Today I am answering a question sent in from a reader, just like you! Laina commented on yesterday’s hairstyle post with the following question…

I am leaving for a trip to India in just under a month and have been considering chopping off all my hair in anticipation of extreme heat but haven’t done it yet. I won’t be styling it at all while I’m there, so it would have to be a cut that looks relatively cute just washed (or more often than not, unwashed) and air-dried. I have pretty thin, fine hair, so it doesn’t have a lot of volume or body on it’s own. Right now it’s about shoulder length with a few layers…

Any suggestions?

I think it’s awesome that Laina is planning her hair around her exotic trip— that’s a girl after my heart!

A super-short cut can work really well for someone with thinner hair, since volume isn’t really part of the look.  And it would definitely keep the hair from sticking to your neck on those hot Indian days (and nights)!  But not all pixies are created equal: the trick is to pick something that requires minimal styling.

Here are some ideas:

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Something this short is definitely the most low maintenance.  It will air-dry quickly and could be combed with your fingers!

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If you still want to feel a little girly, keep the look short in the back, but leave longer bangs in the front.  This style would look great with a headscarf, a hair clip, or all by itself!

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And if you decide to scrap the haircut altogether, I’d suggest an easy-to-style, yet super-chic side braid to keep your current ‘do in check.  (Though you might not want to wear it this loose…)

I hope this helps, Laina!  Whatever you decide, send a photo to kim@blendingbeautiful.com.

What do you think Laina should do with her hair?  Have you ever changed up your cut for a vacation?  Would you be brave enough to go with a pixie, or are you attached to long locks?

Hey everyone!  I am super happy this morning because today marks a whole new phase in my career life: I am officially (finally!) starting cosmetology school!  The whole thing is so foreign and exciting— I can’t wait to share the experience with you.  And I’m hoping to learn some super awesome beauty tips along the way!

Since I’ve got beauty— namely hair— on the brain, I thought it’d be fun to chat about hairstyles.  As a budding stylist, I’d love to know what look you all are into!

My hair is currently l-o-n-g.  I’ve been growing it out for a while, knowing that 1) I’d be messing with it a bunch during cosmetology school and 2) I wanted to have a lot of options for the wedding (even though I wasn’t technically engaged until 2 months ago!)  But, to be honest, I am OVER having so much hair!  So what’s my plan of attack?

As soon as we get back from our honeymoon, I’m chopping it all off!  I had a pixie cut 9 years ago when I was an awkward, gawky teen.  I had no idea how to style it, and it was definitely not my proudest moment.  But I’m hoping that will change, now that I’ve got a little more experience under my belt.

And, man, it will feel good to get rid of all that hair!

Have you ever had a dramatic hair transformation?  Thinking about switching up your cut or color?  Coveting any celebrity hairstyles lately?  Tell me about it in the comments!

I thought I was prepared for a whole bunch of loot when I entered the Cosmetology building today.  I even brought a big suitcase to help lug the stuff back home.  I was so, so wrong.  When I arrived, I was greeted by this:

I can’t even begin to capture the sheer magnitude of beauty supplies with this photo.  This kit includes every hair, makeup, skin, and nail supply anyone would ever need and (count it!) eleven mannequin heads.  ELEVEN.  I guess I’m going to be cutting, dying, and perming a lot of hair over the next 12 months.

I had the joy of lugging all this stuff up three flights of stairs to my apartment this afternoon.  And did I mention that it’s over 100 degrees today and for some reason I chose to wear tight, dark jeans?  Yeah…

Still, I’m thoroughly convinced that all the effort (and money— yikes!) will be well worth it in the end.  I’m so excited to start the program and blog about it from beginning to end.  I’m sure I’ll be able to share some cool tips from the pros along the way, and I’ll definitely be documenting my successes and failures as I navigate through the beauty industry for the first time.

Stay tuned!

Have you ever been in a work or school program where you were required to purchase an extreme number of supplies beforehand?  Ever thought about cosmetology or esthetics school?  What do you think you’d like best?  What would you hate about it?  Tell me all about it in the comments!

I found this photo of Lauren Conrad yesterday, and I couldn’t stop looking at her hair!

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You’ll notice that her roots are a darky, dusty blonde, while her tips are super light.  The thing I like about this style is that it’s a new take on the “dipped tip” look.  In other words, you can’t see a defined line where her stylist bleached the ends.  Instead, it slowly fades from dark to light, and some of the under-strands are super light from root to tip.  (As an aside, I also love her nail color in this photo!)

I used to be obsessed with hair color— I’ve dyed my hair just about every color imaginable.  I’ve mellowed out big time in the past few years after my teenage hair was ravaged by bleach, but seeing photos like this make me miss the freedom of trying new colors!  (It also makes me super excited to start cosmetology school, so I can do it to others!)

I haven’t dyed my hair in months and months, but I’m suddenly getting the urge… what about you?

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How did you answer the poll?  When you last dyed your hair did you get highlights, lowlights, a full dye job, or something else?  What’s the wildest color you’ve ever tried (mine has been pink!)  Bonus points for sending photos to kim@blendingbeautiful.com!!

Reader Megan wrote to me the other day asking for help with an updo she’s been seeing on the red carpet:

I have been seeing these really cute side-swept, loosely curled bun-type hairdos in magazines on celebrities like Lauren Conrad lately, and I think they are so cute. But I have no idea how to do one! I think it’s a really cute “updo” for short hair (with how short my hair is now, I don’t have many options), but after a couple of trials, I just can’t seem to figure out how to do it… How do you pull this look off with shorter hair?

And she sent me the following photos as inspiration:

Without photos of the back, there’s no way to know exactly what’s going on here, but I’ve got a version of this look that can be modified easily for short hair.

Step 1: Make a clean side part.  Then, curl your hair from the earlobe down.  You want the top of your hair to be super sleek and straight, but by adding curl to the bottom, you’ll be able to pull off this look more easily.  (Don’t worry if your hair is more ringlet-y than wavy… it won’t matter for this style.)

Step 2: Separate the top of your hair from the bottom and clip the top layers out of the way.  Then, take 1 to 2 inch strands of hair and twist them one at a time, pinning them against your head as you go.  Leave a little wisp of hair out of the bobby pin to achieve a messier look.  Also, make sure you’re pinning them low and toward one side of your head.  (Even short haired girls should be able to do this!)

Step 3: Once you’ve twisted and pinned your lower layers, let the rest of your hair down and repeat this process on top.  (Make sure to keep your bangs and the top of your hair smooth!  We want a contrast between the smoothness on top and the messy twists below.)

Step 4: Once you’re done, spritz the “bun” with hair spray and run some shine serum through your roots.  All done!

Here’s the view from the back and the front.  Even though the hair is all concentrated to one side, you can still see how it twists on the other side.  This helps to keep the style interesting from all angles, and it will keep short hair from falling out!

What do you ladies think of this look?  Have you ever tried a twisty updo like this one before?  Do you have a question of your own?  Email me: kim@blendingbeautiful.com! (And have a fabulous weekend!)