Spring into style

If you want a new hairstyle, but haven’t a clue what will suit you, what not visit Stylicious on March 8th. It’s being held at La Maison de Hotes in Jumeirah, Dubai, and experts on hair, make-up and overall image will be on hand to give you expert advice.

For further information and to book online, visit http://www.cityshoppingdubai.com/stylicious.asp

Meanwhile, here’s a few tips if you’re thinking of a radical haircut:

• Try to take the hairdresser a photograph or two of the look you want to go for.
• Make sure your colourist has experience in the shade you want, especially if you’re going a dramatic colour - like red.
• If you’ve got a specific length in mind, never say you want three inches off. Instead, show the stylist where you want the length to be with the edge of your hand.
• If you’re going for a drastic change of style and/or colour, have at least a 10-15 minute consultation with the colourist and stylist. They need to see what your hair looks like dry and styled as you typically style it. This tells them a lot; how much time you really put into your hair each day, how your hair dries and how healthy your ends are.

• Listen to your stylist. If the woman in your picture is chestnut, you’d make a much better brunette – chances are your stylist will know from experience.
• Be honest. You’d probably love your stylist to think you’ll spend time on your new style every morning with a handful of products, 20 minutes drying time and 15 minutes styling time. However, if the truth that your morning routine for the past 20 years is a shower wash followed by a towel dry and ending with a soppy wet ponytail, you’d better confess – otherwise you might end up with a fancy, layered, curling ironed and hair-sprayed look that takes hours to replicate.

Shape it

No matter your face shape, there will be cuts that look best on you. The beauty editors at Allure magazine recently confessed their “untold secrets” including the perfect haircut. The most flattering haircut on almost every face type is shoulder length, a little shaggy and layered. How to get it? Here are some tips:

Layer: The key is not too layer too much in back. The best layers are left to the front and are meant to frame the face, but never go above the eye on short hair or above earlobes on long hair.

Don’t go too long: Don’t grow your hair more than a few inches below the collarbone. According to Allure’s editors, few women over age 18 can get away with hair that falls below their breasts.

Go for the “v-shape cut”: If you have long hair, get your hair cut at the back in a v-shape. It allows for extra length without leaving you looking too “high school,” plus it’s a classic look for long hair that’s universally considered sexy.

Oval Face Shapes

The oval face is the most versatile face. You can pull off almost any look - short, long, straight or wavy. No matter the length of your cut, you’ll look best with layers near your cheekbones, lips or chin -basically whatever feature you want to highlight.

Avoid: Short layers that add height on top of your head. This will make your face appear long. If your hair is thick or curly, avoid a blunt cut. You’ll look like a pyramid.

Long or “Oblong” Face Shapes

The perfect haircut for us is one that doesn’t drag down the face, yet adds width.

Avoid: Stay away from extremely long or short cuts. These elongate your face. Long hair looks best with a few layers cut in, especially around the face. You might also consider a v-shaped style, where the length is mainly in the back, while the sides and front of your hair appear shorter.

Round Face Shapes

Your goal is to create less volume around the face. You also want to minimize the appearance of roundness.

Try cuts that fall just below the chin. Soft, graduated layers are a great bet because they make your face appear slimmer and tend to remove bulk and weight from the sides. Consider wispy and tapered ends. These de-emphasize the roundness of your face. Bangs are flattering, but keep them long or sideswept.

Avoid: One-length, blunt cuts if you have short hair. Curly, short hair is also a no-no. These only emphasize your roundness.

Square Face Shapes

If you have a square face, you’ll want to play down your strong, angular jaw. Texture, in the form of curls or choppy ends, do this brilliantly. You can also get away with short, spiky cuts and long, sleek styles with layers that start at the jawline and continue downward.

Avoid: One-length bobs (especially chin-length) and blunt-cut bangs. These will make your face look even more square.

Heart Face Shapes

Your pointy chin tends to be the focal point of your face. Draw attention to your eyes and cheekbones instead with sideswept bangs, brow-grazing fringe, a strong part and hair that falls at or below your jawline. Have short hair? Keep top layers soft and long. Long hair? Go for long layers that graze your cheekbones.

Avoid: Short, blunt-cut bangs and harsh, choppy layers.