PONY UP!

I recently came across a beautiful photo on Pinterest that got me thinking about ponytails and now I can't stop. It's such an easy fix to get out the door fast and anyone can create a ponytail. Ponytails can been seen on red carpets and runways and have some major staying power. Most people just pull their hair straight back and that can work great in a pinch but if you take it just one step further it can become something fabulous! Here's how...

BUMP IT UP

This is great for Day 2 (or 3) hair, use a little dry shampoo and add a little volume at the crown. The trick is to not brush out all of your work pulling it back!

PART WAYS

Shift your part just slightly farther than you normally wear it and create a dramatic look in an instant!

THAT'S A WRAP

This is the oldest trick in the book but it still works! Take a small piece of your ponytail and wrap it around the rubber band for the perfect finish. Extra credit if you braid the piece first!

FINISHING SCHOOL

Add a little Elixir Ultime (yes I'm still obsessed with this product) to your ends so they look polished and shiny....and they will smell great too!

Photos (clockwise from top left): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

Laura's Wedding

I love doing hair and makeup for weddings and I really love when it's for a friend. I was so flattered when cupcake guru Laura Lively of L's Cupcake Delivery asked me to do her and her bridesmaids hair and makeup for her big day. It also happened to be exactly one week before my wedding so we went through the planning process at the same time even ended up picking the exact same"dancing" dress. Laura wanted long voluminous curls but wanted it out of her face and for makeup she wanted glamour!! Cory Ryan was the photographer and I just couldn't resist sharing a few of the photos!

To see Cory's blog on all of the wedding details click here!

Cheers to Laura and Ryan!

To book an appointment with Martha Lynn you can call the salon at 512-420-8868!

Kendra Scott:: March Ads

Just wanted to share with you all the latest Kendra Scott ads featuring the gorgeous photography of Cory Ryan and hair and makeup by me. The shoot was a blast and these photos where taken right outside Kendra's beautiful new studio. If you haven't been by you absolutely MUST go!!

For more behind the scenes from the shoot check out the Kendra Scott blog here!

MOVE THAT BUS!!!

I hope you all watched tonight’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." I was fortunate enough to do hair for the bride for the wedding and hair & makeup for the bride’s interviews.

Now that the episode has aired I can FINALLY share a little about what an amazing day this truly was.

Mariana Meredith, Lisa Jauregui and I arrived on base at Patrick’s home around 8am to start hair and makeup on Jessica and her three bridesmaids. I was definitely nervous because normally a bride chooses you and you do test runs and bridal portraits and can really get know each others style for months before the big day. Not on this freezing cold day…we had to jump right in. As we walked in the house I could sense Jessica’s understandable nerves and assured her that I would not stop until she loved it. We tried a couple of ideas before deciding on her final look. We wanted it to be soft and romantic but secure enough to withstand brutal winds and a long production day. Mariana and Lisa amazed me with their speed and skill. We had about 2 hours get the bride and three bridesmaids in hair and makeup, dressed and out the door to the church! Our beauty team and the four girls had a great time laughing and talking and it felt like any other wedding. I was amazed as Jessica began to tell me about Patrick, how they met, and the journey that brought them to that day. My heart went out to her and the devotion she has for her future husband. As a bride to be I couldn’t help but think about what it must be like to be told you are having a wedding in a week and not get a say in how things went AND to have cameras documenting the entire thing! Wow!

We were on time and made it to the church where I finally saw Ty and crew buzzing around just like you see on the show. They were so kind and involved and gracious to every volunteer. We were in a tiny room at the church with the bride and bridesmaids until the moment she walked down this aisle. This is such a private time for any bride and there is such a feeling of anticipation in the air. It was truly an honor to be in the room.

After the wedding we all headed to the new home and I was separated from them until after the reveal hours later! This is a nightmare for hair and makeup because you want to make sure every curl stays in it’s perfect place. As I arrived at the home it was truly breathtaking to see the volunteers that had worked 24 hours a day to make this possible for such a deserving couple. Lots of smiles and false “Move That Bus” chants until the time finally came. The couple arrived and then they finally did move that bus and they were headed inside. I stayed with the crew and volunteers until after they went through the house room by room and then did a final touch up before they went outside for the surprise reception!

I have always loved Extreme Makeover Home Edition and what they do for the families. I will NEVER forget this couple and my experience on this project.

DETAILS:

Caplan Miller's blog and list of all of the amazing vendors:

http://www.caplanmiller.com/blog/

Photographer Ben Sassimi’s blog and photos from the day:

http://www.sassaniphotographyblog.com/

To watch the full episode:
http://abc.go.com/shows/extreme-makeover-home-edition

Special thanks to Marques Harper for the mention in his blog post about the episode

http://networkedblogs.com/etrix

Getting Glossy!!

I have been waiting on pins and needles to see the pictures from the Glossy "Bridal" issue and was finally able to see them today. I absolutely love them. The recent "snow day" and the chill in the air actually reminded me of the day we met at the picturesque Barr Mansion for this shoot. I know, it has been a mild winter and I do feel spoiled, but this January day was absolutely freezing, not made any more mild by the whirling wind. But, the crew was a tough bunch (especially photographer Deborah Cannon) and the poor models were pros and smiled away. Seeing it now makes me wonder if I am mistaken and this really was a beautiful spring day.

