Do You Constantly Revert to Your Old Hairstyle? ELLE Tells You Why

Do You Constantly Revert to Your Old Hairstyle? ELLE Tells You Why - ELLE Do you constantly revert back to your old hairstyle? Here's why

My friend Alysia is blessed with truly enviable genes—she's a lithe 5'8", 120 pounds, with long legs, a narrow rib cage, and swanlike neck. She also has beautiful, balanced features: a full mouth, large (but not googly) brown eyes, a patrician brow, and pale (but not pasty), wrinkle-free skin. She quite closely resembles a supermodel. In fact, it was only when I tried to figure out why, when she walks into a room, she hits the scene not as a bombshell (as her objective stats would suggest) but as an approachable, normal girl that I arrived at my ground-breaking socio-scientific theory. What stands between Alysia and instantly-sending-men-to-knees status? What makes her the hot librarian in the Hollywood stereotype before she whips off her glasses? One very small but significant detail: her hair.

Don't get me wrong; Alysia's mane is in line with the rest of her genetics—glossy chestnut with natural ringlets. But "it has this tendency to, how can I explain it?" she moans. "...Triangulate."

Every six months or so, Alysia, like many of us, decides she needs to update. She takes herself to Heart, a one-name hipster hair-dresser in New York City who works out of her Chelsea apartment and has given our way coolest friends their layered, insouciant sexpot manes. She does the same for Alysia. It lasts about four days.

One day I see her and she's intimidatingly chic, and the next day my dear, familiar Alysia is back, her shoulder-length hair like that of a 1950s mom in a television drama, a modified curly pageboy. I have to refrain from teasing her after each cycle, because I know it's the stringy-haired pot calling the curly-haired kettle black.

Alysia and I have the very same problem: We can't conquer our hair set point.

It's not you, it's not your too thin/too curly/too thick/too straight hair, it's not your lack of discipline (though those are factors)—you're fighting psychobiology: Human beings have a hair set point.

Most of you are probably aware of the weight set point. Biologists believe that bodies gravitate to a certain weight. It's why most diets fail. When you're 30 pounds over your set point, curb calories and your body easily sheds extra pounds. But when you near your set point, your body starts to cling to the weight, and your metabolism slows down. Some scientists say you can adjust your weight set point semipermanently, but that takes long-term discipline.

Sexy Spring Hair Spring Hair Trends 2010 – Pictures of Timeless Spring Haircuts

Spring Hair Trends 2010 – Pictures of Timeless Spring Haircuts - ELLE Runway-inspired hair in three simple steps

TEASED PONYTAIL

Seen at: Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera, Paul & Joe

Donna Karan showed crisp linen and tailored suits this spring, inspiring Redken stylist Guido Palau to give the models a teased ponytail to contrast all the sleekness. "Last season was all about very finished, polished looks," he said, "and now hair is rougher with a matte finish."

GET THE LOOK, STEP 1

Apply a thickening lotion to damp hair then blow dry, using your fingers to roughen up the texture and create a messy, casual look.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 2

Gather your hair at the nape of your neck and pull it into a low ponytail, securing with a decorative elastic—or cover a basic elastic with a suede ribbon, as Palau did at Donna Karan.

Collette Malouf ponytail holders, $36, at bluefly.com

GET THE LOOK, STEP 3

Use a paddle brush to backcomb the ponytail to increase volume and coarsen texture. Try to achieve a triangular shape—tease the ponytail outward to make it wider.

Sephora paddle brush, $32, at sephora.com

MESSY WAVES

Seen at: Thakoon, Gucci, Etro

To complement Thakoon's travel-and-leisure-inspired collection, Aveda key stylist Eugene Souleiman gave the models what he calls "convertible hair"—it was meant to look as if they had curled and styled their hair, and then gotten some natural tousle from taking a ride with the top down.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 1

Do the prep work for this style the night before and sleep on it. Part damp hair down the middle and put it in two pigtails. Spray the tails with hairspray, and then divide each pigtail in half and coil the pieces together tightly to form a rope. Then secure the ends with elastics and pin them to your head, allowing your hair to air dry overnight.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 2

If you don't have time to let your hair air dry completely in the coils, use a blow-dryer on a warm setting to speed up the process.

