| Katharine McPhee Long Luscious Tresses |
| Karen Marie Shelton |
| Revised Date: 02/14/07 - Original Publication Date: 06/15/2006 |
Introduction
 |
|
Katharine
McPhee
American Idol - Season 5Costume
June 2006 |
|
DailyCeleb.com - All Rights Reserved. |
American Idol finalist Katharine McPhee is living her
dreams Somewhere Over The Rainbow. While her many
fans were over the moon because of her voice, talent and
incredible beauty, when the final vote was tallied, she
came in second to silver hair fox, Taylor Hicks.
Many of
her Idol fans were outspoken about Katharine's long and
luscious rich brunette tresses which she wore long, full
and with beautiful waves.
It is
common knowledge that as the Idol contestants progress
through the competition, that at a certain point they
are assigned the assistance of stylists, hair and
make-up experts.
As the
show progressed the 22 year old brunette beauty did
achieve a more finished and elegant look, but for the
most part she showed off her long tresses by wearing
them down around her beautiful face.
Image Does Count
 |
|
Katharine
McPhee
American Idol - Season 5Costume
June 2006 |
|
DailyCeleb.com -
All Rights Reserved |
Over the past five seasons of American
Idol there has been a lot of controversy about the hair
of the various contestants. Watching the show from
beginning to end will often identify how the tresses and
hairstyles of the finalists have changed dramatically
through the season.
In an interview the resident American
Idol hairdresser pointed out that image is everything in
the world of singing stars. Yes, talent plays a
part but to really be successful you have to have the
whole package which includes hairstyle, hair color, hair
length, type and texture.
In the non-Idol world, performers
ranging from Ashlee Simpson to Mariah Carey are
constantly changing their hair length, color and styles.
It signals a part of their evolution as performance
artists.
One question that popped up on various
chats was whether or not the lovely Katharine had hair
enhancements. Of course these days it is
impossible to say for sure, but regardless, her strands
looked healthy, shiny and perfectly coiffed, especially
at the end of the contest.
Stealing Katharine's Style
 |
|
Katharine
McPhee
American Idol - Season 5
June 2006 |
|
DailyCeleb.com - All Rights Reserved. |
Katharine's long and lovely
style works best for hair that is a few inches below
shoulder length or longer and medium in texture.
Although this soft sexy style might be difficult to
recreate on ultra curly hair, it would work well on
strands that are straight, pre-straightened or with
slight waves and curls.
One of
the best ways to re-create this style is using
traditional rag rollers. If your hair is waist length
or longer, rag rollers would be the best way to create
the soft tousled waves and curls.
Before you start make sure that you have all the proper
tools including plenty of rag curlers, a good brush and
comb.
The
instructions below involve the use of home made rag
curlers. If hair is exceptionally long there is a
chance that the strands will be too long for traditional
sponge, hook & latch or Conair rag rollers. In that case it
will be necessary to make your own rag curlers from
clean rags.
Making Rag Rollers
Depending on the thickness and ultimate length of
your hair, plan to make 40-60 rag rollers before you
begin to curl your
Use clean old sheets which make perfect rag strips.
The softer the sheets, the better the results.
The standard rule of thumb is to cut or rip the
sheets into 6" long by 1" wide strips. If your hair is
exceptionally long you may want to make a few "test"
strips to make sure that your hair will roll completely
around the curlers. Adjust the size of your rag strips
accordingly.
Keep in mind that rag rollers are tied off at the
scalp to hold them snugly against the head. Allow
plenty of "tail ends" for this purpose.
Step By Step Instructions
 |
|
Katharine
McPhee
American Idol - Season 5
June 2006 |
|
DailyCeleb.com -
All Rights Reserved |
To copy
the luscious long curls and waves that Katharine McPhee
is wearing in this article, perform the following steps:
1.
Begin by washing hair with shampoo designed for your
type, texture and current condition of hair.
If
your hair tends to be dry, select a super moisturizing
shampoo formula like
Robert Hallowell's
Shine Booster Shampoo
which celebrity hairdresser Robert actually uses on many
of his celebrity clients.
