LS pick

pretty little thing

With celebs like Madonna, Rihanna, Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham and even Mandira Bedi sporting super short, super chic hairstyles all this year, chopping your locks off has never been more in vogue. Short hair cuts are timeless; they can make you look younger and at the same time more intelligent. They can boost your confidence and simply make you feel more in control. It's a great option for career women who want to project a strong yet feminine image and spend less time managing their hair.

The blunt, the bob, and the pixie...short hairstyles have sizzled throughout summer, but even a trendy look can get tired if you've had it for months on end. Whether you're finally taking the plunge and getting a short cut, or trying to update your existing hairstyle, we've got some tips for you.

Making the cut
If you're only about to go short, there are some considerations you have to make. The perfect style can only be achieved when you've considered all the variables. For instance, your new 'do should match your personality, career, lifestyle, time constraints, body shape, face shape, hair texture, hair density, eye colour, and skin tone. Furthermore, it should create a sense of balance between your head, face, and body. As stylist Egidio Borri says, "A good short hair cut has the right proportions and includes all the basic elements of balance, line and movement. The cut should be manageable and the hair should look great in its natural form even before it is styled. Selecting a short hair cut style means choosing from curly styles, layered hair cut, shag, bobs, and bangs, among many options."

Choosing the right hair cut is part technique and part art. The first step in finding the right hair style always comes down to determining facial structure. Each face has its own unique structure. The shape of your face and head has a major role to play in the type of hair style you can wear best. Knowing the shape of your face before you head to the salon will help you choose the right hair style and will help you to communicate better with your stylist.

Once you know your face shape, all you need is some hair style idea and inspiration. However there are probably more than 100 hair styles that can suit your particular face. Do a little research before you book an appointment at your salon. Flip through a hairstyle magazine and check out styles that go with your face shape. Clip out the ones you like and bring them to your salon appointment.

The stylist can look at a picture and tell whether it will work for your hair. And remember that everyone's hair is different. Try to be realistic about your hair and what your stylist can reasonably achieve with it. Always discuss your colour, style selection and your lifestyle with your stylist; if they disagree with your request, they likely have a good reason.

Style on
Curly girls have the option of adding bounce to their hair by applying serum and scrunch-drying their hair. You can use a flat-iron to straighten out your bangs for some variety. Conversely, if you have short, straight hair, use a small curling iron (holding it parallel to your head) and wrap small sections (about an inch) around the barrel for a glam, '40s look. Do your entire head, curling all the way up on one side of the part. Vary how much curl you get on the other side so you leave a bit of super-smooth roots on one side. Spray your whole head with a setting spray and a bit of shine spray when you're done.

For a modern-looking bob, keep hair well-moisturized and massage your scalp gently even when you don't wash your hair. Place small sections of hair into large rollers and sit under a drying hood.

When your hair is nearly dry, remove the rollers and blow-dry on a very low heat. Flat iron your bangs for the finishing touch.

You can even add the pixie effect to your blunt cut. Work a texture cream through the ends of your hair. Take a flat iron and use a little heat at the roots so everything is straight and shiny.

Use a small curling iron on the ends to make them flip up a bit so you get a different sort of texture. Run a shine serum through your hair for a more polished look.

Tress toys
The quickest way to update a short 'do is to dress it up with accessories. Blow dry your hair, iron out the bangs, place a pretty hair band on top, and viola! You're rocking an Audrey Hepburn look. Head scarves can be used to a similar effect. You could also sweep the bangs to a side and dress it up with a pretty clip to add a little sparkle. Of if you want a faux updo, grab a handful of bobby pins and take little sections of hair and twist them back leaving the ends sticking out so you get a messy chignon effect. Make sure you spritz your bangs with a little volumizer at the roots and blow-dry them so they lay sideswept across your forehead. Finish with a light, fine mist of hairspray to keep everything in place.

At the end of the day, remember that nothing beats shiny, healthy hair. Make sure you're sleeping enough, drinking lots of water, and eating a balanced, high-fibre diet, as well as keeping your hair clean and conditioned, and half your work is done for you.

By Sabrina F Ahmad
Source: Marie Claire, MSN Lifestyle
Make-up, hair and styling: Farzana Shakil
Model: Jui
Photo: Iqbal Ahmed

Good Deed

“A good deed a day, keeps bad luck at bay”

Tuesday
Spend some quality time with the elders in your family, grandparents or elderly aunts and uncles. Get into animated conversations about their golden days and help them relive their happy memories.

Wednesday
Forgo all the richness of an elaborate full-course iftar and prepare a very, very simple meal to help you contemplate on the meagre diet of the needy.

Thursday
Keep some packets of baby food in your car. The next time your car stops at a traffic signal and a beggar comes begging for alms with a baby in her arms, give her one.

Friday
Make soup for a friend recovering from surgery or an illness. Cooking is the last thing you feel like doing when you aren't feeling 100 per cent.

Saturday
Put together a basket of treats for a friend who had a death in the family. Deliver it after the funeral has taken place, when most friends have gone back to their day-to-day lives.

Sunday
Help an elderly person off the bus or cross the road by offering to take their arm or carry their packages.

Monday
They say that smiling is contagious. Pick a day to smile at everyone you pass on the street.

By Wasia Mehnaz Minna