Beach Hair 101: Quick front braid

At this very moment, just off the beach, I am wearing this…but unfortunately, I do not look as glam as Isabel Lucas. I will live.

The quick little front french braid. it looks good on everyone and fakes fullness & volume at your hairline. It’s the best way to fake like you just spent a long time doing your hair when really, all you did is THIS.

Simply gather a thick section on one side of your head, and French-braid it over toward your other ear. Pin in place or braid it to the end and tie it. Do a cute little section (Thank you Jen), or go all out and make a dramatic headband effect a’ la my hair muse, Sienna Miller.

Tricks: 1: A priceless tip my mom told me: do not look in the mirror when you braid (works like a charm). 2: Add some mousse to your hair, somehow it makes everything stick.

Need any more help, go to YouTube and search “how to french braid”. You’ll be braiding like THIS in no time.

Beach Hair 101: Easy natural highlights.

Remember when you were a kid, after spending endless summer hours in the sun you were left with gorgeous natural sun-kissed locks that also were the perfect natural shade? Well there is an easy way to replicate that without sacrificing your face. Swap out your beach hat for a visor. Let the locks out to play, and your hair will gradually be getting lightened solely by the sun, just like the good ‘ol days.

I might immediately have diminished my cool factor, but after Cameron Diaz was spotted sporting a cute little woven one while paddle boarding in Cabo, I’ve seen visors sneaking into the summer lineup.

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Beach Hair 101: Feather Hair Extensions. Flyaways are in

Blame it on Richard Tyler, Coachella or everyone’s inner bohemian, but the quintessential element to beach hair this spring and summer is…Feather Hair Extensions.

At first, images of of Peter Pan & Pocahontas flashed through my mind, but after seeing the actual extensions in the hair (think long, wispy, colored and striped) and learning you can brush, curl, wash, straighten, braid, and treat them just like normal hair, I was instantly intrigued. Then after reading more in depth - realized this is a brilliant and gorgeous idea. It’s a fresh, quick and easy way to spice up your do’ for summer, makes you feel a wee bit like a rocker, and can be as crazy or subtle as you’d like.

My one suggestion is to keep it simple, too many and cats might start attacking your head.

So here are a few ways to get some hair that is truly fly. Sorry, couldn’t resist.

Visit Fine Featherheads. (pictured above) This is the Versace of feather extensions. The Best. Find a local salon/provider nearest you (here) and go for it.

Search Etsy - There are thousands of listings for Hair Feather Extensions and Clip in Feather Extensions.  It’s a non-committal fix and easy way to jump on this trend bandwagon for under $20.

Steven Tyler, Tweety Bird, and the crazy guy running around wearing a headdress all of these years, thanks for the inspiration. I love this trend. It’s tweet.

Ok, done.

Beach Hair 101: DIY headband wrap (*it’s easy)

When the temperature rises so does the tendency to not want my hair anywhere near my face or neck…enter the superhero of hot temps, the headband. Problem, I have a weird shaped head so none of the cute designer, or simple elastic ones ever stay on, and I look like a cone-head within a few minutes. I was thrilled when I stumbled on this you tube video and found out how to make a super easy headband that wraps and stays securely on you noggin - because you can tie two pieces together as tightly as you’d like. Almost like a bandana, but waaaaaaaay more chic. Bonus: It’s got a little bit of that 70’s retro meets flapper girl vibe going on.

How make your own easy-peasy-beach-hair headband.

Tools: Scissors

Materials you can use:

Any fabric that is stretchy: Bottom of a t-shirt or tank top, long jersey dress that needed to be hemmed anyways (what I used), old rash guard, tights, socks, The cuter the fabric the cuter the headband. *For the instructions I’ll just say T shirt.

1. Cut off the bottom of your t-shirt in the width that you’ll want your headband (the thicker the cooler I think)

2. Cut the resulting tube in half twice, so you end up with two strips of equal length

3. Lie one strip on top of the other so that they are perpendicular to each other and intersect in the middle (it will look like an x)

4. Put the top and right section together, and bottom and left section together.

5. The “knot” should go in the middle of the front of your head, then tie the open ends behind your neck as tight as you need for it to stay in place.

6. Make as many as you’d like and gear up for summer.

Beach Hair 101: Team Brunette As temperatures rise, it’s easy to want to lighten up those strands and seek out your nearest salon to whip up some blondeness. But, I tend to think that the warmer it gets, the tanner you get, the better and more flattering dark locks look. So I challenge you to save some money this spring and summer, opt for a box of semi-permanent color and give your locks some nourishing chocolate hued love. Maybe we all will look as good as Cameron Diaz did. That’s inspiration enough for me. High-res

Beach Hair 101: Team Brunette

As temperatures rise, it’s easy to want to lighten up those strands and seek out your nearest salon to whip up some blondeness. But, I tend to think that the warmer it gets, the tanner you get, the better and more flattering dark locks look. So I challenge you to save some money this spring and summer, opt for a box of semi-permanent color and give your locks some nourishing chocolate hued love. Maybe we all will look as good as Cameron Diaz did. That’s inspiration enough for me.

Beach Hair 101: Bangs are Bangin’

Bangs are nothing new, but they seem to be showing off cheekbones and eyes everywhere. They also give off that 70’s stylish beach vibe no matter what type of fringe you choose. So, in lieu of having an eight-head instead of a forehead, I am taking the plunge and am getting a thick set of eyelash skimmers a’ la my muse, Heidi Klum (pictured above).

