How To: Le Top-Knot

A few very lovely fellow bloggers/Twitter-ers were nice enough to comment (and request this how-to) on my ‘do that I wore to the Maxted Thomas Blogger Event in Sydney this past weekend. And these were positive comments people, which came as a surprise for me because I’ll be honest – after 2 months overseas my hair is WAY overdue for highlights and I was a little embarrassed to be turning up at a beauty event sporting unkempt locks! At Brad Ngata’s salon no less!

But this is why the top-knot is SUCH a gem of a hairstyle. It’s easy, quick, versatile (can look either polished chic or messy-cool) and hides a few hair sins! It’s been around for a while but it’s a fantastic skill to have in your back pocket when nothing else is working for you.

So, I’ll give you the how-to for the exact style of top-knot I wore to the event, which in my mind was more of a polished top knot that had volume in the bun, without the rest of my hair being too slicked back and stiff – if like me you’re aiming to disguise some nasty regrowth then you’ll need as much volume in the roots as possible, as well as lashings of dry shampoo!

1. Apply some body building mousse to damp hair and blow dry. I used Pantene Pro-V Style Body Builder Mousse. Ah don’t you just lurve the smell of Pantene styling products?!

2. Once dry, I applied dry shampoo to lighten up the roots of my hair, add some extra volume and give it some texture so it held up better. My current favourite dry shampoo is the Lee Stafford Poker Straight Dry Shampoo. Great scent, cheap, super effective and I love the hot pink can.

3. I used my fingers to brush the hair up into a high ponytail, smoothing out any bubbles as I went. My hair is quite thick and heavy, so I used two hair ties to secure.

4. Have some bobby pins on hand for this stage. I took my chunky pony and started to twist it as I wrapped it around the base of the pony tail, sliding bobby pins in on an angle so that once finished, they can’t be seen. It’s important to twist the hair before you start to twirl it around so that the hair turns under itself; less likely to stick out everywhere in the bun.

5. Once I was all pinned and done, I pulled out a few ‘wispy bits’ at the sides to make the look a bit more casual, and then sprayed with Pantene Pro-V Style Always Smooth Hair Spray which did a fantastic job of keeping my hair looking fresh from 5.30am until my arrival home at 11pm! Barely a hair of out place, without being stiff – I was impressed!

So there you go girls, sound easy enough? Of course, for an even easier top knot, skip the mousse and pins, take hair up to a pony, twist around and secure with a few hair ties!

But beware… the top knot can lull you into a hair rut, as chronicled here.

I Blame The Top Knot.

Ever been in a makeup/hair rut? I sure have. Those who haven’t, please close your browser, fire your personal makeup artist and hairdresser, wait a few weeks, then come back and read on.

It’s not like there is a lack of inspiration. From amazing bold eyes staring up at us from glossy pages, or bouncy curls passing us in the street, there is a myriad of looks taunting us with their creativity and chic.

So what’s the issue then? Well, I for one am guilty of ticking the ‘lack of time’ box on the ‘Reasons Why I Have Worn the Same Hairstyle All Week’ survey. Somehow, when I wake up in the dark at 6am, I don’t feel like whipping out the rollers and red lippy to create a mad 50’s look. Most mornings, this lack of motivation sadly even extends to plugging in my hair straightener.

Can I just say, HALLELUJA for the invention of the top knot, my favourite ‘do – so devilishly easy and sneaky it should be illegal. At least for the purposes of changing it up in busy times; vintage waves have no chance against the powerful pull of an easy top knot. It can be so many things – polished, chic, modern, grungy, messy – but most of all, a black hole of hairdo repetitiveness. It’s not that I don’t want to be mixing it up in the hair/makeup stakes – gosh no, I would love to be whipping out a different style each day!

So seeing as I don’t have kids, am currently on holidays for the next 6 weeks, and don’t have a gym membership, all excuses for lack of creativity are out the window. There is no, “I have to get up early/I’m going to the gym to get sweaty anyways/I’m way too tired.”

It is my goal to try some new hair and makeup looks, and hopefully by documenting it for the world to see, I’ll keep to my commitment, and possibly share a few experiements.

So, does anyone else have these kind of ruts?
Do you blame the top knot?
How do you pull yourself out?
Any favourite looks to get me started?

SNF: Pin Curls

SNF? Saturday Night Files! Things such as hair/makeup techniques, things I do or get done before an event of some sort on the weekend. Yay!

Saturday night was one of my best girlfriend’s 21st’s, and the theme was black and white semi-formal. Having picked out a dress months in advance, the only thing left to decide was a theme for my hair and makeup!

Having just had my hair trimmed a bit shorter I decided I was feelin’ a short, crazy-bouncy curled ‘do, coupled with an illuminated base, nude gloss and slightly darkened eyes. Nothing too OTT as the dress (strapless, bit short) didn’t really need any competition from up top.

Now, normally when I decide to try something new, it ends in tears. And most of the time literally. For some reason before an event that I am planning on looking semi-decent for, I reach for that new product, the one I haven’t tried yet. Or test out this ‘new’ way of doing something that I read about … where did I read about that again?

Note I said normally. I am happy to report that this time, it turned out at least 85% like my expectations. Winner!

To achieve my bouncy full head of curls, I tried something I had read about in a few different mags/websites; pin curls! Due to my thick, heavy hair, regular ghd curls and a shot of hairspray usually drop fairly quickly and they end up more like waves starting from about ear level. Pin curls was going to change that, apparently.

Tools I used:

-ghd styler
-Garnier Fructus Curl Define Mousse
-RPR Hairspray
-367 bobby pins
-Paul Mitchell Heat Defense Spray

My first dilemma, and consequent risk that I took, was that it was Saturday afternoon, and I had no time to wash my hair. Plus, I wanted to keep the smooth roots from when I had blow dried it a couple of days earlier.

The ol’ hair-in-the-bathroom-sink trick worked a treat. I wet my hair, applied to mousse to the lower lengths and blow-dried roughly. (Mousse and I don’t always get along … it’s rare I use it as I find it sometimes makes my hair… words are failing me and all I can come up with is yuck. Where’s my 4pm coffee?)

Sectioning my hair into what seemed to be a million areas, (thanks, thickness) I got to curling, lightly misting some heat protection spray as I went. I did the ghd curls tighter than usual, sprayed with hairspray and then wound the curl up and pinned to my head.

Pinning them up was quite handy, as it removes the normal frustration of trying to find straight hair in amongst the curls you’ve already created.

Half a head done!

I’m sure if you had thinner hair this would be a breeze to do, but I got my rhythm going and it wasn’t too long before I was all pinned up. Heat spray, ghd curl, hairspray, pin – repeat!

All pinned up feeling very 1950's Beyonce in 'Why Don't You Love Me?'

I left the pin curls to cool and set for an hour or two, did my makeup, and gave another spritz of hairspray and then let them out, which was like shaking Slinkys around they were that bouncy! Not wanting too much of a 90’s perfect ringlets look, I finger combed them out, messed up some sections and gave a final once over with the hairspray can and set out to party. (For a relative cheapy, I love that hairspray. My hair never went crunchy even after all that spraying and was definitely touchable!)

And the final result: tada!

Me, enjoying the party and green daquiris. The latter may or may not have been enjoyed a little too much...

What do you think?
Too ringlet-y?
Have you tried pin-curls?
Green daquiris? Tutti-frutti.