Blog Posts by Marie Claire

Jeff Westbrook"MILLION-DOLLAR SHINE"
The glossiest strands come from both within (via a nutrient-rich diet) and without (courtesy of conditioners and shine sprays). Stylists are so particular about a model's hair health that they will often send her product care packages a week before the shoot. For what Paves calls "million-dollar shine," he suggests models wash their hair the night before and then let it air-dry. "Hair is much stronger when it's naturally dried; plus, your scalp's own oils are better than any product." Generally, all Paves does the day of the shoot is smooth hair with a brush or curling iron. "When you dry hair with heat, the cuticles open, causing brittle-looking shadows on the hair shaft that prevent hair from looking shiny and bright," he explains. Instead of hairspray, he uses Kerastase Lait Nutri-Sculpt to hold hair in place. "It seals the little flyaways, but your hair won't get stiff."

PRO TOOLS
"Instead of doing color or gloss treatments before a shoot, we usually get by

Read More »from HAIR 101: How to Get Shiny, Frizz-Free Hair

Jeff WestbrookSOFT BOUNCE
For picture-perfect curls, frizz is the enemy. On the set, cranking up the AC helps cut humidity, but it's best if hair is well hydrated (dry hair frizzes as it absorbs moisture from the air). Bumble and Bumble hairstylist Dennis Lanni applies a leave-in conditioner to models' dry hair before using a curling iron. Then he wraps sections of hair in a figure-eight shape around tissue before letting the coils cool and set. "The big figure eight stretches the curl so it doesn't form into a tight ringlet," says Lanni. For naturally curly hair, he suggests applying a moisturizing product on damp strands and letting hair air-dry. Mancuso suggests blow-drying with a diffuser. "If you're going to use an iron, do so lightly to achieve a looser, more modern curl," he says.

PRO TOOLS
The oldest trick in the book: a wind machine. "I put a fan on very low to make just a few pieces take flight," says Mancuso. In real life, personal fans won't cut it -- you're better off perfecting a

Read More »from HAIR 101: How to Create Perfect Waves and Curls

Jeff WestbrookBIG TEASE
When someone at a hair shoot yells, "Crank up the volume," he's probably not talking about the iPod. "Bright set lighting always makes hair look flat," says Nexxus Creative Director Kevin Mancuso. "Unless you add a lot of lift, hair can look wiry, not like a full, luscious mass." For maximum height, he applies volumizer to the roots above the ears and then dries hair upside down to allow gravity to lift strands away from the scalp. Setting hair with rollers or a large-barrel curling iron can also give a boost to roots. If you love hair straight -- but still full -- flat-iron just the ends, advises Garnier Fructis celebrity stylist Brian Magallones. Lock in lift by flipping your head over and spraying on a veil of volumizing hairspray.

PRO TOOLS
What lies beneath a big head of hair is usually a ton of teasing, reveals Nexxus Creative Director Kevin Mancuso: "The top layer is smoothed to look touchable, but there's no way you could run your fingers through it."


VIDEO: How To

Read More »from HAIR 101: Crank Up The Volume

Ben GoldsteinWhether you're a makeup minimalist or a smoky-eye devotee, these quick and easy looks give you pretty, polished results with just a few products.

Sheer Genius
The bare necessities for this "no makeup" look? Rosy-pink blush and lip balm. For a dewy glow, makeup artist Maxine Leonard dabbed Jo Malone Vitamin E lip balm on cheekbones, inner eye corners--and lips, of course. Then she carefully filled out the brows and brushed them up. "With a fresh, natural look, it's important to have groomed brows. They frame the face and add definition," she says.
VIDEO: How To Get An Even Skin Tone

Gold Rush
For a fast smoky eye, Leonard dotted black pencil between the lashes and lined the lower inner rims. Then she blended the liner with a slick black gloss for extra sex appeal. As a final touch, she mixed a dab of lip balm with gold shadow and gilded the inner eye corners. "Highlighting the eyes opens up the face," she says.
VIDEO: How To Make Your Eyes Stand Out


Pinkberry
"Fuchsia lipstick is

Read More »from 5 Minute Makeup

Katja Govorushchenko/iStockYour boss is screaming at you, anxiety is pulsing through your veins, and there's no time to get to a yoga class. What can you do to eliminate stress at the moment of impact? Try out these simple stress-busting exercises...