T3 pink overnight dryer, $130, at nordstrom.com

GET THE LOOK, STEP 3

When hair is completely dry, take down the coils and flip your head over to loosen up the waves. Apply a matte texturizing powder to your roots for added volume and work it down towards your ends.

EXTREME VOLUME

Seen at: Tuleh, Peter Som, Baby Phat

The clothes at Tuleh were reminiscent of Jackie O, mixing smart houndstooth prints with bold colors, so Bumble and Bumble hairstylist Jimmy Paul created a voluminous '60s coiff that he said made the models look as if they had been "vacationing in the south of France and lounging on the beach all day."

GET THE LOOK, STEP 1

Spritz volumizing spray all over damp hair, focusing on the roots. Blow-dry hair in two-inch sections, wrapping them around a large round brush to give shine and volume.

Cutler large round brush, $8, at amazon.com

GET THE LOOK, STEP 2

Part hair across the crown from ear to ear and let the front section of your hair fall into your face. Take one-inch sections of hair from behind the hairline and hold it taut while you use a fine-tooth comb to tease the hair toward the roots. The secret is not to let your comb go all the way through the section, just sweep it gently down the backside of the hair.

Mebco tortoise backcomber, $2, visit sallybeauty.com for store locations

GET THE LOOK, STEP 3

Flip the front section of your hair back over the crown and gently brush it with a boar bristle brush, being careful not to flatten it. Brush out the ends of your hair to break up the curls and finish with a heavy mist of hairspray all over to set the style.

Bumble and Bumble spray de mode, $25, visit spraydemode.com for salon locations

SLEEK CENTER PART

Seen at: Givenchy, Chloé, Richard Chai

In step with the knee-high gladiator sandals that the models wore on the Givenchy runway, Kérastase hairstylist Luigi Murenu wanted the hair to look "sexy, mythological, and warrior-like."

GET THE LOOK, STEP 1

Part hair damp hair down the center using a widetooth comb for accuracy and blow-dry from the roots downward, making sure to leave the part intact.

Sephora wide tooth comb, $4, at sephora.com

GET THE LOOK, STEP 2

Apply texturizing mousse to dry hair from halfway up the shaft down to the ends to add body.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 3

Apply a shine spray to the top of the hair to give it a polished feel.

Biolage Shine Endure Spritz, $14, visit matrix.com for salon locations

WISPY BUN

Seen at: Carlos Miele, Celine, Alberta Ferretti

Carlos Miele showed natural, flowing clothes for spring, and Bumble and Bumble stylist Rolando Beauchamp reflected the carefree aesthetic with soft, crimped buns that looked as effortless as a day at the beach.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 1

Apply a thickening spray to damp roots and blow-dry using your fingers to roughen up the hair texture.

GET THE LOOK, STEP 2

Twist two-inch sections of hair around your finger and spritz with a texturizing surf spray to enhance your natural wave and create a slept-in look.

Bumble and Bumble surf spray, $21, visit bumbleandbumble.com for salon location

GET THE LOOK, STEP

Loosely pull hair back and twist it into a bun in the center of the back of your head, securing with pins. Pull a few pieces out of the bun from random spots, then use your finger tips to loosen up the hair around your face, rubbing the hair towards your face to give it a light, fluffy look.

Vermeer bobby pins, $10, at anthropologie.com

Tort/Rhinestone bobby pin, $6, at ulta.com

For more spring beauty ideas, check out Sitting Pretty

Hottest Hollywood Hairstyles Latest Hairstyles from ELLE.com- Preview the Latest Celebrity Hairstyles

Latest Hairstyles from ELLE.com- Preview the Latest Celebrity Hairstyles - ELLE A-list stylists dish on how to get celeb-worthy hair at home

The Bob

Winner: Victoria Beckham

The über-polished style of former Spice Girl Beckham has swept the nation (almost 70 percent of salons surveyed gave her their vote), while BFF Holmes is a close second. "Victoria's angled bob is so versatile," says her hairstylist, Larry Sims. "Even if your hair's curly, it's easy to straighten such a short length."