For this photo shoot the goal was to make the bride and her party look like the real deal. The direction I took to achieve this, is as I would with most weddings. The hair for the "bride" was very soft and elegant and the goal was to let it feel special and stand out from the wedding party without taking away from the gorgeous gowns. For the "maid of honor" we did a simple side ponytail and for the other "bridesmaids" we went for the perfect bun! Everything told a story but no cookie cutter looks for these beauties. I couldn't have done it without Mariana Meredith and Cassandra Matthews who were instrumental in helping me create these looks! This shoot was particularly special for me because I have the pleasure of styling many brides each year and this year I, too, will be a bride!

Marques Harper and Elena Garcia chose the most elegant gowns and Evie Evan created perfect bridal makeup that allowed the models to truly shine.

The entire shoot was fabulous. To check it out first hand go pick up a copy of the latest Glossy! To view the online version you can click on the images below.

If you or someone you know is interested in talking wedding hair, or just hair in general you can find me and more examples of my work at www.marthalynnbarnes.com.

Lashing Out!

Photo From: http://community.livejournal.com

In my opinion one of the best ways to glam up your look is by adding fake lashes! They are great for tons of drama or just a natural lash look without caked on mascara. Here are my tips for applying them yourself...and you can see the segment from KEYE here!

1.) Trim them to fit your eye - many people's eye are too small for the larger lashes so you want to make sure they fit. Cut from the inside of the lash line
2.) Make sure the glue has PLENTY of time to dry - at least 30-45 seconds otherwise they will just slide around your eye
3.) Tilt your head back - this will let you see exactly what you are doing without closing your eye
4.) Mascara - Apply one coat of mascara to marry your lashes to the fake ones
5.) Eyeliner - Once they dry apply a little bit of eyeliner to conceal the line
6.) Flaunt - Bat those lashes and hit the town!!

Best of luck!!

Faux Real!

Is your New Years Resolution to be “more bold?” Or “try something new” Or maybe its just to reach your “full potential?” Well if it is, or if it isn’t, maybe it should be for your hair. And whether you want to go “long and luxurious” or “short and sassy” there is always New Years Eve to give ANY of the above a test run before you have to fully commit for an entire year. Here are a couple ways to dip your toe in the water and have a sassy faux look for what I am calling a New Year Fake Out. You can also see my segment on KEYE about each of these fabulous looks here!

LONG AND LUXURIOUS

AKA Clip-On Extensions

Adding length and volume to your hair is sort of like trying to lose weight. There is really only one right way to make the change but (as we all know) there are lots of ways to “fake it.” The “right” way is you have to grow more hair. The way to “fake it,” add more hair. So if length or volume is your ultimate goal you cannot beat clip-in extensions. Clip-in extensions are not as damaging as some permanent options and are a fun, easy, switch up for a night out. They come in all different colors and your stylist will be able to adjust the color, if necessary, to make sure they match perfectly.

Here are a few tips for clip in extensions…

1) Get them from a professional – Even though the brands on the market now come in many colors and lengths you absolutely can’t beat having a professional match your color and then cut them to blend with your current haircut.

2) Don’t push it with the length – For length AND volume I think you can easily add between 4 and 6 inches before it starts to look obvious. If you are just looking to add a little volume I would keep it to 2-3 inches longer than your natural hair.

3) Spray and tease then spray again! – When applying the extensions the closer you can get to your part the better and more natural they will look. Also if you spray the hair before AND after you tease it will give the clip-in’s something to grab onto.

4) Texture is your friend – When you are trying to blend your hair to match the extensions the more texture you create the better because you wont see lines from one to the other. For example, it’s best to apply the extensions and then curl both your hair and extensions together so they blend.

When it comes to clip-in extensions I offer a package that includes the purchase of the extensions as well as an appointment to cut and blend them. While you are there I will also teach you how to put them in yourself! The goal is that you have a look you love and can change out when you feel like it. Don’t worry, if you love the look but find you hate doing it yourself, once we have matched them, it’s just a small fee to come have them reapplied for any occasion.

SHORT AND SASSY

AKA Faux Bob

Are volume and length not your desire? Perhaps you are sick of your long locks and are entertaining the idea of something short and sassy? Well, a faux bob can be super fun for any occasion and can be a great way to test the waters of going shorter with out having to snip a single hair on your head.

Here are the how to’s for the faux bob…

1) Curls! Curls! Curls! - Start by curling your hair all over. It doesn’t have to be too perfect you are just working to put some extra texture in the hair.

2) The IMperfect pony tail – Pull the, now curled, hair, into a loose low pony tail allowing the shorter layers to fall out. (You can either do one main ponytail or two depending on how much hair you have)

3) Fold it Under - Fold the ponytail under itself and pin loosely so the hair begins to take the shape of a bob.

4.) Clean Up – Finally, finish by touching up all of the loose hairs (that fell out of the pony tail) by wrapping them around a curling iron. Then you can either pin them in to your new “faux bob” for a polished look or let them fall for a little messier finish.

Hopefully, you have some amazing plans for New Years Eve and some ambitious goals for you and your hair in 2011. Whether you are thinking shorter or thinking longer hopefully the above tips have given you some options you will love for experimenting.

To book an appointment you can call Martha Lynn at 512.586.9331