12 Secrets to Sexy Hair - - What Your Stylist Didn't Tell You (But Told Us)

Don't you just love it when your stylist teaches you a trick that you just know you'll use for the rest of your life? Here we've compiled 12 secrets to sexy hair that we learned from years of talking to stylists & compiling style secrets from magazines. Enjoy!

Secret #1: Skip the daily shampoo Chances are you've heard the beauty secret that dirty hair is easier to style. Well it's true. Washing hair every 2-3 days does not result in 'dirty' hair per se, but actually helps promote healthy hair. Washing hair every day robs hair of essential oils which can lead to dry scalp & hair. So skip the daily scrubs.
If you have dry, coarse hair, be sure to condition ends every day. Oily, lifeless hair? Try adding body by spritzing water at the roots. Water will reactivate your styling products and add lift to the roots.

You can also try changing parts & if you have dry shampoo (or baby powder if you have light hair) hair, you can try sprinkling some on your roots. Check out your dry shampoo options from $4 & up

Secret #2: Buns are cool, but keep them loose Updos aren't just for prom, New Years & Lois Lane. But keep the brush away and finger-comb hair into a low, disheveled bun or knot. Leave the tight, ballerina 'do for the dancers. Check out these gorgeous photos of sexy buns

Secret #3: Want Sexy, Messy, 'Just Off the Beach' Waves? The secret is in sea salt spray. We once dropped by one of Manhattan's hottest salons to check in on the new perming trend. We wanted sexy, loose waves & we were wondering if they did them there via the perming process.
No can do, said the girl at the front desk, who just happened to have the hair we wanted. "Do you happen to perm your hair?" We asked, oh-so-delicately. She blushed ever so slightly, then leaned to tell us a little secret. "Nope, I use sea salt. And I make it myself." You too can make a spray using a bottle, sea salt & water. But if you want to buy it yourself, we recommend our favorite sea salt spray, Bumble & Bumble's Surf Spray.

Secret #4: Don't bring out the brush too soon When blowdrying hair, separate tangles with fingers until hair is about 80% dry THEN try brushing. You want to make sure your fingers glide through hair effortlessly before introducing a brush to wet or even damp hair.

Secret #5: Bangs are hot, just make sure you get the right bangs We love the look of thick, heavy bangs & side-swept bangs. Just avoid the thin, wispy, all-one-length bang -- it will make your face look 'boxy' and dated. A very hot look right now are thick bangs paired with long, wavy layers. Sexy. Especially with perfect highlights. Not ready for the thick bangs? Try side-swept bangs paired with long layers. Layering hair with bangs works best because it's less boxy while allowing your hair to grow out without looking too extreme if you decide to grow out the trend.

Secret #6: Yes, you can go blonde or red Some skin types work best with colors than others. Most olive-skinned women (think J.Lo) can get away with any hair color: Blonde, black, brunette & even red. Women with pink tones have a harder time & can't get too drastic. But believe it or not, pink skin tones tend to work best with red hair color. As for going blonde, if you were fairly blonde-ish as a child in the summer, then you are a good candidate for going blonde as an adult. But olive-skinned girls with black or brown hair can look great blonde, too. Have a stylist help pick the right tone for you.

Secret #7: Skip the long, one-length style Long, blunt-cut hair just isn't fresh. Cutting in long layers can shave off years off your look.

Secret #8: The secret to 'piece-y' hair You know the look you're going for. That long, wavy hair where the waves seem to fall in pieces. Some stylists swear it's in the cut. It most definitely is -- but you also need the right product.
To get thie 'piece-y' look, you want long layers -- hair that's just one length simply won't do. Your stylist will also want to lighten the thickness of hair by texturizing, this basically lightens the load & gives hair needed body. Texturizing also gives hair thickness at the roots, allowing it to fall in sexy, soft waves.
Once you have the perfect cut, however, don't forget the product. A good pomade run through hair helps separate pieces. We like Kenra Platinum Texturizing Taffy Pomade. But almost every haircare brand will have a nice pomade.