Use A Curl Activator

Curl activators can be used on tight curls or loose waves.

If you have a problem with your curls going limp at the end of the day or your waves falling flat, a curl activator may be the solution to your problem. Sold in a gel or spray, a curl activator can enhance and hold your natural or artificial curls.

Instructions

1. Wash and dry your hair as normal.

2. Mist your hair evenly with the curl activator spray. If your curl activator is in the form of a gel, squirt a nickel-sized dollop in your hand and rub your palms together to warm the gel. Rub it throughout your hair, concentrating on the middle to bottom part of your hair where the curl tends to fall limp.

3. Comb through your hair with a wide-tooth comb to evenly distribute your curl activator.

4. Set your hair dryer or diffuser on high heat but low speed, if possible. Dry your hair for only a minute or so to set the curl activator.

5. Curl your hair with a curling iron to define ringlets if needed. Otherwise, style your hair as usual.

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Use A Cotter Pin

A cotter pin is a metal pin with a shape similar to a hairpin. Use a cotter pin to secure bolts and provide an added measure of safety to bolt connections. Make sure the cotter pin fits properly into the hole (there should not be any extra movement when the cotter pin is in the hole) and then bend the ends of the cotter pin around the bolt to secure the pin and finish the connection.

Instructions

1. Insert the bolt through a prepared hole. Place a washer over the bolt where it extends out from the prepared hole.

2. Thread the nut onto the bolt and tighten the nut to the desired tightness. Hand tightening may be sufficient or a wrench may be necessary, depending on the situation.

3. Insert the cotter pin through the hole in the bolt. Push the pin through until you cannot push it any further.

4. Bend the two protruding ends of the cotter pin in opposite directions over the end of the bolt. Do not bend the cotter pin ends further than the diameter of the bolt or down across the washer.

5. Tap the cotter pin ends lightly with the mallet to make them tight against the bolt.

6. Clip off any excess cotter pin ends if they protrude further than the recommended length.

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Tips For Cutting Lace On Wigs

Maybe she's born with it; maybe it's a lace wig.

If you have ever gone a long time without realizing that someone was wearing a wig, then it's possible that the wig she was wearing was a lace wig. Lace wigs have a realistic hairline, which is created by tying baby hair around the lace edges. This process creates the appearance that the hair is growing from the wearer's scalp, and allows the creation of a natural part in the wig. Lace wigs have strips of bare, flesh-colored lace at the front and around the perimeter, which have to be cut away before wearing.

Scissors

Use sharp scissors. The delicate texture of the lace needs a clean, precise cut, which cannot be obtained with dull scissors. Stork scissors have the fine points that provide the accuracy and precision needed to cut lace. If your scissors catch on the lace, won't cut in a straight line or require excessive effort to make a single cut, they are not sharp enough.

Preserve Baby Hairs

Secure the baby hairs of your wig away from the perimeter while cutting away the lace. These hairs contribute to the realistic appearance lace wigs are known for. Bobby pins or alligator clips work well for this task. Gently brush the baby hairs back toward the crown of the wig and insert pins or clips to hold them until you have finished trimming your lace.

Cutting

Do not rush the process of cutting away excess lace. Take your time and trim the lace away, stopping when you reach where the hair is knotted. Remain vigilant in avoiding baby hairs.

Repeated Efforts

After your initial cutting session, examine how the altered wig appears and fits. Continue cutting in small increments until you are satisfied with the results. In general, you should leave a 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch strip of lace to prevent fraying of the hairline. Some people prefer to remove all lace right to the hairline. It is a matter of preference, which you will have to decide on. Just remember that you can always cut off more lace, but you cannot reattach lace that has been chopped off in haste.

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Pageant Hairstyles For Little Girls

To win a beauty pageant, a little girl needs to look the part from head to toe. Choose hairstyles that are pretty and feminine but still age-appropriate, to give a girl a leg up in any beauty competition.

