How to update your look in 5 easy ways

With –ber – month just around the corner, now may be just the time to think about updating your look for those long, hot days and nights ahead. From chic, short bangs to '40s glam locks, here's the lowdown on five ways to instantly refresh your look without splashing cash at the salon.

Bardot bombshell

With a fine-toothed comb, a can of hairspray and a dash of attitude you can re-create this look from the '60s. Take a small section of hair from the crown of the head and backcomb gently from the roots upwards. After 3 or 4 sections, muss the hair with your fingers and spray it lightly with the hairspray.

Beautiful bangs

Frazzled with your high maintenance look? Take five years off in an instant by trimming your bangs. Using your eyebrows as a guide, pull your hair down to just below the brow and cut in a straight line. When the hair dries, the bangs will bounce up so leave a little room for error.

Color me gorgeous!

There's no need to block out a full afternoon at the salon when you can easily wash in the color of your choice at home. Safe in the knowledge that temporary hair color will wash out, be a tad more daring in your choice of color. Choose golden hues that reflect the sunlight or tinge your tresses with deep dramatic reds for impact, volume and drama.

Milkmaid braids

Sienna Miller may have started the craze back in 2007, but it's safe to say that the milkmaid braid represents the hot new trend for 2009. With a little practice, you too can rock this look! Using a wide-toothed comb and a few elastic bands, create a braid on each side of the head. Wrap an elastic band around the braids and then drape around the head. Tuck the ends of the braids underneath themselves and secure with a pin. For a sweet 'haven't tried too hard look' muss the hair with some gentle backcombing and let a few strands fall delicately to the shoulders.

Mermaid waves

From the film set to the cocktail lounge, have you ever wondered how actresses from the past managed to achieve such a manicured look? This retro-glam look may be a blast from the past (the '40s to be exact!) but with mid-length to long hair, you can easily achieve this romantic style. Simply part the hair to the side and set with large rollers. When the hair is dry, release the rollers and allow the hair to fall in waves to the shoulders, and then spray a little hairspray. Result? A style suitable for any starlet! 

Simple hair solutions for working moms

Just because you're a busy mom doesn't mean you want your appearance to take the hit. Looking glamorous may not be priority number one anymore but you don't have to sacrifice much time for a sweet style. Here are 12 hair tips and tricks that will have you looking super stylish in a jiffy.

1. Make waves overnight

For gorgeous, loose waves the good news is you don’t have to invest much time. Braid damp hair before bed and you’ll wake up with beach-worthy waves. Make sure your hair is braided tightly so your hair doesn’t frizz.

Extra hair tip: For even larger curly waves, pin multiple small buns with bobby pins instead of braiding damp hair. The buns will create a sexy loose wave look with even more oomph!

2. Try curlers

Before doing your makeup in the morning, take a few minutes to put some rollers in. By the time you’re done getting ready your hair will be set too. Unroll from the curlers, loosen the curls with your fingers and finish the look with some hair spray.

3. Rock a ponytail

Ponytails are simple, effortlessly chic and stylish again. It’s a great way to keep hair from getting in the way when you’re juggling a million things too. Try a low pony, sleek style or a high pulled-back ponytail look.

Extra hair tip: Even if your ponytail is tight and secure, finish off with a quick spritz of hairspray to prevent loose hairs or fly-aways.

4. Accessorize

Accessories are a fun way to play with your hairstyle and the good news is this season the headband is hotter than ever. Push hair back with a headband in the morning for an instant 2-minute style. Play with different parts too until you find the look you like best.

5. Dry shampoo

Pressed for time to do a wash? Try some dry shampoo or baby powder to soak up the oil in your roots. You’ll save yourself an entire shampoo and blow dry event.

Extra hair tip: An additional benefit of the dry shampoo or powder is the added texture that it brings to your hair. If your hair is newly washed and too slick for an updo or creative styling, add some dry shampoo to help your new 'do stay and last.