Other
formulas you might try include
Phytojoba
or one designed for
colored hair
like
Phytocitrus.
For ultra dry or super fragile strands, use the dry hair
formulas and dilute the shampoo for extra gentleness.
Note: If
your hair is long or prone to damage, consider either
washing hair with conditioner only, or diluting the
shampoo formula to save wear and tear on your strands.
2.
For hair that is dry, damaged or chemically treated,
follow the shampoo with a rinse-out conditioning
treatment.
Apply
your favorite rinse-out conditioning product. Robert
Hallowell's Prawduct - shine booster conditioner
is an excellent rinse out conditioner for all hair
types.
 |
|
|
|
2006 - Ray Mickshaw/FOX - All Rights Reserved. |
3.
Be sure to match the product to your hair type, texture
and condition. Work the conditioner into the driest
parts of your hair. Leave on for up to five minutes.
Rinse well. Finish with a cool to cold water rinse.
4.
Towel blot hair (do not rub) and gently squeeze excess
moisture.
5.
Detangle hair with fingers or a smooth detangling comb
and create desired front part.
6.
Apply a cocktail of leave-in conditioner and anti-frizz
products. For soft hold, apply a mousse. For extra
hold apply a gel or gel/mousse product. Distribute well
from roots to the ends.
7.
Let hair air dry until 80-90% dry. If you wish, sit
under a hood dryer or use a blow dryer on low speed,
cool air to remove excess moisture.
8.
Work from one side of the head to the other. Use a wide
tooth comb or hair pick and separate hair into 1-2 inch
sections.
9.
Starting at the end of the hair section, roll the hair
around the strip of your prepared rag curlers. With rag
curlers you can make the hair sections as large or small
as you wish as long as your strip of rag is long enough
to completely encase your hair.
 |
|
Final 2 on American Idol
Season Five
L-R: Taylor Hicks & Katharine McPhee |
|
2006 - Ray Mickshaw/FOX - All Rights Reserved. |
10.
Roll the section of hair up from the ends to your
scalp. The tighter you roll the rag curler, the tighter
the resulting curl. You can either secure the rag
curlers with bobby pins or you can tie them at the ends
to hold them in place against the scalp.
11.
When your entire head has been put in rollers, either go
to bed for the evening, or sit under a hood dryer on
medium heat to get the curls to "set".
12.
When removing the rollers, unwind one section at a
time. After all the curls have been unwound, spray your
entire head with a soft hold hairspray.
Ones
to try:
Rene Furterer
Instant Hold Finishing Spray,
Robert Hallowell's
Rawhold Hairspray.
13. Use fingers or wide tooth hair pick to gently
arrange the curls that cascade freely down towards the
top of the shoulder.
 |
|
|
|
DailyCeleb.com -
All Rights Reserved |
14.
For extra shimmer, apply a drop or two of a shine serum
like Phyto's PhyoLisse,
Rene Furterer's
Spray Gloss
or Robert Hallowell's Love That Shine Drops
to the palms of your hands. Rub the serum into the
palms and then lightly glide over the top of the style
to add instant shimmer and shine.
15.
Spray well with hairspray like
Phytolaque
or
Jessica Simpson’s
favorite
Phytolaque Soie
made with real silk to give an extra glossy look to the
style.
16.
Attach any desired
hair accessory
to the finished style. Because this is such a unkempt
style, if accessories are added, they should be small to
avoid detracting from the style’s ultimate design.
Note:
Remember to always attach accessories last after all
styling products have been applied to avoid damaging
delicate accessories.
17.
Feel beautiful. A beautiful woman is just as much
about self-confidence as the way that she wears her
hair.
Summary
The
variations on this lovely slightly tousled long hairstyle are endless. Instead
of wearing curls and waves loose, you have the option
to sweep the sides up and softly capture them at the
back of the crown. Or you can wear one side in front
and the other pulled back behind one ear.
Katharine's style can also be worn stick straight by
utilizing a flat iron or by using a paddle brush and
straightening gels to get a straight look.
fun with this style and experiment with randomly pinning
up alternate strands in the back allowing others to hang
precariously to give that free Katharine McPhee American
Idol look. |