Valentine's Day Hair Ideas for every Length! -Krista, Quad City Hair Stylist

Quad Cities Hair Wizard, Krista 

            Ahhh, it’s that time of year again where women crowd around the TV on Sundays to watch what they have been looking forward to since last year.  Sorry guys, it’s not the Super Bowl, it’s award season.  This month’s blog is going to be talking about what we are seeing on the red carpets and how easy it is to transform these looks into everyday styles. Just in time to jazz it up for Valentine’s Day with that special someone. 

            I love how easy, breezy the styles have been so far.  I’m a big fan of less is more, and your style should represent that.  I feel like with a softer style, people can focus more on your natural beauty instead of focusing on your over hairsprayed, over backcombed, and over curled style.   You want all eyes on you, not just your hair.  I’m going to go over 5 styles that are easy, trendy, and appropriate for all occasions. 

            My first look is a hairstyle that I lightly talked about last month, which is Jennifer Lawrence.  Once your hair is cut into this style it is very low maintenance.  I’ve been cutting this style on a ton of women!  They all love how easy yet trendy this cut is.  Just a light styling product when wet to give it some volume, and then when dry a texture product to rough it up to bring out the layers in the haircut. Voila!  You’re ready to go. 

            My second style that I am seeing on numerous celebrities this award season has been around forever, and is a timeless style.  It is a classic bun.  This can be worn from the office to cocktails to a wedding, and is just as appropriate for all occasions.  I suggest teasing the hair and pulling it straight back like Mila Kunis did, or doing a deep side part for some added drama into the hair like Emma Roberts and Emma Watson.  When doing this style you can make the bun very clean, or mess it up a little to put a more youthful vibe to it. 

            Our third look to discuss is one that is so simple once your hair is cut like this all you have to do is smile to look good.  It is an asymmetrical bob.  It can be cut at a variety of lengths, and looks great with or without frontal fringe.  This cut can work with all medium hair lengths.  From chin length or collar bone.  My model was inspired by Reese Witherspoon’s haircut but wanted a shorter version of it.  The trick to achieving this fabulous cut is to have the longer part on the opposite side that you part on, or also known as your heavy side.  Then for the finishing touch, tuck the shorter side of your hair.  This will lift and bring out your cheek bone while also showing off the haircut.  I recommend finishing off the style with a shine spray.  This haircut looks best worn down either straight of curls.

 

    One of the top trends right now is to wear your hair with a loose wave.  This can either be down with a curling iron or a flat iron. Next month’s blog will go over how exactly to style your hair to achieve the perfect wave.  An easy way to up the ante on this already crazy popular style is to push it over the should to one side.  This style is best achieved with those who have longer hair (hair that is passed the shoulder).  All you have to do is style hair into desired texture, and then push the non- heavy side of your hair behind your shoulder, or push it all over to the other shoulder.  Make sure you use a  flexible hold hairspray to ensure that the curls stay in place!  You are ready for your night out on the town.

 

            Our last look that I’m going to touch base on this month is another fancier way to wear those loose waves that we are all already wearing.  This style is good at any length, and will instantly add drama to your hair.  I recommend curling hair with a curling iron.  Start with a deep side part, and make sure you are using a heat protectant because you are putting heat on the hair.  We don’t want to be damaging our beautiful locks. Once hair is curled, you want to insert comb into curls starting at the bottom and push upward in a vertical direction, to create a tighter curl.  This adds fullness at the bottom of that hair and gives a more glamours look to the hair.  If you want more glamourous look like the picture on the left, curl hair and DO NOT run fingers through curls before combing upward.  If you want a messier, tousled look, you would curl your hair.  Then DO break apart curls with fingers before combing each section of curls upward.

            That’s my blog for this month. I hope you all enjoyed it, and this helps you come up with some new, easy ways to style your hair no matter what length of hair you have.   Until next month, I hope everyone stays warm and fashionable. 

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Valentine's Ideas for the Home by Sherri Scott, Illinois Interior Designer

Happy February, Everyone.  Who is so over winter?!  This girl is!  The kiddos and I are starting to get a little stir crazy with these frigid temperatures.  There is a lot of snow outside to play in but many days too cold and windy to go out and really enjoy it for a length of time. We are keeping warm and doing a lot of arts and crafts inside and enjoying play dates and trips to the library.  How are you passing the time this winter? 

One of the ways I noted to freshen up your house was to decorate for the holidays.  And although Valentine’s Day isn’t necessarily a holiday that you go all out in decorations it can still be fun to put a little love in the air.  Little holidays like this are even more fun with kiddos and a great way to get them involved.  Here are a few ideas on easy Valentine’s Day decorating you can and many of them the kids can help.  Let’s take a look!

The first one is great watercolor craft to share with your kids.  You can use cut outs or doilies for the garland and then frame any other artwork you create.  Add some greenery or flowers and you are set.

Don’t forget adding fresh flowers to your home.  They smell great and you can get something simple from your local grocer or stop by the florist for something more fancy.  Add love notes in the arrangement to make it personal.

Add new pillows to your bedroom or living room. If you aren’t handy with a sewing machine, check out etsy for great selections.  Here is just one that I found.  You don’t have to stick with the traditional pink and red either.

  

Make a new wreath for your front door.  Little ones can help with these and although they may not turn out like the picture a crooked heart never hurt anyone!  Check out this one from Mine for the Making.

I also came across a great burlap wreath.  You can easily make a burlap wreath and make changes to it throughout the year to fit a different holiday.

Online you can also find a number of free printables to frame or use another way.  Check out these hearts from Shutterfly and Tatertots and Jello to use as you please. 

Have you done any great arts and crafts with your kids for Valentine’s Day?  I am getting ready to bust out my sewing machine to make Valentine’s Day shirts for the girls.  We are also still in the process of unpacking (goodness, that process was much easier before babies).  Once we get a few rooms completed then I will share some before and afters.  Stay safe and warm; spring is coming sooner or later!!!

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