Do natural oils really make hair grow? This is the right way to use them

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The Wixie haircut Is Summer Perfect Short Choppy Hair

Between the warmer weather and the seasonal shift towards a more laid-back approach to beauty, summer is a great time to cut your hair short — not to mention some of this year’s trendiest chops so far have been short haircuts, from the cub cut to the French bob.

The latest trending short haircut is an updated version of the timeless pixie cut called the “wixie,” or winged pixie. Ahead, we’re breaking down the look with the help of Matrix Global Artistic Director Michelle O’Connor.

Read on for everything you need to know. 

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What Is the Wixie Haircut? 

Edge meets whimsy with this dynamic short haircut, as suggested by the name alone. “The wixie has an added element of a softer, more delicate look to it while also still feeling powerful,” says O’Connor. According to O’Connor, the “winged pixie is a very choppy, grown-out version of a pixie with a rock-and-roll element to it.” The winged part refers to longer wisps of hair at the nape of the neck, styled so they flip upwards to look like wings. 

“It feels like a shorter shag with the length in the back being longer and the sides more cropped, giving a more modern, youthful look,” explains O’Connor. It has a similar sensibility to other trendy haircuts like the wolf cut and the cub cut in the way that it references throwback hairstyles such as the shag, as O’Connor mentioned, and the mullet. 

We keep reaching back in the archives of hairstyles,” she says. “We are going into the era of glam, and I feel like this gives us a 60s/70s airy vibe.

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How to Style a Wixie Cut

This haircut can vary depending on the face shape and the length and texture of your hair, so it’s a good idea to head to the salon with a reference photo depicting exactly what you want. While most hair types can pull off this look, O’Connor notes that it’s especially suited to wavy hair or relaxed hair. (Pro tip: If you have curly hair and struggle with split ends, prep your curls for styling with a nourishing mask like the Carol’s Daughter Born to Repair 60-Second Moisture Treatment With Shea Butter.) 

The key element of the look is the piece-y texture. “You want to have pronounced flips and flicks on the tips of your hair to have a playful element to it,” says O’Connor. “Using a round brush or a two-in-one blow-drying round brush is great. Use the Matrix Setter Mousse to add texture and hold.” Finish with a flexible hairspray to lock your look in place.  

Feeling inspired? If you’re thinking of giving the wixie trend a go, we’ve lined up some of our favorite renditions.

Temporary Hair Tattoos Turn Your Strands Into A Canvas

Remember how fun it was to play around with temporary tattoos as a kid? All you needed was a pile of stick-on tats, a little water, and boom, your arm was decorated with roses and stars. On TikTok, fake tats are having a moment again, but this time hairstylists are using temporary tattoos on hair — and it’s equally amazing.

Applying temporary tattoos to your hair is one of the easiest ways to change up your look, especially when you don’t want to commit to something more major like a dye job or a haircut, says Brandie Devillier, a platform educator at the Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute and certified color educator at Elevate Hair. She says the idea took off when Cardi B posted her tatted strands on Instagram, and now it seems like everyone’s doing it. The topic has already racked up over 2.7 billion views on TikTok, where creators are showing off all the many ways you can tattoo your hair.

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It’s so popular because it’s eye-catching and a quick alternative to something long-lasting. It’s fun and can show off someone’s personality,” Devillier predicts that hair tats will be a big hit at festivals, concerts, and even sporting events since they allow you to rep your team or glam it up for a night out. Read on for everything you need to know about temporary hair tattoos.

How To Apply Temporary Hair Tattoos

While temporary tattoos stand out most on lighter hues and highlights, Devillier says they can work on all hair types. The only real trick is to straighten your hair, or a portion of your hair before you apply. “The tattoo needs a flat surface to adhere to,” she says.

To set the stage for your faux tattoo, spritz on a heat protectant spray, dry your hair, and then use a flat iron to make your strands as smooth as possible. Once your tresses are stick-straight, use hairspray to keep everything in place.

Primp Note: Click here to shop on BeautyLeeBar Amazon Storefront to get deals on your favorite hair products.

To apply the tattoo, follow the instructions that come with it, the same way you would when applying it to your skin. Usually, that means placing the tattoo face-down and wetting the back so that the ink transfers. Some creators on TikTok use a sponge to soak the tattoo. Once you’ve placed the tattoo and wet it, allow the area to fully dry, then spray over it again with hairspray to seal the design.

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How Long Do Temporary Hair Tattoos Last?

@tokyo.stylez

guns n roses 🌹 #hair #tattoo @Cardi B hair by me

♬ Bad Bitch – Lexy Panterra

A temporary tattoo will stay in your hair until your next shampoo, says Devillier. To get rid of it, simply wash as you normally would and the ink will rinse away. This is great if you aren’t a fan of the way it looks, but it’s equally great if you’re in the mood to apply more tattoos. “That’s what makes this trend even more fun,” she says. “You can change it up all the time.”

