The Headband Braid (Based in Washington D.C)

Based in Washington D.C

Ayren Jackson-Cannady is so savvy that we wished she lived closer to NYC so that we could swap products with her. This beauty writer knows what’s up (she’s written for Fitness, Glamour, and Gloss Daily) and we’re excited to have her sharing her know-how and multi-culti beauty expertise as a contributing editor.

All I could manage to do over the last couple of days—other than watch the weather channel and nervously eat Goldfish crackers—was pin pretty pictures on Pinterest. I’ve been finding a ton of quicklooks (think things you can do in 30 seconds or less) and I had to share them. Here are three of my favorite ‘dos plus an expert’s tips on getting the looks just right:

The Tousled Bun: For a messy (but chic!) look, Vanessa Fernandez of Butterfly Studio Salon in New York City suggests sticking with your natural texture and adding a texturizing spray (like Davines For Wizards No. 14 Sea Salt Primer) to create separation. “Flip your head upside down; spray, scrunch, and smooth your hair upwards toward the ends, twisting it until it’s in a bun shape and securing with a hair tie,” she says.

The Headband Braid:


This is a great style to reign in flyaways but that still looks cute. Let your hair air dry, then create a deep side part. Take three small sections from right next to the prat and braid them along the hairline moving towards the back of your head. To really secure the braid in place, criss-cross two bobby pins behind your ear where the plait ends, says Fernandez.

Easy Breezy Waves:

With your hair about 15 percent dry, apply a texture cream (try the Davines Defining Styling Cream) and divide hair into two sections. Create one braid on each side of your head, allowing both sections to sit overnight. “In the morning, remove the braids, flip head over and shake out for beautiful, wavy hair.” adds Fernandez. Apply a medium-hold hairspray (like BlowPro Blow Out Hairspray) to keep waves flowing.

Looking for even more expert tips? Check out these 3 stage makeup tricks for everyday as told to us by a Smashbox makeup artist and a TONY award winning actress.