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5 Minute Styles Episode 3 Breakdown: French (with a) Twist

5/24/2021

1 Comment

 
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Overview
For this style, I used a pre-curled wig just like in Episode 1, but this style does not require curling your hair first. As always, I welcome trying this hairstyle on any and all hair textures and would love to see what you create!

This style looks simple, but as with most simple hairstyles, any and all imperfections tend to stick out like a sore thumb. While I do not wish to scare away beginners from trying this style, I want to warn intermediate & beginner levels alike not to underestimate its difficulty. Even I struggled to get this look in under 5 minutes and I have done it many times.

Here are the basic steps I will expand upon below covered in this episode:
  1. Gather hair as if to make a low ponytail & twist
  2. Place twist vertically along back of head & smooth hair over twist
  3. Pin twist into place keeping the ends out at the top
  4. Comb out ends & roll into a horizontal barrel curl
  5. Smooth barrel curl & pin down on the sides
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1. Gather hair as if to make a low ponytail & twist
Make sure you keep the twist tight as this will help the pins grip in step 3. Keep note of the direction you twist in for the next step. For example, I twist over to the left which will be reversed when the twist is flipped up.​
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​2. Place twist vertically along back of head & smooth hair over twist
As mentioned previously, when I place the twist vertically, the direction of hair is reversed from the direction shown in the first step so now I am combing over to the right.
3. Pin twist into place keeping the ends out at the top
Place the pin tip between the twist and head without prying the pin open. This will grab the perfect amount of hair to secure the twist to the head without having to use too many pins. 
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​4. Comb out ends & roll into a horizontal barrel curl
If you have the length for it, some light teasing on the underside of you hair before forming the barrel curl will help with the next step by reducing the gaps when spreading the hair and increasing pin grip.
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5. Smooth barrel curl & pin down on the sides
In addition to smoothing the curl, you also need to spread it out so it fans down at the sides. The teasing mentioned in the previous step will help so that no holes appear. Since the wig's ends were hard to detangle, I did not need to do any teasing for this look, so keep in mind that different textures will require different techniques.
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Watch The Video!
That's all there is to it! Click the button above to see the final product. Let me know if you have any questions or what other kinds of styles you might like to see.

​I look forward to seeing the versions you create!
1 Comment

5 Minute Styles Episode 2 Breakdown: 2 Knots

5/3/2021

1 Comment

 
Picture
Overview
For this style, I used a pre-curled wig just like in Episode 1, but this style does not require curling your hair first. I welcome trying this hairstyle on any and all hair textures and would love to see what you create!

This might be a technique better suited to beginners since it can be as simple or as complex as the wearer likes.

Here are the basic steps I will expand upon below covered in this episode:
  1. Section your hair into 2 parts & tie into ponytails
  2. Separate a ponytail into 2 pieces and tie a "knot"
  3. Pull the knot a bit loose and pin into place
  4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for the other ponytail
  5. Pin the ends of each knot into place
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1. Section your hair into 2 parts & tie into ponytails
I have said it before and I will say it again: every good hairstyle starts off with a plan, and sectioning is the best way to create a template for your plan. In this video, I decided to place one knot vertically above the other so that is where I tied my ponytails. Try experimenting with different knot placements! It's fun to come up with different designs just by placing your ponytail base in a different spot.
 2. Separate a ponytail into 2 pieces and tie a "knot"
This part is pretty self-explanatory. I tie my knots very simply whereas I have seen others tie their knots into square knots before pinning or using the ends of each knot to tie more knots. Tying more knots may be a good way to shore up longer hair or get more intricacy if you have more or thicker hair.​
3. Pull the knot a bit loose and pin into place
Do not tighten your knot! In fact, the whole point of this look is to have effortless volume, so a tight knot would only destroy the volume you are hoping to achieve. I am sure a series of tight knots would look really cool as a braid and probably has been done before, but that is a style for another video! For now, loose knots are the way to go. Place your pins on opposite sides of the knot for the greatest efficiency in holding it secure.​
4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for the other ponytail
Now, it's just a matter of doing it all again for your other ponytail(s) - maybe you want to make more than two?! Who knows what you're capable of!
5. Pin the ends of each knot into place
Again, I am going to encourage you to try new things for how you pin in the ends of your knots. Sometimes for looks like this, I make cleaner barrel curls, but for this one, I started making barrel curls and then just pinned them where I thought it felt right. Maybe you like some ends to show in order to create a more piece-y look or maybe you prefer a really clean look with everything tucked in - there are all kinds of combinations to try!
Watch the Video!
That's all there is to it! Let me know if you have any questions or what other kinds of styles you might like to see.

