Knowing what not to do to your hairstyle is just as important as what you do to create the hair of your dreams.

Like everything in life, there are dos and don’ts. Listed below are the top 10 ten actions you don’t want to take when it comes to styling your hair.

1. Don’t go to the salon unprepared to request the hairstyle you wish to wear.

Many hair consumers mistakenly believe that their hairdresser can work miracles, can read their mind and can instantly pick out the best hairstyle for them. There are many variables to consider when it comes to selecting a hairstyle and it is up to the hair consumer to do their homework and research their own hair options. Face shape, lifestyle and budget all play into the final style selected.

2. Don’t select a hairstyle or haircut that is impossible to maintain at home on your own.

While most Hollywood celebrities have a expert hairdresser at their fingertips to make sure their tresses look paparazzi perfect, most consumers have to deal with their hair without those constant hairdressing services.

3. Don’t skimp on proper hair care or hair styling products

Some hair care lines sold in drugstores may work for some types of hair and some styles. However, if you have highlighted or chemically processed hair or require added volume or control, the less expensive non-salon lines might not do the trick and could make styling your hair a constant challenge.

Consider your options. You may be able to compromise by buying both mass market and high quality products and alternate between them for best results. Or maybe your hairstyle requires high quality hair care lines. Be honest and don’t work hard to achieve a great style only to undermine it with products that don’t support it.

4. Don’t use the wrong hairstyling tools

There are many different tools available to create fabulous styles. These tools range from blow dryers and curling irons to hot rollers and round brushes. Make sure you use the proper tools when re-creating your style. If you’re unsure what tools to use, ask your hairdresser to give you a lesson at the salon. It may be impossible to copy the style your professional hair consultant designed for you if you don’t deploy the same styling techniques, products and tools.

5. Don’t overuse hairstyling products

Less is more when it comes to utilizing styling products. If you overdo the gels, mousse and hair sprays you risk developing product build-up on your tresses which can make your hair misbehave.

6. Don’t copy celebrity hairstyles without caution

Keep in mind that Demi Moore and Jessica Simpson can wear just about any hairstyle their heart desires because they have professional hairdressers custom designing those styles to maximize their best features and minimizing their less attractive. What looks fabulous on Demi and Jessica may not look the same on you unless you truly look exactly like them, have the same type of hair and wear the exact shade of hair color and cosmetics. Set fair expectations and you won’t be disappointed.

7. Don’t ignore high end cosmetology schools as hairstyling options

Some of the higher end schools such as Toni & Guy and Paul Mitchell employ talented and seasoned professionals as instructors. The schools have very high standards for the quality of hairdresser they turn out. As a result, a high end cosmo school is a great place for getting some hairstyling work performed, even if it is just a slight shaping and trim to maintain your high priced style from a different salon. In fact, a great option is to have your hairstyle created at a top notch salon but have maintenance performed at the cosmo schools to average out your hair style maintenance costs.

8. Don’t be a slave to hair trends

Hairstyles change constantly as fashion change. Instead of being a slave to hair trends, find a hairstyle that works best for you and maintain that base look. If you want to update your tresses to keep them looking fresh, opt for a change in hair color, highlights, lowlights or slight texture. If you look great in a bob, keep that as your basic style but work with your hairdresser to keep it looking contemporary.

9. Don’t ignore hair accessories as a fabulous hairstyling option

Some hair consumers mistakenly believe that hair accessories are only applicable for young people or certain types of hair. This is not correct. Any hair accessory can be adopted for any age, hair type, texture, fashion or style. Use these fabulous fashion accessories to instantly change your look without a trip to the salon.

10. Don’t count out hair extensions as a way to achieve different hairstyles

Whether you want a temporary hairstyle change that a clip-in hair extension can offer or a more permanent change for 3-4 months, hair extensions have come a long way towards affordability and high quality.

The Jessica Simpson clip-in hair extensions are a great first step towards experimenting with new hairstyles in the privacy of your home in just a few minutes.

If you enjoy the clip-in extensions then be bold and try a partial head of fusion style hair extensions for more lasting hairstyle options.

Summary

There can be just as many don’ts as there are dos when working with your own personal hairstyle. While it is important to follow the dos, it is also necessary to keep the don’ts in mind to achieve the hairstyle of your dreams.

1. Pour the foundation.

The fullest possible hair starts with the right foundation of cleansing, conditioning and treatment products. The right regimen sets the stage for maximum oomph. Joico’s Clinicure Botanical Thinning Hair Systems, for example, cleanse scalp from the build-up that can contribute to hair loss and nourish the scalp area to create the optimal environment for healthy hair growth. They’re available in regimens for natural and chemically-treated hair.

2. Give it a whirl

For maximum glamour, roller sets are great ways to produce long-lasting body and fullness. For fine hair, use small rollers, especially in the top sections where you want mega-lift. You’ll also get the most body if you lift each section of hair straight up and wind the hair so that the roller sits straight up and down against your head. Before setting, mist each section with a weightless formula like the new Clinicure Weightless Texture Thickener. (It’s great on damp hair, and you can also use it on dry hair if you’re working with electric rollers.) Your hair will feel noticeably thicker with this formula, and the set will last longer. The bonus? With this technique, you won’t need to tease your hair, which can be damaging when strands are fine and fragile.