Temporary Tattoo Design Ideas

Folks on TikTok are applying hair tats featuring everything from dragons, butterflies, and stars, just to name a few design ideas, but the options are truly endless when it comes to creating unique looks. Temporary tattoos have had a major upgrade over the years, so there are countless styles to choose from.

While temporary tats look extra great when your hair is down, you can also apply them to the side of your head when your hair is half-up, to a portion of straightened hair, or hair extensions so that you can use them again and again. With fake tattoos, the stakes are low, so let yourself experiment.

Black-Owned Beauty Brands We Love

If we could only pick one thing that we have loved to see in the beauty space over the last several years, it would be the diversification of brands—especially, Black-owned beauty brands. Top retailers like Sephora, Ulta, Target, Nordstrom, and more have diversified their catalogs exponentially to increase the number of Black-owned brands that are carried both in-store and online—and many retailers are even monitoring shelf space to ensure it remains this way.

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Having access to more Black-owned beauty brands is not only an important way to support brands and founders but also to drive change for the entire Black community. It’s easier than ever. And what’s more, so many of these brands are changing the game and challenging industry norms—we’re talking extended shade ranges, and more inclusive skincare and haircare products. And more offerings that were hard (more like practically impossible) to find before.

To celebrate this, we have compiled a list of twelve of our favorite Black-owned beauty brands that offer products across all categories: skincare, haircare, makeup, body care, tools, and more.

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12 Black-Owned Beauty Brands We Love

Topicals

Topicals offer one-step skincare solutions that are backed by science and made for every shade. With an emphasis on skincare products that are suitable for flare-ups, founder Olamide Olowe knows how connected skin health and mental health are, so Topical’s mission is to transform the way you feel about your skin.

Gilded Body

Gilded Body believes that feeling beautiful and achieving wellness is found through self-care. They carry body care products that engage the senses and invite the user to slow down and bask in the luxury of high-quality, botanically driven, dermatologically developed skincare and tools.

Pat McGrath Labs

Nicknamed the “Mother of Makeup,” Pat McGrath is the world’s most influential and in-demand makeup artist. With countless launches selling out in record-breaking times, the hype for this brand is real. And it continues to push the boundaries of the makeup industry.

Range Beauty

Range Beauty offers makeup essentials for ultra-sensitive skin—specifically, for acne and eczema. Alicia Scott, CEO, and Founder suffered from eczema and cystic acne. She was frustrated that she couldn’t find makeup that acknowledged both her skin tone and her skin conditions. Range Beauty was born to ensure that those with any skin type, in any shade, could find products they could trust.

Fenty Beauty

We’d be remiss not to include RiRi’s beauty brands, Fenty Beauty and Fenty Skin. After years of struggling to find products that performed across all skin types and tones, Rihanna set out to create Fenty—first starting with makeup and then extending into skincare.

Lys Beauty

The mission of Lys Beauty is to diversify the clean beauty industry. Founded by Tisha Thompson, Lys Beauty was the first Black-owned Sephora Clean Makeup brand! Their products have universal shade offerings, provide high-performance results, and the best part: they are all under $30

Oui the People

Oui the People aims to build efficacious products, designed thoughtfully, that help you feel great in the skin you’re already in rather than pursuing flawlessness. Crafted without sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, and phthalates, their products range from shaving necessities like razors and exfoliators to hydrating body balms and glosses.

Pattern

Powerhouse Tracee Ellis Ross founded Pattern with the promise of meeting your hair where it is and empowering your curl pattern. To keep hair healthy, hydrated, juicy, and joyful, Pattern offers a range of products for washing, treating, and styling. 

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Briogeo

Briogeo is on a mission to empower every person to succeed on their hair health journey. They know that everyone’s journey is different, so they have multiple lines of products that are suitable for damaged hair, thin hair, frizzy hair, dry scalps, and beyond. This way, each individual can confidently embrace their unique hair, texture, color, and everything else that makes them or exactly who they are.

Mielle Organics

Monique Rodriguez is an RN turned Founder and CEO who has taken the haircare market by storm through Mielle Organics. Created with nature and science, Mielle Organics is a haircare and beauty brand that believes healthier ingredients encourage healthier hair and skin.

Luv Scrub

Mesh exfoliators have been used in West Africa for generations. But it wasn’t until 2011 when Caroline, Founder of LUV SCRUB, realized it could become a cult-favorite product outside of Ghana. It immediately pushed boundaries in the body care space. And now, this magical mesh can be found in some of the largest retailers including Nordstrom, Ulta, and Bloomingdales.

Black Girl Sunscreen

Shontay Lundy created Black Girl Sunscreen after being frustrated with the lack of sunscreen options formulated for women of color. Made with melanated skin in mind, Black Girl Sunscreen has filled a large gap in the market and has continued to grow exponentially since its inception.