The young ladies who come into my salon taught me a new term for their men’s constant changes in facial hair: Manscaping. I thought it perfectly embodies what we men do with our ability to grow, sculpt,  shave off, and then re-grow our facial hair, and just like “landscaping” it can be used to accentuate or disguise natural features and contours.

Facial hair can disguise a weak chin or otherwise undistinguished face (George Lucas), a too-long upper lip area (Sam Elliot), a thin upper lip (Tom Selleck), and change the proportions of the face.

It can balance out a too-prominent nose (Christian Bale), sculpt contours that create the illusion of prominent cheekbones, camouflage the beginnings of a double chin (Zach Galafiniakis), and even bring back a youthful look by the careful and professional application of darkening agents to facial hair, which often begins to grey long before the hair on a man’s head.

 

Here we present to you a series of side-by-side images of men, with and without their trademark facial hair, and ask you to tell us which look you prefer, and what you would change if he were YOUR man (for the ladies), or if it was YOUR face (for the gents).

 

Full beard, just a moustache, or clean shaven? A little bit of scruff, or not? Goatee, chinstrap, or sculpted and groomed full beard? No facial hair at all?

For some of these celebrities, facial hair is grown for a role (Jake Gyllenhaal), or grown in between roles when they don’t have to attend to their grooming (Adrien Grenier, Steve Carell).

Some of them are so attractive that anything they do is going to look good (George Clooney).

Some of them choose to look deliberately scruffy to downplay their looks (Josh Harnett, John Mayer, and most famously, Brad Pitt) or to

make themselves look older or “manlier” (Burt Reynolds in his early career, when he was thought “too pretty,” and androgyny was NOT a ticket seller).

 

Now, gentlemen, look in the mirror, and ask yourself, “Could any of these facial hair ideas work for me?” Then, the next time you visit your stylist, ask him or her if it is something you should consider.

Unlike when a woman invests hundreds of dollars in a new cut or haircolor and has to consider that she’s likely to incur another round of spending if she changes her mind, you, my friend, can always shave it off…

Until next week, ciao!

Oh, to be a celebrity.

Who else gets to change her look on a whim, be a stylist/colorist’s muse, or better yet, get PAID to change her looks for a role? They’re the hair chameleons that sell magazines, the ones whose pictures we tear out and run to our salon, begging, “make me look like this!”Or in the case of one of our favorite celebs featured here today, “if my hair comes out like this, I will never step foot in this salon again. Ever.”

The Bounce: Since our last “Cinderella Transformations” post, a surprising number of stars have cut off a collective couple of yards of hair – Ali Larter, Salma Hayek, Emily Blunt, Julianne Hough, Emma Roberts, and Selena Gomez, with half of them opting for the long bob, or “lob.”

Others who fall into our other categories have cut their hair shorter as well, but this is the group whose primary change was hair length, although Miss Gomez went right back to waist-length extensions just a week or two ago for the MTV Europe Music  Awards.  I think they all look wonderful, and their accompanying color changes (warm caramel highlights for Salma, some lowlights for Julianne and Emma, a deeper chestnut for Emily, and a slightly lighter brunette for Selena) are universally flattering.

The Bangs: Nicole Ritchie, Jenna Dewan, Rachel Weisz, and Mila Kunis jumped on the bang bandwagon, although Mila’s MAY be clip-ons added to her up-do for the Marine Corps Ball.

Rachel and Nicole both cut some length from the bottom as well, with Nicole returning to her

signature Bohemian eye-grazing fringes and Rachel opting for a wispier bang.

Jenna cut long blunt bangs, and somehow ended up with longer hair – salon magic?

 

The Color: The color changes were certainly drastic!

Kylie Minogue went from decades sporting a variety of blonde shades to a deep reddish brown. By abandoning the “fake bake,” dying her brows the recommended shade darker than her new color, and changing her makeup colors, she handles the transformation well, and her skin looks almost translucent. Women of a certain age don’t often go darker (it can be too harsh), but she makes this work.

