...OK so it may not be the Chinese New Year just yet, but we have taken this as an  opportunity to wish you well in advance!  (And just in case you were wondering, this year's Lunar Year will be on Feb 5th which, according to the Chinese zodiacs, falls on the Year of the Pig).

In preparation for the celebrations, we have compiled a list of hairstyles to wear for the occasion  and thought we would share it with you.

Twisted Braid Updo

So this may not come as a surprise, but we have included the twisted braid into our list. This is such a classic hairstyle with the added bonus of being easy to do at home whilst still making you look polished for the upcoming festivities.

We wanted to make this blog post as helpful as possible, so we'll go ahead and go through what you need to do in order to achieve this look!

Step 1: use a rat tail comb, like the  Y.S. Park Rat Tail Comb , and use it to part your hair down the middle.

Step 2: Proceed to braid each parting into a regular braid, such that you end up with two braids, one on each side.

Step 3:  Pull your braids up until they meet halfway across your hairline and secure them with hair pins. The goal is to  give the illusion that they are one continuous braid.

Step 4: Reinforce the hold and avoid the constant flyaways with CHI's Helmet Head Hairspray. You want to enter the New Year still looking like your updo has been freshly done.

Chun Li hairstyle

This is also a really easy hairstyle to do at home. You will need a curling iron, teasing comb, 2 hair ties and a hairspray. 

For the curling iron, we recommend using the Babylisspro Clip curling iron, as it comes with several features specifically designed for the comfort and safety of the user. For example, the heat settings can be adjusted in 50° F (10° C) increments  by pressing the Turbo button. The wand also has a cool tip so you won't get burned as you maneuver it, which is always a nice touch.

 

As for the teasing comb, you can never go wrong with YS Park:

So now that you have everything you need, you can start by curling your hair loosely. Pay particular attention to the front hair pieces which will be sectioned off initially and, by the end, will be pulled out for a nicer face-framing effect.

When you're done, split your hair in 2 equal parts all the way down. 

Using the YS Park teasing comb, proceed to tease and smoothe each section.

Put your hair up in a bun and secure it with a hair tie (preferably the tie should be close to your hair color so it won't show). Repeat this step for the other hair section.

Tug slightly on both sides and generously apply hairspray all over your hair. With this type of hairstyle it is inevitable to get flyaways, so using a hairspray to minimise them is always a good precaution to take. Once again, you can use Chi's Helmet Head Hairspray to finish off the look.

Bubble Ponytail

For this hairstyle, make sure to use plenty of dry shampoo and product in your hair. The stepping stone to achieving an aesthetically-pleasing "bubble" is to have volume!

We suggest using CHI's Miss Universe Style Illuminate Restage Dry Shampoo, since it adds lift and texture to your hair.

For full impact, you may want to add in hair extensions. You can try out Hair Treats, which come in a variety of colors, lengths and application methods.

Although this can be done on any hairstyle, ideally you'd want to start off with some volume at the crown of your head. If you happen to have pin straight hair, we suggest teasing out the top hairs just to  create the illusion of fuller hair. You'd want to do this first before proceeding with the next steps below.

...Get the Look!

Step1 :  Have your hair half up, half down much like the one Ariana Grande has styled hers in past years. Secure it with an elastic and pull on some hair sections at the top to get back some of that voluminous feel.

Step2: Go ahead with a teasing comb and work your way through the ponytail. This will be the first of many "bubbles", so take your time with this one!

Step 3: Repeat step 2 for the remainder of your hair and always tug the strands at the "bottom of the bubble" to continue to build up volume.

 

Step4: Once you are done creating the "bubbles", go back to the previous ones and tug them slightly such that they all end up to be about the same size. Make sure to tease the ends of your ponytail.

Step5: Use hairspray  and you are done!

Tucked French side braid

Highly stylish yet quick to do, this is the perfect hairstyle for a beginner who is just starting out  different hairstyles. It looks just like a regular side braid, but 'the kick' is the hidden end of the braid, or tail, which makes for an interesting look that is likely to garner attention.

Normally, the cheongsam (traditional figure-hugging attire showcased in the picture above)  has a structured-cut, so it is important to wear a hairstyle that mirrors this structured look. We think the tucked French side braid does just that !

Try it out yourself!

Step1: Curl your hair

Step2: Create a side parting and section off a part of the fringe that you want to frame your face.

Step3: Using a hair clip, for example, YS Park's Shark Clips, clip away your fringe.

Step4: Loosely braid the rest of your hair all the way until the end and then secure it with an elastic band.

Step 4: Tuck in the tail of the braid using hair pins. Use hairspray all over your braid, especially at the the hidden tail to have a better hold.

Step 5: Release fringe that was initially clipped away and hold it down with hair pins to the side of the braid.

Voilà! You're all set to ring in the Lunar New Year and rejoice in style!

xxx

Nádia.