Runner-Up: Katie Holmes

According to Michael Boychuck, owner of Primp Salon in Nevada, people in dry climates like Las Vegas love this geometric cut because it's basically wash-and-go.

Sims preps Beckham's dry hair for flat-ironing with Sebastian Shaper Fierce Hairspray. The key to creating her sleek look is "a great blow-dry with tons of root lift," he says.

Sebastian Shaper Fierce, $15, visit sebastianprofessional.com for salons

"When applied to wet strands, Redken Body Full Weightlifter Spray gives megavolume," says Sims.

Redken Body Full Weightlifter, $15, redken.com for salons

The Crop

Winner: Rihanna

Women are asking scissor-happy stylists for Rihanna's low-maintenance, head-hugging style. NYC hairstylist Ursula Stephen gave Rihanna "a simple cut—tapered on the side and back" and suggests "shaping it with your fingers." Chaz Dean, owner of Chaz Dean Studio in Hollywood, has numerous requests for the pop star's crop. "I always finish with a texturizing balm to piece out short spikes," he says.

Runner-Up: Agyness Deyn

Model Deyn also topped the charts with her edgy, effortless style.

Before flat-ironing, Stephen coats every strand with FHI Heat Hot Sauce thermal protector. "I really pull it down from root to tip to seal the cuticle," she says.

FHI Heat Hot Sauce, $28, at myhairtools.com

"Ojon Hair Shine & Protect glossing mist gives Rihanna's color some bling-bling," says Stephen.

Ojon Hair Shine & Protect Glossing Mist, $28, at ojon.com

The Bang

Winner: Reece Witherspoon

Witherspoon and Klum went head-to-head for best bang, but the Oscar-winning actress came out on top. Witherspoon's hairstylist, Mark Townsend, chopped her bangs before her Golden Globes appearance last year. "The ideal length is that tiny space between the eyebrow and the tip of the lashes," he says.

Runner-Up: Heidi Klum

Alex Safar, owner of Salon Àcôté in Boston, says Klum's feathery fringe is megapopular because it's supertexturized.

For OCD-perfect bang placement, Townsend (Matrix's celebrity spokesperson) spritzes a disposable mascara wand such as Mattése N.Y.C. Brow Lash comb with Matrix Biolage Freeze Fix hair spray, then precisely brushes Witherspoon's eye-framing fringe. "Each strand should fall perfectly."

Mattese N.Y.C. Brow Lash Comb, $7, at Ricky's NYC stores

Spray hair spray onto a clean, dry toothbrush in a pinch and use the brush to separate the bangs.

Matrix Biolage Freeze Fix Hair Spray, $13, visit matrix.com for salons

The Wave

Winner: Jessica Alba

Women with long hair love Alba's effortless-looking tousled waves, as well as Bündchen's angelic locks. "They get tired of stick-straight," says Edmondo Blando, owner of Salon Vanity in Philadelphia. Before every camera blitz, Robert Ramos, co-owner of Estilo Salon in Los Angeles, carefully diffuses Alba's damp strands. "A regular blow-dryer tosses the hair around, taking the curl right out," he says.

Runner-Up: Gisele Bündchen

Model Bündchen came in a close second to Alba for the most asked-for sultry waves.

Lightweight and alcohol-free, Robert Ramos Volumizer "doesn't cause tangles, so you can still put a brush through," Ramos says.

Robert Ramos Volumizer, for info visit robertramos.com

Creating separation is Ramos' styling finale. "Davines defining invisible paste holds waves in place but still lets hair move."

Davines Defining Invisible Paste, $19, at folica.com

Hair Apparent Hairstyles – 16 Hairstylists Discuss Hairstyles

Hairstyles – 16 Hairstylists Discuss Hairstyles - ELLE Meet top stylists and their fresh-faced protégés

JEN ATKIN

Protégé of: Andy Lecompte, Sunsilk celebrity hair stylist

Hair history: "I got a really horrible bob nine years ago and just started cutting my own hair with a Gillette razor in my garage."