Funny lady Kristen Wiig tends to prove that point; her bronze-y strands and amber highlights were much more flattering than her new one-dimensional espresso brown. Her old color warmed her skin and made her blue eyes sparkle.

Former Disney teen star Demi Lovato debuted her fiery red strands via Twitter , and it’s hard to judge between a heavily styled and made-up “before” picture and a very candid shot sans makeup. It would appear the shade works with her natural coloring, but we should probably reserve judgment until we see her in equivalent circumstances.

And finally, we have the most puzzling transformation of all. The perfectly lovely and down-to-earth Drew Barrymore, Cover Girl Cosmetics’ “face,” is certainly known for her eclectic style and willingness to play around with her hair’s length and color, but this is inexplicable. I’m not even going to address whether it suits her skin tone or even name the shades, and whether she matched her brows or her makeup to her new look. It’s just awful, unflattering, and as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, any other woman would take one look in the mirror, burst into tears, and swear to “never step foot in this salon again. Ever.” Her red hair was beautiful. This is the first truly awful misstep we’ve seen from her, and I just hope Cover Girl has a clause in her contract that forces her to change it, or she’s cast in a role and is paid to.

Until next week, ciao!

 

Mistake 1:  You Think All Salons Are The Same

Every salon is different. No two salons are really the same. Every salon has different services and different employees who have unique talents and specialties.

Styling is a combination of talent, experience, and skill. Most people don’t realize the time and money the best stylists put into developing their art.

Contrary to what some people think, styling is not just a matter of cutting hair. It takes workmanship and talent to create really quality styles, and an eye for color and dimension to design a total look for an individual.

Communication is the key to picking the best salon for you:

• Ask what type of training and experience the stylists have.
• Ask how much time they will spend with you before the appointment.
• Ask to see pictures of their work.
• Ask to read testimonials of past clients.
• Ask any other questions that are unique to your needs.

This will help you to decide if they are the best salon for you.

After you ask your questions, it will become pretty obvious which salon you should choose. The salon that wants your business will prove to you that they are the best salon for you. Take your time and decide which salon you would like to use – but when you decide, you must be loyal to them.  More about loyalty in a moment.

Mistake 2:  You choose a salon based only on price.

The old adage is true. “You get what you pay for.” This is especially true when choosing a salon. If you want the best services, you should decide to deal with a salon because of the overall value you receive, NOT because they offer the lowest price. Here’s why.

Value = Quality + Service + Price

It is impossible for any business in any industry to offer the cheapest price, have the highest quality, and provide the best service all at the same time.

You can get high quality and super service, but you can’t get both and still get the lowest price.

Salons have a lot of overhead, employees, products, leases, continuing education, etc. If their prices are “too good to be true,” then they are cutting comers somewhere. Whether it’s in the quality of their services and products, or the customer service they provide, something has to suffer to give you those low, low prices.

Total value is all three: Quality, Service, and Price.

The three most common problems you will have when you pick a salon based on low prices are:

1. Lower-priced salons don’t usually stand behind their work.

2. Salons offering the lowest prices often have to compromise quality in order to produce quantity.

3. Low-priced salons provide low compensation to their employees and, therefore, attract only inexperienced and/or inferior stylists. Anyone can go through cosmetology school and get a license, but good stylists are the few who have mentored with master stylists and are willing to make a commitment to invest time and money in ongoing, continuing education.

Don’t choose a salon based on price if you: Really care about keeping your hair in optimum health; whether you want to look polished and professional, or stylish and trendy;  whether you are interested in color that enhances your natural beauty, or turns you into a vibrant vixen; of if you want to be pampered and receive the highest level of personal service while learning beauty” secrets” from experienced experts.

Mistake 3: You Always Have A Couple Of Salons You Frequent

You may think this is good for you because whoever can get you in the soonest or is offering the best special promotion wins the appointment. And to some extent, it is — but here is why it usually isn’t a good way to deal with salons.

