Prom Hairstyles for 2011

Beautiful, perfect hair. Who wouldn’t want that for their 2011 prom? You’ve found a gorgeous dress, fabulous shoes, amazing accessories and now you’re searching for that perfect style. But what is it? How do you get it? Should you wear it up or down, curly or straight or something in-between? Why is perfect hair on her not-so-perfect on you? Which style will suit you best? And why is it so hard to figure out? It doesn’t have to be. Here’s a guide to help you find the best style for you! Hair doesn’t have to be a chore. It doesn’t have to be intimidating or feel overwhelming. Your hair shouldn’t wear you, either. It should be an extension of you.

2011 is a little different than years past. It’s not just about copying trends anymore. Sure you can look like your favorite Hollywood celebrity or mimic your favorite singer, but that’s just not good enough. This year, the true trend starts on the inside. Sounds a little like a cliché, and it might be, but for a good reason! To get the style that suits you best, you have to really and truly understand who you are. You can’t just copy someone else’s hairstyle style and hope to pull it off. It requires just a little bit more… Incorporating your personal style into your prom ‘do along with the latest trends is what will distinguish you from all the other girls, whether it’s through the color, style or accessory choices. If you’re a retro girl, work the retro waves. Pageant girls – you know what to do! For every personality type, there is a style option. There are always ways to incorporate elements of your personality into your hairstyle in a trendy way without having it be obnoxious or too distracting.

Texture is huge right now! Play with the natural texture of your hair to see what you can come up with that’s different from everyone else. It doesn’t have to be all over your head, but just having something a little unusual will set you apart from the crowd. There are a lot of styling products available to you through salons and other retailers that help amp up textures, depending on the look you’re going for. Vanessa Hudgens isn’t afraid to go out in public sporting her natural waves. The unexpected texture on the red carpet actually made it more exciting! It’s a little edgier and more modern.

If you’ve already decided you’re going for the sweet-princess-girl-next-door-vibe, try out the curls either up or down but keep the bangs swept off to the side. It creates a softer more romantic feel. There are pros and cons to both pulled back/updo or down, so make a list of what you like and don’t like about both and just make sure you’re being honest with yourself instead of listening to best friend or mom’s advice about what you should have. Yeah, your hair may look great down, but it also might make you completely bonkers when you’re dancing with your friends to have it in your face. Or you may love the way it frames your face when it’s down and the other factors just don’t impact you enough to pin it up. Either way, think it through a little bit before making a choice and listening to other peoples’ opinions.

Volume. Lots and lots of volume!! It’s a beautiful thing this year to have volume, but not in a fake bouffant kind of way. You’ll want to get it in there by any means possible without having it look stiff and like you’re wearing a helmet from the ‘60s or ‘80s. Tips from the pros include using shampoos and conditioners with volumizing properties, adding a volumizing product when hair is damp such as a mousse or root lift product, then blow drying roots in the opposite direction than they naturally grow. Using hot rollers to get big lift or doing a dry set with a curling iron and pinning curls in place to let them cool close to the scalp before letting them fall. All that happens BEFORE you start backcombing! And if you do backcomb, start underneath at the bottom and work your way up towards the top to build the layers up. They’ll help hold each other up so you’ll need less of it when you get to the top. There are some really fantastic finishing hairsprays that set the style without getting crusty and solid. You want your hair to have movement but hold all night. If you plan on wearing it down, experiment with the hairspray in advance so you don’t over or underuse it.

If you’re the relaxed, easy-going type, don’t feel like you have to have the stereotypical prom updo that’s slicked back with little spiral curls coming out of it. You can have your normal laid back style but with a polished finish. Ask your stylist what the best styling and finishing products are for your hair type. You don’t want to weigh your hair down with unnecessary products or have it frizz out because you use a product that was meant for a texture that’s the complete opposite of what you’ve got. You also don’t want to end up with totally blah hair. You need some texture to keep fine hair from fading into the background.

Updo’s are always in style. It’s the details that make them trendy or scary. If you’re nervous about how your updo is going to turn out and you’re going to get it done at a salon, set up a trial run with your stylist. You can go over your ideas using inspiration photos, show them pictures of your dress and accessories, and let them know your expectations. Stay away from styles that look too perfect or you’ll spend the whole night in the ladies’ room checking to make sure it stays that way! If you plan on doing the updo yourself, practice several times beforehand so you feel comfortable with your skills. Keep in mind that your hair doesn’t always cooperate and have a backup plan! If your curls just aren’t holding and the texture isn’t smooth and flawless, take a style tip from Camilla Belle and play with a rougher texture for your updo. Imperfection is often more interesting and letting go of that expectation can help relieve that anxiety for you.

