| Prom Hair Countdown - 2009 |
| Karen Marie Shelton / Dedicated to FFOS |
| Revised Date: 12/06/08 - Original
Publication Date: 2/11/2004 |
Introduction
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HairBoutique.com
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I have been writing this article
since 1999.
At the beginning of every Prom season, I spend several days talking
to hair and beauty experts to get their take on what
styles
and trends are most likely to be hot for the coming Prom year.
I also update photos and tips in this article so that it
provides the most current information available.
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HairBoutique.com
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I
completely understand that your Prom is probably a day you have been dreaming about
for a long time. You are going to want everything to be as perfect as
possible from the top of your hair to the tips of your toes.
Trying to decide what is the best hairstyle for your big night and making it happen can be
a real nail biter.
The more time you have to plan for everything, the better it will
be and the more options you will have.
How do you decide the best hairstyle for you? Listed
below are
some simple suggestions that you can follow:
- Pick your dress, jewelry and
hair
accessories first. A romantic curly do will not work with a
sleek sophisticated gown. It will, however,
work with a soft romantic dress. If you have a
"look" you are trying to accomplish from romantic to
sophisticated, it is still important to start with
the dress first.
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Once you have the
perfect dress you can decide on the perfect
hairstyle and matching
hair
accessories. A key here is to match the hairstyle with your hair type.
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HairBoutique.com
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- Keep your natural hair texture in mind. If you want a mass of
romantic
curls it just won't work with the latest boyish crop.
If you want a sleek updo, it
may not work with naturally curly hair unless you are
willing to
straighten
it first.
- If you are going with a big departure in your hairstyle, you may need to
do some drastic hairstyling work which may include having a perm, getting your hair
straightened or having
extensions added. This requires lots of advance
planning. Only do something drastic if you have really thought out the possible
results.
- Consult a
professional for any major changes.
No matter what type of hairstyle you select or whether you do your hair
at home or not, it is important to take excellent care of your hair. Besides your
gorgeous gown and
jewelry your hair can either make or break your look.
Sit down and plan what hair care tasks you will need to complete
before the big Prom day: Make up a Prom Hair
To Do List and write down all the things
you need to do to make your prom hair a success.
Tape your list on your mirror and
check off the items as you accomplish them. Don't leave anything to chance.
Three Months Before The Prom
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HairBoutique.com
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While I don't advocate drastic hairdo changes
such as a major switch (from super long to super
short or from super straight to super curly) if you
must experiment, this is the time to do it.
If you have your heart set on new curls, less curls, a different color
or more hair, now is the time to get the perm, the straightening, the highlights or the
extensions.
If you don't like the results, you still have time to make some changes
in your
ultimate Prom do and possibly recover from the changes you just made.
It is important to remember that the only way you can
"instantly
regrow" newly cut hair is with extensions, add-on hair or wigs. Think carefully
before you undertake anything you may regret.
Make A Special Appointment With Your Stylist
If you are not going to do your Prom hair at home, make a special
appointment with your regular stylist to have a pre-Prom consultation.
Be sure when you book the appointment to tell the stylist that you want
to consult about your Prom. This information will allow the stylist an opportunity
to block out an appointment slot that will allow them to devote plenty of time to working
with you on this consultation.
It is very important to tell your stylist that you want extra time to
talk about potential styles. If you don't tell them, they will probably book you a
normal appointment timeslot and you will be rushed.
Take your time and ask for a special appointment. Even if you have
to pay for the extra time, it is well worth it.
If You Don't Have A Regular Stylist
If you don't have a regular hairstylist and want help with your ultimate
Prom style, ask your friends for recommendations on a good hair care expert that you can
work with.
Remember that if you go to a brand new stylist to do your Prom style you
will be risking "pot luck" hair. It usually takes some time for a stylist
to learn about your hair and what styles work best.
While miracles can happen, don't expect to walk into a salon and have a
new stylist create the hair of your dreams.
Get the name of a few stylists and set up pre-Prom appointments with
them and have them do some practice styles on your hair.
It is always good to take photos of hairstyles (check out
all of the
HairBoutique.com Galleries as a good starting point for getting ideas for
your style) that you like so the
stylist can get a visual image of what your are trying to accomplish.
Work Out A Plan For Your Hairstyle
Ask your stylist to help you work out the best hairdo for your overall
Prom look.