A good salon has enough loyal clients that they don’t have to deal with price shoppers.

Once you find a good salon, you must be loyal. If you jump from salon to salon, a good salon won’t be too motivated to keep YOU as a client. They will cater to their loyal clients.

Price is important. But price should not be more important than good quality and good service.

Mistake 4: Picking A Salon That Doesn’t Guarantee Their Services

All reputable salons automatically guarantee their services. This means if you aren’t happy, they will do whatever it takes to make you happy, at no additional charge. If you still aren’t happy, they will return your money.

Unfortunately, there are unethical salons that won’t do this. Instead, they will argue with you for having “unrealistic expectations.” An unethical salon may charge you for a re-visit, or refuse to give you your money back.

The best thing you can do is pick a salon that guarantees its work. This way you know its stylists have to be good at their work, and that they and the management must have good communication with you. There is no risk for you.

Mistake 5: You Think Having A License Is All It Takes To Be A Good Hairstylist

There are hundreds of thousands of licensed stylists. They’ve all gone to school and passed their state board exams. That doesn’t mean they are all good.

Hair styling is an art. Having a degree of talent is important, although skills can be mastered with time and practice. It is important for a stylist to continue his or her education throughout their career.

Don’t be shy. Ask stylists about their training and find out what kind of skills they have mastered before you put yourself in their hands…

Mistake 6: Not Asking To See Examples Of Salon Workmanship Or Testimonials

This is probably your best bet at finding a fantastic salon. Ask to see examples of their work. If they don’t have a book or website for you to look at, ask for references. A good salon will be happy to give you references.

Ask for the names of at least three people who have visited the stylist you’re interested in, and call them and ask them if they are happy with the salon. Also, ask to read through any testimonials the salon has from clients. This is the easiest way you can find the salon for you!

Mistake 7: You Don’t Allow Enough Time For Your Salon To Service You Properly

Mistakes happen when you rush!

When you’re in a hurry, you may not get enough time to communicate with your stylist to make sure you get exactly what you need. And, sometimes, one late client can push back schedules for the whole day. When you schedule a salon visit, don’t short yourself on time. Ask the salon how much time you should allow in your schedule and then add a half hour. You deserve it; it’s your time to treat yourself right, so don’t rush it.

Before you get serviced at the salon, talk with your stylist. Make sure he or she knows what your likes and dislikes are, what your “goal” is and how you will achieve your desired look.

You can save time, money, and headaches from the very beginning through clear communication!

Why do most people do the opposite and find themselves at the mercy of their stylist? Because everyone takes the stylist for granted. Everyone assumes they read minds, or that they can make you look just like the photograph you brought in even though you have a completely different hair type and face shape. Most everyone thinks the stylist is the “miracle worker” no matter what condition hair may be in. This just isn’t the case.

You should think of your stylist as your “beauty expert” and “project partner.” And, YOU are the project. Consult with your stylist. Let him or her know in advance what you want. Ask your stylist if he or she can give you any tips and ideas on creating a look and maintaining it between visits. A good salon will take the initiative in communication

Now, as an extra treat I’m going to share 5 beauty “secrets” with you…

Beauty Secret #1: Don’t try to style hair soaking wet, get it 80% dry first. Protect your hair, as well as your skin, from the sun. Use sunscreen on your scalp at the part. Lip balm with sun-block will work.

Beauty Secret #2: Protect your hair from the sun, just as you would your skin. Use sunscreen on your scalp at the part. Lip balm with sun-block works effectively.

Beauty Secret #3: One of the best ways to make your makeup look complete, even if your’re only going to wear the very minimal amount, is to do your brows.Eyebrows look best when filled in with a soft pencil or powder. Go to a professional for your first shaping. After that, it’s best to work in a bright, natural light when tweezing.

