Where can I get some hairstyling tips for women?

[4_Legs_Good]

My wife has kinda thinish mousy blonde hair. It's probably medium fullness, but thin follicle. We were watching 21 Grams last night, and the actress in the movie has similar hair...



but the actress's is more weighty, at least it was in this movie.

Anyway, my wife grew up in a household of all boys with a mother 46 years her elder, so I expect she didn't learn too much about how to care for her hair. She washes it every day, which I think is a no-no. She doesn't do much except ocassionally blow dry it, which usually just makes it more fly-awayish.

So! I'm looking for some tips/basics on stuff that I could do to help out with style, changing consistency, adding weight, volume without becoming fly away, etc. Neither of us want to spend too much time on this sort of thing, but it just seems like if I knew a few more basics and a bit more about what kinda stuff to add it'd be kinda fun. Her hair stylist is good, but quite conservative (not politically - well, I guess I'm not sure about that) and while she can leave the "studio" with a nice do, it's too difficult to replicate on her own, and not necessarily something you'd do every day.

Bleh! Am I making any sense? I'm sure this all sounds so stupid, but what the heck.

david

[Shell Beau]

1. There are products she can use to give her hair more

volume. And if she has oily hair, there are also products for that. She probably shouldn't condition her hair too often as it weighs down the hair as well.

[supernova]

2. Spring for her to spend the day at the beauty parlor

with a really good stylist.

They will show her what kinds of cuts look good with her type of hair and face structure. Heck, check the specials; they might throw in a facial or do her makeup too.

It's damn expensive, but they generally know what looks good on you. A once in a while treat to learn that is money well-spent, I think.

edit: She'll feel like a million bucks and give you the credit! B-)

[4_Legs_Good]

3. That's a great idea

and I've thought about it before. I'll just need to find one now, but it can't be too hard. I think she should have a weekend at a "beauty spa" where she can relax (she's almost perpetually stressed) and be pampered and learn a thing or two. There have to be a few of those in Southern California.

david

[Kathleen04]

31. I don't know

where you are in Southern CA, but Glen Ivy in Corona is a nice spa and not too expensive. They don't really have any hair treatments, so that doesn't really help at all with your initial question, but they have just about everything else--massages, manicures/pedicures, facials, make-up lessons.

There are also alot of pools and hot tubs and alot of men go there too so you could go together. :)

[4_Legs_Good]

32. Sounds great!

I'm in Northern Southern California (Santa Barbara area - some people who've never been North of San Francisco would call that "Central California"), but we go to LA fairly frequently, so we could head out to Corona sometime.

Thanks much for the tip!!

david

[Cobalt Violet]

4. I'll try. It's hard without actually seeing her hair.

When blow drying, use the nozzle and a brush. Hold the nozzle to the brush. Move the nozzle with the brush so that they are always close together even touching. The brush should be one with a metal or ceramic core. Always blow dry in the direction that the hair grows.

These tip will help with avoiding fly-away hairs.

Product can also be a good way to cut down of fly aways in addition to the above. She may have to experiment with different product to find once that work without making her hair too stiff, or too greasy. This is why it's difficult to help without seeing the hair.

I use defrizzers, and gels and they help. I recommend professional lines of product.

Matrix Amplify is a very good product line for thin hair or hair in which volume is desired.


A flat iron is another possibility for smoothing hair. Ceramic ones are the best.

[Shell Beau]

6. I have the Chi flat iron!

[Cobalt Violet]

8. They don't get better than that, imho.

Their blow dryers are great too.

[Shell Beau]

11. You are right. The Chi is my fave.

My friend is a hair stylist and I get all of my products from her. She uses her Chi on a lot of her clients.

[4_Legs_Good]

15. Fantastic - thanks!!

That's the kind of advice we need. I'll try a bunch of different stuff. It's fun, IMO, to experiment and mix things up. I do it myself too!

david

[4_Legs_Good]

26. What can I do to make her hair more tacky/sticky

Now that's hard to explain, but if I braid it or something (especially now that it's a bit shorter) it comes out in no time because it's kinda too smooth/silky or something. I understand that's great at times, but it means you can't do much with it.

