For The Love of Vintage Hair -Getting to Know Hair Pieces

In the 14 years I have been experimenting with vintage hairstyles (I did swing in the late 90s), it has only been recently that I began wearing hair pieces. In September 2009, I was diagnosed with genetic hair loss/hair thinning and started using Women's 2% Rogaine. Even though my hair has always been fine, as I approached my 30s, I noticed my hair was losing volume. So, not only was my hair fine, it was now becoming thin! Oh fun!

Despite my knee-jerk reaction to simply give up and cut my hair off, I began researching hair extensions. I found out from my stylist that not only were they super expensive, they required costly maintenance, and in many cases they could make my hair loss worse. I quickly nixed that idea!  Then one day while searching the Internet, I stumbled upon several online wig stores. I found everything from clip-in extensions, 3/4 wigs, headband wigs (a 1/2 wig with a headband attached), and even human hair clip-in extensions and volumizers.  After some decision making, I bought a synthetic clip-on ponytail and headband wig. Let me tell you, those two hair pieces became my precious accessories! I wore them both to death! When the wigs started to show their age, I knew I had to find something better made!

In 2011, I finally made the investment to buy a human hair 14 inch, clip-in volumizer.

http://www.wigs.com/product_info.php?cPath=2&products_id=3344

After I received the hair piece, I made an appointment for my stylist to color and cut it so it would match my color and blend into my own hair. I still have that volumizer and I wear it when I do a long, curled style.

However, lately I have not been wearing my volumizer as often. In the last six months, I have incorporated collagen supplements and a higher mcg Biotin pill into my daily vitamins. I continue to use my Rogaine for Women (the Target brand) faithfully. I am not sure who is the "culprit," but my hair is healthier and thicker!! I can wear my own hair in a fluffy ponytail or pigtail braids and not feel like I am bald!

This is my hair now and I am not wearing any hair piece:

I will never have thick hair but I my hair is definitely packing more volume!

Anyway, even though my hair is thicker, I still have a little trouble covering those mesh bun forms (found at Sally Beauty). I often need to tease my hair and use tons of hairspray to achieve full coverage. I do not like teasing my hair a lot. It can be very damaging, especially for hair like mine. I color it and it's thin. So, I need to find other ways to do vintage buns and up-dos that don't compound my hair's condition.

With that said, let me share with you my new little hair secret! HAIR PIECES!! Yes, hair pieces save the day again! Instead of clip-in volumizers or headbands, we are talking drawstring buns, wiglets, and toppers! I recently purchased three different synthetic hair pieces from a fabulous Etsy seller!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/FancyNancyHairUpdos?page=1

I got the Dusty piece:

I also purchased the Gina:

And lastly, I bought the Audrey:

How do I wear them? I simply put my hair into a ponytail and wrap the ends into a bun and secure with an elastic. I spray my hair with a strong hold hairspray to smooth out my "base" and using the two hair combs attached inside the piece, I slide one comb on top of the bun and the other underneath. No bobby pins are required! The piece is so secure and lightweight so I just put on a hair flower or bow and I am out the door!

Now, most of you may know that hair pieces are nothing new. They have been around for ages. In the 18th century, wigs were a must for any lady wanting to keep with with the latest fashion! Marie Antoinette anyone? In the 1960s, wiglets and full wigs were all the rage!

My mom and mother-in-law were both in their teens and 20s in the 60s. Both of them have told me how wiglets were pretty much standard for daytime looks and evening style. Just look at Christina Hendricks' "Mad Men" character, Joan. She wears tons of hair pieces throughout various seasons. During the season two episode, "The Mountain King," Joan is seen wearing a gorgeous purple dress and what looks like two hairpieces, one being the main up-do and the other a braid wrap/accent.

Even though I HATE the Greg character (especially during this episode), I just can't stop looking at Joan! Her style and hair, particularly during the first two seasons, are just perfection! I want that dress!!

Nevertheless, I am simply over the moon I found such fantastic hair pieces!I love wearing them and I really love the ease in which I can do vintage up-do styling!

My Experiment With Front Curls and Side Rolls

Last night after my shower, I decided to do experiment with my hair set. Normally, I roll my almost-dry/damp hair down from my center part using my Conair Foam Rollers:

In an effort to "change things up a bit" from my usual routine, I wanted to try to do a style similar to Betty Grable (first picture above) and the iconic Lucille Ball:

 To start, I rolled my bettie bangs forward in the smallest curlers in the set (ie the blue). Then, using my rattail comb, I sectioned off a three inch long section of hair behind my bangs (same width as the bangs) and rolled it forward in smaller sections using the yellow curlers. To finish, I rolled the rest of my hair using the green and pink curlers. I wrapped my head in a scarf and went to bed.