Beauty Secret #4: To prevent further exacerbating wrinkles and sagging, always apply face creams with firm upward strokes. And don’t forget to protect your neck and décolletage ,too. They are the first parts of your body to show signs of aging and yet are often the most neglected.

Beauty Secret #5: The best bargain for your hair is a good cut. If possible, pay extra for a top-of-the-line stylist. More technically advanced hair cuts will last longer, up to 6 weeks depending on the length of your hair.

Until next week, ciao!

As Americans, we’ve reached a point in our Country’s history where we find ourselves playing the “blame game.” One side blames the other, and vice versa, without anyone on either side getting to know the facts. A story always has three sides – yours, mine, and the truth. Obviously, these days, opinions have come to have more value than facts. It is because of this that we don’t act as friendly Americans anymore, but rather as enemies.

Friends listen to one another; enemies shout.

Friends encourage, while enemies inhibit.

Friends find solutions; enemies create problems.

Friends take responsibility; enemies blame.

Friends work towards what’s best for both, “Us;” enemies work for what’s best for one, “Me.”

Friends tell you how they can help you; enemies tell you you’re always wrong.

Friends will hold your hand; enemies will point their finger at you.

Friends compromise; enemies always contest.

Friends love you, even when you disagree. Enemies hate you, even when you agree.

Friends forgive; enemies condemn.

I’m an Italian immigrant and have lived in America for over 40 years. I became an American citizen and consider myself an American. In Italy I was poor; America offered me opportunities I never had. Out of appreciation, I learned the mother language — English. With respect, I obey the American laws. With pride in my Country, I wave the American flag. As a patriot, I love, revere, obey, and if ever called upon, would proudly serve the U.S.A. I will always recite and commemorate the Pledge of Allegiance, as it embodies what we as Americans truly are: “One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for ‘ALL’.”

So, ladies, what do you think of these bobs? And if you had to choose one of these colors and cuts, which one would you pick?

Fellow Intercoiffeure members, TONY&GUY North America, recently honored their top stylists and colorists, and these colorful bobs were hands-down winners. The basic bob never really goes out of style, but the shapes change from season to season, and here they are expressed in different ways through color with emphasis on the bang in the front and color panels at the side of the face.

These are haircolors you can have fun with, yet they look quite elegant at the same time. Notice the statement jewelry – these are easily transformed into head-turning evening looks. Believe me, the society photographers would all rush to snap your photo were you to wear one of these style-and-color combinations with haute couture.

These variations on the bob offer different lengths and levels of movement, but all  provide you with versatility, from the shortest burgundy crop with long sideswept rose-tinted bangs, to a chin-length platinum bob with lavender bangs, to a rich chocolate graduated bob with a deep russet fringe. Express yourself with a whisper of color, or you can crank it up to a shout, or you can scream “I’m here, baby!”

Come to our Facebook page  and tell us whether you’d try one of these color-and-cut combos. They’re totally on trend for fall, so perhaps it’s time to think about a major change. As we always remind you – you can always go back!

Until next week, ciao!

Do you know the shape of your face? And do you know if the cut and color you wear are right for it?

Believe it or not, there is an art to matching cut and color to the shape of a woman’s face. Being an expert on recognizing how to give the perfect cut and color for a certain facial shape, I can tell you that when it is done right, it can bring out the very best in your features.

And I can also tell you that you can get the most beautiful cut and color but if it is wrong for your facial shape, it can actually distort features or make you look awkward.

Now, there is no right or wrong facial shape.

Having the knowledge of facial shapes helps a stylist/colorist select the right cut and color for you. The only “wrong” in the equation is the wrong cut or color for you.

There are four basic facial shapes:

• Oval/round
• Rectangular/oblong
• Square
• Triangular or heart-shaped

The facial shape that can sport the most variety of looks and styles is the oval/round shape. The oval/round face has equal dimensions; therefore hair can be worn in many variations on or off the face. To best enhance this type of facial shape, I would add volume on top, and comb any fringe to one side or the other. When coloring for this face shape, I would create deeper shadows at the temple area with lighter accents behind them to create an elongating effect.

