Hairstyles For A Sweet Fifteen

Hairstyles for a sweet 15 celebration are elegant and sophisticated, but also young and fun.

A sweet 15, or Quinceanera, is the celebration of a woman's fifteenth birthday. In many cultures, this is the transition from childhood to womanhood. Therefore, the girl must look young but sophisticated at the same time. An elegant gown is chosen, a tiara is often worn, and a sophisticated hairstyle accentuates the gown and tiara. Choosing the right hairstyle for your type of hair will bring your whole look together.

Updo

This classic updo is a young, sleek style for a 15-year-old. Comb a firm holding gel into damp hair and then allow hair to dry straight or wavy. Smooth hair into a ponytail in the middle of the head and secure with a band. Use a comb to slightly raise the hair on top of the head and give it volume. Take a small clump of hair from the ponytail and wrap it around the base of the ponytail once. Pin this piece of hair near the base of the ponytail and allow the tail of the hair, which should be a couple inches along, to freely loop downward.

Continue until all the hair from the ponytail is arranged around the ponytail and falling in an attractive fashion. Curl the tails if desired. Use hairspray to keep the hair in place.

Braid

Many girls wear tiaras during their sweet 15 celebrations. If you do not plan on wearing a crown or tiara, SuperQuince.com suggests you create your own crown with a fancy braid. Pull your hair into a high ponytail and begin braiding the ponytail. Weave ribbons into the braid that correlate with the colors of your dress. When you're done, wrap the braid around your head in a circular motion and secure with bobby pins. You can wrap the braid around the top or the bottom of your head.

If you want to leave some hair down, part your hair in the middle and braid the two front sides of your hair. Secure the two braids in the back of the head where they meet with bobby pins, and curl the rest of the hair in the back.

Short Hair

Not as many elegant updos are available for girls with short to medium-length hair, but the hair can still be made to look elegant without lifting it into an updo. Try separating the hair around your face into small sections. Twist each section tightly from the front to the back of your head. Secure each twisted section to the back of your head with bobby pins, leaving at least an inch of hair loose at the ends. Curl the ends and apply hairspray to keep the hair in place.

To make your hair appear longer, attach extensions to the ends of each twisted section. Consider adding glitter. fancy gems or barrettes to the twists as an enhancement. A tiara can be placed above the twisted sections.

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Upsweep Hairstyles For A Wedding

Discover up-sweep hairstyles for the bride.

Up-sweeps or up-dos are very popular among brides planning their perfect wedding day hairstyle. Up-sweeps provide a dose of elegance while adding a flair for style and individuality. In an up-sweep, the hair is pulled away from the face and gathered into a twist or bun on the head. There are many ways to style your up-sweep, whether you want it sculptured and pristine or stylish and messy.

High Up-Sweep

A high up-sweep combines a classic up-do with modern touches. A high up-sweep can be created using many of the ideas below, but starts with a ponytail or gathering of the hair in a higher position, near the top of the head. This style adds height and drama to the top of the head . It is important to try high up-sweeps with your veil before the day of your wedding to ensure that the veil fits on or around the up-sweep.

Sculptured Low Sweep

This style is set lower on the head and incorporates a dramatic sculpture of hair. The upper half of the hair (minus the front section) is gathered into a medium to low ponytail. The front section and the lower half (not in ponytail) is put into rollers for large waves. The ponytail is then looped under and spread, with the ends bobby pinned to the head. Sections from the top front and the front temple area are then pulled back and pinned, overlapping each other, using hair wax to keep it smooth. The bottom curls are brought up in the same way and pinned smoothly.

Crown of Curls

An up-sweep with an abundance of curls creates a romantic look. The hair is gathered to a single point smoothly or with weaving and twisting. Once all of the hair is gathered, curl small sections. If you desire firm and tight curls, decrease the diameter of the curling iron or roller. For softer curls that fall down further, use an iron with a larger diameter. Curls are pulled into the gathering point and bobby pinned to hold.

Double Ponytail Sweep

To create this look, make two pony tails, one high on the head and one lower. Tease both ponytails and then divide the ponytails in half. Take each section and wrap it up in a bun, pinning it well for security. This creates an up-sweep with the look of multiple buns which are accented nicely with flowers.

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Africanamerican Bride Hairstyles

Curly hair can be held back with a headband or tiara.

Planning a wedding is one of the most time consuming events you will ever have to plan. As a bride, many decisions must be made including decorations, bridesmaids dresses and, of course, your own gown and hairstyle. If you are an African American bride, you might have a bit of difficulty finding the perfect style. African American hair is often quite thick and curly, and can sometimes be hard to manage. However, styles such as finger waves or up-dos, can enhance the natural beauty of your hair.

