Think you can’t do an updo in short hair? Think again…

Hair Romance loves Marion Cotillard’s hair as she know how versatile a bob hairstyle can be. This latest hairstyle as seen on the red carpet at Cannes takes it to a whole new level.

With some extra special backcombing, Marion’s bob has been transformed into a 1960s inspired updo. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a little padding inside that beehive, but with some styling powder and some backcombing you too can achieve this hairstyle.

Short hair updo tutorial by Keiko Lynn

Cutting her hair hasn’t stopped Keiko Lynn from creating some fabulous hairstyle tutorials.

Visit her post for the full hairstyle tutorial including a cute variation with a scarf.

For those of you with long hair, you can also fake short hair with this faux bob tutorial.

Have you ever tried an upstyle in short hair? Let me know if you try this 1960s inspired style.

Images via HuffPost

How amazing does Kristen Wiig look with big hair?

Photographed by Paola Kudacki, Kristen features in the June/July issue of Harper’s Bazaar. I am loving her hair!

Looking forward to meeting a few readers on Sunday when I speak at Live Aspire Blog event in Sydney! Hope you have a beautiful weekend xx

This post is brought to you by Schwarzkopf

When it comes to hair, big is beautiful. My hair idols all have big hair, from Brigitte Bardot to Blake to Beyonce. I always dreamed of having long, mermaid hair when I was a little girl.

Now Schwarzkopf are on the lookout for Australia’s Most Beautiful Hair and I’m excited to announce that I’m one of the judges this year!

The competition is already on and photographers are out and about scouting for gorgeous hair. Check the Schwarzkopf Facebook page  for their locations. Entries close on the 4th of August and the top 25 finalists will be announced on the 5th of August.

Then I’ll be part of a panel of judges choosing the final winner who will appear in a shoot in two of Australia’s biggest magazine and take home a $3000 cash prize.

Also on the judging panel is Grant Withnell, Schwarzkopf’s National Technical Educator. Grant says “Australia is full of people with chic, fabulous and on-trend hair and our talented Schwarzkopf scouts will be travelling the country to shortlist the very best!”

I was lucky to be in Grant’s chair recently as he styled my hair into these loose curls with a flat iron. His number 1 tip – always use a heat protectant spray! He recommends Schwarzkopf’s Heat Shield.

To find out how to get swishy, shiny and bouncy hair, read my full post on Style Studio

What is beautiful hair to you? Do you know someone with Australia’s most beautiful hair?

A diffuser is an attachment that goes on the end of your hairdryer.

It diffuses the air as it come out so that you no longer get a blast of air on your hair, but rather it spreads softly through your hair. Diffusers are mainly used to style curly hair as it lets your dry your curly quickly without disturbing their natural shape.

There are two main types of diffusers. The round plastic attachments, as shown in the photos, which are custom made for a particular hairdryer model or you can buy a plastic universal diffuser that fits most hairdryers.

The other type of diffuser available is called a sock diffuser. This is made of a fine heat resistant mesh and fits like a loose sock on the end of your hairdryer nozzle. The sock diffuser is great for travelling as it is very small and easy to pack. (It also won’t freak out the guys as customs like my plastic diffuser does!) It’s also the only option for hairdryers that do not fit a universal diffuser, such as the ghd air.

How do you use a diffuser?

If you’re blowdrying curly hair you MUST use a diffuser.

Without it, the dryer is too strong and will blow your curls out of shape and cause them to frizz.

When using a diffuser, always set your hairdryer on a medium speed to avoid it overheating. Keep your dryer moving so that the air distributes evenly through your hair.

Check my full post for tips on how to style curly hair, and always start to use a diffuser with your head upside down. Let your curls fall into their natural shape and them bring your dryer up into your hair to dry it.

Drying your hair upside down with a diffuser will give your hair a LOT of volume. Don’t worry, this will settle down in a few minutes and give your curls a great shape.

Do you use a diffuser to dry your curls?

One of my favourite beauty looks is the perfect winged eyeliner. Perhaps it was my love of Brigitte Bardot, but I adore a cats-eye liner. It was one of my first beauty trends and I’ve rediscovered how wearable this look is.

How to wear a winged eyeliner for day

• Draw your liner thin along your lashline and just add a small flick at the end
• Keep the rest of your look natural – conceal any blemishes and wear a pink or natural blush
• A pale pink lip is perfect for day, though you know I also love a red lip!

Eyeliner pens – Splurge vs Steal

Do you have trouble drawing on liquid eyeliner? Try an eyeliner pen.

My long time favourite eyeliner pen is the Chanel Ecriture but I was recently sent the Maybelline Master Precise Liner and I’m pretty impressed. It has a finer tip than the Chanel and wears well all day. It’s a total steal.

Looking for more eyeliner inspiration? Love this illustration by Michelle Ricks from Ever & Wright.

What’s your favourite product for winged eyeliner?

Happy Big Hair Friday!

Loving these beauty shots from Marie Claire Latin America featuring model Carla Crombie shot by photographer Vladimir Marti. Styled by Gerard Angulo with makeup and hair by Raquel Costales.

Hope you’ve got a beautiful weekend ahead xx

Images Fashion Gone Rogue

Now you know the trick for the perfect curly hair ponytail, this curly hair tutorial will show you a simple twist to dress up your ponytail.

Although I encourage you to get out of your ponytail rut, I still wear a ponytail but I like to give it a slightly different twist.

