hair tutorials

For seasons we've seen the topknot range from tight to tousled, and at last night's Tony Awards, Debra Messing mixed the former with a whole lot of volume. The result was a contrast in texture, with the sleek sides playing nicely with the bumped-up-at-the-crown topknot. "Fred Leighton jewels inspired me to create this polished chignon for Debra Messing for the Tonys," said celebrity stylist Ted Gibson.

What You Need:
To get a dressy topknot à la Debra, Gibson says you need three things: a flat iron with no curves, a bungee elastic (to hold the ponytail in place), and a shine-enhancing lotion (Gibson used his namesake brand's Tame It Shine Lotion ($20).

How to Do It:
After blowing out her hair for volume, Gibson used a flat iron set at 350 degrees to straighten Debra's strands. He then pulled Debra's hair back into a ponytail at the crown, using the shine lotion to enhance and bungee elastic to hold. Next, Gibson backcombed the ponytail, twisting the hair onto itself. A few hair pins were used to set the style, along with a few spritzes of hair spray. The effect was glamorous, elegant, and timeless.

Britney Spears has been on the cover of countless magazines sporting gorgeously coiffed hair, but with her flawless beach waves and healthy glow, there was something exceptional about her latest shoot. For the June cover of Shape, celebrity hairstylist Glenn Nutley used Oribe Hair Care to achieve Britney's highly covetable, highly sexy waves. The secret lies in both product and technique.

1. Nutley began by curling Britney's hair with an iron, focusing the direction of the wave away from her face. He then applied the brand's Dry Texturizing Spray ($39) on her roots before shaking out the curls.
2. With her head tipped back, Nutley next broke up the wave with his fingers, spritzing with Après Beach Wave and Shine Spray ($37) throughout.
3. To finish, he cleaned up any flyaways with hair spray on a blush brush, a clever way to achieve that perfectly imperfect effect.

Vintage hairstyles are eternally popular for weddings, but a too-literal interpretation can leave a bride with a serious case of helmet head. So what's the key to borrowing from the past without looking stuck in it? Texture and movement. "The perfectly coiffed updo is outdated," says Dani Weidner, a stylist who worked at Robert James Color in San Francisco. "Imperfect is best."

To balance contemporary trends with a retro influence, Weidner designed this '20s-inspired updo. A defined curl and thick roll give a nod to the past, but the overall look feels fresh and current. It's an ideal style for brides — and it's one you can do at home. To get the look, read on for pictures and step-by-step instructions.

The topknot trend seems like it's going to be sticking around for a while, and it's not hard to see why. The style is easy enough for everyday wear, keeps your neck cool, and can transition to a casual night out with just the addition of some bold makeup. But like all styles that look like they're not hard to do (hello, beachy waves), the topknot can be a little tricky to master. For a simple step-by-step to get this chic yet undone bun, just keep reading.

Get ready to watch The Great Gatsby this weekend with a flapper hairstyle you can create — without the scissors. Stars like Zoe Saldana, Jessica Biel, and Freida Pinto have all worn the faux bob, and what makes this tucked-under look so fun is your ability to change up your look without the commitment. Set it in retro-inspired waves for a 1920s vibe, and then top it off with a sparkling headband like the ASOS Flapper Hair Band ($25) for a look to rival Daisy Buchanan. So bust out the bobby pins and hair spray, and get the step-by-step for this retro-meets-modern faux bob when you read more.

Clad in a spiderweb-inspired frock by Topshop, Julianne Hough's Met Gala hairstyle was set to mimic the latticework design of her ensemble. In fact, celebrity stylist Riawna Capri used over 100 visible black bobby pins to secure the star's pompadour updo. The effect was edgy and modern, with the dark pins providing a striking contrast to Julianne's flaxen strands.

To achieve the style, Capri began by prepping Julianne's wet hair with Vidal Sassoon Pro Series Foaming Air Mousse ($5). Her strands were then blown out with a round brush, and a small dose of firm-hold gel was applied throughout. Next, Capri took one-inch sections to create a series of three ponytails on each side of Julianne's head. Loose pieces of hair were secured with the bobby pins in a creative fashion to form a tight style. To finish, Capri molded Julianne's bangs into a pompadour, securing at the back in a crisscrossed pattern. A few spritzes of Vidal Sassoon Extra Firm Hold Hair Spray ($5) to finish lent the perfect amount of punk rock lasting power.