Bonus: Aside from covering massive foreheads and being timelessly stylish, they are an easy way to switch up your look without chopping all your long locks or venturing down the haircolor aisle at CVS when you are bored on a weekend night.

If you want to give it a try, check this out: How to Cut your Own Bangs from instyle.com …in fact, not sure If I can wait until my appointment. The scissors are calling my name.

Beach Hair 101: Lazy Messy Bun.

I’m sure everyone has a different way of going about making a messy bun on top of their head, most of which we do subconsciously throughout the day. But I though I’d go ahead and share one of my faves, because there is just something about a lazy, messy updo that gets your hair out of your face, that is also incredibly flattering and stylish.

Messy Bun.

1. Bend over, grab all your hair in a pony tail as high as you can on top of your head. If some pieces don’t make it in, even better. If your hair is dirty, still wet or slightly damp, even mo’ bettah.

2. Secure with a rubber band

3. Divide hair into two sections.

4. Loosely wrap one section in one direction around the rubber band. Tuck the ends under the elastic or pin in place.

5. Repeat with the other section, but wrap hair loosely in the opposite direction as the first section.

6. Loosen things up a bit if you want, pull out a few pieces of hair in the bun, and enjoy looking like a hot mess.

Beach Hair 101: get some salt in your hair

There is nothing like the rough, somewhat sticky, but dry feeling of your hair after a dip in the ocean. And it looks effortlessly cool, thick, a bit wavy, and bed-head-esque as well. Thankfully I can just run down the street and hop in the ocean to get this easy hair fix, but if you are landlocked, or live somewhere where the ocean causes frostbite, there is an easy, at home replica of the coveted saltwater texture.

Homemade saltwater spray: 

1. Dissolve a tablespoon or two of bath salts in a cup of hot water (bath salts = hair will smell good, and are less drying)

2. Put in a spray bottle. (the 3oz spray bottles for travel they sell at the drugstore are perfect)

3. Lightly mist on either damp or dry hair

4. Scrunch hair as it dries, or as you blow dry.

5. Shake your salty mane around, take a deep breath, and think of vacation.

(Trick given to me by amazing stylist Molly Wolk)

There are some things we may never know during our lifetime…where Jimmy Hoffa’s remains are, what’s up with that Loch Ness Monster….and the secret behind the impeccable effortless beach hair perfection, known as Gisele’s hair. High-res

There are some things we may never know during our lifetime…where Jimmy Hoffa’s remains are, what’s up with that Loch Ness Monster….and the secret behind the impeccable effortless beach hair perfection, known as Gisele’s hair.

BEACH HAIR 101: Fishtail Braid, S’il Vous Plait.

It’s my 3-year wedding anniversary tonight, and I am absolutely determined to replicate this fishtail braid above. Might need some mousse and clip-in extensions for the full effect.

Ironically, the only braiding skill I do possess is that of fishtailing. It is super easy, holds well, and is my go-to quick beach ‘do. One problem. If I attempted to write a step buy step explanation, it would make no sense whatsoever, be long winded, and leave anyone trying the instructions frustrated.

So, I relinquish this link to you - How to: Easy Fishtail/Plait. Bonus: She has a saucy intro and accent - and the tutorial is quite excellent.

Best of luck.

Beach Hair 101: Balayage

You want hair that looks like this? I mean, do you want pecked-by-the sun, I’m 8 and spent the summer at the beach, natural looking highlights that you can go 6 months between touch ups and have a mane that slightly resembles that of Lily Aldridge?

Save the foils for covering up lasagna, and say bonjour to Balayage.

It’s the more artistic (yup, it originated in France), free form style of hair coloring in which a colorist freely paints on the lightener, and it’s AHHHHH-some. Just a few ho-hum beauties that are advocates: Gisele, Lily Aldridge, Jenifer Aniston, and Kate Hudson.

So, next time you feel like coloring your hair - and you want to look like you just stepped off a jet after a week in the Maldives, ask the salon if they offer Balayage (or some are calling it Ombre coloring). Try it out and then be prepared to 1: Save a heck of a lot of money (I only have to color my hair 2x a year) and 2: Soak up a ton of compliments.

* If you are in or traveling through AZ, I highly recommend Molly Wolk. She is a genius.

Beach hair 101: top knot waves

Me and my hairdryer have been on a break since moving to Hawaii, along with ever having more than 5 minutes to get ready for the rare occasion I need to look presentable. So I’ve developed a few tricks to attaining some good looking hair, with little or no effort.

Thought I’d be nice and share.

How to easily get shiny, wavy beach hair.

1. Shower

2. Don’t plug in or go near your hairdryer. Just towel dry.

3. Apply a small amount of mousse to your hair (quarter size)

4. When hair is almost air dried, but still damp, massage a dime size amount of leave in conditioner ( J’adore biosilk)

5. Gather hair on top or your head in a high ponytail. twist and tie in a knot ( if long enough - if not, make a tight bun) and loosely secure with a rubber band or bobby pins.

6. When hair is dry, undo the knot/bun and voila…glossy. natural waves that hardly took any effort so you won’t mind hopping in the ocean 30 minutes later.