Finger Waves

Finger waves are a popular hairstyle worn by many women in the 1920s. This classic and elegant hairstyle is very versatile and can even work on thick hair. If your hair is very curly, you have your hair straightened before completing the process. To complete this hairstyle for your wedding, use a comb, gel and your own hands to create the waves. As this process takes a long time, enlist a stylist or a friend to help you. Once the waves have been formed, you pull the rest of the hair into an elegant side pony-tail or bun.

Ringlets

Since many African Americans are born with very curly hair, they can use their curls to their advantage on their big day. Ringlets are a very popular choice amongst brides who spend hours getting their hair curled for their wedding. If your hair is naturally in ringlets, simply apply product to enhance the sheen and form of your curls. You can push the hair back with a tiara, or use embellished hair clips for an added touch. This style works on both long- and short-haired brides.

Up-Dos

Many different up-dos complement African American hair. Braids are a common style amongst African Americans, and intricate cornrows that form into a braided up-do can make a great wedding hairstyle. If you straighten your hair first, either with a hot iron or by using a chemical straightening process, you can create soft wavy up-dos seen in bridal magazines. Secure your up-do with flowers or a beaded headband for an added touch.

Sleek Side Bun

If you have relatively straight hair, but your hair is too thick to stay in an up-do or remain curled, try a sleek side knot. Part the hair deep on one side and pull it into a very smooth knot at the base of the opposite side. Apply a product to make the hair appear sleek and shiny and secure the bun with a flower or other adornment.

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Pageant Costume Ideas

Beauty pageants are a time to showcase your looks, as well as your talent. The talent competition is usually a large part of the pageant and is scored as such. This competition often incorporates costumes. To showcase your routine, consider some unusual pageant costume ideas. The type of costume to wear depends on what you will do for the talent competition.

Cheerleader

Spice up a talent routine for the pageant with a cheerleader costume. It is possible to make the costume on your own or have it made for the pageant participant. A cheerleader costume works well for a young child participating in pageants, as well as a teenager. The costume should be a generic costume, with no affiliation with a particular team.

Princess

Dressing up as a princess is a lovely pageant costume idea. Whether it is a generic princess, a fairy princess or one of the Disney princesses, it is a time to sparkle and shine. This type of costume is most suitable for a young child participating in a pageant. Enhance girliness by using lots of pink or a pale yellow.

Warrior

For an older teenager or grown woman participating in pageants, a great costume idea is a warrior costume with gold metallic armor. This is a costume that many can make themselves and looks terrific on women with athletic physiques. A warrior costume may be too grown up looking for a younger pageant participant.

Statue of Liberty

A way a pageant participant can express patriotism, which often garners support from pageant judges, is to wear a Statue of Liberty costume. This costume idea is appropriate for pageant participants of all ages. Incorporate "The Star Spangled Banner" or other distinctly American songs into the talent portion of the pageant.

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Wacky Hairstyles

Wacky Hairstyles

Wacky hairstyles are hairstyles that break away from the norm. They're unique and noticeable. Some people wear wacky hairstyles for attention, to express personal freedom, as a style statement or as part of a costume. Regardless of the exact reason, sporting a wacky hairstyle takes a certain amount of self-confidence.

Colored Hairstyle

You can create a wacky hairstyle without cutting off any hair. Instead of focusing on your hair's shape, focus on its color. You can get an overall coloring job, get highlights, get lowlights or have your hair streaked. Choose from wacky colors, such as hot pink, neon blue and royal purple to help push a dull style to the wild side. You can also go with multiple colors streaked into your hair for a rainbow effect.

Flame Hairstyle

A flame hairstyle is a special type of hair coloring technique meant to resemble the flames of a fire. Usually done on hair with a jagged or tapered cut, the top of the head is dyed a deep red. The red color becomes lighter as the hair cascades down the head. The red mixes with some orange about halfway down and the tips of the hair are colored a pale yellow.

Half-Shaved Hairstyle

The half-shaved hairstyle is a bold and extreme style statement. It can be created in two different ways. Split the hair into a section at the top and a section at the bottom. The top hair should remain long while the bottom hair is shaved clean. A more noticeable half-shaved hairstyle is when the hair is split into a left and right section. One section is left long while the other is shaved clean.

Mohawk Hairstyle

A Mohawk hairstyle is hardly new, but it's constantly being reinvented. A Mohawk is created by shaving the sides of the head clean while leaving a middle strip of hair untouched. The strip can be anywhere from one inch to a few feet high. If you get a long Mohawk, you'll have to spend time each morning spiking it up with a heavy amount of hair products.

