Perfectly imperfect up-do’s

Big night hairstyles have never looked so good with our special hair styling tips by Eiji Yamane and the Eiji Salon.

Dear Sharon: I’m looking for a simple way to explain to my hairstylist exactly how I would like my upsweep hairstyle to look for an upcoming special occasion. I live in the Midwest and it is often difficult to convey my styling suggestions to my hairdresser. It seems that every time I ask for a pretty updo hairstyle, I end up walking out with a stiff, old fashioned helmet that reminds me of bad prom hair. I’ve gone the route of bringing hair photos of favorite celebrity upsweeps (luckily the style is popular now so that there are tons of celebrity hair photos to chose from), but my hair never seems sophisticated, always more dated and hard. I wouldn’t mind even attempting an updo on my own for the holidays before my big night, but I don’t even know where to begin. (Hair What I Say, Des Moines, IA)

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Dear Hair What I Say: Sounds like you’re taking the right steps to convey your hair preferences with the wrong hair stylist. There really should not be that much of a difference in quality hair styling from city to city, if the stylist keeps up with hair trends and looks at the world around rather than constantly recreating the same exact ‘town special’ hairstyle for years on every sucker who sits in the styling chair. Unfortunately, hairstylists are people and they too can get stuck in a rut but it’s your job to move on rather than be inflicted with a yucky, stiff, and aging hairstyle. Look for someone locally with well-cut, modern hair and ask her where she gets her hair styled and then check out that salon and that stylist, eventually you will hit gold with a local hairdresser who understands that style goes further than a zip code.

Updo’s continue to be a hot hair trend and you are absolutely right, a very precise, and stiff upsweep is both aging and outdated. The Perfectly Imperfect Updo is fresh, elegant, and an extremely flattering and feminine way to wear your hair for a special occasion. Eiji Yamane and the Eiji Salon on New York’s Madison Avenue are commissioned every season by top fashion designer Zang Toito create hairstyles for his runway show. To complement Zang’s Uptown Chic line for Fall 2006 runway Eiji and his hair team created a variety of Perfectly Imperfect Updo hairstyles to highlight the collection’s luxurious and glamorous look. With these detailed step-by-step styling instructions from Eiji, try this look on your own or bring it to your stylist for reference.

Five Easy Steps to a Perfectly Imperfect Updo:

STEP ONE:

Part hair in any fashion– to the side, zigzag, or alternatively not parted at all for a sleeker look, so first decide where you would like your part. If your hair is naturally curly or wavy start applying product when hair is dry. Eiji and his team use the professional Nigelle Gel or Nigelle Wax. The hair product must be something that can mold the hair when applied to dry hair so it then adds texture and creates definition.

If your hair is straight it must be dried by either scrunching or by using electric rollers to mimic the same texture of naturally curly or wavy hair. You can then use the styling products which are used on curly or wavy hair.

STEP TWO:

After applying product to dry hair, run fingers through the hair, taking the hair piece by piece and twisting it randomly to create all sorts of different textures— this creates a controlled yet messy look.

STEP THREE:

Using large hairpins from any local beauty supply store, grab hair from the back, near the nape of the neck, and begin gently twisting hair upward, pinning the hair as if you were placing old fashioned combs. Don’t twist the hair too tightly. Then twist this hair section into the part of your hair that is closer to your scalp. If you desire more volume in the front, Eiji’s team suggests teasing the crown before beginning the twisting action. Inside Tip: Eiji’s team suggests when styling hair, use hairpins a shade darker than hair color as the product makes the hair appear a little darker

STEP FOUR:

Going along with the theme of the Perfectly Imperfect Updo, Eiji’s team suggests allowing hair to gently fall around the face in slightly ‘messy’ pieces. If too much hair falls out, pin the superfluous pieces back with a bobby pin.

STEP FIVE:

When the desired updo shape is achieved, use hairspray to hold the style in place or to lift the hair to create extra volume. The less you think about styling the hair, the better and more offhanded the final result. The key to styling this slightly messy and modern updo is that you have texture in your
hair from the products applied when hair is dry.

–November 21, 2006