Wands At The Ready!

It’s no secret that curls have a place in the world of hair styling. Over some of the past few blogs we’ve talked about taming curls, creating curls, and just loving curly hair for the summer!

Well since it still feels like we are in the throws of summer in this North Alabama weather, we are going to continue to talk about how to create that fun summery curl look, but this time…WITH A WAND!! Surely, you have all seen those nightmare-ish videos of people burning off their hair trying to curl with a wand (how horrifying!?!?!). Well this month, the talented Mrs. Jamie is going to show you how to PROPERLY give yourself those fun bouncy curls using a wand instead of a curling iron…and how to NOT fry your hair off while doing it!

The key to achieving the perfect curl is to get ready! Jamie likes to prep her hair with Redken’s Pillow Proof before blow drying so she can cut down on her blow dry time, but most importantly to give the hair the heat protection that it needs when curling. If your hair requires a little more protection you can also use an additional heat protectant on dry hair before curling, like Redken’s Iron Shape. Not all wands are made the same; the smaller the wand, the tighter the curl. Jamie likes to use a 1 inch wand, which is a pretty standard size, but depending on the size curl you are trying to achieve you can go bigger or smaller. Now, let’s talk temperature! Jamie has her wand set at 400 degrees, but I need to emphasize something…JAMIE IS A PROFESSIONAL HAIR STYLIST!! When using a wand with a temperature gauge please, please, please, do not set your wand’s temp too high! The recommended temperature for at-home use is 350 degrees or lower. Don’t cook your hair hotter than you would cook cookies!!

Now that you’re all prepped, let’s get started! First, you’re going to section off the bottom part of your hair and clip up the rest. Take small sections and wrap them around the wand with the wand angled down towards the floor and holding the ends of the hair out. The ends of your hair are the most delicate so holding out the ends will help prevent damage and those dreaded split ends, which is why using a wand verses a curling is so great! Release the curl and let it cool. Pulling on the curls before they have cooled can cause them to fall out. Do this around the entire bottom section before moving on to the middle section.

Pull out the middle section of the hair to get ready to curl. Rule of thumb: Any hair that lays/falls in front of the ears should be wrapped away from the face; everything else that falls behind the ears, you should alternate the curl direction. This is going to create a true tousled look, rather than the curls looking so uniformed. Do this until the entire middle section is curled and let the curls cool.

Now moving on to the top section! Using the same rule of thumb for the top section, anything that falls in front of the ears you should wrap away from the face. However, with the top section make sure not to start the curl too close to the root, about an inch off, so the curls lay nice and flat around the face! Curling smaller sections at the top can also give a fuller, bouncy look! Again, anything behind the ears you should alternate the the curl direction.

Once you are done curling each section, it’s time to make those curls hold! Jamie uses Pureology’s Wind Tossed Texture Spray first before she combs out the curls. This spray is lightweight so it will give your curls texture and volume without weighing your hair down! Now you can use your fingers to comb out and fluff up those curls and finish off the look with Redken’s Fashion Work *12 Finishing Spray! Again, this spray isn’t wet or sticky so it is buildable and won’t weigh down your hair.

And there you have it! That wasn’t too scary, was it? Now take your wand and go make some magic!

Amy K’s Guide To That Perfect Summer Glow

One of the great things about the summer is that after you've spent all day in the sun, your skin tends to come alive with a fresh sun-kissed look that requires very little makeup! Well, how would you like to achieve that sun-kissed glow EVERYDAY, with or without the sun’s help? This month’s lesson comes from our very own Amy K who uses the all-natural mineral makeup line Jane Iredale to show you how to create that summer glow and take it from day to night. Click the video below to see Amy's step by step tutorial.

The very first and most important step is to prep your face with Jane Iredale’s Hyaluronic Serum to keep the skin hydrated after washing. Next use the Smooth Affair Primer and Brightener to prime your face before blending on Jane’s Glow Time BB Cream Foundation. This foundation has a dewy feel that helps create that summer glow look. You can also use the Pressed Powder Foundation on top of the BB cream if you are wanting a little extra coverage. 

Now that your face is prepped, let’s get into some Bronzer! Many are scared of the word “Bronzer” but using it in your daily routine can bring life to your complexion. Amy uses the Dome Brush to show us how she applies Jane Iredale’s So-Bronze 2 bronzing powder right under the cheek bones for contour and around the temples to create a warmth to the face.

And now that your face has that sun-kissed summer look, let’s move on to the eyes! All you need for an easy daytime look is the Smooth Affair For Eyes in the color Gold and some clean fingers! Amy blends this cream-based shadow over the entire eyelid using just her finger which makes this application quick and easy! She also focuses on areas that the sun would naturally hit by dabbing a small amount under the eyes just above the cheekbone, and on the bridge of the nose. Lastly Amy applies Jane’s Liquid Liner on the top lids and mascara to finish off her look! 

When it’s time to take this look from day to night, Amy uses the Pressed Powder Eye Shadow in the color Supernova to give her eyes a smokier look. She uses the Crease Brush to add the shadow in the outer corners of the eyelid creases. Then just blend the shadow well across the crease of the eyelids to enhance that smokey look and add a little glamour and drama to the eyes! To finish off the full look you can add the lip color of your choice. Here Amy uses Jane Iredale’s Lip Fixation Lip Stain in the color Fascination and tops it off with the PureGloss Lip Gloss in Kir Royale to add a little more shimmer!

And there you have it! Now you're ready to show off your sun kissed summer glow! Need to know where to get these amazing products? Here at Elleven Salon we carry the full line of Jane Iredale products to help you achieve this look. Don’t want to try it by yourself? Book a Makeup Lesson with one of our makeup professionals if you just need a little more help! 

Who knew getting that glow would be so easy!