Hairstyling Tips and Tools

Despite the importance of hairstyles in aiding in the external definition of ourselves, an alarming number of people report having hairstyles they are less than happy with.

Why is it then that so many people are less than happy with their current style?

For the majority of people it is not lack of trying. Individuals pump literally billions of dollars a year into the salon industry in their elusive quest for that holiest of grails — a hairstyle that complements them, is fashionable, and that they are happy with. In the United States alone, the salon industry is a $45 billion industry. For the majority of us, having our 4-6 weekly cuts and colours in medium priced salons, the annual salon bill is somewhere between $750 and $2000.

Clearly, this is a lot of money to be parting with on an annual basis to be less than happy with the results. While there are no hard and fast formulas to finding your perfect hairstyle, there are some basic questions that you should ask yourself, and some basic rules of thumb that you should follow.

Analyze this
The first step to finding a style that is right for you is to answer these basic questions. Even if you have never received a hairstyle that you hate, chances are that you will have received a hair cut that you are unable to reproduce at home.

How much time do you have to spend on your hair on a daily basis?
Be honest about this one! There is no point having a stylist give you a hair cut that requires you to spend 45 minutes each morning achieving the desired look if you do not have the time. This question boils down to your lifestyle and you need to consider it carefully before choosing a hairstyle.

How much money do you wish to spend maintaining your hairstyle?
Some high maintenance hairstyles will not only require you to spend large amounts of time styling your own hair, they may also require frequent salon visits. Before you decide on a certain hairstyle, you should calculate the cost of maintaining that style and check whether you can sustain that expenditure.

Do you have the necessary equipment to maintain the style?
Connected to he cost of maintaining a hairstyle, is the question of whether or not you have the necessary equipment. Some hairstyles have to be blow-dried, while others require you to use curling irons, hot-sticks, heated rollers, crimpers, or straightening irons. If you do not already own the pieces of equipment required for the hairstyle, are you in a financial position to simply go out and purchase this equipment? If you do not already own the equipment and cannot simply purchase the equipment, then you need to avoid styles that demand that equipment.

Now that you have settled on a hairstyle that is right for your lifestyle and your finances, the next step is to check that it will suit you. The most important issue is whether a given hairstyle will compliment your face shape.

Just as your clothes can flatter the parts of your bodies you like, and minimize the parts you don't like, the cut and style of your hair can bring a sense of proportion and balance to your face. Deciding on a new hairstyle can seem like a hit-and-miss affair — one style might drag your face down and make you look ill, another might make your face look fuller, while others yet may just not suit you for some reason that you can't quite put your finger on.

A hairstyle may look good on one person but terrible on another, because not everyone has the same shaped face. Your face shape most directly influences which hairstyles you are able to wear well — much more than the color or texture of your hair. While products and techniques exist to modify these other factors, you cannot change your face shape. Learning about your face shape, and knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your face shape will allow you choose a hairstyle that creates a sense of proportion, balance and harmony between the style and your face.

Become a Hairstyles, cuts and do's member or try the free trial to use the site's styling tool to aid you in determining the shape for you. For more information on different face shapes see more articles at Javon.us which gives great hairstyling articles!
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