The rains appear to be behind us, and with a super-busy party season ahead — ATI and Dream Weekend — we reckon staying chic and cool with a more manageable hairstyle is uppermost in your mind. You can also transform your look with a fresh new ‘do.

We peeked into the salon of style consultant Lisa McIntosh-Aris of Neahlis Studio and marvelled at her wizardry as she presented a few quick and easy summer options for your cropped ‘do and even your lengthy locks. Under the Dryer takes a look at the fantastic results.

Shellene has a very busy schedule, so she wants a chic, lowmaintenance hairstyle that not only suits her personality but works for a corporate environment. The ability to get this look during her one-hour lunch break is an absolute must.

Stylist Lisa instantly decides on a pixie cut, but not just any short, cropped ‘do, she gives her a few ‘piecey’ side-swept layers to the front, which she calls her ‘kick flips’.

The process:

The first step is shampooing, after which Lisa wraps Shellene’s hair and places her under the dryer ‘for a nice, sealed finish’. She explains that ‘wrapping the hair is important, and sometimes after the hair is properly wrapped and dried, it eliminates the need for curling.’

Soon it’s time for the styling. Since Shellene already has short hair, Lisa simply gives her a trim to enhance the shape of the cut, before using a small-barrelled curling iron to create a few soft curls, starting at the back.

A bit of Motions Light Hold Working Spray is lightly spritzed on her tresses to keep the style in place before Lisa adds her edgy ‘kick flips’ to the front with the curling iron. Luster’s Pink Oil Moisturiser Glosser is then spritzed onto her tresses to finish.

Why it works:

A pixie haircut is very versatile, complements a number of face shapes and is not at all time-consuming to maintain. It is stylish, sexy and suitable for just about any setting or occasion. What’s not to love about this chic yet edgy look?

Nice & Sleek

Naomi is a no-fuss individual and rightly so, for with her hectic schedule a pixie cut that’s easily maintained on a daily basis is a necessity. All she does with her tresses in-between visits to her stylist, Lisa McIntosh, is to wrap it at nights and brush it out in the mornings. We take a look today at how Lisa can quickly ‘freshen up’ her mane by creating that nice, sleek look she likes in under an hour.

The Method:

Lisa first uses scissors to trim the edges before using a pair of shears to neaten the hairline. After this is done, she uses a smallbarrelled curling iron to ‘soften the look and add a little volume with a few curls’. Motions Light Hold Working Spray is also used for a ‘soft hold’ and Luster’s Pink Oil Moisturiser Glosser for ‘easy finishing’. Despite adding a bit of volume to Naomi’s tresses, the sleek look is still maintained because she combs through the curls afterwards, and the shape of her haircut allows them to ‘stay flat and fall into place easily’, Lisa says.

Funky Faux-hawk

Amanda is home for the summer and is making use of all of the social opportunities. Lisa’s challenge is to give this client a break from the everyday look of long hair, something new and different that keeps her cool. A haircut is not an option, mind you, as she does love her lengthy locks.

Lisa’s brilliant solution? A faux-hawk! This allows Amanda to get the look of a fierce haircut without actually cutting her hair.

Here’s how she did it:

A barrel-heated curling iron is used to create what is commonly known as ‘drop curls’. The backcombing method is then used to ‘tease’ her hair by using a rat-tail comb to comb the hair in the opposite direction — towards the roots, rather than from root to tip — to create small tangles that can stay in place on their own. This is followed by a dollop of Smooth & Shine Instant Repair Hair Polisher, which is worked through her tresses for an added boost. After this Lisa uses a widetoothed comb to sweep her hair to the centre, before using curling pins to secure it.

The result:

A classy yet ‘funky’ faux-hawk that suits Amanda’s personality and highlights her features really well. She loves the style because it is ‘a bit untidy, but also a bit neat and very fierce’.

Burst of Sunshine

While Blair loves her natural tresses and thinks the vibrant blonde looks great on her, she sometimes has ‘no idea what to do with it’. Lisa quickly chimes in with ‘Your hair is lovely, the colour is nice and the good thing is you can keep it simple because it’s already eye-popping and edgy’.

The process:

Blair’s hair was first shampooed, and Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii — a leave-in conditioner — was applied to the wet tresses to ‘maintain the soft texture’. Lisa then works in a little Smooth & Shine Polishing Curling Mousse before giving her a few cornrow ‘ rope twists’ to one side, teasing with the fingers for fuller volume and allowing it to airdry. To complete the look, a dab of King Professional Styling Gel is used along the hairline to hold the cornrows in place.

Lisa’s inspiration:

“I wanted to give Blair something stylish and cute, something that complements the natural beauty of her hair, the vibrant colour and works well with her small face.”

Blair loves the new look.

Elegantly Messy

Bonnie is also happy to be home for the summer, and is looking for something new and fresh, a look that spells youth, maturity and elegance all at once. Lisa knows just what to do, and starts creating an ‘elegantly messy’ updo for Bonnie right away.

Lisa’s thoughts:

“I’m going to give Bonnie a chic updo, starting with a semi-ponytail, a few tendrils and an untidy fringe to the front. It’s a little messy, but still quick, easy and elegant and it takes all the hair away from her neck and shoulders so she feels as cool as she looks.”

Lisa’s formula

Bonnie’s hair is first spritzed with Smooth & Shine Polishing Instant Spray-On Hair Polisher.

A barrel-heated curling iron is then used to create large, soft, loose curls. Lisa then separates her hair by making a part in the centre, gathers the mid-section into a ponytail and leaves the back loose. The backcombing method is incorporated (the same method used to ‘tease’ Amanda’s tresses), before using curling pins to secure both the ponytail and the loose section in the back. Teasing, our Under the Dryer team learns, allows for a wide range of styling options. The barrel-heated curling iron is then used to add a few curls to the fringe at the front, Lisa also ‘teases’ it with a rat-tail comb.

To complete the look, Luster’s Pink Oil Moisturiser Glosser is spritzed onto her tresses for added shine. Hair & Make-up by: Lisa McIntosh-Aris for Neahlis Studio Email: neahlis@ yahoo.com Tel: 374-3672 / 927-8199 By appointment only