This morning, I took all the curlers out and used my ceramic curling iron to smooth out any curler dents. I brushed my hair out slowly and used a light shaping hairspray to help better shape the curls. I brushed the front 'poof' section and sprayed with hair spray.

I rolled a section of hair on both sides of the poof and created two rolls. I secured the rolls with bobby pins. I put in two red daisy hair flowers I made and viola, the style was done.

A side view:

From the front:

I am somewhat pleased with the outcome. I need to further experiment in order to have the style down pat.

What do  you gals think?

Vintage Makeup Featuring Ben Nye Fireworks Cream Shadow and Besame Red Lipstick!

This is me, wearing Ben Nye Fireworks Cream shadow in FW1 ($8.95 USD) and Besame Red lipstick ($22.00 USD) by Besame Cosmetics. You can purchase Besame products online at http://www.besamecosmetics.com/index.cfm. You can find Ben Nye cosmetics at various online sites and at Ricky's NYC locations in New York City. (I bought my shadow cream at Ricky's NYC in the East Village during my last trip).

Ben Nye Cosmetics is a theatre/special effects makeup that is just amazing. Most of their products are for the stage but they carry several items that can be used for day-to-day wear. For instance, Ben Nye's line of cream shadows! These little shadow creams come in small clear jars. They remind me of MAC's Paint Pots and Make Up For Ever's Aqua Creams. The level of pigmentation is intense and can be layered. You can also apply these sheer for a more subtle look. When using any type of cream shadow, you will have more long wear and better color pay off if you apply a shadow base like Nars Pro-Prime Smudge-Proof Shadow Primer, Urban Decay Primer Potion, or Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I tried wearing the Ben Nye and/or the MUFE Aqua Creams without a primer and they both had the tendency to crease/slide off the lids!

For my look, I primed my eyelids with a small amount of NARS' primer. Then using MAC's 242 brush, I applied the Ben Nye gold cream shadow to my lids. Then, I put MAC's Gorgeous Gold (a sheer, shimmery gold) on top of the Ben Nye cream shadow. On my crease, I applied MAC's Copperplate eyeshadow (a grayish-matte brown). On my browbone, I applied a sheer wash of MAC's eyeshadow in Vanilla (a creamy, slightly shimmery pale cream). On my lower lash line, I applied Make Up For Ever's Aqua Liner in 9L (a soft, pale shimmery gold). To make the gold liner last longer and to enhance the gold tones, I applied a little Gorgeous Gold on top using a MAC 208 brush.  To finish the look, I applied a super bright, yet light golden yellow frost shadow (MAC's Nylon) on the center of my lids and on the inner corners of my eyes. MAC Opulash Mascara in Black was then applied to lashes.

On my lips, I primed their surface with MAC's Lip Prep and Prime and then applied Besame Red. I lined my lips with Make Up For Ever's Lip pencil in 8C.

I really like using shadow creams for my daily look! They are fun and their creamy texture applies like a dream and makes standard powder shadow even more intense!  Talk about fun!

So, If you want to try cream shadows for yourself, I totally recommend MAC Paint Pots ($16.50 USD), MUFE Aqua Creams ($22.00 USD), and Ben Nye Fireworks ($8.95)!

MAC is available at most Nordstrom locations and they also have free-standing stores. Their website is www.maccosmetics.com. Make Up For Ever (MUFE) is available at all Sephora locations and on their site at www.sephora.com. Ben Nye can be found on various sites, eBay, and at Ricky's NYC locations in New York City.

It's Giveaway Time! MAC's Penultimate Brow Marker!

This is my second giveaway! The last time, I gave away two sets of atomic-looking, rub-on transfers. Today, I am starting the giveaway for a brand-new, in the box, never-used MAC Penultimate Brow Marker!

When the brow marker debuted this past January, I bought one and believe it or not, I am still using it! These markers were limited edition and so I went back and bought two more. I am keeping an extra for myself and now, the other is up for the giveaway!

I use this marker to maintain my brows daily. I get my brows tinted and waxed every 6 weeks by my amazing esthetician and friend, Gina! My natural eyebrow color is pale, white blond and any vintage girl will tell you; well-defined brows are a MUST for a true vintage look!

