It’s time to bid adieu to that perfectly preened barnet. Both texture and length are going to be key over the next 12 months; think the collar-brushing locks of Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in All The Presidents’ Menand Chris Hemsworth in Thor.

Not that it will grow in overnight, mind. However, start now, and you’ll be able to pull off that ‘straight out of the ocean’ surfer swagger in six to eight months.

To go hell for leather hair, ignore anyone who brings up ‘peak beard’ (again). Providing it suits the face it calls home, 10-day stubble gives off the desirable impression of a man that’s been too damn busy bringing his A-game to bother with shaving.
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Of course, we all know that ‘just got out of bed’ hair does require a little bit of effort. Though the right products, such as a salt spray or matt pomade scrunched into the hair, will help produce a natural, textured finish.

This first appeared on FashionBeans

Spotlight on the latest men’s cutting and styling techniques, so you can up your game for 2018 in the barbershop, and create the cool new looks everyone will be wanting in no time!

If you’re following any trendy barbers on Instagram (particularly the ones based in Europe), go take a look at your feed right now.  What do you see?  Texture, longer hair and fringes?  Yes, we’re definitely at a crossroads when it comes to new shapes and haircuts for men.

The European Influence

This latest transformation for men (like so many other big hair trends over the decades!) has taken off in the U.K. more than in any other country, it seems.

“I’ve been seeing this coming out of the U.K. for over a year and a half now,” says Tay Atelier (@TayAtelier on Instagram), Redken for Men artist and Y.S. Park Canada brand ambassador. “We’re seeing hair transition from very defined side parts and undercuts to a modern crop with much more texture on the top.”

There’s a big shift in fringes coming, too. “It’s really short now, with a length of about two inches and sitting high on the forehead, definitely above the eyebrows. The inspiration comes from the Caesar haircut, but it’s done in a really modern way.”

“There’s a very fresh look in barbering right now coming from Europe,” says BaBylissPRO educator and freelance barber Sofia Pok (@staygold31 on Instagram). Traditionally, we’re used to seeing more of a square outline for men’s haircuts but now the shape is rounder and not based on cutting structure anymore. “That being said, hair is definitely longer but cleaner on the sides,” adds Pok.

Hybrid Styles

“At the salon where I work in Brampton, Ontario,” says Atelier, “we’re seeing very young, cool high school kids come in and want something drastically different they’re loving on social media that’s reminiscent of the ’80s. Perms are high on their radar and there’s a lot of movement in the hair.”

For Pok, barbering is entering a new phase and merging with more traditional hairstyling. “Yes, there’s still a bit of that old style barbering, but with a new finish and feel. A lot of the modern haircuts are not standard, and hybrid styles are really coming on strong.”

What exactly are “hybrid styles”? The merge between barbering and hairstyling techniques are still making their way in the industry, and barbers should learn how to work and perform better with longer hair, says Atelier. “For instance, if your client isn’t ready to go for a perm, start working with hot tools—say a flat iron or a wand—to create those curls.”

Texturizing is King

Pomade used to be the big thing to finish a traditional barbering hairstyle. But, according to Pok, the trend now is for a puffier haircut, which you can easily achieve with point cutting. “Hair on the forehead is bigger and worn forward. So, to balance all that, you need to create more texture on the top of the head.”

To create these looks, focus on clays, putties and sea salts, as well as curl lotions and products to retain curls while eliminating frizz.

Also fading away are pompadours, particularly for the type of client who wants the latest and boldest hairstyles. “Keep in mind, though, that it always depends on the style of the client you have in your chair. The clean cuts do have staying power for the more classic and traditional man,” explains Atelier. 

The main thing to remember is to make a point of learning something new every year that takes you out of your comfort zone. Taking classes for cutting and styling longer hair may also be prudent as it’s an important time to cater to the very specific desires of a discerning male clientele.

Fading and blending are still super important, says Pok, but the main thing is to understand the use of all the tools you have at your disposal and to practice as much as possible. “For instance, sometimes you don’t need to apply that much pressure on a clipper to get that kick-ass fade, but that’s learned [with much time and experience].”
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This article first appeared on Salon Magazine CA

(A Comprehensive Buying Guide)

A hot roller is one of the most effective, and yet least appreciated, hair styling device on the shelves today.