What she's learned from Lecompte: "The man is like a hair encyclopedia. He taught me how to really set hair, and a lot of stylists don't do that anymore—they think it's outdated. He's great at mixing old-school beauty techniques with trends. The Madonna winged bangs—he definitely brought those back."

Desert-island product: Davines Love Conditioner—"I could eat that stuff, it's so good."

ANDY LECOMPTE & JEN ATKIN

"Jen has worked with me for two years, and it's been really great to see her go on and become and artist on her own," says Lecompte. "My philosophy is that hair is always changing, and you can always continue to learn and grow. I encourage my assistants to work with other stylists, not just me, so they can learn different things and develop a style of their own."

Chris McMillan the Salon, 8944 Burton Way, Los Angeles, CA, 310. 285.0088

TEDDY CHARLES

Protégé of: Orlando Pita, runway stylist extraordinaire

Hair history: "When I was 13 or 14, I used to do my mother's hair. I had no idea it could be a job—then I started working at a salon in Versailles, France, when I was 15."

When Charles met Pita: "I met Orlando in Paris at a Galliano show. Afterward, I wrote him a letter telling him how much I liked working with him and asked if I could be his assistant. Two days later, I flew to New York with my wife and two little girls and assisted him for three years."

Desert-island product: "360 Plump from Orlando Pita—it does everything."

ORLANDO PITA & TEDDY CHARLES

"Orlando taught me to love what you do," says Charles. "It's the most important. He is humble, and he's the most beautiful person I've met in the business. Everyone knows that he's an amazing stylist, but I wish everyone could know his personality."

Orlo, 34 Gansevoort Street, New York, NY, 212.242.3266

DEVIN TOTH

Protégé of: Ted Gibson, celebrity stylist

Hair history: "My mother is a stylist, so I worked with her at a salon in Frederick, MD, called—ironically—New York, New York. I was like the golden child, so I had lots of support, and when I wanted to move to New York, I got 30 interviews in two days."

On photo shoots: "I worked with Ted on the Vanity Fair issue with Tina Fey, Sarah Silverman, and Amy Poehler. It was shot in three locations in one day. Ted joked around all the time because he's really light-hearted—it was incredible."

Desert-island product: "Ted's Goodnight Replenish Hair Repair Serum—healthy hair is the canvas for everything else. It can be messy and unstyled, but as long as hair's healthy, it can still look good."

TED GIBSON & DEVIN TOTH

"Devon has always been a protégé that has shown up on every occasion with bright eyes and an eagerness to learn," says Gibson. "I always tell him that it's not an easy business and it's very competitive. You are only as good as your last hairdo or the last celebrity that you worked on. So, with that being said...you have to love what you do. If you do what you love, the money will come."

Ted Gibson Salon, 184 Fifth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 212.633.6333

MICHAEL CENTER-SPARKS

Protégé of: Chris McMillan, celebrity stylist

Hair history: "I played football in college—I went to Berkley, then transferred to Missouri State because I wanted to do fashion design and merchandising. I wanted to go pro, and I actually signed with the Kansas City Chiefs and got cut. I always said if I'm not going to be an NFL football player, I want to be a hairdresser in LA."

On working with McMillan: "Chris is really cool—he's the guy who really cares. When I finished cosmetology school, I wanted to work for the best. I went to the his salon every three weeks to visit until an assistant left."

Desert-island product: Shu Uemura Paste

CHRIS MCMILLAN & MICHAEL CENTER-SPARKS

"Chris has taught me a lot about how to treat your clients," says Center-Sparks. "He's one of the busiest people in the industry, but he makes time for his clients. All of his clients say that his cuts last for months and months, and that's important to them."

Chris McMillan the Salon, 8944 Burton Way, Los Angeles, CA, 310. 285.0088

CARRIE MCCARD

Protégé of: Rita Hazan, celebrity colorist

Hair history: "I was an art major in college, a painter. Right out of college, I worked in the corporate world in sales, and I wasn't loving what I was doing. I wanted to do something more creative, and hair color is a lot like painting every day."

What she's learned from Rita: "Highlights should be an accent to pretty color. You should wear your hair; it shouldn't wear you. She's an expert at creating a color for someone that they are comfortable with—if you pick a color that is too bold for someone's personality, they won't be happy with it. You find a hair color that fits the person."

