Makeover: Long, naturally wavy hair gets a refresh with a cut and face-framing highlights

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My client Liz, 45, is a marketing and audience director who was seeking a style redirection. As a busy professional and mother of two, Liz was ready to level up her style to set the tone for the coming fall season.

Liz has medium-density, naturally wavy hair. It was feeling long and unruly and was ready for some length to be eliminated and for her colour to be refreshed. To brighten her overall colour and refresh her existing blond, I applied a few face-framing highlights. I then applied a permanent colour in a dark-blond tone to her outgrowth for depth and dimension.

I cleansed her hair with Oribe Brilliance and Shine Shampoo and Conditioner to help with moisture and shine, then sprayed the mid-lengths and ends with Oribe Priming Lotion Leave-In Conditioning Detangler for rich moisture and to protect the hair from dryness and heat damage. I eliminated several inches from the length, creating a beautiful forward diagonal, collar-length textured shape.

Before styling, I applied Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Hair Cream to her mids-and-ends for flexible all-day hold and frizz taming. I blow-dried her hair using a round brush then used a two-inch curling wand to create a soft bend in her hair. To finish the style, I sprayed Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray throughout her hair to play up the texture.

We started by evening out Liz’s complexion using an ultra-sheer skin veil, followed by a light dusting of bronzing powder to create a natural glow. To enhance Liz’s piercing blue eyes, we used a bronzy-gold shadow stick on her eyelid, then rimmed the lash line with deep brown waterproof liner, which we smudged out using an angled liner brush. We curled her lashes and coated them with black mascara and finished her look with a nude lip.

Makeup used:

Illuminating Primer: Nuxe Huil Prodigiuese

Foundation: Stila Stay All Day 10-in-1 Illuminating Skin Veil

Concealer: Benefit Cosmetics Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer

Eyelide Primer: Sephora Boost + Lock 12-Hr Eyeshadow Primer 

Eye Shadow: NYX Jumbo Multi-Use Face Stick in #5 Apple Pie

Eyeliner: Smashbox Always on Gel Liner in Brewed

Bronzer: Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Bronzer

Highlighter: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powder — Soft and Gentle

Mascara: Benefit Cosmetics Fan Fest Fanning and Volumizing Mascara

Lip: Smashbox Be Legendary Line and Prime Pencil Neutral Rose with Sephora Gloss in #17 Moon and Back