And, although these products have been on the market for decades, their concept hasn’t changed (only the technology).

Today, they use the most advanced technology to curl and keep your hair healthy and hydrated.

The best hot rollers for fine hair might seem simple to purchase, but you should only buy the best. But how do you know which is the best?

Here is a comprehensive buying guide and a review of the top tools for you.

How to Choose The Hot Rollers for Fine Hair

If your hair is really fine and thin, curling it might it a bit tricky. First, you will certainly need hot rollers that provide your hair extra volume because it looks boring and flat in its natural state.

Lack in volume is a common issue if your hair is fine, but if you get great hot units to give your head added texture and body, then you will be fine.

Another issue with fine hair is that it usually doesn’t hold curls.

Thin and fine hair is typically straight and when you try to style it, it reverts back to its natural form and you will just end up stressed. This is the reason why you require the added element of heat in your rollers, which locks your curl in place and enables it to remain there for a long time.

However, you need to be careful when dealing with heat because fine hair gets damaged easily by excess heat. This is the reason why you need to choose an effective hot device and make sure that your hair has additional protection beforehand.

Finally, you need to remember that the best hot rollers for fine hair that work for this type of hair are often different from other products (those that work for other hair types).

You might be fortunate and get a set that works for more than one hair type, but understanding what devices work for different hair types will surely guide you in styling them.

Types of Fine Hair Rollers

The number of firms producing hot devices for fine hair is huge, but all these brands use one of the following three technologies to generate the heat needed to form the curls. It’s vital for you to know these basic kinds of rollers before you make your choice.

• Sponge rollers – these types of rollers for fine hair use steam to heat up faster. They produce shiny curls within 10 minutes.
• Wax core rollers – these units have wax to enable them hold heat for a longer duration.
• Ceramic infused rollers – they use ionic tech and far infrared to produce heat. They are great for damaged and fine hair.

Best Hot Rollers for Fine Hair Review for 2018

• Best Hot Rollers for Fine Hair Review for 2018
  • 1. Remington H5600D – 20-Piece Multi-Sized Rollers
  • 2. Conair Compact – Multi-Size Hot Rollers
  • 3. Calista Tools Ion – Best Hot Rollers for Short Fine Hair
  • 4. Caruso Professional Caruso – Ion Molecular Hair Setter
  • 5. T3 Micro Voluminous Hot Rollers

​In Conclusion

The best hot rollers for fine hair are here to stay and will still form beautiful hairstyles that will last for a long time. The come with advanced technology that features tourmaline and ceramic to protect your hair from the heat. They also feature ionic and infrared technology to heat your hair from the inside to avert frizz and damage.

These tools also come in a wide range of prices, so you will be able to get a tool that won’t break your bank.

With that in mind, one of the best rollers on the market today is Caruso Professional Caruso Ion Molecular Hair Setter.
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Compared to other tools, this device set is easy to carry when going on a vacation. It is solid and comes with a beautiful carrying case that is ideal for transporting your device anywhere you want. The product produces three times heat more than other brands.
 
This article first appeared on Hair Magic In Motion

Sheep wool provides clues

There has been no research that explains what gives the curl to curly hair. To understand this, the researchers looked at the microscopic structure of the hair and measure the individual hair cells in the curly hair that could explain the curls. However human hair was found to be too thick for these experiments. So as a next step they looked at naturally curly hair or wool from six Merino sheep from New Zealand. This provided them with the answers they were looking for. The study results were published this week in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Biology.

The key finding from the experiment was that in hair that was curly, the cells that are outside the curls are longer than those that are inside. In straighter hair the cells in both outer and inner sides were similar in length. This has been seen at least in the sheep’s wool say experts and they believe that similar findings may be expected in humans. The cell length inside and outside of the hair bends thus determine the curliness of the hair. This, say researchers, could pave way for new hair care and styling products that could provide longer lasting curls or straightened hair. Cosmetics company, Kao Corporation from Japan, part funded this study.

Study’s lead author Duane Harland from AgResearch in New Zealand said that the reason why they chose sheep’s wool is because merino sheep wool is around five times finer than human hair but they have a similar biology. Thus this wool could act as a reliable hair model. Dr Harland said these fibres are of different sizes but are still relevant to human hair and additionally microscopes can penetrate more easily through the finer fibres of the hair to see the individual hair cells and gauge their differences. He explained that in order to understand and count the cells there has to be thin layers and minimal cells. Also the merino wool has no pigments and is transparent. This makes the cells better visible than human hair.

