Commander In Chic by Mikki Taylor

Author:Mikki Taylor
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books
Published: 2011-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

6

MAKE THE CUT!

When it comes to beauty, women in-the-know possess a clear knack for combining the timeless and the contemporary to create the most ultra-smart looks. Obama is no exception. Take, for example, her savvy, all-American bob: its workable length allows her the versatility necessary for her every desire. This ever-perfect cut works for her much like a little black dress in that it goes from day to night. She can swing it, softly set or pulled back into a retro-chic French roll or other great updos, and never fail to look polished and apropos. For the large percentage of us who have relaxed hair, a great cut and exceptional support products are key to maintaining a polished and healthy look. Partnering with a professional is also paramount to staying on point. Prior to stepping into the White House, Obama had a standing two-hour salon appointment every week at Chicago’s Van Cleef Hair Studio. Likewise, your best-hair practices should include a customized care regimen, even if you’re the one working it in between salon visits.

On a most basic level, a wise regimen of weekly shampooing and conditioning, trims every four to six weeks, and precise styling aids and tools should form the basis of your regime. And though Mrs. O’s modern-day bob looks like an easy mane-stay, “Not so,” says SoftSheen-Carson Artistic style director and celebrity hairstylist Johnny Wright. “It is the hardest cut to keep cut,” he exclaims. Wright should know; he’s not only in demand as stylist to the likes of Lauren London, LisaRaye McCoy, and Vivica A. Fox, but is also hairstylist to Michelle Obama. When asked “What’s the secret to keeping a bob fresh, full, and glossy?” Johnny says, “It begins at the bowl with good shampoos and conditioners. From there it’s about having the proper cut for volume.” One trick of the trade he relies on is layering: “I often create layers in the crown to eliminate the weight because if the hair is too heavy or just cut as a straight A-line blunt cut, you’re not going to be able to get the volume you want,” he concludes. In watching Obama’s very chic bob, you can’t help but notice how it moves and look twice at its glossy finish, which shows off its precise layering throughout. Color techniques also play a role in terms of volume in that they give the illusion of thicker hair. Oftentimes when I’m in the studio creating various looks for the covers of Essence, our stylists will add highlights or lowlights through precolored or preselected extensions—which is another trick of the trade for such—as again, color lends dimension and the illusion of fullness. When you couple this with human-hair extensions, you also protect your hair from the perils of double processing.

Keeping a sharp crop beautiful and healthy also depends on discerning style practices. Without question, our hair is the most fragile on earth due to its natural curl pattern. When it is chemically processed, it becomes even more delicate and susceptible to breakage.

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