When working with a rectangular/oblong face, I like to create a style that makes the face seem more rounded. I do this by creating volume in the lateral areas with layers that create movement throughout the hair. On those clients that prefer bangs, I will cut a layered fringe combed to one side to soften the features. With this face shape, I prefer to darken the top part for the illusion of shortening the face, and then highlighting the area around the cheekbones and the middle of the face — it actually creates a more oval effect.

With a square face, I create movement to cover the frontal area and soften the facial angles. The reason I do that is to minimize the sharp corners by cutting softness around the fringe area and the jawline, therefore creating a rounder face shape. When coloring, I would place highlights around the cheekbones, with deeper framing around the outer corners.

A triangular or heart-shaped face is characterized by a much broader forehead and a narrow or pointed chin. To balance the top portion of the face, I would cut a heavy bang to give the illusion of a more round face. And to balance it, I would create or cut volume at the jawline. As far as color goes, I would add shadows around the entire hairline, at the same time adding highlights just above the corners of the bang area.

So, the next time you visit your stylist, ask him or her to tell you about your face shape, and whether your cut and color are designed to bring out the best in that shape. Learn all you can in that next consultation, and if you are going to a stylist for the first time, ask these questions!

If you have any questions for me about this topic, post them to the Wall on our Facebook page, or leave a comment.

Until next week, ciao!

The other day, I overheard a woman in my salon say that women don’t dress for themselves or for men – they dress up for other WOMEN. Now, this is certainly not how I have always viewed things.

In fact, when I thought about it, I divided women into three categories: the “smallest” – women who dress to please no one but themselves; the “medium” category of women who dress to compete with or impress other women; and the “largest” and (in my humble masculine opinion) most important category, women who dress to attract and seduce men.

So, this conversation really got me going, and then I saw the pictures of ELLE Magazine’s Women in Film luncheon, a lovely women-only daytime event honoring the power ladies of the movie industry.

And there they were, with dresses slit to their navels (yes, Miss Jennifer Anniston), ample amounts of cleavage, sparkles, minis, killer heels – and not a man in sight.

So, have I been fooling myself all these years that the ladies have been slipping into slinky gowns and sexy shoes, not to drive us men completely wild, but to compete with each other?? Don’t they know that when a man compliments a woman on her dress, he is thinking, “I wonder how easy it is to get her back OUT of that dress?”

I think it’s time you told us what YOU think! All you powerful women, tell us the truth:

A. Do you dress totally to please yourself, do you not really care what others think or say, do you love your style no matter what?

B. Do you dress to make the other women in the room jealous, to be the most fashion-forward, to turn other women’s heads and make them wish they had your sense of style, fearlessness, budget, or figure?

C. Do you dress to turn men’s heads, with all other attention strictly collateral damage?

  As a man who’s been in the beauty industry a very long time, I have some very definite opinions on what I think the answers will be. I listen to women making sure they’re not wearing the same hairstyle, the same designer, or even the same color, to dinner or a party. But now I wonder, who is that for?

Whatever the answer turns out to be, here are the things to always remember:

• The color of your dress is as important as the color of your hair – it must compliment your skin tone and your personality.
• If you feel comfortable in what you’re wearing, you’ll feel sexy in it.
• Make sure your hair is as sexy as your dress, and that your makeup compliments both.
• Remember that it’s a TOTAL look, and leave no part undone.

Now, tell us whether you’re an A, B, or C, and next week we’ll let everyone know just who our poll tells us women are dressing for. At the Elle Women in Film luncheon, I think we all know it was very much B. Visit our Facebook page and leave your comments!

Until next week, ciao!

Brad Pitt is a chameleon when it comes to his hair – both his facial hair and that on his head. Granted, he often is required to do so for movie roles, but a retrospective of the many stylings of Brad shows that he also does so for himself.