​I look forward to seeing the versions you create!
1 Comment

5 Minute Styles Introduction

4/19/2021

2 Comments

 
My idea came from hearing so many women say they are not sure what to do with their hair whether it be for work every day or to go to some kind of event like a wedding. I immediately thought about my mornings getting ready to go into the office (good times, right?) and how I would challenge myself to finish styling my hair in as little time as possible. I like to think I got pretty good at it. So fast forward to starting the YouTube channel, needing more content, and the continued refrain of so many women who might not be aware that good style does not need to take an eternity; this video series now seems like a no brainer. 

​I hope you enjoy the series and the breakdowns that I plan on accompanying each new episode. In all likelihood, these videos will not be enough to teach complete beginners how to make elegant styles in as little time as I do. My main purpose for this series is to show that with enough practice and patience, it's possible to do quite a bit in not much time at all. I hope to inspire others to challenge themselves, have fun, and create new hairstyles they can be proud of and show off in any setting or venue. Over the course of the series, I will aim to provide something for everyone.

If you have any questions, I would love to know how I can be more informative on this topic! I also want to see your creations and inspirations that might be a result from watching this series. 
2 Comments

5 Minute Styles Episode 1 Breakdown: Braided Up 'Do

4/19/2021

3 Comments

 
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Overview
For this style, I used a pre-curled wig, but this style does not require curling your hair first. It might make it easier to make the rolls at the end, but I will demonstrate straight hair styles in other videos. I welcome trying this hairstyle on any and all hair textures and would love to see what you create!

Not shown in the video is the time I spent detangling the hair. This wig tended to re-tangle no matter how much I brushed it out ahead of time, but some detangler or light use of hair oil should help prevent this for real hair.

I did not really use a mirror for the majority of this style, but feel free to when trying this out for the first time and checking your work to make sure no ends or weird bits stick out.

​If you are totally new to braiding, you may want to start off with more simple versions of this hairstyle or simply practice braiding for awhile before attempting this style. Keep an eye out for future videos to see a range of styles for more experience levels.

Here are the basic steps I will expand upon below covered in this episode:
  1. Section your hair into 3 parts
  2. Dutch braid down the center of the middle section until the nape of your neck
  3. "Pancake" the braid
  4. Wrap the end of the braid around your fingers and pin just off center at the nape of your neck
  5. Individually, twist the left & right sections toward the center, wrap the ends around your fingers, and pin to either side of the braided section
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Step 1: Section your hair into 3 parts
Every good hairstyle starts off with a plan, and sectioning is the best way to create a template for your plan. It helps you to stay organized and gives you a better idea for how much more you have left to do. It also helps prevent you from putting too much hair into your braid and not having enough to add more twists and rolls.

