Halfup Halfdown Styles For Long Hair

Half-up, half-down hairstyles are popular.

Long hair is always in style, especially when it is shiny and healthy. Hairstyles created with long hair go in and out of vogue, however. There a few half-up, half-down hairstyles that have become popular for weddings, proms and special occasions and are considered classic. You can certainly go to a professional salon and have a stylist create this look for you, but they are easily done at home with the right equipment and hair accessories.

Mini Twist

This style is popular for brides because a small bun or twist can be created on the upper half of the head, which will hold a headpiece or a veil. Divide the hair into an upper section and a lower section. The upper section should be gathered and twisted into a bun or twist. The hair can be secured first with a rubber band and then hairpins for added support. The lower section of the hair can be worn straight or curled with a curling iron to create long ringlets.

Ponytail

This look is popular for weddings, proms and other special events because adornments like jewelry, ribbons or flowers can be wrapped around the ponytail for an added festive touch. Divide the hair into two sections -- the upper half and the lower half. Gather the upper section and secure it with a rubber band to create a ponytail. The remaining hair will hang down and can be worn straight or curled.

Sixties Style

To achieve this retro look, divide the hair into two sections -- half down and half up. Brush the top section of the hair until it is smooth and wrap it around a hair insert, like the Bump-It or something similar. To achieve maximum results, it's best to tease the hair first. This will create a highly stylized dome on the upper half of the head. The rest of the hair can either be brushed straight or you can create long ringlet curls using a curling iron.

Tags: hair into, upper half, upper section, create long, curling iron

Sharpen Trimmer Blades

At-home trimmers can save you trips to the barbershop or salon.

Owning a set of hair trimmer blades can save you time and money. Purchase trimmers and clippers similar to those used in professional barbershops and salons, and, soon enough, you could be trimming and styling your entire family. Like all blades, however, hair clipper blades will dull with use and must be sharpened to safely and effectively continue trimming hair.

Instructions

1. Remove the cover from the trimmer by unscrewing all of the screws. Set the screws aside in a safe place so that you do not lose them. Carefully pull the cover from the rest of the trimmer; the blades are attached to the back of the cover.

2. Separate the moving blade from the back of the cover piece. Set the blade face down on a coarse-grade sharpening stone. Set the trimmer against the back of the blade, so that the tension springs of the trimmer will push the blade along the stone.

3. Activate the trimmer so that it vibrates. Move the blade along the coarse sharpening stone, up and down, as well as back and forth, for two minutes. This movement, combined with the vibration of the tension springs, will provide friction to sharpen the blade against the stone.

4. Deactivate the trimmers and inspect the blade. The cutting edge of the blade should be shiny, indicating that it is sharp. Set aside the moving blade for now.

5. Detach the guide blade from the guide plate. There will probably be a screw holding these two pieces together.

6. Sharpen the guide blade on the coarse sharpening stone by laying it face down. Press your fingers firmly against the back of the blade; the back side is not sharp.

7. Move the blade briskly over the stone for two minutes. Work forward and back, as well as in small circles, to sharpen each edge of the guide blade. As before, the blade will appear shiny when it is sharpened.

8. Reassemble the trimmer, connecting the guide blade back to the guide, and the guide, moving blade, and cover back to the trimmer. Test the trimmer to be sure everything is connected correctly before using.

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Make Grosgrain Ribbon Hair Bows

Make your own hair bows out of grosgrain ribbon.

Hair bows can complete an outfit, a costume or even a uniform (band, cheerleading, softball). It is simple to go into any store and find hair bows for sale, but you may not find the color or size you need. However, making your own hair bows is also simple. Just use grosgrain ribbon from any craft store, available in a rainbow of colors sure to match any outfit.

Instructions

1. Roll out your 1 1/2-inch grosgrain ribbon. Use a ruler to measure 20 inches of ribbon, and cut that length of ribbon. Repeat this step with the 7/8-inch ribbon and the 3/8-inch ribbon.

2. Cut a v-shape into both ends of the 1 1/2-inch ribbon. Repeat with the 7/8-inch ribbon and the 3/8-inch ribbon.

3. Use a lighter to seal the ends of each ribbon. Quickly pass each end of the ribbons through the flame of the lighter. Do not catch the ribbons on fire, simply passing the ribbon through the flame heats the end of the ribbon and prevents it from fraying.

4. Lay the 1 1/2-inch ribbon on a table. Place the 7/8-inch ribbon, centered, directly on top of the first ribbon. Put the 3/8-inch ribbon, centered, on top of the 7/8-inch ribbon.

