Curls and Pearls - Ingredients of a Beautiful Updo

Guest Author - Lynne Chapman

This updo takes patience but the beautiful end result is worth the time.

Shampoo and condition hair with products formulated to your hair texture.
Towel dry and apply a firm hold Styling Foam or Glaze and blow your hair dry.
Divide of the bang area two to three inches back from the hairline. Comb this hair very smoothly and tuck it behind your ear.
Comb all of the hair in back (from ear level up) up and use a large clip to clip it out of the way.
Comb the hair in back (from ear level down) up into a ponytail centered at the back of your head. Secure it firmly with an elastic band and bobby pins.
Now comb the ends of the bang area (remember, they are tucked behind your ears) snuggly around the ponytail and secure with bobby pins.

Start with the ponytail, in the center back. Comb out a small section (about 1 inch square and curl it from the base to the ends.
Carve out the next section right next to the first, curl it and pin it close to the first. Continue working around the original curl until you have curled every piece of hair.
After the ponytail is curled, bring down the hair on top (that you clipped out of the way.) Begin at the center, just above the ponytail and start curling 1 inch sections. The first few curls may be used to cover awkward areas in the ponytail. Continue until all the hair is curled.

Create firm curls using this method:

First clamp the iron on the hair shaft about an inch or two from the scalp, leaving the ends out.
Now roll the iron toward the scalp while working the ends into the curl. This is done by loosening the clamp and allowing the hair to flow into the iron while turning. Touch the hair on the outside of the curl with your finger. When this hair is hot, the curl is finished, take the iron out. As another aid in creating more curl and bounce, slide the iron out of the curl while holding the hair in place.

Roll each curl over and pin it as shown.
A small amount of teasing at the base of the curl will help to fan it out and make it easier to work with.
Turn the curls in random directions, letting some of the ends corkscrew down while others are curled under.
Turn the curls in front under to form an even border.
Thread some pearls on hairpins to accent the curls throughout the style.

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