Step 2: Dutch braid down the center of the middle section until the nape of your neck
I never braid until the end of my hair if I do not have to since it uses time for something that might not even show. If you have never done a Dutch braid before, it is like a French braid but instead of bringing the outside sections in over the braid, you bring them in under the braid. The result is a braid that sits on top of the hair instead of being folded inside of it.
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​If you have never done either a Dutch or French braid before, the principle is the same, after the first 3 sections are braided, add in additional hair before braiding each new section. Ideally, each added section should be about the same size. It takes some practice to get used to this style of braiding, especially on yourself. If you are totally new to braiding, starting off with a simpler style to practice may be your best option before moving on to something like this.
Step 3: "Pancake" the braid
This is, quite possibly, ​my favorite phrase in all of hair styling. Yes, that is what it's called. Essentially, starting off at the bottom of the braid and working your way up, tug on the strands to flatten out the braid. This makes it appear wider and more voluminous. In more formal techniques, you might want to do this more slowly and methodically in order to get a more even spread, but in this challenge I just did not have time for, nor did I think it needed, perfection.
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Step 4: Wrap the end of the braid around your fingers and pin just off center at the nape of your neck
This part will look cleaner if your hair is completely detangled beforehand and will be easier to do with curled hair. If you do not have time to curl your whole head, consider just curling the ends. Again, it's not necessary, but might give a better look at the end. 
I choose to do off center looks for these kinds of quick styles since I feel like it's easier than trying to find and style to the exact center of my head. Asymmetry is in fashion anyway, so you may as well go for it and do it on purpose.
Step 5: Individually, twist the left & right sections toward the center, wrap the ends around your fingers, and pin to either side of the braided section
​Each side is done on their own and again, we are not trying to achieve perfect symmetry, but it is important to twist toward the center of your head, away from your face. This will provide the best silhouette from the front. 

As with the middle section, wrapping the hair and pinning the roll to your head, would be easiest with curled and detangled hair but only the latter of this is totally necessary for a sleek look.
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Watch Video
That's all there is to it! Let me know if you have any questions or what other kinds of styles you might like to see.

​I look forward to seeing the versions you create!
3 Comments

Arda Iron Wig Final Round Part 1: Tutorial

4/13/2021

1 Comment

 
Challenge:
I will link rules and results at the bottom of this post.
TL;DR: In this challenge, contestants were asked to create a tutorial, either written or in a video, that shows a styling technique as part of an overall style. I chose to showcase styling pinup rolls and created a classic pinup hair ‘do to show off the technique. This was one part of the overall Final Round, which had 3 parts total.

The Materials:
Links to products used will also be provided at the bottom of this post.
Arda gave us a bunch of stuff for the final round and of that haul I chose to use the following for this tutorial:
  • Natalee (a pink ombre lace front wig)​


Results:
In terms of score, I did okay. I was rather proud of myself though for making my first tutorial video and learning a lot for my future tutorials. I was also happy that I managed to keep the overall video less than 20 minutes as well as just focus in on the core of what I wanted to teach.
See the Final Product
​Links:
Here is the promised link to the rules. 
You can see the scores here.
​
​
Here is the promised product list:
  • Natalee​
1 Comment

Arda Iron Wig Round 3: Catra

3/2/2021

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Challenge:
I will link rules and results at the bottom of this post.

TL;DR: In this challenge, contestants were asked to create a wig for the animated character Catra from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.

The Materials:
Links to products used will also be provided at the bottom of this post.

Arda gave us the following to use for this challenge
  • Malinda in Dark Brown
  • Short Wefts in Light Brown
  • Long Curly Clip in Dark Brown
Base Wig:
  • Deconstructed the clip on ponytail & straightened all the hair to take inventory
  • Textured the entire base wig
  • Sewed in lighter colored wefts at temples
  • Sewed in alternating lighter wefts and wefts from ponytail into the back of the base wig for volume and to color variation
  • Textured all sewed-in hair
  • Trimmed off excess length and shaped mane to remove uneven layers
  • Added in the ears
  • Sewed in felt patches
  • Glued ears to felt patches
  • Trimmed and arranged hair around ears
  • Shaped points in hair with hairspray and hair dryer trying not to remove texture
  • Trimmed points for cleanliness
  • Teased in places and thinned in others for desired shape