Features

You want your little girl to have a hairstyle that's pretty and eye-catching but still attractive and age-appropriate. Many little girls will wear curls, whether natural or styled with rollers or curling irons.

Types

A little girl might wear an updo hairstyle, a partial updo or a style that hangs loose. You'll usually see longer hairstyles on pageant contestants.

Time Frame

A girl might need to sleep with rollers in her hair to get a long-lasting curl for the next day. Parents can curl hair with curling irons. Give yourself plenty of time for hairstyling. It can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour to style hair.

Considerations

Think before adding hair extensions for volume and length. Even clip-on extensions can be heavy and might be uncomfortable for young girls to wear.

Effects

Overall, a pageant hairstyle shouldn't make a girl look too mature for her age. It should be a pretty style, whether straight, wavy or curly, that's fancier than her everyday hairstyle.

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Use Magnetic Hair Rollers

Magnetic hair rollers aren't actually magnetic---these plastic curlers are called magnetic because hair "sticks" to them. Magnetic hair rollers are great for creating smooth, defined curls, although you will have to take the time to dry your hair to create these curls. You may also have to attach the hair rollers using a clip, unlike Velcro or foam hair rollers, but the effect is worth it.

Instructions

1. Wash or rinse your hair so it is completely wet.

2. Apply curling lotion or gel.

3. Comb out your hair and partition it into sections using clips or barrettes.

4. Take one section of hair and lay the ends on a magnetic curler.

5. Roll the magnetic curler along the section of hair towards your head until it sits on top of your scalp.

6. Take a double-pronged clip and clip the magnetic curler to the hair closest to your scalp (so the clip sits at the bottom of the curler). If you have snap-on magnetic hair rollers, snap the clips onto the curlers.

7. If you'd like extra security, put on a tight hairnet to keep the magnetic curlers in place.

8. Air-dry or blow-dry your hair.

9. Remove clips and curlers.

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Twist & Bobby Pin Bangs Back

Bobby pins are an easy-to-use styling tool.

Styling your hair the same way every day is boring. It's easy to get into a hair rut by using just a few different styles. If you have bangs, styling them differently can update your whole look. If you are growing those bangs out, they can be difficult to style due to their longer length. Use bobby pins to twist and bobby pin your bangs back out of your eyes with the rest of your hair.

Instructions

1. Part your hair in the middle or just slightly to the left or right. A far-right or far-left part doesn't work as well when pinning bangs back using bobby pins. Part the bangs in the same way as the rest of your hair so they are divided into two sections.

2. Grab the bangs on the right side along with a little of the hair on that right side of your face. Pull the bangs and hair back off of the face and loosely twist them together. Pin the twisted section in place on the side of your head or in the back using two bobby pins.

3. Repeat with the left section of bangs and a small section of hair on that side.

4. Spritz with hair spray to hold your twists in place.

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Sharpen Hair Scissors

Sharpen your hair scissors.

Whether you use a scissors to cut and style hair professionally or use one to cut your children's hair, it is important to keep the blades sharp to be effective. The most expensive hair scissors in the world are useless if the blades have become too dull to cut correctly. There are a few different ways that hair scissors can be sharpened. If the scissors you are using don't "make the cut," it's probably time to sharpen them.

Instructions

1. Use a scissors-sharpening machine. Electric shears sharpeners are easy to operate and not very expensive. Turn the machine on. Insert the base of the blade of the scissors into the slot as close to the pivot point as possible. Apply light pressure with your hand. Slide the scissors from the base of the blade to the tip slowly. Repeat this process about three times on each blade. Slide each blade through the slot once quickly to finish. Clean the blades with a paper towel.

2. Manually sharpen the scissors. Fold a few sheets of aluminum foil into multiple layers. Cut through the foil a few times to sharpen the blades of the shears.

3. Use a shears sharpening service. Check your local yellow pages to find one in your area and have your scissors sharpened by a professional. There are many online sharpening services that will accept mail orders as well.

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