HONEY AND SILK: Tousled Waves for Short Hair

It's the new me thanks to NYC hair salon Nunzio Saviano and a strategic combination of hair saviors. Today I'll be sharing my exciting experience in transitioning to a "lob" hairstyle and how I've managed to groom my hair to make it my own. Video tutorial below!

Last month, while I was sitting in the plane on the way to New York, it hit me like a freight train that my long hair just had to go. It may have been my dry ends, the static from the plane, or the fuss of long hair over thick layers. Or it may have been the fact that I cut it just a mere 4 months ago and it's already grown out faster than I expected. I just couldn't stand it that moment, so I immediately signed onto in-flight wifi to search for a reputable hair salon in New York City that can give my hair new life.

I came across celebrity hair stylist, Nunzio Saviano, whose exclusive yet homey salon resides in a charming, converted townhouse on the Upper East Side (just blocks from our apartment rental!). I really admired the salon's understated elegance that's not as prevalent in the glitz and glamour of celebrity hair salons...or maybe that's just LA. It's no wonder Nunzio Saviano has been recognized as one of the best salons by Allure, New York Magazine, InStyle, etc. There was something more intimate about his personality and salon, so I keenly requested an appointment and they incredibly squeezed me in right away. I couldn't be more excited and nervous walking through their doors, not really knowing what I'll look like coming back out.

I was partnered with the amazing Lauren Thompson of the Nunzio Saviano team, whom I found to be so sweet and easy to converse with and trust my hair with. I basically just told her I wanted it short and she took care of the rest. Every step of the way, Lauren explained how the cut will come out, how it'll hang on the shoulders, and how it would style when it's dry. It was superbly comforting and relaxing, while going through such a dramatic change. I came out of my luxurious experience with a sleek "lob" and a whole new aesthetic!

I haven't missed my long hair for a single second since the haircut and I can't imagine going back to having long hair anytime soon. It's incredibly refreshing and so easy to manage! I actually think my new hair was the final touch in completing and embracing my personal style to the fullest. I can't wait to get back to New York this summer and plan a visit to Nunzio Saviano for a touch-up.

If you're in New York or you're planning on visiting, make Nunzio Saviano a part of your itinerary, because how perfect of a souvenir would a new you be?

Now that it's been a little over a month, I can finally tell you that I've just made my hair my own - i.e. I had to figure the hell out of how to style my hair by myself. We all know that the salon blowout will always be mountain strides away from what you can achieve at home; after washing my hair for the first time and trying to style it like I usually did with my long hair, I was nearly appalled at how I pretty much looked like bozo the clown. Clearly, my method of tousled waves was not fit for a lob and it achieved no where close to how Lauren effortlessly tousled my hair at Nunzio Saviano.

After days and weeks of getting up extra early to work towards the sexy beach lob, I had an eureka moment after hundreds of experiments. While I had thought it was the method of curling that would make the difference, it is actually the combination of hair products that successfully makes the tousled look. I rarely ever used hair styling products in the past, which is why it took me so long to discover this secret. My winning hair saviors are my Theorie flat iron, Dove Pure Care Nourishing Dry Oil, Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme, and Osis+ Session Label Salt Spray. The Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme is key in separating the waves and creating prominent texture, just enough for an undone look. The Osis+ Salt Spray adds more texture and amps up the volume, which is my hair quality must-have.

My Hair Styling Routine

1. Start with clean, dry hair (day-old hair is even better!).

2. Apply Dove Pure Care Nourishing Dry Oil over the ends and middle of the hair to smooth and heat-protect.

3. Squeeze a dime-size amount of Bumble and Bumble Texture Creme and rub your fingers together to finger comb the product through your hair. Start from the middle of the head and work your way down to the ends. Make sure you start with less than more, because too much could easily make your hair look sticky.

4. Separate your hair into 4 sections: lower right half, upper right half, lower left half, upper left half

5. I found that a 1" flat iron works the best for shorter hair and I love my new Theorie! Starting on the lower half of your side of choice, take the flat iron and clamp a 1" section of hair at the top of the head at a 45º angle with the tip facing down.

6. Curl in the direction away from your face. Open curls open up your face appeal!

7. I like to curl in the opposite direction once every couple of curls.

8. Continue and work your way to the upper half, then the lower half on the opposite side, and finish with the opposite upper half.

9. Rub a tiny amount of Dove Pure Care Nourishing Dry Oil through the curls to loosen them as waves and to smooth them out.

10. Liberally spray the Osis+ Session Label Salt Spray at the roots, ends, and middle and scrunch your hair as it dries.

A lot of you have asked for a hair tutorial, so I made a quick little video tutorial (my first one ever!) to show you just how I use a flat iron to create the waves. I realize it's a short video, so there's not too much detail, but if you have any further questions or request I make a longer one, let me know in the comments! Hope you enjoy =)