Dewi SriwahyutoDare to change.
If the runaway success of the eccentric, outlandishly bold singer cum fashionista Lady Gaga isn’t enough to make you realise that blending in and sticking to the status quo – be it in fashion, hairstyle or attitude – isn’t cool anymore, I don’t know what is.
Soon, we’ll be counting down to the New Year and if you’re booked for some hot party to ring in 2010, this is a wake-up call that a change is called for.
Hair is everything. For a woman, it’s her crowning glory, the most noticeable feature, and that which reflects her beauty.
Fashionistas know that a look is incomplete without a great hairstyle that’ll make the individual feel good and look good too.
So, to inspire and to motivate you in your change for 2010, UrbanWire sent 4 of its writers, representing the different facial shapes of most readers, for a temporary makeover at the recently launched salon – Jonal Chong Hair Couture, owned by the successful celebrity Singaporean hairstylist who has styled the manes of various Hollywood A-listers including Nicole Kidman.
The girls were treated to an out-of-this-world experience as the salon manager Mike Loh, styled their hair based on the shape of their faces, with a surprising twist to make them stand out. But isn’t Lady Gaga, who’s one of the most popular, crazed and successful artistes today, the epitome of unique?
Check out our writers who had their hair done and just how to achieve that look!
Amanda
Geraldine
Diyana
Adrianna
Mike Loh styling Amanda.
(All images by Dewi Sriwahyuto)
Before | After |
As a person who would never imagine seeing herself with this hairstyle, Amanda looks uniquely good with the makeover. Her oblong-shaped face stirred Mike to do a Ren Collection for her. Inspired by Japanese runway fashion shows, this hairstyle requires a lot of spunk to pull off.
Mike Loh’s comments
“Amanda has a very cool and strong feature so I chose a hairstyle that would enhance that and make her look bold. Ren Collection basically means that the hair is collected at the top of the head to show her nicely sculpted oblong face that was initially hidden behind the droopy hair.”
How to achieve it
- Plonk a handful of hair gel on your hair and quickly but evenly spread it out.
- Immediately comb it all up and tie your hair into high ponytail.
- Separate your hair into about 6 to 8 small parts depending on the thickness of your hair.
- Twist each part as you would a floral arrangement and viola! You now have a hairstyle that will turn heads. Just remember to complete the look with strong make-up and fashion-forward clothes.
Before | After |
Geraldine has a face shape that hairstylists can easily work on, as the diamond shape looks great with any hairstyle. However, since she has never curled her hair like this before, the Evening Gala wasn’t a hairstyle that she was comfortable in. But, to be daring for the New Year, ultimately has to start with a little discomfort.
Mike Loh’s comments
“Geraldine’s face is small and the diamond shape is very nice so I decided to bring up her hair to show off her face. The Evening Gala is more appropriate for formal functions than a casual day out because it’s a style usually seen on red carpets. For example, this is the hairstyle that Jonal Chong frequently does for Nicole Kidman when she attends award ceremonies or events.”
How to achieve it
*(Note: A hair curler is required for this hairstyle. Heat it up prior to using it.)
- Curling the hair should start from the bottom first, and then you slowly work your way up. So clip up more than half of your hair at the top of your head and leave just enough below to curl.
- Take a handful of hair and curl it. Curl the whole head, leaving just your fringe the way it is.
- Once your hair is all curly, tie everything high up with a band.
- Separate the hair out like a peacock showing off its feathers. Use bobby pins to hold the hair in place at the top of your head.
- Spray on hairspray and you now have a hairstyle fit for the red carpet. Remember to don a pretty dress and some make-up to complete the look!
Before | After |
Diyana’s a mature person who doesn’t like her hair to be messed with. And Mike can count himself lucky that he didn’t give her a Rock Chic or a Ren Collection, or she would’ve flipped.
Thankfully, the Functional Bee that he chose for her wasn’t too over the top and it even complements her round face-shape. It may not be as daring as the other hairstyles but artists like Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen and Fergie have been spotted with the beehive.
Mike Loh’s comments
“This is a hairstyle which is practical, yet cool at the same time. You can style your hair this way for any occasion, be it for an event, a dinner or just a normal day out. It makes a person look chic and it’s a hairstyle that makes a statement.”
How to achieve it
*(Note: Prepare a whole pack of black bobby pins)
- Take about half of the hair at the top of your head and temporarily clip it up to be styled later.
- Comb through the remaining hair at the bottom to untangle any knots. Then tie it into a ponytail as close to the top partition of your hair as possible.
- Twist the ponytail into a bun and use bobby pins to fasten the bun in place.
- Now move on to the top part of your hair, which will be made into the beehive. Once again, comb through for smoothness. Then, take the bundle of hair and push it upwards to create the semi-circle, which is the hive. Ensure that the hive is not wobbly. If it is, redo it till it’s steady.
- Use 1 bobby pin at a time to fasten the hive into place, starting from the part where the hair is flat. Once the hive can stand on its own without needing you to hold on to it, use hairspray so that the hive maintains its shape and firmness.
- For the rest of the hair from the hive that’s hanging loosely, slowly twirl it around the bun that you previously did, so that it becomes a bigger bun. Fasten it into place with bobby pins and there you go – The Functional Bee!
Before | After |
Of the 4, this would be the easiest hairstyle to achieve. Mike transformed the usually safe and no-nonsense Adrianna to a rocker chick that would show her entering the New Year – fearless.
Mike Loh’s comments
“I wanted to take away the focus from her squarish face because it can sometimes make the face look smaller than usual. So, to make her face appear longer, I pushed the mass of her hair on top of her head for added height. Rock Chic gives her more depth to her face in a cool way.”
How to achieve it
- Comb through your hair and ensure that there are no knots for easy styling later.
- Take a handful of hair and lift it up high on your head so that it becomes vertical.
- Then use the comb and backcomb your hair. This means that the movement of your hand as you’re combing, is towards the scalp and not away from your scalp. Do this in a fast and swift motion for maximum results.
- When you see that portion of your hair that you just backcombed is crazily messy, move on and repeat the same step for the rest of your hair. A point to note: Don’t back-comb your whole head but only a little more than half of it so as not to look like Einstein.
- After you’re done, immediately spray hairspray all over your hair to keep the styling in place. Do keep your make-up simple if you don’t want to look like a drag queen, but you have to dress the part.