Nada Guirgis Manley , author of Secrets of the Beauty Insiders (Sourcebooks, Inc. 2006), wrote: “ Why the ardent interest in taming my tresses? Ask any woman the same question and she’ll tell you that her hair, more than any other single element of her look has the ability to affect her mood and define her day.”

My own hair, I’ve been told, is one of my assets for its thickness, wave pattern, and ability to do what I want it to do, however I tend
to think my hair has an unruly, difficult to control nature- despite what others have said. I’ll venture to guess most women struggle in one way, or another in keeping their hair in optimum shape. The investment of time and money squandered a the salon can get out of hand. Our security guard admitted to me the other day, in the lobby that she’s cutting back on her salon appointments for her regular weekly wrap. She claims she manages well with just twice a month versus once a week, and is motivated to be more budget conscious as the holiday shopping season draws near.

Whether women are on a tight budget, or not, every woman appreciates saving time. Positively Beautiful™ received some time and money saving hairstyling tips from renowned, Christophe™ of Beverly Hills. He encourages women to be creative in their approach to on-the-go holiday hairstyles, and affirms that not all women have the time to spend several hours with a stylist before those all- important company parties, or family holiday dinners. These styles create a “celebutante” look without the expense, and time consuming efforts. I’ve suggested companion products, which I’ve also personally experimented with for a few weeks. I have to say, consequently, my unruly hair made a complete turn- around and has been on its best behavior ever since.

Two Easy UpDo styles that will easily help transform anyone into a “celebutante”- brought to you by Christophe™:

Glamourous Side- Sweep (I love the side-sweep- great for making a round face look leaner!)

Fluff hair and spray with Ultimate shaping Spray (1.5 oz- $3.99) Scrunch and spray again

Loosely pull hair to the side and apply a broche pin to hold it in place.
Lift pieces of hair, spray and leave them in place without touching them.

Flirty Sleek Pony

Flip head upside down to fluff

Apply Extra Strength Hair Serum (2 oz.- $9.99) to slick the hair back.
Hold hair back with a silk hair scrunchie and finish with Ultimate Shaping Spray ( 1.5 oz- $3.99)

Jackie O‘Neal is a contributing writer for Fabulously40 , she holds an M.F.A. in Fiction/Poetry from the Sarah Lawrence College Writing program. She has been a journalist for several years, contributing to various magazines and newspapers including The New York Amsterdam News, Mar Magazine and The Press of Atlantic City.She is also a contributor to several online publications and has functioned as an editor of Women’s Online Magazine. Her charity column on one of the largest women’s sites, Bella Online features relevant charitable endeavors around the world. Recently, her religious broadcast segment “Godward” featured on NBBTA Radio was nominated for The People’s Choice Podcast Award, and the station with over 113,000 listeners recieved a Black Web Award 2007–2008.

After teaching English for twenty years, she recently transitioned into public relations and finds her role as a publicist with Breakthrough Promotions, a national public relations firm,energizing and challenging. She is also the founder of O‘Neal Media Group and offers public relations services to non-governmental agencies in the developing nations, primarily Africa. Her clients have benefited from her resourceful and creative approach, as well as her research skills. One of Jackie’s clients, Josephat Mwale, Secretary General of the Y.M.C.A. Kabwe, Zambia, says: “I am grateful for the commitment she has shown us, and her outreach on our behalf gives us hope and sharpens our vision for the future.”