The new wave of up-do’s are remarkably, well, undone. In the most elegant and aspirational way, of course! Here Rescu. gets the backstage beauty scoop on the super simple Power Braid and Flight Of Fancy Knot. Ladies, start your pinning!
The Power Braid
Not for preschoolers, this braid puts a brand new twist on the traditional plait. Seen at Public School Spring / Summer 2016 New York Fashion Week, Allen Ruiz, Aveda Global Artistic Director for Hair Styling, designed and executed a fierce braid, entwining definite notes of rope and theatre to create a strong look for everyday.
Perfectly complimenting the streamlined silhouette of designers Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne’s Public School creations, the Power Braid is perfect for the woman who likes to stick with simple styles, but create her own statement too.
The Public School woman as a world traveller with a nomadic sensibility, “a beautiful yet resilient style. This is the girl everyone wants to be,” Ruiz explains. Does that include you? If so, here are the steps to master the Power Braid.
Step 1: Prep clean hair with a lightweight volumiser like Aveda Pure Abundance Style Prep. Then, blow dry the hair back into the direction your ponytail will take, just below the ear line at the rear centre of the head.
Step 2: Smoothing the hair back with your palm, pull the hair into a ponytail and secure tightly with an elastic tie wrapped three times around base of the pony to help set it away from head.
Step 3: Using a coin-size amount of leave-in conditioner or Aveda Smooth Infusion Nourishing Style Crème, mix and warm consistency in the palm of your hand and gently ‘ghost’ the hair – barely touching the hair but ensuring product makes contact – over the pony tail from elastic to ends.
Step 4: Taking a small section of hair from under the ponytail, wrap the hair around the base hiding the elastic and secure with pins.
Step 5: Finally, divide the ponytail into two even sections. In a clockwise direction, tightly twist both sections over entire length of hair whilst simultaneously twisting the two sections together going counterclockwise. Secure with a hair tie at the end and give yourself a pat on the back for your co-ordination and fine-motor skills!
Step 6: With a smaller coin-sized amount of smoothing serum or Aveda Smooth Infusion massaged into palms, gently smooth over rope braid and the sides and top of head to eliminate flyaways.
Step 7: Set with a light spray of hair spray.
The Flight Of Fancy Knot
Feeling whimsical but still need to give off a feeling of refined elegance? Here is the up-do for you, as seen at Osklen Spring/Summer 2016 New York Fashion Week.“The devil is in the details with soft wisps of hair throughout the sides, crown and in the back, reminiscent of feathers,” Antoinette Beenders, Aveda Global Creative Director explains.
This look perfectly played up relaxed, raw and refined fabrics used by Osklen designer, Oskar Metsavaht such as sustainable silks, organic cottons and linens that evoked a luxe self-confidence.
Here Beenders shares the steps for this simple and sexy style for the adventurer in your. “The knot is simply folded up, with the ends flared to provide an artistic look while also getting the hair away from the face, so she can better explore this new world.”
Step 1: Prep clean hair with a thickening lotion like Aveda Thickening Tonic before blowing it dry and as straight as possible.
Step 2: Once completed, pull hair into a low ponytail at the nape of the neck and secure with snag less hair tie.
Step 3: Holding the end of the ponytail gently, raise the hair up and loop over the pony. Secure with a second hair tie from the end of the ponytail.
Step 4: Take the remaining end and loosely loop hair around the base of the pony; the key element here is to leave hair to fan out the sides and top of the style. Secure with a third hair tie.
Step 5: Apply a little dry shampoo like the new Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo on each side of hair. This will create a matte look. Gently accentuate this with a very light ‘ghost’ massage of the sides of the hair to free wispy, whimsical strands.
Step 6: Set the seasons simplest look with hair spray.
Fancy Knot images from Osklen Spring/Summer 2016 New York Fashion Week. Power Braid images from Public School Spring/Summer 2016 New York Fashion Week.
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