Summer's Hottest Hair (p.24)
An Effortless Evolution

By Tiffani Woodlief

Much like all things in life, we are constantly changing our appearances – and this summer, hair styles and hair color are evolving in a major way. Over the past couple of years, we have seen many styles incorporate braids, short pixie cuts, beautiful waves and texture, and gorgeous, vibrant hair color. This summer, these popular styles are still dominant, yet they have taken on a new inspiration that makes them super sexy and very wearable.

The short pixie cut is still in high demand, but it has taken on a new shape and style. If you are currently sporting a cropped cut and are looking for a little change, try growing out your fringe or bang area to wear a heavier side sweep, or style it with a deep side part and create a slicked down, wet look. Most women who dare to have such a short style typically have amazing bone structure and the “slicked look” will really flatter their faces. Another big trend for the pixie cut right now is to color it dark – almost black so that is really shines and looks like glass. A demi-permanent hair color will give you the depth and richness of a dark hue with tons of shine, particularly if you try the slicked look. This trend, which works well with both long and short hair, is perfect for those who live by the pool or water during the summer. Keep a bottle of a lightweight gel in your pool/beach bag for a quick, simple hairstyle.

As much as the pixie cut is in style, long flowing hair is still a big rage as well. There is a lot of influence in long hair from two particular genres – the 1940s look of soft but structured waves, and the 1970s look of textured and natural looking waves. Long hair can have a deep side part as well as a center part; however, nine times out of ten, I believe a side part is most flattering – particularly on anyone over the age of 30. If you have long hair and are looking for a beautiful and stylish ’do this summer, try a deep side part and a soft braid on the opposite side of the part that lies in front of your shoulder. This is a simple style that is perfect for the season, particularly if you are outdoors.

Fish tail and rope braids are also very popular right now; however, these tend to look best on straight hair, as they should look more polished than a traditional braid.

Summer means sun, and sun means dimension when it comes to hair color. If you haven’t had highlights in awhile, now is the time to head to your salon for some sun-kissed hues. The season’s hot color is warm and rich with beautiful golden blondes that look very natural and dimensional, yet not over-highlighted. The trend with golden blondes and any dimensional hair color, regardless of the hue, is tone-on-tone dimension. This look is achieved by either highlighting your hair just a shade or two lighter than your natural shade, and toning it to match your natural tone. If you desire a more blonde look, lighten your base color and highlight your hair with the same tone, but on a different level. The main goal with this look is to not look too contrasting in color. Reds are also very hot this summer – if you’ve ever thought about trying it, now is the time. Summer’s shade of choice is a beautiful, coppery red that is vibrant and super shiny. Just like with the darker color, I recommend a demi-permanent hair color that will glaze your hair and make it look like glass. Always remember this time of the year that if you are going to be outdoors, use a UVA/UVB protecting agent to preserve your color or wear a stylish hat to keep your hair out of the sun.

This summer, think about how you can evolve your style and try something new and modern. Remember that this season’s beauty trend – whether it be your cut or your color – is about looking fresh and natural; your summer style should reflect that effortless simplicity.

Tiffani Woodlief is the owner of Salon One21 & Colorbar located in downtown historic Wake Forest. She is also an educator for L’Oreal Professionnel. Tiffani can be reached at 919-569-0133 or tiffani@salonone21.net.