I think this is the perfect opportunity for us to encourage our male readers that it is OK to make changes – there’s nothing to be afraid of. Brad Pitt will get to look back and remember all of his different hair personas, but what about you?

Hair is the perfect thing to experiment with because you can always go back. As you can see from Mr. Pitt, you can experiment with a variety of personalities, and then look back at some point and be happy that you didn’t look the same for all those years.

The great thing about changing your hair is that it’s not a big investment; it’s not a car or a house, and it’s a quick change. You might like it, and prove to yourself that change can be good. We experience it every day in the salon; when someone does make a change, the reactions are almost always on the positive side: “Wow, you look great! What did you do?”

Whether it’s a new cut or haircolor or highlights, whether you add a mustache or a goatee – almost any facial hair – the reaction if someone hasn’t seen you for a while is invariably positive.

I myself am always changing, either my facial hair or I’m cutting my hair, letting it grow; it’s good to be different in life, it’s good to experiment. Be daring, be experimental, change your hair, and look for the reaction.

And as I said, it’s not something you can’t change back to its natural way. So take a chance, buddy. And if you come into the salon for a change, we’ll do before-and-after pictures so you can look back at your transformations, just like Brad Pitt.

The old adage of always wanting what we do not have never holds more true than when it comes to hair – I see it every day. Brunettes who want to be blondes, blondes who want to be redheads, women with silky straight hair wanting a head full of curls, and the girls with the curls wanting stick-straight hair. And it’s the ladies blessed with naturally curly hair that I want to convince the most to make the most of what they have. Look at Andie MacDowell – she’s made a career based on her mass of curls.

Most of their complaints revolve around the facts that their hair is not shiny like their straight-haired counterparts. This is because the cuticle of curly hair is more open, so less light bounces off of it and instead penetrates the hair. But with the right shampoos, conditioners, and finishing products, curly hair can look just as shiny — and even sexier – than straight hair.

Curly hair takes a bit more effort and care to find the right product to match whether the texture is coarse and curly, fine and curly, frizzy and curly, or some combination of all three, like Corinne Bailey Rae. Some need products that relax the curl, other need products that define the curl – but no one needs products that make their curls look dry or “crunchy.”

I like to cut curly hair wet, but it cannot be cut in the same manner as straight hair because it can look bulkier, so as a stylist there is more of a feel to the cut – it is freestyle cutting rather than precision cutting. In fact, it is very much like sculpting in that I have to feel as I cut in order to build volume where it’s needed, or take away bulk.

When it comes to color, highlighting curly hair is trickier, because traditional highlights can get lost. Highlights in curly hair must be much chunkier so they can be seen, like Taylor Swift and Violante Placido. Before I highlight curly hair, I study it dry and select the pieces where I can see that light should be.

When all is said and done, curly hair that is cut, colored and highlighted well can look like the mane of a lion – look at AnnaLynn McCord.

When it’s cut well and treated properly, even when it’s unkempt it looks sexy, like Vanessa Hudgen’s crop, or Jordin Sparks long curls. It’s definitely more voluminous, it has more movement, it looks alive.

So, to all you ladies blessed with curls, look for special shampoos for silkening curly hair and finishing products that are specially formulated for curly hair, curl defining creams, silkening oils, and for the very coarse curls, find an illuminating gelade that makes the hair glisten. Most importantly, find the right stylist. Not everyone know how to handle curly hair. And my recommendation for everyone, especially those with curly hair, is to always go in for a consultation, bring in pictures, and have a target in mind before you let anyone touch your hair.

Until next week, ciao!

In this week’s post, we have another crop of celebrities who have made major hairstyle changes, and it reminds us that “buyer’s remorse” isn’t just for cars. Certainly, if you’re not happy with your new look, a talented stylist and colorist can change your hair if you change your mind. But I often suggest, when a client is contemplating a drastic change in cut, color, or both, that trying on wigs is really a relatively foolproof way to “try before your buy.” I’ll bet some of the beautiful ladies in today’s blog wish they’d been able to “test drive” their new style before they committed.

