Summer Hair Trends 2008 by Vancouver Hair Stylist Emily

It's summertime at last, and with the summer comes a more relaxed approach to fashion. In the hot weather you wear less clothing, and less makeup, and the last thing you want to do is spend a lot of time with a hot blowdryer on your hair, so ponytails become an everyday occurrence.

While a ponytail is a nice easy way to deal with unruly hair, you do need to be careful not to overdo it. Repeatedly pulling your hair back tightly, and then wrapping an elastic around it can cause strain to the hair and scalp and eventually lead to breakage. Pinning or clipping your hair up loosely will give you a softer look, and be easier on your hair. Instead of reaching for the elastic, go shopping for some fun hair accessories, and try some different ways of putting your hair up. Loose, messy hair is very fashionable right now, which is great news for your hair, because the looser the style the less damage it will cause your hair.

If you have long hair try a loose braid off to one side like Jessica Alba's. If you have short or medium length hair you can create Elisha Cuthbert's messy updo by piling your hair at the base of you hair line, and securing it with bobby pins. Both of these styles will work with most hair types, and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

But the most important thing for summer no matter how you wear your hair is a good leave in conditioner with sun protection. Many different brands of leave in conditioners have SPF in them, all you need to do is read the labels. UV rays will dry out your hair and bleach out your colour, so treat your hair like you would your skin, and protect it from the sun, unless you want to wear a hat all summer.

2008 Hottest Hairstyles for Men

It's almost as if 2007 rang in just a short while ago, and here we are at the dawn of another year. And, with a new year, comes new hairstyles, or of course the reinvention and renewal of hairstyles from the past.

Since I haven't really talked about men's hairstyles, I figured my first blog for 2008 hairstyles, should definitely be something for men, and while you wouldn't think that men would read this blog, you all have told me in person that you do, so this one's for you!

George Clooney and David Bekham are by far some of the most recognizable style icons of our time. Both Clooney and Bekham have also gone through several hair transformations from long, to short and everything in between.

While different hairstyles have come and gone, I feel strongly that two of the hottest trends for 2008 are the short, cleaner cut look as seen in Clooney and the mid-hair length ultra styled rugged look as seen in Bekham.

George Clooney's cut is nice because it requires very little styling and product, yet still looks well groomed and professional even while sporting the scruff. This hairstyle is easy to achieve but you'll need to get it cut approximately every three to four weeks to maintain the look. It has to be cut short regularly on the sides to keep it trimmed around the ears and loses its shape fairly quickly if not properly maintained. This look works for every type of lifestyle, from the professional white collar workers to athletes.

David Bekham's cut has much more of a rugedness and it seems this edgy almost unkept type look seems to be growing in popularity, especially with younger men. Bekham's hairstyle is cut almost the same length throughout the hair with lots of texturizing, and has also been bleached at the tips. This color can also be achieved by highlighting and creates and adds to the overall texture of the style. The upkeep, however, on this hairstyle is better in comparison to the Clooney cut because of the nature of the unkept style, however, it does require more product and a bit more time styling it.

No matter what direction you want to go in, lots of people are looking for a new look for the New Year and if you're in the Vancouver area and want a professional style & cut from me don't hesitate to call for an appointment at 604-315-1588. Time slots book up fast so be sure to call early for your appointment.

Take care and Happy New Year and Holidays to Everyone!