How To Style Long Hair: Your Guide To Styling And Care For Long Hair

Ever since I can remember I have always had long hair and love the way it makes me feel. Longer hair also can be a pain to take care of requiring lot more care and maintenance on your part..Plus longer hair is more versatile being able to style in various ways. So how to style long hair you maybe asking? Longer hair can be styled in either an updo such as bun, french twist, braiding, a classic ponytail, or you can choose to curl your hair in tight ringlets, loose waves or straightening for a sleek smooth look.

How can you ensure that your hairstyle looks good on you? You might think just because you like a hairstyle on your favorite celebrity or a friend you should get it. Not every hairstyle looks good on everyone. The shape of your face will determine what hairstyle will be best suited for you.

How do you figure out your face shape? This is not difficult to do. Pull your hair back in a ponytail, look in a mirror than with a lipstick draw around the shape of your face.

Round Shaped
Round faces are wider and need a hair cut that will minimize the fullness. Try layers that are choppy throughout. You want your layers to be different angles. On top have some added volume to draw attention away from the roundness of your face. If having bangs have these cut at an angle. Don't wear blunt straight across bangs.

Heart Shaped
Heart shaped faces look good with choppy styles and bangs that are angled and become longer to one side.

Oval Shaped
For those lucky enough to have oval shaped faces you can basically wear almost any haircut. How fortunate for you!

Square Shaped
Square faces tend to look harsh with the wrong cut. Don't have a hairstyle that is a short crop, instead opt for soft waves which will ease your square jawline. At the crown add some volume to draw attention from your square shape. Don't go for blunt cuts of any kind. If wanting bangs choose wispy ones.

Long Shaped
If you have a long face you will want a style that will give the illusion of your face being shorter. For bangs use something that is wispy with hair that is chin length. Do not go for straight bobs or long hair that has no shape. Your fullest part of the hair should be right behind your ears.

If sleep with your hair in a braid make sure the braid is not too tight. A too tight braid will cause breakage and/or loss of hair.

Trim your long hair on a regular basis like every 8 weeks.

Don't use a brush to detangle your hair. Use fingers, a pick or a wide toothed comb.

When detangling work only one section at a time starting at the tips to the roots.

Don't use a towel to rub hair instead blot out water gently.

You can style your long hair with curls a number of ways. You can use rollers, curling iron and even a flat iron. Yes, that's right a flat iron can not only straighten your hair but also put curls and waves in.

Styling Long Hair With A Curling Iron
First you will want to prepare your hair by washing and conditioning it with a deep moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Afterwards dry taking a towel to lightly blot your hair than following up with a hairdryer. It is important your hair is completely dry so the curl will hold. The cold hair will not only help the curl hold but also adds volume to the root and locks in the style.

Use some type of volumizer or texturizing spray on the roots of your hair. If hair is quite coarse or already curly you can rub some straightening balm through to tame your hair.

If you have a heat protectant spray it would be a good idea to spray some on your hair to prevent burning and protect your hair from the heat.

Secure with a ponytail holder and separate in three sections. Use a wide barrel, something at least 1.5 inches thick. Using a texturizing spray spritz over your hair than wrap around 1 inch portions around the curling iron.

Wrapping the hair around the iron lets you get all way to the root. Leave the ends loose to avoid any crimping.

Hold hair for about 10 to 15 seconds, longer for even tighter curls. Curls will be corkscrew curls.

Put holding spray over each curl than pin up using bobby curls to secure close to your head.

As you work the iron through hair curling be sure to change the direction you go. This will create natural looking curls.

After the pinned up curls are cooled you can take them down and seperate using your fingers. Don't brush them out though.

For further shine to enhance your hair try using a hair serum. Set hair with hairspray being careful not to overdo it.

Sleep on satin or silk pillowcases. Using regular cotton will cause breakage of your hair. If don't have satin or silk pillowcases you can instead wear a silk scarf around your head.

When brushing hair use long strokes starting at the roots than glide your hand through. This will help get rid of static.

Rinse with warm than cool water. Don't ever use hot water as the hot water is damaging resulting in your hair becoming frizzy.

Use a good leave in conditioner or detangler.

It is best to let hair air dry naturally but if you need to use a blow dryer use the lowest setting on cool.

Buy brushes with natural bristles.

Styling Long Hair With A Straightener For Curls
Flat irons today are much different than from year's past. The ones on the market are much safer using ceramic heat which produces negative ions and far infrared heat which is more gentle on your hair.

For thick and coarse hair - Use high setting between 350-400 degrees
For fine or damaged hair - Use low below 300 degrees
For normal hair - Use heat between 300 - 380 degrees

First shampoo, condition than use a heat treatment on your hair. When using the heat treatment do this when your hair is still wet.

Before using the iron make sure to detangle all your hair properly and section it off in small sections. If you try to heat too much hair you will end up with uneven styling and heating.

Once hair is sectioned off, take a piece and press between the plates as close as you can to your scalp and with a gentle pressure pull the straightening iron down towards the tip of your hair at an even, moderate pace. Don't let the iron sit too long on one spot. This will create too much heat and be damaging.

Using The Flat Iron For Flips
You can create sexy little flips for your hair using your flat iron. All you have to do is when you reach the bottom to turn the iron around in either direction, left or right, than glide the rest of your hair through.

If your flat iron has curved or round pates you can do curls fairly easy. Take about 1 inch section of hair, again as close to the scalp as possible and turn iron in about 1 1/2 times in whatever direction you want your curl to be.

Hold at this angle and pull the rest of your hair through. Voila! A beautiful curl. Now repeat with the rest of your hair. You can choose to pin up your curls as you go to make it easier to style.

There a number of updos that you can put your long hair in. Depending on the texture of your hair some will look better than others.

French Twist
This type of updo start off with a ponytail at back of the head, hold the pony tail loosely around two inches from the scalp. Than twist around folding at one side securing with a bobby pin and tuck it under.

Bun
The bun is a classic updo and looks quite elegant. For this pull your hair in a ponytail either low close to nape of neck or up high. It doesn't matter if ponytail is low or high. Once you have hair in a ponytail than wrap the hair around the base of the ponytail, using bobby pins to secure it at the top of your head.

Curled Updo
Having an updo with cascades and ringlets of curls coming down looks very beautiful. Simply pull your hair in a ponytail, wrap around, secure up than take your curling iron to create the ringlets to frame your face.

Braids
Braiding can be tricky to learn to do at first, but once you get the hang of it it really isn't that complicated. There are number of different ways to braid your hair such as the french braid or a simple method is to put hair in a ponytail and create several braids from the ponytail.

How To Reduce Cellulite: Get Your Body Ready Before Summer Hits
Read this article if you have problems with cellulite and wish to find helpful tips in reducing it.

All Natural Beauty Tips: Guide On Looking Your Very Best
Full of tips on bringing out your natural beauty and includes homemade beauty tips as well

How To Apply Makeup: Tips & Techniques For Professional Looking Makeup
Learn the proper techniques in applying makeup just like the professionals use

Phototherapy Treatment: A Guide On Using Light Therapy
Read to discover this new technology in improving your skin for complete skin rejuvenation

Easy And Sensible Diet Tips
Diet tips for finally losing the weight and keeping it off. Implement simple steps and tricks to learn how to lose weight and maintain your weight.

What Is Fenugreek? History, Benefits And Side Effects
What is fenugreek and what are the benefits of using this herb? Feungreek is one of the oldest herbs with many medicinal uses for cholesterol, diabetes, weight loss, breast enlargement and more.

Share any tips you may have in how to style long hair in the comments below!