5. Lift the ribbons up together by holding onto one end, pinching all three ribbons together on that end.

6. Bring the end of the ribbons (the one that you are not pinching) up to meet the end that you are pinching. Pinch both ends together so that the insides of the widest ribbons are touching. (You will now have a teardrop shape, with the point of the teardrop being the ends you have pinched in your fingers.)

7. Pinch the other end of the ribbons now (the loop) to make a crease in the ribbons. The ribbons should now be folded in half.

8. Run a threaded needle through the crease, from the backside of the ribbon (the back of the widest ribbon) to the front, until the knot in the thread stops.

9. Hold the ribbons with your left hand and run the thread around the ribbons to cinch them in the center. You do not need to sew here, just wrap the thread around the ribbons to secure them (10 to 20 times will do the trick).

10. Flip the ribbons over so that the backside is on top. Place an elastic ponytail holder directly on top of the thread you used to cinch the ribbons.

11. Wrap the thread around the ponytail holder 10 to 20 times and secure the ponytail holder to the ribbon by running the needle through the ponytail holder two to three times.

12. Tie a knot in the thread, close to the ponytail holder, and cut off any excess thread above the knot.

13. Cut another 2-inch piece of the 3/8-inch wide ribbon and seal the edges with a lighter as instructed in Step 3.

14. Flip the bow over so that the ribbons are face down on the table and the ponytail holder and backside of the ribbons are facing up. Place a drop of hot glue on the thread on the ponytail holder.

15. Place a backside end of the 2-inch piece of ribbon on the glue and press it down. Wrap the ribbon around the thread on the ribbons and ponytail holder to cover it up.

16. Wrap the 2-inch ribbon around the center until you have run out of ribbon to wrap. Place a drop of hot glue on the back side and press the remaining end of the 2-inch piece of ribbon into the glue.

17.Allow glue to dry for one to two minutes. Hair bow is now ready to use.

Tags: ponytail holder, 8-inch ribbon, 2-inch piece, 2-inch ribbon, grosgrain ribbon, ribbon 8-inch

Do The Skunk Hairstyle

Cruella's bold white and black "do" turns heads.

Switching to a bold new hairdo can boost your ego and change your style. While you can move in many different directions in changing your cut and color, few styles are as iconic as the "Skunk." Think of the white streak running through the frizzled beehive of the Bride of Frankenstein or the unforgettable two-toned hairdo of Cruella de Ville. The Skunk is a unisex style for both short and long hair.

Instructions

1. Comb your hair to remove any tangles or knots. This is especially important if you have long locks.

2. Part your hair with the comb to divide what you don't want to bleach from what you will bleach. Skunk stripes can move from the top center of the head to the bangs, evenly across the center of the head from back to front like a Mohawk or off center down one side of the head. Use clips for short hair or tie up long hair that you won't be striping.

3. Separate the hair you will bleach into about four sections, using hair clips.

4. Put on your salon gloves and have a partner do the same. Mix two parts of level 30 developer and one part of powder bleach in a plastic bowl with a plastic spoon.

5. Dip the applicator brush into the bleach mix and begin applying bleach 1/4 inch from your roots to the tips of each section. Your partner should be in charge of this process, if you are bleaching your own hair. Start from the bottom section, wrapping the hair in foil when it is completely covered with bleach, and moving to the top section.

6. Wait about 30 minutes, and then thoroughly wash out the bleach. Use an extra-strength conditioner to moisturize the bleached hair.

7. Rinse out the plastic bowl and mix together one part of blue-violet based toner with two parts of level 20 developer. Run the developer through the bleached hair and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the hair begins to appear bluish. Wash out the toner.

8. Style your hair as you would normally style it.

Tags: your hair, bleached hair, center head, level developer, long hair, parts level

Curly Hairstyles For Long Hair

Curly Hairstyles for Long Hair

If you have curly hair there are a lot of ways you can style it, especially if it is long. In fact, the longer your hair is, the more options you have, but nonetheless you have a great deal of leeway because of the curls.

Long, Curly and Wavy

The secret to achieving this hair style is to wash your hair later in the day, perhaps a little while before you go to bed. Use a wide-tooth comb to detangle your still-wet hair if you need to, then gather it up and put it into a tight bun. Leave your hair in the bun overnight, then the next morning, take it down. Use your fingers to separate it a little bit and add a little mousse to help define and hold the curls and waves.