The Penultimate marker comes in one shade: a standard, universal shade of brown with chocolate undertones. The color works will most shades of hair and most skin tones. When I had black hair, I used this marker along with a black pencil and the result was lovely!

The marker boasts a felt-tip applicator that can create feathery strokes as well as strong, defined lines of tint:

Once applied, the marker lasts all day! It does not smudge, flake off, rub off, or move an inch! However, when it comes to removal, all you need is cleanser and water!

The giveaway starts today, Thursday, September 16th and will end on Sunday, September 19th. All you have to do is join/follow my blog (if you don't already) and add a comment to this post. I will draw the winner on Sunday and the winner will be announced on Monday, September 20th.

The winner will be then asked to send me their address via e-mail so I can mail them their very own eyebrow essential!

Good luck and have fun, gals!

Bringing Middy Back! (Sorry, I had to! LOL)

This is me after putting makeup on this morning before leaving for work. My hair is dirty and I am wearing my 40s vintage dressing gown. This look is basically "pre-fixed Middy Plus."

After getting a poorly-done Middy Plus haircut two weeks ago (by another stylist), my stylist of three years, Corry, was finally back at work after his hand injury and today at 2:00 p.m., my Middy returned! Whoo-hoo!

I feel so much better and my hair is happy. It was also great to visit with Corry and see him working. Like I said before, Corry had one of his hands injured while boating with friends. He was out of work for two weeks. Corry's his hands are his livelihood! If he cannot work, he doesn't get paid. I have the luxury of covering up a bad haircut with a snood or scarf. But poor Corry has bills to pay and income to make!

Nevertheless, it was so awesome to have him back! (He is still recovering and will be for a long time.) My hair was recut and it is now a true Middy Plus! The overall length is 4 and 1/2 inches. The sides taper to 4 inches and then to three inches by the ears. Corry also reshaped my Bettie bangs.

When I get my hair cut again in 6+ weeks, my overall length will be 5 and 1/4 inches. And in early December, I will be able to have a Femme Fatale (6 inches overall)!

So, here is my hair now:

Here is another view:

Here is the side:

Notice the proper U-shape in the back? My previous cut did not have this. It was more like a "wide C on its side" shape.

I am also wearing my new late 50s, nylon dress! It fits so well and the fabric just hangs beautifully!

My Middy Plus Haircut (The High and Lows)

So today at 9:30 am, I went to my salon for a much-needed trim and color touch-up on my roots. Unfortunately, my stylist of three years, Corry, was unable to do my hair. He cut his hand while boating with friends yesterday and he had to get stitches. He is okay but he will be out of work for a week.

The salon tried to contact me in order to inform me of Corry's demise but I was away visiting family. Thankfully, another stylist was able to take me and do my hair. Part of me wanted to wait but my roots were really obvious and my hair was no longer curling well.  As a result, I have been wearing snoods for the past week.

Even though I have never worked with this stylist before, I know her and she is super nice. Her clients' color and up-dos always look amazing.  She did a great job on my hair color and highlights but when it came to my Middy Plus, I am not sure it went as well.

Last time I had my hair cut, Corry gave me a Middy. My longest length was about 3 and 3/4 inches and this time around my longest length was just shy of 5 inches. The sides are to be cut 4 inches and then 3 inches by the ears.

After my hair was colored, shampooed, conditioned, and rinsed I gave the stylist the Middy Plus diagram print out above. She studied it a bit and let said, "Okay" with a smile. As my hair was cut and styled with the blow dryer, I thought my hair did not look quite right. I mean, my hair wasn't " angst-worthy" or "I hate it and now I am going to cry-worthy." Instead, something felt "off."

For one, my bettie bangs were cut with longer sides instead of the middle section being longer with shorter, curved sides.

Secondly, the back/bottom section of my hair, i.e. the nape of my neck, didn't have that distinct "U" shape. It seems more like a wide arch or a "C" on its side shape.

This is the front (after I went home and fixed my bangs. I  think I need to trim more on the right side):

This is the side:

This is the back:

I am not sure but the back, bottom section is bothering me. Maybe I need to see how it looks wet.

Next time my stylist is out of commission, I am going to wait. I will wear snoods and hair scarves until my appointment.  He knows my hair well and I should be patient and stick to who knows my hair best.

So, what do you girls think?