Ears:
  • Started with a foam template
  • Cut out ear shapes in foam then in felt - 2 colors for each ear, front and back
  • Painted felt for pink/peach fleshy color on the inner ear and dark brown on the outer
  • Glued felt together around foam and stiffened felt for stability
  • Glued textured hair from light colored wefts and ponytail to the ear
  • Trimmed excess length and blended sections together for more natural look
  • Added some hairspray to shape the inner ear tufts
Mask:
  • Cut out template in foam 2x
  • Glued foam together and shaped with hair dryer
  • Sealed in Modge Podge
  • Spray painted black (not pictured)
  • Stenciled the triangles on the front of helmet with painters tape (not pictured)
  • Spray painted mask red (not pictured)
  • Tied elastics from ponytail extensions Rounds 2 and 3 to tie mask to head 
  • Hid elastic strings amongst base wig hair for effect
Results:
I'm not sure I scored better this round than previous rounds. The judges did not seem to respond well to the textured hair, but I also know the hairline could use some work. I plan on redoing the hairline with lace, and keeping the textured hair while making it more uniform throughout. This wig will be available for purchase at a later date.
See the Final Product
​Links:
Here is the promised link to the rules.
You can see the scores here.
​
Here is the promised product list:
  • Malinda in Dark Brown
  • Short Wefts in Light Brown
  • Long Curly Clip in Dark Brown
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Commissions Are Now Open for March 2021 to June 2021!

2/18/2021

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You read that right! We're officially open for business. Read below for information on How to Begin the Commission Process, or head on over to the Consultation Page to sign up for your consultation now! The first 10 people to sign up with have their consultation fee waived if they use the code FIRST10. This offer valid through the end of March. You'll want to hurry though since there are only 10 spots to fill!

We also have an FAQ & Terms of Service. Any information we don't already cover in our documentation can be cleared up by simply emailing us at [email protected]! We look forward to working with you :)
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How to Begin the Commission Process

2/18/2021

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Step 0: If you're unsure whether Commissions are open, check on the Commissions Page.

Step 1: If they're open, proceed to the Consultation Page to secure a commissions slot & pay the consultation fee. This fee acts as a sort of down payment on your commission if you choose to proceed with one at the end of the consultation. Fees will be reimbursed in the final invoice.

Step 2: Within 1-2 business days of securing your spot, you will receive an email to schedule your session for 1 hour with one of our artists.

Step 3: Prepare for your consultation by reviewing our FAQ & Terms of Service Pages!

Step 4: Review the specifications for your custom order during the consultation and decide if we're the right fit for you.

Step 5: The consultation will lay out anything you need to know regarding your project and when to expect to hear from us regarding the progress. We expect this will differ based on the project, so it's important to us you leave the consultation phase feeling good about your order. You will receive an invoice for materials after the consultation & before the supplies are ordered. Any minor changes can be requested without additional cost until your artist communicates they are past the "point of no return" for your piece.

Step 6: Stay up to date with the progress of your project with your artist & get hyped for its arrival. You will receive a second and possibly final invoice for the time spent on the project as well as the shipping after the final photos of your wig are sent to you for final approval and before we ship the wig to you. Additional invoices may be sent if actual cost of shipping exceeds $10 from our flat rate for shipping (see FAQ for additional shipping information).

Let us know if you have any questions by sending an email to [email protected]! We look forward to working with you :)
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Arda Iron Wig Round 2: Hair Millinery

5/5/2020

1 Comment

 
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Challenge:
I will link rules and results at the bottom of this post.

TL;DR: In this challenge, contestants were asked to design a wig with a removable hat or accessory. We could color the fibers and create whatever design we wanted, but we could not add any additional hair besides that which was provided.

The Materials:
Links to products used will also be provided at the bottom of this post.

Arda gave us the following to use for this challenge
  • Nina in Crimson
  • Short wefts in Pure White
  • Candy Striper Ponytail clip in Purple Rain

Inspiration:
I am not sure what put the idea into my head, but my first concept of this project was centered around a silly idea of making a literal hair helmet. As the idea grew, I realized that I had not seen very many submissions to past Iron Wig rounds in which the face had been obscured. I felt making some kind of masked helmet would be new and if done right, exciting once people realized it was made entirely of hair.

