Happy Thursday, gals! I’ve been thinking about doing something new with my hair for a while (still can’t decide), but I wanted to ask…

How do you keep your salon style?

What tricks do you use to keep your hair looking like you just stepped out of the salon? Do you ever take notes while your hair is getting styled? I’m totally guilty of that one, LOL!

Here’s a video with some of the things I do to get the most out of my trips to the salon.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Ever since a minor part in 1999’s She’s All That (and before that appearances in some TV shows), Gabrielle Monique Union’s star has steadily climbed. She now has 26 films to her credit, including one of my favorite popcorn flicks, Bring It On, where she played bad ass cheerleader Isis opposite Kirstin Dunst.

Here are some of the hairstyles Gabrielle has worn over the years.

Which of Gabrielle's hairstyles do you like best?

• 1. light brown and straight with a side part
• 2. dark brown and straight with a center part
• 3. caramel highlights with long layers and curly ends
• 4. dark brown, short and straight with messy layers
• 5. black, straight and smoothed back
• 6. dark brown, long and curly with a half ponytail
• 7. light brown and curly
• 8. dark brown, short and straight with flipped out ends and bangs
• 9. medium brown with loose, long waves

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“Bring it.”

“Oh, it’s already been brought’in”

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I got an e-mail this morning from Stila saying that they’ve got the Barbie Decades of Beauty Cans available for purchase right now! Hurry over and get your Foxy on!

Left to its own devices, my naturally wavy hair turns into a big, frizzy mess.

I may not have Jennifer Aniston’s enviable loose waves, but I can almost fake ‘em with the help of a few products — Sexy Hair Organics Styling Creme ($20), Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine ($20) and L’oreal Elnett Hairspray ($15).

Used together, they do a great job loosening naturally wavy hair.

1. Apply Sexy Hair Organics Styling Creme to damp, towel dried hair

It loosens my waves and eliminates frizz without killing the bounce. It’s neither crunchy nor sticky and moisturizes, too — a big plus for dry hair!

After washing and drying with a towel, I coat my hair with the creme from the roots to the ends, and then run through it with a a wide-toothed comb. The comb distributes the creme and starts loosening the waves.

2. Add definition with Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine

Bumble and Bumble Brilliantine works and smells great (like freesia). It’s a thick styling lotion that adds shine, smooths away frizz and creates touchable, malleable chunks of hair.

Choose a few pieces of hair around the bangs that you want to stand out. Dab a tiny bit of Brilliantine on your pointer finger (a little goes a long way). Then, pinch a piece of hair near the roots between your pointer finger and thumb.

Distribute the Brilliantine by running through the hair all the way from the roots to the end and repeat a few times on different pieces of hair until you have about 5-10 well defined sections around the face.

3. Set the look with a layer of L’oreal Elnett hairspray

Spray on a layer of soft and flexible Elnett to lock in that style. It keeps my hair in place without making it flake or feel sticky or crunchy.

It takes me about five minutes to apply all three products. Then, I air dry and let the products work their magic.

Do you have a special hair “cocktail” of products you use to get your hair looking its best?

Your friendly neighborhood beauyt addict,

Karen

In Seven Pounds, the great new film (I really enjoyed it!) starring Will Smith and Rosario Dawson, Rosario looks lovely in long hair. Over the years, she hasn’t taken many chances with her hair color, but she does like to mix it up with different styles.

Which of Rosario's hairstyles do you like best?

• 1. Long with spiral curls
• 2. Shoulder length with bangs
• 3. Loose, shoulder-length waves
• 4. Dark pixie crop
• 5. Short with long, sideswept bangs
• 6. Messy and short
• 7. Long and wavy
• 8. Sleek and straight
• 9. Short bob

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Since her breakthrough role in 1989’s Dead Calm, Hawaii-born Australian beauty Nicole Mary Kidman has changed hair styles more often than Madonna’s changed accents. Here are some of the styles she’s worn over the years. No. 5 in the middle is from Australia, costarring Aussie cutie Hugh Jackman.

Which of Nicole's hairstyles do you like best?

• 1. Straight with pulled back bangs
• 2. Bangs and a loose ponytail with curly tendrils
• 3. Side part with big curls
• 4. Short bob with tight curls
• 5. Bangs swept to the side with hair gathered at the nape of the neck
• 6. Center part with long, loose waves
• 7. Brunette with low ponytail and bangs
• 8. Above-the-shoulder length with tight ringlets
• 9. Shoulder length with loose waves and bangs

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Curly Hair Tips

Nicole’s been sporting straight blond hair a lot lately, but her natural hair is light red with curls. Love your curly locks with these 4 tips for curly-haired gals.

1. Look for a stylist who specializes in cutting curly hair. To see the natural shape of the hair, curly hair needs to be cut wet. Try layering, but avoid going too short, otherwise you risk poofy hair!
2. Use your fingers to comb through your curls, rather than a brush.
3. Have a few anti-frizz products (try serums or gels) to keep frizz away.
4. Naturally curly hair is usually more fragile than straight hair, so air dry your hair to minimize damage.

Are you gonna watch Australia? I’m going to try to see it this weekend. I like Baz Luhrmann’s film making style (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Strictly Ballroom).

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen