"Updos are so versatile," says
Eric Del Monaco, hairstylist for L’Oreal Paris. "They can be perfect for day to achieve a polished look for the office, or ideal for a sexy evening look for a night on the town."

Don’t be wary when it comes to doing an updo yourself — with a few simple products and tips, you can easily create a runway-inspired ‘do for summer. "A pony tail is one of the easiest updos to achieve and most of the other classic updos start with a ponytail including this season’s stylish buns, chignons, etc.," explains Eric.

Here are Eric’s tips on how to easily recreate this Lanvin Spring/Summer 2010 look:

  • Apply mousse to damp hair and blow dry it to give it a bit of lift and texture.
  • Pull hair back from the face and gather in a high ponytail at the top of the head and fasten with a hair tie.
  • Twist the ponytail loosely – and, I mean very loosely, as we want some texture – around the hair tie to create a ‘messy bun’ on top of the head and fasten with hair pins to hold style in place.
  • Finish with hair spray.

Product recommendations:
L’Oreal Paris Studio Line Indestructible Mousse and
Elnett Hairspray.

Pro-tip: Use a small amount of mousse (roughly a dime-size amount for medium-length hair, a loonie-sized amount for long hair). Run the mousse through your hair from roots to tips for best results.

Technique tips: "It’s important to loosely tie the bun around the hair tie in order to achieve a good size bun and to give it texture," explains Eric. "If you tie it tightly it will look too polished or structured."

Day to night: To keep the look polished for day Eric suggests moving the bun down toward the back on the head so that it’s not sitting high on top of the head. "I would give it a bit more structure by wrapping it a bit tighter around the hair tie to achieve a more polished bun/look," says Eric.

"To take this look into the evening, I would use my fingertips and a hairspray such as Elnett hairspray and lightly add a bit of rough texture to the bun so that it doesn’t look so polished to give it more of a sexy look."

View more updos on the next page …

Get Eric’s product recommendations here
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Lanvin, Spring/Summer 2010

More looks on the next page …
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Lanvin, Spring/Summer 2010

More looks on the next page …
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Lanvin, Spring/Summer 2010

Product recommendations on the next page …
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L’Oreal Paris Studio Line Indestructible Mousse, ($7.49), available at drugstores and mass market retailers across Canada.


More products on the next page …

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L’Oreal Paris Elnett Hairspray, ($14.99), available at drugstores and mass market retailers across Canada.

Read more:
Summer hair styles: tips and tools for the hottest ’dos
Game changer: Products you need to DIY, boost shine and treat damage
Up in the air: Bird-nest messy or retro polished, we love our chignons
Hair styles: DIY colour

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