This easy hairstyle tutorial is great for curly and straight hair. By leaving the side sections of your hair out of your ponytail, you can twist them back over the top to create an interesting detail.

Curly Hairstyle Tutorial – The Twist Over Ponytail

Step-by-step:

1. Separate 1-2 inch sections of hair on either side of your face and pull the rest of your hair back into a ponytail. I recommend a hair bungee for curly hair (less pulling and tangles) but you can also use a hair elastic.
2. Take the left section of hair and twist it up and back and twist it over the top of your ponytail. Pin in place with bobby pins.
3. Repeat with the right side, twisting your hair up and back. Loop it over your ponytail and pin in place with bobby pins underneath. You can leave the ends of these twisted sections loose and they can blend into your ponytail.
4. To emphasise the twisted sides, you can use some bobby pins to keep the twists in shape.

Why not try braiding the side sections for a different look. How do you give your ponytail a twist?

One of my most frequently asked questions is “where do you find ideas for your hairstyles?”

Honestly I find inspiration everywhere. I love creating shapes with hair, and thinking about new ways to wear a style.

Every season I’m inspired by the looks on the Fashion Week catwalks. They really are the creative centre for hair trends. Sometimes the initial looks can seem unwearable but you can take elements of them to inspire your everyday styles.

Schwarzkopf have also been looking to international fashion weeks to define the key hair trends for 2013 and have put together these four amazing looks –

Clockwise from top left: Big Bob, Fringer, Gloss and Sleek Colour

I was invited to the unveiling of the Schwarzkopf Looks for 2013 at the equally stylish Eau de Vie in Darlinghurst. Grant Withnell, Technical Stylist for Schwarzkopf had spent all day recreating the cawalk looks on some seriously gorgeous models but I got the inside scoop on how to do these looks in your own hair.

Can you guess which look I was dying to try?

The Big Bob of course!

Grant went all out on the night to create the biggest bob he could. He used 5 sets of hair extensions and 5 hair donuts to make this gravity-defying hairstyle! Though I can tell you this style is achievable in your own hair, without any extensions. With just a few product tricks you can get some fabulous volume in your hair.

I’m sharing my full tutorial for this hairstyle over on the new Schwarzkopf Style Studio blog.

Click here to see my hairstyle tutorial for the big bob!

Have you ever faked short hair? Which is your favourite trend from the Schwarzkopf looks?

This post was brought to you by Schwarzkopf

For those days when your curls are looking pretty good, but it’s too hot to leave your hair out, a simple ponytail is the solution. But a ponytail is not always that easy in curly hair. By the time you’ve dragged your hair through an elastic it doesn’t look so good anymore.

Let’s face it, how many of us wear a ponytail as a fall-back hairstyle most of the time? But how do you secure your ponytail in place? This simple tool will change how you wear your ponytail.

Instead of your regular hair elastic, use a hair bungee to create the perfect ponytail for curly hair.

The bungee wraps around your ponytail so there’s no pulling at your hair. You can make it as tight as you need so you always get the right tension in your ponytail. Hair bungees great for high ponytails and for long hair. I’ve used hair bungees from the Evo Mister Fantastic styling pack for this hairstyle.

Curly hairstyle tutorial: The Curly Ponytail

Step-by-step

1. Gather your hair loosely where you want to position your ponytail. A high ponytail is more fun and sporty, while a low ponytail is more classic.
2. Take your hair bungee and hook one end into the underside of the top of your ponytail. Wind the other end around until it’s tight and hook it in place to secure your ponytail.
3. Gently loosen the hair above your hair elastic by pulling it out just a little. I like to see the texture of curly hair and think it looks better if you leave this style with a softer, more relaxed finish.

See my latest tutorial for curly hair – the double bun here.

How often do you wear a ponytail?

Welcome to a week of hairstyle tutorials for curly hair!

My hair is naturally curly. You can read my tips for styling curly hair and my curly hair routine, and I love wearing my curls out.

However I usually straighten my hair for my hairstyle tutorials and there are a few reasons I do this. It’s easier to photograph, and clearer to show the steps in straight hair. Sometimes it can take a few attempts to get all the photos for a tutorial, and straight hair is easier to keep styling. If I keep touching my curly hair, it gets frizzy and the curls go out of shape.

These tutorials are great for second (or third!) day curly hair. If you have straight hair, you can also give them a try!

I’m starting this week of curly hair tutorials with the Double Bun. Why do one bun when you can do two?

The double bun is a great style for all hair types. In fine hair, it gives the illusion of volume. Conversely in thick hair, it balances out the weight of your hair.

The Double Bun is best suited to medium length hair. You can do this hairstyle in hair that’s as short as a lob to around bra strap length hair. You’ll need strong bobby pins, and for longer hair you can also use larger hair pins and a couple of hair elastics.

Curly hairstyle tutorial – The Double Bun

Step-by-step:

1. Twist the front of your hair back. If you have a fringe / bangs, you can leave them loose or twist them back into the hairstyle. I like to keep a little height at the front of this hairstyle, so you can backcomb your hair if you want more height.
2. Section your hair for the first bun. Gather approximately half your hair at the back of your head. For longer hair or thick hair, your can secure this section with a hair elastic for added hold.
3. Twist the section around to form a bun. Secure the bun with bobby pins or hair pins.
4. Repeat with the rest of your hair, twist it up and around into a bun. Pin in place with bobby pins. If you have thick or long hair, remember you can secure it in a ponytail for extra hold.

Do you think two buns are better than one?