:: BEAUTY :: Hairplay | The Deep Part

As a girl with naturally curly hair, I've struggled with my hair for as long as I can remember.  I do love curly hair... just not my curly hair (but don't we all say that?).  Sure, I've had a good curly hair day here and there, but the problem is I never know what I'm going to get and it requires much so much more work than just blowing it all out straight, so that's what I've been falling back on on a daily basis these days.  However, as someone who has the versatility of curly hair... I have to say that straight hair can get kind of boring (sorry).  So lately I've been playing around with different blow out styles and one look that I've long admired is the deep part, side-swept hair.

Whitney Port

Cara Delevingne

Eva Mendes

Amanda Seyfried

Penelope Cruz

I've only just attempted it in recent weeks, but I have to say that I love it!  It has a way of looking uber glamorous, yet casual at the same time.  It's like, "Oh my hair?  I just run my fingers through it and give it a toss."  Meanwhile you're face is perfectly framed with a lush set of locks falling down around your shoulder.  I might also add that this look lends itself nicely to the old trick of tossing your hair about as a way of casting your scent in the direction of the cutie next to you at the coffee shop.  Just don't over do it, ladies, because we've all been suffocated by the overly perfumed.  And a quick side note: if you use anything but an oil for scent, keep it off your locks directly, as the alcohol in it can be drying.  I find that hair picks up any scent nicely if you just dab it on the back of your neck.

Anyway, this look is all about volume, and since my fine hair has a tendency to fall flat, I know I have to really work the round brush to pull this off.  I also broke out the hairspray, which I rarely use, to keep things lifted and in place.  My hairstylist recommended Paul Mitchell's Hold Me Tight, which works great and has that nice "I just walked out of the salon" smell.  I also use large round brush for my roots, to kick up  the volume, and a medium round brush on my ends to give them a nice bounce.

Here's an actual tutorial from hairstylist Anthony Turner on getting side-part bed head, à la Cara Delevingne and Whitney Port.  You may also choose to go for a more polished look, seen on Eva, or one with a little more body and curl, like Penelope and Amanda above, which is the direction I tend to go.

Have you recently tried a new hairstyle?  What's your go-to, feeling-fabulous hairstyle?

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