Big Hair Looks Cool

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At the risk of sounding a little cocky here, I’m going to come right out and say that I (finally) have great hair. Case in point: during my most recent trip through LAX, as I walked through the creepy body scanner at the security checkpoint, the TSA guy actually high-fived me and cheered, “You have amazing hair! Great job!” with alarming enthusiasm. A little jarring at 6am, but I’m used to it.

My hair has mad body, gently flowing curls, and a soft, glowing sheen that comes from avoiding all the fun stuff—hair dyes, bleaches, and irons of any sort. Boring? Maybe. But it's all I can say when asked what I do, which happens often, by both women and men alike.

But there were darker times. Coming of age in the early ‘00s and the re-popularization of the straightening iron made me do all the wrong things for my hair type. I parted it down the middle, flattened it vertical, and despite the effort, the end result was entirely unflattering for my big, round face. When you’re trying to keep everything too perfect you end up with that stiff, awkward facial expression that's supposed to sub in for a natural smile in photos, and I have the cheesy local mall glamour portraits to prove it.

Then after a break-up last fall, I cut off all my glorious length in an emotionally spurred attempt to channel the mid-length tousled bob. But my curls rebelled and the cut made me look more ‘80s anchorwoman than Karlie Kloss.

Now that my hair is almost nipple-length and my curls are weighted enough to cascade down versus poof up, I feel like myself again. No definite part, volume up top, and air-dried works best for me. As much as I aspire to embody the understated cool of the straight-down, undone style that's currently trending in theory, I feel better with a little more obvious glamour. Young Priscilla Presley-level volume—it'll be back in due time.

...Like now, actually. Even Joey Silvestera, Blackstones salon owner and the man that sparked my languid hair envy with July 2013's blunt “non-haircut', says that big, brushed-out '60s hair is making a comeback. And now that the tables have turned—just kidding—now that big hair is back, if you've naturally got laid-back lengths and want to try something different, he says it's about re-embracing mousse! (Seriously, where's mousse been?) Joey says that Bumble & bumble Curl Conscious Holding Foam and Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse are the best on the market.

—Eunice Lee

Eunice Lee is ITG's ad manager and Benetint disciple.