I bet this all sounds really, really weird.

david

[Cobalt Violet]

30. You could try a styling mousse with a lot of hold.

Thet would make it stiff. I have notice that some pomades can make the hair sticky and/or very pliable. You could try both at the same time. You will have to experiment to see what works. There are pros and cons to all the products.

[4_Legs_Good]

33. Thanks!

Sounds like I've got a big drugstore.com order ahead of me!

:)

david

[RebelOne]

5. My hair is just like your wife's.

Definitely, washing it every day is a no-no. It needs a couple of days to build up some oil so that it will have some body. Also, I buy products from QVC, which help to build up volume and fullness. Go to www.QVC.com and put in a search for Peter Coppola and also Nick Chavez. They have some really good products for thickening hair and giving it more volume.

[SOteric]

7. I find it hard to believe that unsolicited tips on her appearance

wouldn't be perceived (however correctly) as criticism. Has your wife expressed and desire for styling tips herself?

[Shell Beau]

9. That may be true, but if

he did it the right way, it could be flattering or appreciated. Like a gift for a hair cut/style along with a facial or manicure or pedicure. You know like a day for her to be pampered.

[4_Legs_Good]

14. It's funny, her friends who's husbands don't take an active interest in

their (wive's) appearance wish they did, and I think she (my wife) wishes I'd take a little less interest in it.

This is all sounding kinda wrong, and like I'm utterly superficial and want her to be some kinda trophy bride or something, and that's not it at all. She's kinda like one of those people who would do well on "What Not To Wear" and would feel 100% better and more confident after she did it. She just needs a little push, you know.

She's only 33 and seems to think that dressing "hip" means that she's trying to look like she's 17. I disagree, I think 30's is a perfect age to be hip. It's like she's thinking she's 20 years older than she is.

Plus compliments abound whenever she tries, and she really does like that.

david

[Shell Beau]

18. I don't see a problem with it. You just have

to go about it the right way. It can easily be misconstrued! And I think it is sweet that you do take interest. As long as it isn't that you are trying to make your wife into something that she's not.

[4_Legs_Good]

19. She'll be whatever I want her to be DAMMIT!!! I own her afterall.

Oh! I went Robertson there for a moment.

Naw, I'm just trying to nudge her in the "right" direction. Hey! I used to wear only ripped jeans, T-shirts and flannels, and now I'm pretty hip and dress fairly well, which was her doing, and in the end I appreciate it. I still like dressing messy once in a while, but more for a change than because it's particularly comfortable.

I dunno, it's just fun to do different stuff.

david

[Shell Beau]

20. My husband refuses to shop. So I get to decide

what he wears. Luckily he likes my taste, but if he didn't, then I guess he'd have to get over it since he won't shop. I refuse to buy something I don't like. He could buy whatever he wanted, but since he doesn't do it, then I get to pick and choose.

[crispini]

21. Man, if my SO tried to give me hairstyling tips....

I would think he was telling me he was gay. :rofl:

[4_Legs_Good]

27. Isn't that weird?

I totally feel "gay" talking about it (not that there's anything wrong with that), but I don't understand why it's perceived as gay to be interested in how your female SO looks, such that when I see her I blow a gasket.

It's double plus weird. Who knows, maybe I'm just a little "odd". I love women's fasion, make-up, jewelry and hair styles, and I've been getting more and more into it lately. I like au-natural too, don't get me wrong, but the female body (and prolly the male too) is just so cool that it's fun to uhhhhhhhhhhhh... do stuff to it and mix it up.

Bizarre.

david

[crispini]

34. I dunno, the guys I date tend to be geeks.

They distinguish between "looks great," "functional," and "naked." That's pretty much it. :P

[4_Legs_Good]

36. LMAO

Granted those *are* the three main categories!

:)

david

[4_Legs_Good]

12. Oh, it's perceived as criticism to be sure...

But we kiiiiiinda have a sorta relationship where we can do that kinda thing a little. It's never fun, but it's rarely argument material.

She's the kinda person who I'd say "now that's a cool hair style" too and she would reply "yeah, but I don't have that kind of hair". To which I'd silently add "B.S.!" I think she can do all sorts of things with it, she just doesn't know how. And it's not that she doesn't want to know how, but she kinda just wants it to happen magically or be some kinda instinct that all women have, which I belive is simply not the case.

