styles are too harsh,” says stylist Byron Williams, who has worked with Demi Moore. Los Angeles stylist Chris McMillan advises parting hair on the side. “It will open up your entire face and give you a fresh, wide-awake look,” he says.

This rule is usually not broken by women. You may notice,  the older they get.. it seems their hair gets shorter and shorter. Just check out your mom's hair. Is it short or long? Some of my friends and I decided that when we grow older we will not cut our hair short. Let's see if we can all hold out!

2. Redheads Can't Wear Red Lips
Break It: Makeup artist Molly Stern gave Amy Adams a strawberry pout at the première of "The Fighter." Stern says pick a shade that’s richer in intensity than your strands, like cherry and scarlet, and keep blush and eye makeup neutral. 

Since I am not a redhead, I don't know if red hair matches with red lips. So go ahead.. I don't see anything wrong with it!

3. Hide Your Gray
Break It: "Gray hair used to represent beauty on the decline, but that’s no longer the case,” says N.Y.C. colorist Louis Licari. Models at Calvin Klein and Chanel walked down the runway with white stripes in their hair. To make silver sexy, Licari recommends adding white highlights  around the face and crown and using blue-based shampoos or styling spray (like Goldwell’s).

I actually agree with this rule. Gray does NOT look flattering to me especially around my temples and bang areas.  That's why I do the color. I don't think the salt and pepper look is very flattering for me.

4. Bangs Shouldn't Be Wavy
Break It: Bangs don't have to be stick straight, says N.Y.C. hairstylist Garren. For a fresh look, he suggests applying a setting lotion (like René Furterer Acanthe Curl Enhancing leave-in fluid, $26; beauty.com). Sweep your wavy fringe to one side and allow it to air-dry. “Your bangs will form a pretty curve that softens up your entire face,” he says.

Since I don't have bangs, I don't have an opinion about wavy bangs. But I think it only looks good if you have wavy hair. Straight hair needs to stick with straight bangs.

5. Turn Down the Heat
Break It: Dialing down the heat on flatirons actually does more harm than good, says N.Y.C. stylist Robert Vasquez. "Dragging the flatiron on that same piece over and over again is what weakens the hair’s outer protective layer," he says. Divide hair into 2-inch sections and glide the iron slowly, gradually increasing pressure from roots to ends and making only one pass at the highest setting (typically 410 degrees). 

I always use heat to style my hair. I always use the hair dryer to dry my hair so heat is important to me. 

6. Trim Every Six Weeks
Break It: “Hair simply doesn’t grow that fast,” says stylist Jen Atkin of the Andy Lecompte Salon in West Hollywood. Most cuts take three months to lose their shape. (If you use styling tools frequently, cut every 10 weeks.) To keep locks looking healthy in between chops, Atkin recommends using a hydrating cream on ends.

Yep...I break this rule definitely!  I wait as long as I can so I can get the most out of my cut. It's too expensive to go so frequently. I used to be able to go every 5-6 months but since my color doesn't last more than 10 weeks, I have to go more often. 

7. Extra Shampooing Gets Hair Cleaner
Break It: Nothing strips hair faster than a frothy lather, says Fabian Lliguin of Cocoon Hair Studio in N.Y.C. When your scalp is dry, it produces more oil to compensate, resulting in greasy roots and brittle ends. “It’s a catch-22,” says Lliguin. Instead, apply a conventional shampoo only to the scalp or switch to a gentler oil-based shampoo. 

Actually my stylist says there is no need to wash your hair daily but I have to since I put so much product in it to style it. But I agree that you don't need a lot of shampoo. Many shampoos say a dime or quarter size is enough for a lather. No rinse and repeat. Please..

8. Don't Wear Hair Wet
Break It: With wet hair, you get amazing control and polish, says Guido Palau, who created sporty looks for the Lanvin show. “There are no flyaways; your style is completely uniform.”

I personally don't like wearing hair wet (it's too cold!) but everyone is different. If you have no time to dry it after your morning shower, it's better to be wet than late. But if you have a big meeting, a presentation or teaching a  class of students, might be better to make your hair look presentable. The wet ponytail looks good!

9. Fight the Frizz
Break It: “Frizz can be super-glamorous,” says Miami hairstylist Oribe. “Movie stars in the 1930s actually brushed out their curls to create volume with an ethereal quality. It just can’t look like an accident." Add texture and control to the ends with a dollop of mousse, then smooth the roots with a medium-hold hairspray.

I don't like frizz. It makes my hair too uncontrollable and fragile feeling like it's going to break.

10. Evening Requires an Updo
Break It: Loose strands can be just as dressy as upswept hair, says Oribe, as long as you define wimpy waves with a curling iron, or make straight hair even sleeker with a flatiron. “Be deliberate,” he says. “Loose hair only looks casual when its texture is neither here nor there.” On the flip side, an easy updo adds a touch of refinement to daytime looks.

Since I rarely have an opportunity to attend a fancy evening event, I don't do the updos. But my cousin's wedding was at the Fairmont and it was semi-formal and I had my hair down. Personally my ears stick out too much if I have an updo. I'd rather have a big-do like Adele!

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