Brittany from Maxine Salon "Schools Us" on NYE Hair

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This New Year's Eve you probs know what you are wearing - but what to do with that hair? As master stylist Brittany Brudzinsky from Maxine Salon tells us the hottest trends happening right now with hair are versatile, sexy and simple to achieve. The two styles she's showing you after the jump can all be understated or taken to the extreme, depending on the mood of your night. And the best part - you can do both of them yourself. No crimper? No problem!

RETRO WAVES - Brittany's seeing a lot of old Hollywood glamour so in classic style, do Retro Waves. To achieve this - prep wet hair with a volumizing mousse (Mousse-Kerastase’s Volumactive,) then blow-dry smooth using a round brush. Then part dry hair into four sections, each side from behind the ear forward, and then divide the back hair in half.

Starting with a side section, take 1” to 1.5” pieces and curl while holding the curling iron vertically. Mist each section with a flexible hairspray (Kerastase’s Double Force) before setting and then curl the hair toward the face. Make sure you curl in all the same direction (but remember that you’ll have to reverse the direction of the iron for the other side of the face.) Repeat for each section. Depending on the amount of the wave desired, choose your curling iron size: For bigger waves use a 1.25” curling iron (or larger.)

After hair is completely curled, use a flat brush or boar bristle brush and softly brush the curls. Position them how you would like and then spray with holding spray. For Gwen’s look, tease the bottom of your curls with a brush and then smooth your hair a few inches from your scalp. Secure with bobby pins or a barrette (plain or adorned,) depending on the look desired.

PARTY PONY - If you want to go with a party pony, there's no better style to keep a bright and bouncy look all night long. Brittany recommends using a boar bristle brush or flat brush, start off by pulling hair into a smooth and tight ponytail. Position wherever looks best- high, center, low, or off to the side. (yup, a side pony).

Use a small piece of the ponytail and wrap it around the base - securing with bobby pins. Set the look and smooth back those baby-hairs with some firm hold hairspray.
Separate the hair that lies between your parietal ridges (the space between the forehead and the crown), from the rest of your hair.

Then throw the remainder of your hair back into a ponytail. Pull the hair that was left out, towards the back, splitting it in half once you reach the base of the ponytail. Then wrap these sections around the base and secure with bobby pins.

Want to take it up a notch? Crimp it. If you don’t have a crimper, make small braids in the hair that you would like crimped. Then use your flat iron to press and set. Allow to cool, undo, and then brush. Voila! Party all night long with this fun and flirty take on the classic ponytail that incorporates an iconic 80’s trend- a look that’s edgy but still very polished and feminine looking.

Maxine Salon

712 N Rush, Chicago IL