Shaved Pattern Hairstyle

While having a shave head is far from unusual, some people prefer to jazz up the basic style a little. Instead of getting an overall shaved head, you can choose a pattern to use. The design may be checkerboard, polka dots, spirals, words or even a picture. The only big drawback to this style is that it needs regular and frequent maintenance to look good.

Side-Spike Hairstyle

The side-spike hairstyle takes some time to create each morning, but it's definitely a unique fashion statement. This gothic style works best on ear to shoulder-length hair with a shag or razor cut. Use some styling mousse and gel to sweep your entire head of hair in one direction, be it back, forward, left or right. Spread a little gel onto your fingers and slip it over your tresses so that each clump of hair ends in a tapered spike.

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Set Hair On Perm Rods

Set Hair on Perm Rods

Perms are beautiful, but they are permanent. A special night on the town or another special event such as a wedding or prom is a fleeting event. Such events require a temporary hairstyle, not a permanent one. Fortunately, perms can be faked for special occasions. It takes a little bit of time to create the style, but the curls fall out as soon as the hair is shampooed.

Instructions

1. Apply a liberal amount of setting lotion to clean, wet hair. Run your fingers through the hair to evenly distribute the product. Section the hair into six narrow sections no more than two-inches wide. Carve out the first section on top of the head from the front hairline to the crown of the head. Create the second section in the back of the head from the crown to the nape hairline. Divide each side into two sections by creating a vertical part directly above each ear. Pin each section into place with hair clips.

2. Wrap one section at a time. Remove the clip from one section, and comb the section straight down. Carve out a 1/2-inch parting at the top of the section. Comb the parting straight out from the head. Fold an end paper over the ends of the hair like a book. Place the perm rod under the ends of the hair, and roll the rod under toward the scalp. Continue rolling using even tension until the rod is snug against the scalp. Pull the end cap of the perm rod across the top of the rod and plug it into the hole on the opposite side of the rod. Continue carving out 1/2-inch partings until section is complete. Repeat for all sections.

3. Place the wrapped hair under a heated hood dryer until the hair is dry throughout. Drying times will depend on length and thickness of the hair. Perform checks periodically by loosening one of the perm rods and checking the ends of the hair.

4. Remove all of the perm rods from the hair. Pour out a dime-sized amount of silk serum into the palms of your hand. Rub your hands together to distribute the product. Rake your fingers through the hair to separate the curls and add shine. Style as desired and spray into place with firm-hold hair spray.

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The Best Permanent Facial Hair Removal Techniques For Women

Facial hair can be a embarrassing problem for women with dark, coarse hair. Facial hair must be dealt with carefully, as shaving can cause razor burn and unsightly stubble, and depilatory creams can cause irritation and uneven pigment. While there are few permanent facial hair removal techniques, there are treatments that produce long-term benefits from 6 months to a year. Contact a licensed, experienced professional about hair removal, and ask for previous work samples to guarantee safety.

Electrolysis

Electrolysis is a procedure that damages the hair follicles to prevent them from producing more hair. According to Laura M. Regan, author of "Winning the Battle Against Unwanted Hair Growth," electrolysis is a relatively painless treatment in which a thin metal rod is inserted into each hair follicle and burns it. This causes the hair to no longer grow in the spot, but for treatment to successfully work, you must burn each individual hair follicle. It can take up to six sessions to permanently damage the hair follicle, and there is a risk of swelling, infection or hyperpigmentation, according to Regan.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy directs light set at a specific wavelength onto the hair follicle. The light damages the hair follicle. According to the Food and Drug Administration, this treatment is suitable for hair reduction, but does not permanently get rid of hair growth. As the hair follicle is damaged, it likely will produce less hair. Laser therapy isn't for everyone, as those with darker skin can suffer permanent skin damage such as hyperpigmentation, because of the amount of melanin in the skin, according to Regan. These treatments are expensive and require multiple sessions. The side effects of laser therapy include tenderness, swelling and redness, which subsides four to five days after treatment.

Vaniqa

Vaniqa is an FDA-approved topical medication used to remove facial hair. This medication can only be acquired from your doctor with a prescription, and must be applied daily to maintain unwanted hair. According to the official site, it can take up to 2 months for results to appear. Vaniqa should only be used on the face, and should not be used if you have acne or broken skin. You must use this medication every day, or the hair will grow back. Side effects of Vaniqa include redness, burning or stinging sensation.

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