Some stylists may even encourage
you to bring your dress and any
hair jewelry
or hair adornments that you will be wearing.
This will help the stylist understand what you are trying to accomplish.
Depending upon your dress, you may want to adorn your hair with a
simple tiara,
headband or other
hair adornments.
If you have a general idea of how you want to wear your hair but are not
sure of the exact details, spend some time looking through fashion and beauty magazines
and select several photos of hair that you like. Discuss the styles you have
selected with your stylist to get their feedback.
It is also best to bring a trusted friend who can help give an objective
opinion of the style that you select. You may want to ask your friend to take
several photos of your hair so that you can see how well the style looks in photographs.
Don't wait until right before your Prom or your regular stylist may be
already booked up and not be able to work with you.
If you don't have a regular hairstylist and want help with your ultimate
Prom style, ask your friends for recommendations on a good hair care expert that you can
work with.
Regular Trims & Deep Conditioning Treatments
Starting now, have your hair trimmed every 4-6 weeks. A regular trim
will help avoid unsightly split ends and keep hair manageable. It will also help maintain
the style you want for your Prom.
Be sure to tell your stylist exactly what you mean by "a trim". Some
stylists view a trim as 1 inch or more. Some view a trim as 1/4 of an inch.
Tell the stylist exactly how much you want trimmed.
Plan your hair trims carefully so that you will have your last trim about 2 weeks
before the Prom. You don't want to trim your hair right before the Prom day.
Hair goes into "shock" after a trim or cut and needs about 1 week to fall back
into shape.
Resist any sudden urges to "chop it all off". You may live to regret
it.
Begin a deep conditioning regimen that you do every week. Shiny healthy hair doesn't
happen overnight.
Try using a deep conditioner, like
Phytocitrus Mask
or similar for hair that needs extra intensive conditioning.
If you prefer, you can whip up your own hot
oil conditioner using extra virgin olive oil.
Two Months Before The Prom
As the day of your Prom approaches you need to continue to follow your hair care plan
and make sure all your hair care needs are included.
Book Your Prom Day Appointment Early
If you need an appointment with a stylist on your Prom day, be sure to
book now. The best stylists will be booked as much as 6 weeks in
advance of the Prom.
Ask for a written confirmation card and hold on to it. While it doesn't happen
often, appointments do get lost and you can claim you rightful appointment if you have a
written confirmation card.
Keep in mind that several schools may be having Proms the same day as yours so you will
be competing with lots of other hair for an appointment. Plan your appointment so
you can allow as much time as possible between the time that the stylist finishes and you
have to get dressed.
Pay attention to how long it takes your stylist to do the practice hairstyles and then
add extra time to your appointment.
If your Prom date is picking you up at 8 PM, you may want to make sure that you are out
of the Salon no later than 4 PM to allow you time to get home, relax, apply your makeup
and get dressed without rushing.
Many a Prom
attendee has been late to the Prom because things got backed up at the Salon.
Since Prom season is very busy at most hair salons, the earlier your get your hair
done, the better, in many cases.
If you want to wear
special
hair jewelry be sure to order it now. While some online stores or retails
locations can guarantee overnight deliveries, you may find that it takes longer for other
items to arrive.
You may also want to allow some time once you get the jewelry to play with different
looks and styles to see what looks best with the piece. If a stylist is doing
your hair, ask them to incorporate the jewelry into the final style and apply it for you.
If you are going to do your hair at home for your Prom now is the time to buy any
special equipment you will need from a special curling iron to a new blow dryer.
If you are going to experiment with
new hair care
products such as gels, mousses or other styling aides, do it now so you can learn to
use the products properly.
Experiment with different combinations of shampoos and conditioners. Your
desired style may require a soft, sleek look. Or you may want more body and texture.
Most shampoos and conditioners are designed to accentuate a
different aspect of
hair.
One Month Before
Do a complete dress rehearsal. If possible, go back to your stylist and have them
do your hair in the style that you have selected.
After you arrive home carefully put on your makeup, your dress and any accessories to
view the overall look. If you like, have some photos taken of your dress rehearsal.
This gives you a chance to look at the finished photographs and made any
adjustments before Prom day arrives.
Make any other beauty appointments that you will need besides your hair appointment.
Are you having a manicure or pedicure? If so, schedule these events now and
make sure they don't conflict with your hair date.
