Better than a rubberband... Goody Spin Pins

I don't know where I first saw these, but I remember thinking "no way those would hold up my hair". How wrong I was. They're a game changer. You simply twist them into your style (I go perpendicular to one and other in a chignon, twist, top knot, side bun and possibly a Gibson roll) and they lock in place for ages. Overnight even.

They come in short and long, blonde and black. 

You think everything that could ever be invented has been invented... then all of a sudden it's not.

So simple yet the mind boggles. The Goody website, however, is not so simple.

Like a pixilated labyrinth.

Goody Spin Pins

Red hair is like Marmite

A while back I posted a teaser about being a "self-inflicted" red head.

But I never posted my observations... Oops.

Now my hair hovers somewhere between honey blonde and traffic-cone orange (not as ugly as it sounds, swear), so I still consider myself part of the ginger camp, albeit one that is perilously close to being blaaahnde again.

A big part of me wants to go back to traffic-stopping red, Rita Hayworth red... or Franka Potente in Run Lola Run red (orange... whatever). But the bloody (no pun intended) red color washes out so phenomenally fast that it's a nightmare to keep up.

I resemble Cyndi Lauper in the bad years rather quickly.

In any event, I find my observations still ring true about being red. So pull up a chair, get your cup of coffee ready and have that pencil in hand to take notes if you're considering... the change.

First... 

1. Being a red head is like Marmite – many people either love it or they hate it. Be prepared to meet both types.

2. Even though you’re an adult, a certain type of man still thinks it’s funny to ask you if all your hair is red, ignoring the fact that your mousy eyebrows (if you don’t dye them) clearly answer his juvenile question. [author's note: you'll get this sort of comment, it seems, mainly in America, where men have the collective flirting IQ of, say, a puddle of rain water.]

3. You will become acquainted with a type of man that we'll call the red-head fetishist. Usually harmless but annoying, like a mosquito and drawn to your red hair like those mosquitoes are to the light. They come in all ages, shapes and sizes. They are odd. Sadly, you can’t turn off your hair and make them go away, at least not in the moment, so they'll trail you around all night. Be forewarned.

4. Red hair is having a moment thanks to follicular endorsement from Christina Henricks, Florence Welsh and Rihanna. Hipsters. Love. It.

5. Red hair seems to gives all strata of society carte blanche to comment – good, bad and weird — like an online community without a manager. You’ll hear cries of ‘hey, red’ yelled from cars passing by. Strangers almost accusatorily ask you ‘is that real’? Which leads me to the next point…

6. Blonde hair and a tan hide a multitude of beauty sins, whether committed by errant genes or bad habits. Would Paris Hilton be as *cough, cough* attractive with red hair and pale skin? Nope. Red heads don’t have the luxury of hiding behind behind a mask of tan and blonde. You must be ready to experience a higher level of scrutiny.

7. That said, if you’re faux red and have skin that tans, you’ll really freak out the peanut gallery. Everyone thinks that if you have red hair you must have pale skin. I disagree. 

8. People blame your red hair for all sorts of things. Stand up for yourself in a recent meeting? They’ll say it’s because of your fiery temperament, naturellement due to your red hair, even if it’s not real. Ser-i-ous-ly.

9. You start to see red heads everywhere when you never noticed them before, like men with mustaches who can instantly pick each other out of a crowded room. It’s like red-head radar.

10. Dying hair red takes dogged dedication because it fades quicker than all other colours.

11. Box dye for red hair does not work. It lifts hair colour too much, leaving it brassy orange. If you want to DIY, buy the professional stuff.

12. Red lipstick looks awesome with red hair. Ignore the so-called experts.

13. So do red clothes.

14. Green clothes make you look like a Christmas tree, contrary to what these same so-called experts say. Someone started humming ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ when they were stood next to me while I did the green-on-red thing. In May. I’m certain it wasn’t the season that inspired his festive spirit.

15. Red hair’s a great conversation starter – although walk away from any conversations that starts with bullet point two.

Would you go red?

image credit

HOW TO | Tips on DIY Ballerina Bun

So first we did a super quick before and after with the ballerina bun vs. the pencil eraser (my non-enhanced bun). We then did our first DIY beauty video featuring the Ballerina Bun and only one (or two) editing errors. And now we have a list of tips because even with a video, it's easy to still get it wrong. We know. We have.

After cutting off the toes of countless socks, we think we're well-placed to give you some advice on what works best.

Our Ballerina Bun tips:

1. The type of sock matters. Silly as it sounds. Cotton athletic socks that are stubby or stiff or both don't work well. The hair doesn't hold onto them, they're heavy, the don't roll well and they're usually white or black -- two obvious colors that'll show right through.

2. Long (knee-high) although slightly thin dress socks (men's but bet women's would work as well). In fact, they seem to be optimal when they have a plush finish - like a wool/cashmere blend. So, erm, not cheap. But if you have strays around the house, use one of those. The hair drapes over them nicely and seems to almost stick to the texture of the sock, spreading out around it and evenly covering it. And the sock is light so it won't move around or slip out.

3. Tuck and roll. Keep tucking your hair under as you roll it down or you'll have a donut of air between your hair and the sock donut and any sort of weather will expose your dirty hair secret - the sock beneath that's given you such a freakin' awesome (and big) bun.

4. Pull hair around your head to loosen a bit so you don't look severe or like you're sporting a Croydon facelift. This look works better when it's just a touch messy and not all prim and proper.

5. Hairspray helps. So can pins. Neither are necessary unless you think wild head movement is going to be part of your day.

6. Color of sock matters, especially if you have thin hair and/or you're new to the Ballerina Bun. I use a dark grey sock, BUT I'm pretty good at doing this by now. If you aren't, use a sock that's somewhat similar to your hair color. Generally, everyone should avoid white as it's so obvious if it shows through. 

7. People will touch it. Sounds dirty, right? But true. My husband thinks it's a handle. People will pat it. They won't be able to resist the urge to squeeze it. Or maybe I just hang out with weird people. Anyway, forewarned is forearmed.

Have any other questions about the Ballerina Bun?

Image found here.