If you have been blessed with long hair, consider yourself lucky:
your hair can look great either up or down. However, whenever you need
to wear a formal hairstyle or updo, it is important to take proper care
of your hair well in advance of the event in order to get the best
possible results. You'll also want to make sure you style your hair
properly to avoid some of the more common pitfalls associated with long
hair. As such, the purpose of this article is to provide a compilation
of expert tips and best practices for long hair.
You are what You Eat
First
and foremost, always keep in mind that a balance of the right minerals
and vitamins is essential for healthy strong hair. The best foods for
your hair are those with lots of proteins, Omega 3 fatty acids, calcium,
and vitamins such as A, B, C, E, B6, B12 and zinc.
In terms of
protein, fish and seafood always make good choices, especially salmon,
tuna, anchovies, herring, sardines, mackerel, and oysters. Chicken (no
skin), eggs, beans, pork, and certain beef products also contain good
amounts of protein. Dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheese are
also excellent sources of protein. The vitamins needed to nurture your
hair can be found in a wide variety of foods, especially fruits and
vegetables such as blueberries, strawberries, oranges, broccoli,
spinach, and asparagus.
Hair Care Best Practices for Long Hair
In
terms of your day-to-day regimen, there are some things that you ought
to put into practice if you want the most stunning long hair possible.
Avoid washing your hair every day; in fact 2-3 times a week is plenty.
And remember to condition your hair every time you use shampoo. Also,
occasional deep conditioning treatments will be rewarded by keeping your
locks glowing and shiny. And if you're going to be wearing a formal
hairstyle in the near future, ensure that your hair is in tip top
condition by taking time out to give it a deep conditioning treatment a
few days before the big event.
Additionally, make sure you follow
all the hair care best practices that you learned as a kid: do not
vigorously rub your wet hair dry with a towel, do not brush your hair
while it's wet, and go easy on the heat generating hair tools like the
flat iron and blow dryer. Finally, in addition to eating right, try to
lead a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, adequate sleep, and an
avoidance of bad habits like smoking.
Hair Styling Tips for Long Hair
The
good news is that you have many options for styling long hair. For a
formal event, some variety of a bun is always appropriate. This could be
a messy bun, or a tightly pulled back one. Another great look that is
quite easy to create is a swept side bun, which can be accessorized with
a ribbon that matches the color of your dress, or a cute clip to match
your earrings.
Here's my favorite "recipe" for a beautiful bun
hairstyle. First, apply hair spray and then tease your hair on the top
gently with a comb. Then sweep your hair around to the lower left hand
side of your head, so that it lies smoothly against your head. Put this
into a ponytail that is close to your neck, and twist it into a bun.
Secure with a hair band and grips. Finish the look by adding some
gorgeous accessories and then setting with hairspray.
Another
fabulous look is to incorporate curls into your hairstyle. Creating
curly long hair styles takes a little effort, but the rewards are well
worth it - women with curls can look very sexy, feminine and attractive.
This is probably the best and most often seen look on the red carpet.
To create some great curls get your flat iron or curling tongs. You can
experiment with these, and try creating different sized curls. Just
twist and pull down, but don't be too harsh.
Of course, curly
hairstyles can be tricky so you should try this look out before the
night of the event so you can be sure of how tight the curls should be
and how tightly you want to grip the bun. It is also a sensible idea to
keep the 'testing' the look for at least 1 hour so that you can tell if
you have gripped everything sufficiently.