Take, for example, reality TV personality Ashley Hebert. Her new Cleopatra cut does not flatter her the way her former cut and color brought out her skin tones and softened her face. The new cut is too severe, the bangs too heavy and bowl-like, and her darker color too one-dimensional. She looked prettier with longer, lighter hair – younger and sexier. The new cut and color age her, and only teenagers want to look older.

Oh, Rose Byrne. So very gorgeous in her “before” haircut, and not so much in her new cut. The precision-cut bob would have been more dramatic with blunt-cut bangs, but this style just doesn’t quite “cut” it. The picture really says it all.

Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr also didn’t do herself any favors. Granted, her black hair is unnatural and very flat, and she would look much better with a deep brown shade with some dark dimensional highlights to break it up, but it’s really the cut that’s at issue. Her “before” style was a great shag, wispy and sexy with a lot of movement, very rock and roll. Her new bob looks bushy and coarse, and just doesn’t do anything for her; it looks too much like a wig. Better to have left well enough alone.

Miss Fergie, what is with the roots? The Back Eyed Pea went to the bother of cutting off a good bit of hair, even though it appears to be nothing more than a shorter version of the same layered cut, but why is it that she still has a head full of dark roots? Should we be pleased they’re not AS DARK as her “before” picture? As a Master Colorist, these roots just look like a mistake to me. I want to fix them every time I see a picture of her.

Kristen Stewart is sporting a head-full of nearly waist-length black extensions to play Snow White in a movie, but all that length with no layers or a bit of wisp around the face really accentuate her inverted triangle facial shape. And strangely, her brows are darker in her “before” picture when her hair is a deep chestnut. Someone was asleep at the chair and forgot to match her brows to the extensions, so the light brows make her face look strangely unfinished – she’s lost the “frame.”

This leads right into my usual caveat that I cannot stress enough: The makeup has to be there all the time, even if it’s just a little bit, as simple as a flick of mascara, a bit of blush, and a slick of lipgloss. Maybe it’s just your signature red lipstick. Whatever it is, you need that little bit of something to look put together, and make that great cut and color work for you.

Love songbird  Carrie Underwood’s bangs. They’re not too thick, they’re nice and sexy, she looks fantastic with all that movement around the face after wearing the same style for so long. It also draws attention to her eyes and covers a high forehead. This one is a total keeper.

Another reality TV personality, Audrina Partridge, jumped on the ombre wagon a bit late in the trend, but it’s very pretty on her. Frankly, she looks good in both pictures, and the style is essentially the same, but the lighter hair does give her more of a glow and is sexier in that beach girl, boho way. This is the kind of change you can reverse, and that you can play with seasonally, going darker in the winter and brighter in the summer.

Emily Browning carries off quite an avante garde look, and it works rather well for her. We’d commented on her “before” hair in the past as being unflattering, making her already round face look rounder. With some judicious snipping and a very pretty shade of periwinkle blue, her cut is transformed into a choppy shag that accentuates her eyes doubly with the bangs and the blue hue. It’s a very striking look. You don’t have to commit to actually dyeing your hair such a shocking color – this look can be created with colored extensions so the it doesn’t have to be permanent, and you don’t have to explain your blue, green or purple hair to your boss.

Lastly, we have a dramatic change in color and cut with Lilly Collins, daughter of musician Phil Collins. She has thick, healthy hair, but the red was too overpowering and washed her out. It would have been much more flattering had she been a medium brunette with that red as highlights. But now Lilly is a deep, mysterious brunette with a Holly Golightly fringe, and she’s changed her brows and makeup to match her new color. The deep, cool tones of the brown are much more flattering to her skin than the coppery red. Marvelous choice.

Until next week, ciao!