Also, she likes it when I do stuff with her hair, so I could work that in somehow, that's why I'm the one who needs to learn how to do it because she's not going to on her own.

Yeah, I feel kinda crummy about it, but I'm being more honest with myself these days, and as long as I can figure out how to extend it in the most sympathetic sort of way, I'm willing to risk it.

Sorry if that doesn't make sense.

Now she wants me to find a new hairstyle too! Gah!!!

david

[skygazer]

22. "some kinda instinct that all women have"

I can relate to this - my mother died when I was young and I find that there are things that my woman friends seem to know naturally that I have no clue about. I think a lot of that is stuff they've picked up from hanging around with a mom and I didn't have that.

There's a lot I do know that I guess I picked up from friends but I'm sometimes a little nonplussed by the things I don't know about. I've never in my life had a pedicure, for example, and I'd love to but I don't know where to go or what to look for - simple things like that.

Personally, I think it's neat that you're interested and you sound like a guy who can put it in such a way that it doesn't sound like an insult. I like it when my SO takes an interest in what I wear or how I've done my hair. I'm certainly interested in how HE looks.

[4_Legs_Good]

28. By the time my wife was a teenager her mother was wearing

Moo moos every day - having given up on herself physically, so she definitely didn't learn any fashion tips from her.

My wife likes the pedicures okay, but there are a bunch of places in our town and while I feel very much like a xenophobic Bush Booster for saying it, there isn't one that she's found where the beautitians can speak reasonable English, so it's hard to communicate. Plus the last time she went they did a pretty sh*tty job, so I think we need to look around for a more upscale place. A good pedicure is really cute, especially with good shoes.

I try to be considerate, but sometimes I'm blunt about her choices - especially when they're really bad and school marmish. She's just so gorgeous, that it seems a shame to not at least semi-regularly do stuff that really showcases her appearance.

david

[CitrusLib]

10. My hair is similar.

I have to wash it every day though because my scalp tends towards the oily side. If I didn't wash it every day, I'd look positively disgusting.

A good cut does WONDERS for hair and I have to admit, this is one area where you can get what you pay for.

I get my hair trimmed at a Great Clips type place in between splurging for a $60 haircut twice a year. I always get more compliments after springing for the more expensive cut.

Send your wife to a reputable spa/salon in town to get a professional's opinion.

Oh, and I was always told the quality of shampoo is much more important than the quality of the conditioner (which should be used sparingly and only on the ends, never on the scalp).

Good luck to her!

[Pithlet]

13. Good shampoo is key

My hair improved so much in appearance when I switched to better shampoo. For years I thought there couldn't be that much of a difference to justify the price until a friend gave me a bottle. It is worth the price difference, and a bottle of the better stuff tends to last a lot longer which makes up for a lot of the difference. They also tend to be geared more specifically towards particular hair types, which helps.

[4_Legs_Good]

16. What's a good brand?

She used to think that she was splurging with "Pantene"!

As long as I buy it, cost doesn't really matter - just so long as she never finds out how much it is.

david

[Pithlet]

17. I like Rusk.

I've had pretty good results with that brand. And, I'm now able to find it at places like Target; before I could only get it at a salon. Sebastian is another good line that has crossed over to regular stores. Aveda products tend to be excellent, but you'll have to look for a salon that carries them. I didn't like Paul Mitchell; it never seemed to clean my hair enough. It really is a trial and error kind of thing, because what works great for one person might not for another, and there is so much to choose from.

[CitrusLib]

35. My hair stylist told me Pantene was crap, LOL.

You want to check to see whether or not the chief ingredient is Ammonium Laureth Sulfate (Pantene). Avoid that one. You want a shampoo that uses Sodium Laureth Sulfate.

[marzipanni]

23. Send her name to

http://www.ambushmakeover.com/
It's a funny TV show I've seen occasionally. I think it would be fun if my hubby turned me over to them for repairs! ;)

[4_Legs_Good]

29. Heh heh heh

that might work.

david

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

24. David... are you in Orange County or LA?

[4_Legs_Good]

25. I'm actually closer to Santa Barbara

We live in Lompoc and I work in Santa Barbara.

But almost anything is within range for us.

david