Hair At Home
If you have decided to do your own hair, do at least one complete practice run
on your hairstyle. Time how long it takes to wash, dry and set your hair. It
is even better if you can practice this a few times so you have a good idea of any
problems you may potentially encounter.
This practice will also provide you with a chance to evaluate the results.
Some updos and other styles work better on hair that is not newly shampooed.
You may want to take into consideration how your desired style works if you wait some time
after the shampoo.
Depending on the style you have selected, sometimes it is better if your hair has had a
chance to "age" a little. Newly washed hair can often be more difficult to
work with then hair that has had time to settle.
Two Weeks Before
If you highlight your hair, now is the time to visit your stylist for a professional
touch it up to eliminate any roots.
While this is the time to touch up your hair, it is not the time to experiment with a
brand new hair color. If you must experiment, use only the temporary hair mascaras
or colors that wash out after each shampoo. If you try it and hate it, you can
easily dump it.
Maintain your new highlighting or hair color with
Phytocitrus
Shampoo or the
Mine
Color Shampoos.
Call your stylist and confirm your appointment on Prom day. Accidents happen and
appointments can sometimes get lost. Make sure you are still on the books for your
big day. If you aren't, you still have time to remedy the situation.
The Day Before
If you are doing your hair at home, put together a special hair emergency kit.
Include your
regular shampoo &
conditioner
and any
styling gels or
mousses. You want to make sure that you don't run out. Check your blowdryer and
heated curlers and make sure they are working fine.
I had a friend have her blowdryer go out 30 minutes before her Prom. Luckily the
next door neighbor had a blowdryer she could use and the hair day was saved. Not
everyone has a nice neighbor that offer that kind of assistance.
Your emergency kit should include any extra hairstyling aides, bobby pins, clips or
anything else that you may need to use if your hairstyle doesn't turn out exactly the way
you want it to.
The Emergency Hairstyle
It is also wise to always have an "emergency hairstyle" that you can fall
back on in hair emergencies.
While you may have a hot knotted look all planned out, if the look flops you can also
move to Plan B which is your hairstyle #2. That may be a modified
messy French Twist
or a ponytail pinned into some big loopy curls or the hot new one fat
banana
curl look.
While you may not need your "backup plan" it is always nice to have one.
Even if you go to a professional hairstylist, there is no guarantee that your hair will
work out the way you want it to.
One year I paid a lot of money to have my long hair done up in romantic curls
for a special party only to hate the look. Luckily I have 2 emergencies
updos that I
always can fall back on. I spent 25 minutes brushing and pinning but I recovered
from a Shirley Temple gone wrong and emerged with a sleek chignon with curled tendrils.
Be prepared for anything on your Prom day.
Prom Day
If your professional stylist is doing your hair, remember
to wear something that unbuttons so that you won't mess up your hair by trying to pull a T
Shirt or other top over your finished hairstyle.
It is also best to take your shower or bath before you have your hair done so that your
hair will not be affected by any unnecessary heat or moisture.
Be sure to call the Salon before you leave your house to make sure your stylist is
running on schedule. If not, ask the Salon to give you an adjusted arrival time.
Make sure you are on time as a courtesy to your stylist and be sure to take any hair
jewelry or clips that you want incorporated into your style. If you don't like the
final style, tell the stylist and ask them to adjust it for you. Most stylists want
you to like the finished product.
If you want a manicure be sure to plan in advance. If you are doing
your
nails
at home, you may want to have them finished before your go to the
salon.
Don't forget to thank your stylist and leave them a tip (10 - 15%) for their efforts.
Stylists often feel the pressure to make you look special and they will go out of
their way for you.
Prom Hair At Home
Allow plenty of time to wash, dry and set your hair.
Depending on the style you have selected, sometimes it is better if your hair has had a
chance to "age" a little. Remember to plan for the fact that newly washed hair
can often be more difficult to work with then hair that has had time to settle.
If you are applying fresh flowers to your hairstyle, wait and pin them in right before
you walk out the door. This prevents the flowers from wilting.
(Photo courtesy of Gretchen Maurer)
If you are
going to use flowers to adorn your style, be aware if the flower you have chosen will
"shed" petals or buds. Some flowers like roses, daisies and baby's breath
are better choice than other flowers that leave a trail of buds or seeds.
Once you have your hair in place, you can relax and enjoy every minute of your special
evening. Have a wonderful time! |