He explained that hair is made up of keratin protein. Within the hair there are parallel strands of this protein called the paracortical cells. There are also orthocortical cells that have twisted fibres of keratin protein. These orthocortical cells are outer cells that are longer while the paracortical cells are shorter. This could explain the curliness. The design is similar to an archway he said.

For the study the team sheared 6 merino sheep. They had kept the sheep in identical conditions for past 6 months. From the wool they chose 700 fibres for the experiment. Each of these was five micrometres or less in diameter and half a centimetre in length. The washed the fibres to remove the lanolin coating over them and revealed the natural state of the fibres. After drying them over a vibrating surface to prevent adhesion or kinking they were cut and examined under the microscope using electrostatic forces. They cannot be picked up individually said Dr. Harland because that would damage their insides.

Now under the microscope they could measure the curvature of the fibres and look at their cell structure. They noted from their observations that the orthocortical cells lay on top of the fibres and were longer than the paracortical cells at specific locations. Where the orthocortical cells were longer, the hair tended to curl. More studies are necessary to understand how these differences in length are important. Genetics of hair curling also needs to be studied he said.

This article first appeared on News - Medical - Life Sciences

The Best Spring Break Hairstyle Ideas

For those of us living in cold weather climate, spring break is the first hint of warm weather after a long and snow-filled winter. Spending time fussing about your hair while on spring break is a downer—after all there’s some serious beach time to sneak in! Vacation is all about easy and effortless hairstyles. The last thing you want to do is spend extra time in the hotel room trying to perfect your ‘do. Here are some of the cutest spring break hairstyles that don’t require much effort.


Messy Topknot
We love this look for the beach and apres swimming to tame any frizz and keep hair out of your face. If you haven’t heard, messy is now considered the ultimate in chic. An insouciant look means you didn’t try too hard but still manage to look gorgeous.

How to get the Look:  Here’s how to nail the perfect messy top knot: Gather all of your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head. Leave out the ends of hair on the last loop of the elastic. Gather all of the loose ends and, using bobby pins sprayed with hairspray, pin them around the bun. Lastly, tug at the bun a bit to create a haphazardly chic look.
 

Heat Free Beach Waves
While at the beach, wavy beach hair makes perfect sense. Even if hitting the waves isn’t your thing, rocking waves in your hair is a vacation homerun. The fabulous rule about vacation hair, is that it should look undone and beach waves are ideal iteration of that just-rolled-out-of-bed hairstyle.

How to get the look:  Head to the beach with slightly damp hair. Spray HSI Argan Oil Leave In Hair Treatment into locks and using your hands, give hair a good scrunch. Twist hair into two braids and hit the beach. Let the sun air-dry hair. Undo braids and voila, beachy waves!
 

The Half-Up Top Knot
This is the sister hairstyle to the full on top knot. It’s the ultimate lazy girl hair style, but has a hint of sexiness, too.

How to get the look:  This time, instead of grabbing all of your hair to put into a top knot, grab only hair from the top half of your head. Follow the same guidelines using an snag-free elastic to twist hair into a messy bun and secure with bobby pins.
 

Half Up Twist
There’s something about the half-up hairstyle that screams vacation mode. A half up look is easy to create and also lets most of your hair hang loose without the annoying wisps in your face that can happen while on the beach. This twisty half up hairstyle has a hint of princess to it.

How to get the look:  Taking about an inch of hair from each side of the head, right above each ear, twist each side until they meet in the back of your head. Secure both twists with a small clip or snag-free elastic.
 
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Glamorous Waves
When you have 15-minutes in your hotel room to get ready for the night out, creating gorgeous vacation-ready waves is the way to go.

How to get the look:  Spray a texturizing spray onto damp hair. Divide hair into two parts. Twist one section away from the face with your fingers and blast it with a blow dryer. Repeat on the other side. Try the HSI Dryonizer Lite Lightweight Ceramic Blow Dryer, which is super lightweight and perfect for packing into luggage.
 
This article first appeared on HSI Professional