The Summer Solution

7.21.17

We are in the thick of summer right now, and while a lot of ladies have the option to throw their hair up in a ponytail, a messy bun, or fun braids, this is a not-so-much situation for those of us with a pixie cut.  Although I will say I am rocking a pretty cute teeny tiny ponytail to get the hair off my neck right now.  In a relative fashion, my hair is pretty long for me, and especially for the summer. Some projects I’ve been working on in my acting life have prohibited me from chopping it all off, so it’s been hanging in my face and driving me bananas.  So how to get it out of my way and make it stay put? Well, I invested in a curling iron for the first time ever, and haven’t looked back since.  Between my floral maxi and the curly do I’ve been sporting all summer, I don’t know how I  could figure out a better fix to last me through these humid months.  

Of course, this takes a little more time in the beginning of my morning routine, but I’ve been so grateful to spend the extra 10-15 minutes to curl it up.  A little spray to keep it in place and I haven’t had to worry about it all day. The curls gives it body, it keeps most of the hair in the front off my face, and it’s just fun to change it up.  With shorter hair, it’s harder to get inspired in the styling department.  I admit I’m not one to really branch out with lengths, style and colors, but I’ve become addicted to this option.  So I’m going to give you a little hair recipe for all you pixie enthusiasts out there, in case you feel stuck, and aren’t comfortable with going totally Mia Farrow this summer.

The Summer Solution

Products:

Caviar Heat Protection Spray: I spray this all over my hair before I curl it.  My hair is very fine, I’d hate to cause a lot of damage by curling it numerous times a week.

John Frieda Fizz Ease Serum: If things look a little frizzy after the curling, a small dollop of this carefully applied to the curls keeps things tame, and helps you avoid treading into Doc Brown territory.

Aussie Hair Spray: Now ideally, yes you should look for something a little more environmentally friendly, but I get the travel size since I use so little. After I like the way the curls are sitting, I’ll give a quick spritz all around my head, especially the bangs area and be on my way.  If you use hairspray everyday, do the planet a favor and get non aerosol, make-the-earth-happy stuff.

To Style:

1. Make sure hair is completely dry before beginning.  Hair is untucked from behind the ears and bangs slightly pushed over to whatever side you normally part them.

2. Heat up a 1″ barrel curling iron.

3. Spray heat protection all over hair

4. Starting at the very top of your head (sort of where guys wear their super trendy man buns), begin curling 2″ sections of your hair, ultimately curling the ends inward.

5. After curling the top of the head, curl the sides and as much of the back as possible before moving toward the front and bangs area.

6. Save the bangs for last, try to curl bangs in only a few large chunks.

7. Find the natural part on the side of your head and make it more distinctive, placing the bulk of curls in sort of a pile on top of each other.

8. Carefully run your fingers through the main mess of curls, loosening them a bit, and separate large chunks throughout.

9. Use frizz serum if needed by placing a small amount on tips of fingers and running through curls.

10. Finalize the look and placement of hair, pushing excess side curls behind the ears before spritzing with hair spray to hold.

It’s a super easy look. I’ve gotten really fast at completing it, and I don’t burn the tops of my ears anymore, so, that is an achievement.

The other summer solution? THIS DRESS.  I pride myself on finding gems, and *cough cough* age-appropriate things for me to wear at Forever 21 since I am far from 21.  I don’t mind the heat, but I actually will wear as little or as flowy as possible as the temperatures rise. This dress is a jackpot.  Breezy, light, bright summer pattern, and something I can just throw on everyday, either to see a show, or sit in the park. I wore it to Alice’s birthday picnic where I brought this cake. I also wore it bumming around to run errands, there are no limits to this floral maxi dress.

So work on your abs, or eat three burritos, a maxi dress doesn’t care. Stock up because the heat still has some ways to go in the next few months.  I’m really sad that I couldn’t find this exact dress on the site, but Forever 21 is kind of killing it in the floral maxi game right now, so please consider:

This one.

Or this one.

Or even this one.