Desert-island product: "Anything from the Nigel line—it's very conditioning. If your hair is healthy, the color will read better."

RITA HAZAN & CARRIE MCCARD

"When Carrie started working with me, I immediately saw her natural talent," says Hazan. "She has the ability to see color in a very detailed way. She also has a great sense of style and she shows it through her work—gorgeous tones. I like that my colorists listen and pay attention to their clients and know what they want even when they don't know."

Rita Hazan Salon, 720 Fifth Avenue, 11th Floor, New York, NY, 212.586.4343

MARISSA MARINO

Protégé of: Ken Paves, celebrity stylist and extension wizard

Hair history: "In high school, I started styling everyone's hair for prom and school dances. I would barely have time to get ready myself. I never really thought about it as a career until someone suggested it to me. My dad made me go to college first, and then I attended cosmetology school in LA. I began assisting Ken a few months out of school, and he started taking me out of the salon to work with him."

Favorite Ken moment: "No one knows how hard we work. Sometimes we will be prepping and curling extension pieces for hours—and I mean 15 hours straight—in a hotel room before a job. The other night in Milan, we were watching "Freedom Writers" while we worked, and we were both crying hysterically. That's when Ken was like—this is too sad, we have to stop!"

Desert-island product: "Unite Seven Seconds. It's a detangler that you spray and let it sit for seven seconds, and it literally gets all your tangles out."

KEN PAVES & MARISSA MARINO

"My protégé is an amazing, inspiring young stylist," says Paves. "She is my right hand. I don't color hair, so she colors many of my clients and all my hair pieces. She follows direction with precision, but then always teaches me something new by adding her own flair."

Ken Paves Salon, 409 North Robertson Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA, 310. 205.0087

FABRICE GILI

Protégé of: Frédéric Fekkai, celebrity stylist

Hair history: "I began in the same salon in Paris where Frédéric started—Bruno Dessange. Serge Normant was there too; I was very lucky to be part of that prestigious team. A couple years later, Frédéric called me and asked me to join his team in New York."

On working with Fekkai: "Frédéric is more of a style maker than a hairdresser. He customizes to make sure it translates to the inner beauty and lifestyle of the client."

On celebrity clientele: "When I had been at Fekkai for about three months, Frédéric asked me to take care of a client, and I had no idea who it was. She said she had a little gig on TV, and I teased her and asked if she thought it was a one-time thing. I thought I was dealing with an actress who was still trying to make it. It was Kristin Davis."

Desert-island product: "The Fekkai All Day Hair Plump. It's one of the first products you can use on pretty much everybody. It makes the hair really shiny with good texture."

FRÉDÉRIC FEKKAI & FABRICE GILI

"I always train my stylists to create a customized and sophisticated look for each client," says Fekkai. "It should be a style that they own. I educate my stylists to focus on the complete picture-taking into account individual personality, personal style, and lifestyle. That's total beauty."

Frédéric Fekkai Soho, 394 West Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY, 212.888.2600

SABRINA MICHALS

Protégé of: Jimmy Paul, Bumble and bumble key runway stylist

Hair history: "Both of my parents are hairdressers, like Jimmy's story, and I swore I would never do hair. I was backpacking through Europe, and a friend of mine was modeling in Milan. She asked me to do her hair for a photo test, and I just kept going. I went to the Sassoon school in LA and started working at Bumble."

On working with Paul: "He's very meticulous and organized, which helps you get through chaotic fashion shows. Some stylists don't handle stress well or don't care. He makes everything flow better."

Desert-lisland product: "Bumble and bumble Brilliantine and SumoTech mixed together! It molds the hair without looking stiff."

JIMMY PAUL & SABRINA MICHALS

"Sabrina has had a wide education—she's a veteran in many ways," says Paul. "She was accomplished long before we met, and she brings dedication and a sophisticated eye to all of her work. My philosophy in training stylists is that they have to have a willingness to learn and a desire to improve—even if they've worked longer than you. I look for nice people who are humble and really want to work on their craft."

The House of Bumble, 415 West 13th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY, 212.521.6500