• Clean up quickly: Give away stuff you don't use. According to the Wall Sreet Journal, the average executive pilfers six weeks a year searching for important documents buried in clutter. Combat stress by clearing your desktop of items that you don't use on a daily basis. Store everything else in drawers, on shelves, or in your supply closet. If you don't use something -- those kitschy bulletin board push pins a client sent for Christmas -- give it away to a coworker who might be able to find a use for it.

• Listen to music: Put those headphones on and tune into relaxing music. No, we're not talking elevator notes or sitar serenades. Try these hip anti-stress songs...

Bob Marley & the Wailers "Satisfy My Soul"
Curtis Mayfield "It's Alright"
Five Read More »from De-stress your work day in 60 seconds

I am having a difficult time taming the hairs in the center of my brows--they stand straight up and will not fall to either side. I got so frustrated at one point that I cut them . . . not good. What can I do?

Answer: My brows can sometimes get a little unruly, too. But that was mostly before I discovered Christine Chin, my personal brow savior. She whipped them into shape--trimming them in some places, advising me to let other spots grow out. Any experienced eyebrow artist (many work at makeup counters or hair salons) should be able to do the same for you. Now my hairs hardly ever go astray. But when they do, a clear brow gel (try Laura Geller Eyebrow Tint & Tamer or Maybelline Define-A-Brow Gel) helps keep them under control. Use one every day to help "train" your brow hairs to lie in the direction you want. And another thought--are you sleeping face down on your pillow? Think of how mussed up your hair gets after a night of tossing... maybe this is a bad case of bed brow.

RELATED

Read More »from How To Deal With Unruly Eyebrows

Lee JenkinsToo many of us view a sticker-price as set in stone. But haggling is an oft-accepted practice not limited to flea markets and the real estate market. Plus, it can save you a bundle on both big-ticket and small-fee items. From buying a car to negotiating your starting salary, it's all about asking for what you want. Here are the purchases you can and should haggle over before handing over your cash.

A New Car
In this economy, buying a car might be the last thing you want to do. But if a longer commute or growing family is in your future, it may be an investment you can't avoid. To ensure that you don't get taken for a ride, do your homework. Research the dealer's costs for their cars online (you can bet it's lower than the sticker price you'll see). And be ready with an arsenal of questions about the car, make, and model-the more you know, the fewer opportunities you'll give the dealer to squeeze more money from you.

Late Fees
For customers whose payment histories are squeaky clean,

Read More »from The smart girl's guide to negotiating anything

PM Images/Getty Images1. After blow-drying curly hair straight, wear it with a side part. The extra weight on one side will keep it from getting puffy by day's end.

2. For the sleekest results on any tress type, use a 1500- to 1800-watt hair dryer when styling; anything less powerful allows your cuticles to curl up while you're blow-drying.

3. Don't try to blow-dry sections of hair that are more than an inch thick -- the hot air will not be able to pass through. Opt for small sections and be sure to dry each thoroughly before moving on.

4. Look for styling products that don't list water as one of the first five ingredients. Adding moisture to your hair after straightening it is guaranteed to make it curl up again.

For Curly Hair
Shampoo and condition with moisturizing products to hydrate your naturally porous hair and keep it from getting frizzy, says Charles Dujic, an L.A.-based stylist. Follow with a leave-in conditioner (applied all over) and a bit of styling lotion (applied to ends only). Next, flip

Read More »from 4 Secrets to Straight Hair