The finishing touch for any 2011 prom hairstyle is accessories! There are so many options available and you can find them almost everywhere. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, you can make your own. Look for supplies in a dollar store, craft store, thrift store, antique store, online store, even mom’s forgotten jewelry box or old purse… then put your creation together. Often it’s things that aren’t even meant to be put in your hair that make the most amazing hair pieces and you’re guaranteed that no one else has the same accessory – something you can’t say about your dress, shoes, earrings or other jewelry unless it’s custom made.

Our Products Picks for 2011 Prom Hairstyles!

	For body and movement, start with a volumizing cleanser like Tigi Catwalk Your Highness Elevating Shampoo (approx $19 for 10.1oz). Infusing your hair with ingredients formulated to pump your hair up will start the style out in the right direction, even if you don’t plan on having “big” hair.
	Follow that up using the companion product Your Highness Nourishing Conditioner to help create fullness and shine (about $20 for 8.45oz). Using the product in the same line will help eliminate the possibility of it weighing your hair down and defeating the purpose. If you just use what you’d normally use, you run the risk of it being too heavy. The conditioner should also be formulated with some of the same volumizing properties to amp up the volume.
	While your hair is damp (after towel drying), apply a root boosting product like Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Spray Mousse – excellent lift for your roots. Big big hair… (approx $16 for 10.6oz) This version is for fine, flat, thin hair but there’s another version for thick heavy hair too. This stuff will help give you outrageous volume without making your hair impossible to deal with. You can also apply it about halfway down your hair to give the mid-shaft area volume as well. Blow dry your hair with your fingers and your head upside-down for the best results and most volume.
	Depending on what you want your finished style to be, there are a couple of products you could use at this point to help you along. If you’re going for a windblown effect, use a texturizing spray like the Aquage Sea Salt Texturizing Spray . It will give you a firm hold with its volume building styling and texturizing spray (approx $13 for 8oz).
	If you’re wanting to create a softer curl, try Paul Mitchell’s Worked Up Working Spray (about $15 for 11oz). It’s not stiff at all but helps give you a long-lasting, flexible hold. It doesn’t feel like your hair has a lot of icky stuff in it, so if you’re not a fan of product in the first place, this is the spray for you! It adds a little shine without making your hair look greasy and helps out with static, too.
	For those of you who want or need a little more oomph to your curls, you’ll want a product like Sebastian’s Re-Shaper Hairspray – it’s a brushable strong hold and humidity resistant hairspray that you can use when your hair is just a bit damp for a bit of a root boost before you blow dry, while you’re blow drying to get a tousled “sexy bed-head” look, and also over your finished style to help hold it. Once it’s in there, you should be able to re-shape your hair as desired and have the benefit of it staying put. (approx $17 for 10.2oz)
	Need a little help with the roots? Try Powder Play (about $12 for .53oz). This one is Big Sexy Hair and one of my all time favorites, but a lot of lines carry a similar product. It looks like baby powder (some people actually use baby powder! – but it can be messy and sticky, so be really careful with it) but it’s a special formula to help grit your hair up at the roots and lift it up off your scalp. It goes in as a powder but melts down to a quick drying liquid that you rub in. Dry shampoos work virtually the same way but don’t have quite the same properties.
	If you can find it and you want an outrageous style, Big Sexy Hair has a product called What a Tease - Backcomb in a Bottle. This stuff is crazy! You hold up your hair in sections, spray underneath, let it dry, then peel it back in pieces instead of doing any backcombing. It stays! And it stays TALL! (approx $14 for 4.4oz) Start with a small amount and work your way up, though, because this is a hard core product you don’t want to mess up with before an important event. Practice first!
	Love Paul Mitchell hairsprays. Another classic is the Super Clean Extra Finishing Spray. This aerosol finishing spray helps to help control the fly aways with the added bonus of sunscreen in case your prom adventure starts a little earlier. It’s a great firm hold but not totally stiff, so you don’t have to worry about looking like you’re wearing a helmet on your head all night. (about $13 for 10oz)
	Aveda’s Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray is a new hot-topic. The hold is phenomenal but it’s not heavy. Definitely a higher end hairspray, but worth it if you need or appreciate a more natural fragrance and lighter spray with the same or better hold properties. It also gives you some humidity defense! ($26 for 9.1oz)
	Tigi Bed Head Masterpiece Hairspray (approx $14 for 8.5oz ) is another finishing hairspray that will give you loads of shine with endless hold. If you’re looking for a hard core hold, this isn’t as good as it gets with Tigi Bed Head brand….
	The hard core version is the Hard Head Hairspray. It gives you “relentless hold and control…the more you use, the harder it gets!” (approx $13 for 10.6oz) Honestly, what more could you ask for in a finishing spray? If your hair is going up and you don’t have to worry about movement, this is a great hairspray.
Worried about your curls holding all night long regardless of the product you use? Try out the X5 Superlite Nano Tourmaline Folding Travel Curling Iron ($79.95 - folica.com). This little travel curling iron folds down so you can stash it in your clutch and it heats up instantly for you when curls start wilting.

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