6. Do a half-wash

If you don’t have dry shampoo or baby powder on hand, you can wash just the top portion of your hair that’s oily. Part your hair where it’s oiliest and secure the rest with a ponytail. Wash and dry just the top half and your hair will look fresh again.

7. Try a short style

If you feel like long hair is just getting in the way, try a short hairstyle. A sleek bob is easy to maintain and fashion-forward too. Look to celebrities like Katie Holmes and Victoria Beckham for bob-inspiration.

8. Get frequent trims

If you have shorter hair or bangs, go in for frequent trims to keep hair looking fresh.

9. Air dry

Nothing beats the feeling of freshly-washed hair, but many times the thought of a time-sucking blow-dry can be deterrence. Don’t have time to blow dry? Let your hair air dry instead. The good news is that when your hair dries naturally it’s much stronger than when a blow dryer is used. The oil from your scalp helps hair look shinier too.

10. Overnight deep treatments

Strapped for time to make it to the salon? You can do plenty of great deep conditioning treatments at home. Opt for a leave-in deep conditioning treatment and let the product do the work for you while you sleep! 

Hair tips & styles

jump and bouffant vintage seventies

Put a little bounce in your step and in your hair! This flirty, voluminous 'do looks fab for a fancy brunch with the girls or a special event on the town. To start, celebrity hairstylist Cesar Ramirez recommends spraying root boost all over your roots and blow drying hair with some major volume. “Section a front section of your hair to create a bang if you don’t have any,” he advises. “And using large rollers wrap the back section of your hair away from the face.”

On the front section of your hair, use slightly smaller rollers and wrap the hair toward your face. With a blow dryer on a low heat setting, Cesar suggests blasting each roller for a few minutes, before letting them cool down for 10 to 15 minutes. “Once you remove them, flip your head over, brush your hair and finger comb through it with a finishing styling cream. Flip up, and voila! Beautiful bounce.”

Accomplish the celeb hair style you always admired

You don't have to be an expert hair stylist in order to create the celebrity hairstyles that you see in lifestyle and fashion magazines. You should not have to worry if your hair is too short to achieve Kim Kardashians sexy curls. A wide variety of hair accessories, such as extensions and clip-in buns will come to the rescue and allow you to create the desired hairstyle in a matter of minutes. 

While it may seem as a complicated process at first, you will get the hang of it once you familiarize yourself with these helpful tools. Using clip-in Hair Extensions is a fast and effective way to dramatically change the way your hair looks, especially if you have short hair, as they will enable you to experiment with a wider variety of hairstyles. You can also use them to add volume to your hairstyle and create thick, luscious curls. While it is always a good idea to buy extensions that are close to your own hair color if you are looking for a natural look like Nicole Scherzingers, you can combine entirely different colors for a sassier look, like Katy Perry's multicolored clip-ins. 

The process of attaching the extensions to your hair is fairly easy; all you have to do is divide your hair into sections with horizontal lines and clip the extensions securely on small pieces of your natural hair. And also try to keep a straight line to avoid looking like you had a bad haircut. After adding them to your hair, you can style them according to your preference. Keep in mind, though, that synthetic hair may be cheaper for you but it can be severely damaged by heat. If you can afford it, go for human hair extensions, as they will allow you to style them in any way you want. Buns are among the hottest hair trends for this year and they are elegant and classy hairstyles for any occasion, from casual nights out with friends or a relatives wedding. 

However, if you feel that you don't have the skills or the time to achieve that hot celebrity style bun, you can still go for a clip in bun for that show stopping effect. Clip in buns are available in various designs to choose from and they are extremely easy to use. You simply pull your hair back, tie it into a knot and place the bun securely above it. Coleen Rooney has already voted for this technique, and so should you. Getting the glamour of a celebrity hairstyle is no longer a matter of spending excessive amounts of money on exclusive hair saloons or having mad skills with bobby pins and brushes. It is simply a matter of choosing the right hair accessories and making them your new best friends. Invest in a few high quality pieces and experiment with different styles. After all, clip in extensions and buns have been favored by most fashion icons worldwide and they will make sure that you never see another bad hair day.