I set out to make something structured that was simultaneously regal and strong, and eventually landed on a design for a Spartan helmet. I mainly focused on the face plate and and the mohawk aspects of the Spartan’s helmet design and made the base of the helmet look more like hair typically found on an ancient Greek statue. As absurd as it may sound, I decided I wanted a hair design that looked like a helmet rather than a helmet made of hair.

In order to meet the requirements of the challenge, I made the mowhawk and face plate removable. I wanted each stage to be a separate look as follows:

  1. Curly Greek hair, no accessories
  2. Basic helmet, mask on
  3. Ornate helmet, mask and mohawk on

In the end, I only showed that the mohawk was removable as I did not like the look of the curly hair by itself. In retrospect, I'm not sure if this hurt or helped my final score.

Process:
Base Wig:
  • Cut the length off of the Nina provided and set it in rollers.
  • Steamed the wig using a handheld steamer and a plastic bag to trap the warmth/moisture.
  • Styled the wig once it dried using ancient Greek statues of men as reference.
  • Spray painted the wig metallic gold and brown for texture and to reduce shine (shown later).

Face Plate:
  • Constructed base shape out of foam using reference pictures of Spartan helmets found online.
  • Fitted the mask dimensions of my fiance's head (not pictured).
  • Used the short white wefts and Tacky glue to add the hair to the surface of the helmet for texture.
  • Spray painted the face plate reddish brown first to match the wig then added a coat of the gold and brown to match the curls on the base wig.
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Mohawk Base:
  • Crafted the Mohawk base out of foam and clay at the same time as the face plate.
  • Carved shallow holes to fit magnets that would secure it to the base wig without shifting hair around.
  • Glued the hair from the short white wefts onto the surface for texture.
  • Spray painted the Mohawk base reddish brown first, same as the Face Plate, then metallic gold.
  • Glued magnets along the underside of the base wig with the same spacing to match the magnets in the Mohawk base. 

Mohawk Plume:
  • Cut a strip of felt and glued hair in rows down the length of the felt strip.
  • Used hair from the Nina and the ponytail clip for dimension in the hair color.
  • Rooted the hair with diluted black ink to tone down the Valentine's Day and add some grit.
  • Texturized the hair with a crimping iron.
  • Teased and hair sprayed the roots for volume.
  • Twisted hair down the sides of the felt base to hide the glue and add texture.
  • Glued the strip of felt into the base of the Mohawk after the painted base dried. 
Painting:
  • Spray painted the Base Wig, Face Plate, and Mowhawk Base, as described in the previous sections.
  • Used a red base coat for the Face Plate and Mowhawk Base so they matched the Base Wig in case any pieces were missed or the metallic gold showed any undertone.
  • Spray painted all three items metallic gold.
  • Dulled the shine on the gold with brown spray paint. 
Results:
I did better this round than the previous round! Each new round, I am not sure if I will actually win, but my goal is to at least beat my previous score. I managed to accomplish this, place higher, and do better in the Cleanliness section which was my ultimate goal. While I would like to win, and I am trying my hardest to, I also know that I will get more out of this competition if I make it more about improving my own skills and less about beating my competition.
SEE THE FINAL PRODUCT
​Links:
Here is the promised link to the rules.
You can see the scores here.

Here is the promised product list:
  • Nina in Crimson
  • Short wefts in Pure White
  • Candy Striper Ponytail clip in Purple Rain (discontinued)
1 Comment

Arda Iron Wig Round 1: Freestyle Write Up

3/21/2020

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Challenge: 
First, if you have not read the rules for the first round of Iron Wig 2020, you can find them here.
​
TL;DR: This round, as the name suggests, was a Freestyle round. Our design could be entirely unique but there were a few restrictions: we could not add more hair and we could not change the color of the hair in any way.

