FOCUS ON STYLE

Plus, Celebrity Hairstylist Tips To Curb Frizz, Conquer Baldness, and Make The Most Of What You’ve Got

Dear Big Top:If family and friends keep bugging you about the same thing either you are
A) involved with a bunch of nosey nuisances or,
B) they really want everything for you and you best start listening a little- the choice is yours.

There are plenty of people that would prefer to snooze behind the wheel of their appearance– particularly about their hairstyle if they feel that its upkeep is out of their control. But, that’s a big mistake according to the Yale University First Impressions and Hair Impressions Study that was commissioned by Proctor and Gamble’s Physique haircare line.

With only a few seconds to form an impression, the data reveals that how one wear’s one hair creates drastic ideas about how a person is perceived.

Preconceived notions aside, here are some of the study’s results:

Women with the "least perceived intelligence" and as "perceived as more careless" had long, dark and curly hair and, in contrast, women with very short and highlighted hair were perceived as the "most intelligent" as well as "most outgoing".

The most "polished" females had long, straight, blond hair and who were rated as the "sexiest" and "most self-centered". The "least polished females" fell into three categories, 1) long, dark and curly, 2) medium length, dark and informal, or, 3) very short and highlighted.

Elizabeth Hurley, Julia Roberts, Michelle Pfeiffer, Li’l Kim, Angelina Jolie, Pamela Anderson, Naomi Campbell, Madonna, and Sarah Jessica Parker turn to celebrity hairstylist Danilo. So, you will listen to him, won’t you?

Danilo says that these days, there’s no excuse for frizz. Coupled with the environment, the primary cause of frizzy hair is using the wrong styling products.

Nowadays, just about every haircare line makes curl activated products. Be sure to use products that work together instead of against one another, Danilo advises.

When it comes to length, Danilo suggests those with curly locks keep hair short or very long. Solid, short styles keep frizz controlled and cropped by cutting out frizz and making for a more professional appearance. Longer hair weighs out frizz but will result in higher maintenance.

As a Physique spokesperson, Danilo offers you these tips to curb frizz and enhance luscious waves:

– Apply an anti-frizz agent to wet or damp hair (Try: John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease, Physique Spiral Cream, or Kiehl’s Silk Groom)
– Towel dry hair
– Diffuse hair (Physique has a hair dryer and diffuser designed for curly hair)
– DO NOT diffuse hair without some kind of anti-frizz agent and DO NOT use a hair dryer alone
– Stop and comb hair midway through the drying process (helps texturize curl); use a wide tooth pick
– Then continue blow drying with diffuser and scrunch hair to bring curl back in
– Reapply anti-frizz agent to add more definition to curls
– Run fingers through hair using a dab of pomade to add texture to your curl
– Lightly spritz hair with a styling or finishing spray for added shine

Sweetcakes, it really doesn’t take more than a bit of knowledge to go from troll to knockout in no time. Style on!

Bald Before His Time

Dear Sharon: Hi, judging by the questions people ask and the advice you give, I would say that you’re very good. Here’s my problem: I’m 21 years old, but I look much older– like 30– because I have very fine hair that is thinning near my forehead. It’s obvious that I’m going bald soon… maybe in just a few years.

I’ve tried all kinds of medicine and shampoos, so please don’t give me advice on that. All I want is a good men’s makeover to minimize the baldness and look more my age, if possible. – Bare Necessity (Austin, TX)

Dear Bare Necessity: Oooh, my spare-haired superguy, it’s time to turn lemons into lemonade! "Embrace your baldness," says celebrity hairstylist Danilo.

"It’s not about getting rid of it all. Clean, well-groomed, close cuts are the most flattering. This takes the attention off your head and on the hair that’s still remaining," he adds. That goes ditto for me, darling– trying to mask baldness with stupid hairdos, like a comb over, are truly unattractive.

Danilo’s styling tips to "take control" of balding hair:

–Learn how to barber yourself using a hair trimmer.
–Use a trimmer, like the Ultra Groomer, that allows you to adjust the hair length in different areas so you are in control
–Other alternatives include sophisticated cosmetic enhancements like implants, which require maintenance every 3-4 months

Too Much, Too Little… What Do Women Want?

Dear Sharon:Hi, I have a question regarding men’s hairstyles. I am a baldie and decided four years ago to shave my head completely for a cleaner look. I received a lot of positive attention from women at the time. However, over the last year or so, I have noticed more men with longer hair and that women are paying less attention to bald headed men. Are bald headed men out and longhaired guys in? — Smooth Operator (Dallas, TX)

Dear Smooth Operator: First off, if you are on the precipice of or deeply entrenched in the big baldo there really should be no concern about long hair unless you want to look like an aged hippie who ties back the last three overgrown remnants of his hair while trying to dangle on to a past Cat Stevens moment- gross!

In the Yale University First Impressions and Hair Impressions Study commissioned by Physique, men with long hair and men with medium length hair and a center part were rated significantly "less sexy".

The one Study hairstyle with "greater perceived sexiness" for men was short hair with some attention to styling.

The moral of this study is, some attention to styling pays out, and shaving one’s head is definitely "a look".

Your what’s in/what’s out question, isn’t a matter of style, it’s a matter of substance: Perhaps, the men with longer hair are paying more attention to women, and that’s why you think the women are less attracted to bald headed men. Knock ‘em dead ol’ great baldo!