Amidst a big cloud of aerosol we’re catching our breath, having just got back from seeing the latest Hollywood hit movie, Hairspray. Thank goodness, we don’t have to spend hours teasing our locks into mountains of rolling hills like those gals did.
Obviously they didn’t have the active lifestyle we enjoy today. It just wouldn’t be practical to go to all the trouble of lacquering up our hair, only to have it deflate after a hot yoga class!
Whether you liked Hairspray or not, there were some great lessons to be learned about what hair should NOT BE LIKE. Avoid Hairstyles that are:
1. Too Poufy
40 years later and there are still some women living in a time warp who can’t resist the heavily teased look that ages you more than any other thing. While we are moving away from the long dead straight look that has been so popular over the last few years, (and thank goodness for that because it only looks good on you if you are 21 with perfectly unlined skin), be cautious about teasing.
A little at the sides to add some volume to a thin face is o.k. or a touch at the crown to give your hair some oomph, and that’s it. A good blowdry with a volumizing product should eliminate the need to tease altogether. However, if you must tease, tease only a touch to make your hair look like it’s got a bit of body and wave, not to make it look stiff and sky-high.
2. Too Stiff with Hairspray
Watching John Travolta play Mrs. Turnbladt with that stiff helmet hair gave us a good giggle. With the shelves amuck with product it’s hard to know what to use to get that hold, but to look natural. Right now Deb is using a pump (Pantene pro-v for extra body and I’m using aerosol (Final Net-my old standby). The best tip for a natural spray is to flip your head upside down and spray hair from underneath. It not only adds tons of volume, but it also keeps hair from appearing stiff or sticky.
3. Too Bleached
A lot of women assume the blonder they go, the younger they will look. Not always the case. Michelle Pfeiffer is a gorgeous gal and she’ d look like a goddess even if she had orange hair, but the ultra blond shade she wore in this film made here look washed out and older than she normally does. She looks good here in this touched up photos but on-screen she looked quite pasty and worn out. We couldn’t help thinking how much younger her real life sandy colored, soft blonde highlighted hair makes her look.
4. Too Short
When many women become moms, they get the infamous short “mommy cut” and wear their hair that way long after the kids have left home. While short hair can look stunning on some gals with great bone structure (think Sharon Stone), short hair makes many 40+ women look harsh matronly like Miss Wimpey, (the teacher) in Hairspray. If you are looking for a change, try a nice gently layered cut to the shoulders or just above. This style promises to soften your features and play down your fine lines.
5. Full of Thick Highlights
At one point in the movie, Tracy’s hair goes wild with terrible fat, overdone highlights. Highlights are great, if they look natural and add some shine and light to your hair. But these streaky skunk stripes look silly. You might be able to pull it off as a funky twenty something but they will not make you look youthful after 40+ like some gals think.