3. Braid-y bunch

Here’s a quick and easy way to bump up the volume on long hair. On damp strands, apply a volume-enhancing formula like Clinicure Lifting Foam Volumizer to your fingertips and massage it into your scalp. Mist the rest of your hair with a thickening formula like . Divide your hair into half-inch square sections and then subdivide each section into thirds and create small braids. Once your hair is completely dry, release the braids. Massage your scalp and gently break up the braids with your fingertips. Voila! Instant volume and magnificent modern texture!

4. Booster shot

Want to prevent lackluster body and lock in your style at the same time? Try this trick! Once your style is in place, use the end of a rattail comb to gently lift a small section at the top. Grab a weightless, targeted holding spray like Clinicure Dry Hold Finisher and hit the hair underneath the comb with a couple of quick bursts of spray. Continue all over the head where you want maximum height and staying power. This technique lifts and holds hair from underneath, penetrating deep into the interior of the style for all-day, all-night hold. And with a formula like Dry Hold Finisher, you can add another layer of spray for even more style security, without the risk of product build-up or weighing hair down.

5. Pump it up

Guys with thin hair need a lift, too! The trick is to keep it modern and avoid the dreaded helmet-head “anchorman” effect. Here’s a foolproof how-to:

- Mist towel-dried hair with three-to-four pumps of Clinicure Weightless Texture Thickener and comb it through

- Place your fingertips on your scalp and use your fingers to lift your hair away from your head

- Set your blow dryer on a medium setting and direct the airflow between your fingers and your scalp. Hold your hand still to allow the air to dry your hair with maximum fullness. (Using your hands instead of a brush to dry and style your hair is the secret to a natural-looking, not poufy, result.)

- Once you’ve dried all your hair, hands-off! Touching strands at this point can create frizz or can cause your style to droop prematurely

Now, thanks to the revolutionary new K-PAK RECONSTRx Vapor Iron, your clients can straighten every day, with no need to take time off for strand recovery. Because unlike any other professional flat iron, the Vapor Iron actually reconstructs hair as it smoothes! Here’s how:

Fuel Rules

Leave it to the healthy hair company to devise a way to infuse hair with K-PAK, even while straightening. That’s the idea behind the proprietary blend of Vapor Fuel that penetrates strands as the flat iron styles the hair. Contained in a reservoir within the flat iron, and released with the press of a button through the vapor channel, this proprietary, hair healing blend contains Joico’s reconstructing Quadramine Complex, essential fatty acids to maintain moisture, silicone to seal the cuticle, anti-oxidants to battle destructive free radicals and nourishing botanicals.

Hair Irons: Step Up to the Plates

And there’s more good news to share with clients. The unique Vapor Iron plates feature a triple-header of healthy materials-namely ceramic, silicone and tourmaline. All three benefit hair health. The negative ions of ceramic and tourmaline pull moisture into the hair, while triple-dipped silicone promotes super-smooth gliding action – no grabbing or snagging!

A Healthy Hair Habit

Here’s how the numbers add up. With the K-PAK RECONTRx Vapor Iron, expect:
40% less breakage
35% reduction in color loss
12 hours of style retention without curl reversion, even in humidity of up to 90%
100% happiness when your client’s hair actually feels healthier!
So encourage your clients to get into the RECONSTRx Vapor Iron habit, for healthier hair and silky, manageable style!

Nicole Kidman - Naturally red

Natural Reds
Rich rather than bright, some of the best-known, natural-looking red shades are currently sported by celebrities like Kidman, Julianne Moore and True Blood’s Deborah Ann Woll. When creating natural-looking hues like these, according to Pemberton, your salon color pro will create formulas that combine red or copper shades with gold in order to “dilute” the intensity. “A rosy shade combined with gold produces a beautiful warm red result,” she says. In the case of Kidman’s born-with-it hue, for example, Sue says the color is a result of combining a light copper shade with light gold.

If you’re hesitant about making a commitment to an all-over red shade, adds Sue, ask your hairdresser to start by adding some soft, red toned highlights. If you’re a medium-brown, for example, a few rosy highlights that are a shade lighter than your natural hue will create a subtle red tone…and give you a low-maintenance opportunity to decide if red is the real you!

Bright Red's

“Look at Me” Reds
There is something about bright, vibrant, shiny red that makes people smile, asserts Beth. So if you yearn to turn heads with an ultra-vivid copper or true red, go for it. “Just be sure you’re ready for the commitment,” says Sue. “You’ll need to touch up the color frequently.” If your color is already light – dark-to-pale blonde – a red makeover is pretty straightforward. Your colorist will assess the condition of your hair, and then either apply the red hue in one step, or in two or more “layers” which ensures optimum coverage and color longevity. If your natural or existing color is darker, your stylist might have to lighten it first in order to deposit the high-impact red. True Blood’s Evan Rachel Wood’s notice-me shade is a standout. Deconstructing the hue, Sue says it’s a combination of vivid copper and golden brown, enhancing a natural, medium brown shade.

Tips for Every Shade of Red
Reds tend to be the fastest-fading color, says Beth, so many salon pros are turning to new technology when creating these shades. The new Vero K-PAK Xtra Red shades, for example, are “power packed” with patented dye molecules that make color more intense, 20% more long lasting and 200% shinier. And after you leave the salon with your new red hue, TLC is critical for strands, adds Sue. “I always advise red hair clients to use professionally formulated home care products like Joico’s K-PAK Color Therapy regimen,” she says, “to help their color last longer and stay shiny and ultra-vivid.”