At the Ford Beauty Suite, I sat down in Ford Hair Artist Michael Angelo‘s chair for some spring styling pointers. Michael’s work has appeared in countless fashion magazines like Vogue, Elle, Allure, V, and Numero, where he’s worked with top photographers like Steven Meisel, Mario Testino, Bruce Weber, and Inez and Vinoodh.
Wanting to create a romantic springtime style that was modern and unfussy, Michael incorporated two major Spring trends: loose, long curls and a deep side part. At the Spring 2011 runway shows, we saw the side part at Gucci, Narciso Rodriguez, and Carolina Herrera, and textured waves at Gianfranco Ferre, Bottega Veneta, and Isabel Marant.
Playing up my hair’s natural waves, Michael showed me how to achieve a “lived-in texture” that still looked intentional. In the video tutorial below, Michael demonstrates how to properly use a curling iron so that the curls “don’t look like they’ve just been ironed” and how Shu Uemura’s Yokon Craft texturizing product would help create a “a soft matte texture, so the curl doesn’t look fussy.”
Part 1: Getting Ready to Style
Part 2: Using a Curling Iron
To use a curling iron effectively, Michael suggests ignoring the clamp and focusing on the barrel of the iron. For an easy way to determine the right amount of hair to curl at a time, choose a section at the scalp that mirrors the tip of the barrel. Because we’re going for a more playful, soft look, don’t feel obligated to get every last strand of hair.
Part 3: Creating a Longer Curl
Make sure that the iron’s on a heat that’s appropriate for your hair: for thick and medium hair, you can use the highest heat setting but if you have finer hair, choose a lower heat. Once you wrap the section around the barrel of the iron, tap the hair with a finger to make sure the heat goes all the way through you hair. Once you let it go, pull the strand out so that it cools in a much longer curl to prevent it from getting too springy. Wiggle the strands with your fingers to wake it up a bit and open the curl up to create a little matte texture.
Part 4: All About the Side Part
The deep side part has been all over the Spring runways and it’s a great, wearable look to incorporate into your beauty routine because it flatters any asymmetry you might have in your face.
Part 5: Teasing the Curl for a Natural Matte Texture
After he finished curling my hair, Michael used Shu Uemura’s Yokon Craft matte texturizing melt to finger-tease the waves. The technique opens the curls up and creates a soft, ethereal style that isn’t too thick or greasy, and gives you a lot of control over the final result: if you want to go for a more polished, conservative look, tease less – but if you want to go messy and funky, tease way more.
Photo by Tim Geaney