The Materials:
We were each provided the same wig style (a discontinued Victoria) but we each had a different color. Mine was in Arda's Silver color way.
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Inspiration: 
I was inspired by the French Gothic architecture of the Notre Dame and wanted to play this against modern alternative Gothic. My design started with a halo as seen in many Gothic depictions of religious figures. I then wanted to capture the vaulted ceilings of the cathedral which lead to my inclusion of the crown. From there, it seemed only natural to fill the crown with stained glass windows. I used the Rose Window as inspiration for the shape but ended up needing to create my own simplified design. An updo would allow for clean lines and a more regal presence.
Process:
Base Wig:
  • Straightened the wig to work with the hair more easily and removed the teasing.
  • Started by removing all the wefts and sewing them back on in a pattern that benefited me. The original pattern of the Victoria was not conducive to the planned updo.
  • Sewed in some white felt to better hide the wefts and create a more dynamic hairline.
  • Kept some wefts out to use for other designs later
  • Sewed in the wefts for the base wig in a pattern centered around the crown of the head for a high ponytail
  • Re-teased the roots to better hide the wefts
  • Created a false hairline using tacky glue all the way around the wig following the flow of a high ponytail
  • Did an upside down French twist (ha see what I did there?) to bring the hair down as opposed to a regular French twist where the hair twists up.
  • Attached the halo to the nape of the neck (outlined later).
  • Constructed the tree by wrapping chain around a section of hair, leaving sections out on the way down.
  • Then braided the branches of the tree with more chain and laid them out against the back of the head with more tacky glue and model glue. The braids are 5 strand.
  • Left more sections of hair out of each braid to be the leaves.
  • Shaped the leaves using hairspray and trimmed them.
    • Started the shape by fanning the fibers out
    • looped the fanned fibers back to their “stem”
    • Used hairspray to point each leaf
  • ​Then added the crown (outlined later)
  • Created flowers with more chain and excess hair leftover 
    • Braid with the chain - simple 3 strand braid
    • “Pancake” one side of the braid
    • Roll into a flower
    • Glue base with tacky glue
  • Placed the flowers around the back of the head
  • Glued in beads for color and to fill in the center of each flower
  • Cleaned with more tacky glue and hairspray
Halo:
  • Shaped 2 concentric circles from wire
  • Cut hair from spare wefts to create braid in extensions
  • Braided chain and wefts around the wire. Also used 5 strand braids for this and switched direction in the middle of the halo to create symmetry in the halo
  • Closed the hoops of wire with chain and glue
  • Attached to the nape of the neck by sewing and gluing and then used hair from the hairline and trunk to stabilize and secure.
  • Sealed the braid with water and Modge Podge to make sure fraying was minimal
  • Cleaned fraying with scissors.
Crown:
  • Created the pattern using wire, plastic wrap, and painters tape.
  • Used plastic from to go boxes to draw stained windows in Sharpie tracing an original design first drawn on paper using measurements from the crown pattern
  • Cut out the pattern in felt and used Modge Podge fabric stiffener to solidify.
  • Cut out the windows and glued them into the crown.
  • Added an extra pane of plastic to seal the Sharpie so it wouldn’t get rubbed off or ruined with all the glue, hairspray, and handling.
  • Used tacky glue and excess hair to cover the felt of the crown
  • Chain and a 3 strand braid were applied to the window frames
  • Hair was used to trace the circles with modeling glue and create more of a frame
  • Glued in beads to the tops of the windows to get the cathedral and vaulted ceiling shape
  • The excess of the braid on the crown was used to make another flower.
Results: You can see how I did here. In short, I didn't win the round, but I didn't lose either! The round definitely set the bar for the rest of the competition. Check out the other contestants too.
  • Rentchan (Lauren)
  • Hidory Hope
  • Lina Flan
  • Phunkee Bones
  • Rin Marie Wigs
They are all incredible artists and I am lucky to be creating art with them.
See The Final Product
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    Author

    Arda Wigs' Iron Wig 2020 3rd Place Winner with wiggy ideas to share. Want to know more? Check out the About Emily page or get in touch!

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  • Home
  • Blog
  • Gallery
  • About Our CEO
  • Contact
  • Commissions
    • Consultation
    • Commission FAQ
    • Terms of Service
  • Shop