Loose Flowing waves

You might need to use some regular rollers, hot rollers or other hair appliances that use heat to achieve this look, but it still shouldn't be too much trouble.

Use larger rollers or a curling iron or curling brush that has a larger barrel for the top of your hair and then go smaller to get more curl in your hair at the bottom. Smooth your hair at the top and lightly brush or finger-tousle your hair to achieve some separation at the bottom.

Natural Ringlets

If your hair falls into natural ringlets after you wash it and let it dry naturally, consider just letting it stay that way. Bend at the waist, turn your hair over and give it a good shake. Straighten back up and give it another good shake. Watch how and where it falls, then lightly brush or finger-comb it to get everything just how you want it. Use a little hairspray or mousse if you need to give it a smooth look.

Spirals

Long curly hair that falls into spirals resembles the bottom of a wine corkscrew, but the spirals are not extremely tight. You can actually pull on the hair strands a little to loosen the spirals up or you can use hair product and scrunch your hair to make the spirals tighten.

Springy

Long curly hair that has a springy texture has very tight spirals or curls that literally spring back to their original shape after being stretched to their limit. You pretty much have to let this type of hair do what it wants to and go with using accessories or pulling it up for a change in style.

Tags: your hair, curly hair, curly hair that, Curly Hairstyles, Curly Hairstyles Long, falls into

Do The 1950s Beehive

The beehive hairstyle was first created in the 1950s.

As "big" hair became the fashion in the 1950s and 1960s, women looked for ways to defy gravity with their hairstyles. The beehive was created in the late 1950s, and it was an instant hit. The beehive hairstyle involved setting the hair with rollers, sectioning it, teasing with a comb and misting with hairspray. The result was a voluminous, sleek, smooth and sophisticated hairstyle.

Instructions

1. Wash and towel dry the hair. Apply mousse while still damp. Use a blow dryer or air dry without straightening the hair, since the beehive benefits from the added volume of waves or curls.

2. Divide hair into 1-inch sections and roll each one tightly around a curler or hot roller. Pin or clip the roller into place. Give the hair proper time to set or cool, depending on the curling method employed. Remove the rollers from the hair. Mist the hair lightly with hairspray.

3. Gather the hair from the hairline to the crown, a few inches back from the hairline, and pin the hair to keep it out of the way.

4. Begin at the crown with unclipped hair; divide hair into 1 to 2-inch sections. Hold the sections close to the end of the hair and pull the sections straight up. Mist the roots with hairspray. Hold the double row comb a few inches above the scalp; begin backcombing or teasing the hair by combing down toward the scalp.

5. Mist the section once more with hairspray after it has been sufficiently teased. Flip the section forward toward the face to continue teasing the rest of the hair. Continue until half of the hair has been teased.

6. Flip hair over, so it hangs naturally. Take up sections of hair from the sides and then the back up to the top of the head. Pin each section in place, and mist it with hairspray. Continue until all hair is pinned, except for the hair clipped in the front.

7. Unclip the remaining hair. Pin it back over the rest of the hair or wrap it around the pile before pinning. If more volume in the front is desired, tease it while trying to keep it smooth on the visible side.

8. Give one last mist of hairspray once all of the hair is pinned in place.

Tags: with hairspray, beehive hairstyle, Continue until, from hairline, hair from

Do Straw Sets With Perm Rods

Straw setting is a technique used to form small ringlet curls in black and biracial hair. It is a very useful style to have when growing your hair long, especially when transitioning from permed to natural hair. If you don't want your curls as small as they get when formed around the straws, however, another technique is to straw set your hair using perm rods instead of straws. This will give your hair the bigger, looser curls you desire.

Instructions

1. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. Towel-dry your hair when finished.

2. Part your hair into sections. They should be about 1/2" in each direction, but it may vary depending on personal preference. Take the hair from each section, apply setting lotion and attach the end papers to the tips.

3. Roll each section of hair onto the perm roll clockwise, toward the scalp. Repeat with each 1/2" by 1/2" section of hair. Use the bobby pins to hold the perm rolls in place.

4. Dry your hair. Putting your hair under a hooded dryer is a great option, but there is a good chance that a hooded dryer may not be available to you in your home. Use a blow-dryer if a hooded dryer is not available. If you have time, letting your hair dry on its own also will work sufficiently.

5. Slowly remove the perm rods and spray the hair with hair oil. Make sure the oil you use is free of alcohol. This will help you maintain healthier hair in the future.

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