HOW-TO: Angelic Upstyle

Jennifer Slager from Jean Marie Salon in Lockport, Illinois, created this angelic-looking upstyle using curling tools and Aveda products. “My inspiration behind this style was the elegance of Carrie Underwoods’ 2010 American Country Awards updo but still keeping it a little sleeker at the guests’ request. I ultimately wanted to see movement come into a very structured center,” she said. According to Slager, this updo took her exactly one hour to create. The most challenging part was blending the guests’ shorter pieces of hair in the front to the back of the updo so that there was still dimension throughout. “It took a lot of hairspray, teasing and hair pins!” says Slager.

Tools and product needed: 1-inch curling iron, carbon comb, 3-row styling comb, round brush, croc clips, bobby pins, hair pins, Aveda control paste, Aveda Pure Abundance Hair Potion, Aveda Air Control, Aveda Control Force, Aveda Brilliant Spray on Shine.

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Step 1. Preparations for the hair: Start by applying Aveda Hair Potion throughout the hair to give it some texture and volume. Lift up the hair and sprinkle the powder into the roots and ends roughing it up a bit.

Step 2. Sectioning: Starting at the base of the hairline take a 1-inch section of hair and create a horizontal parting from ear to ear. In that section create 1-inch partings to curl while clipping the rest of the hair above it away. Make your way around the head to the top keeping sections 1-inch apart.

Step 3: Curling All Hair: When you reach the top of the head combine 1/2-inches of hair on each side of their part and curl together and forward to create volume. Stay consistent with tension around the barrel, make each curl tight. Spray each curl with hairspray before and after you curl.

Step 4: Once the whole head is curled gather a section of hair into a low ponytail on the occipital bone, leaving the sides out. Proceed to pin up the ponytail hair into three pin curls.

Step 5: Next tease the whole crown area and push it forward and out of your way to save it for the last step. Then working from right to left, take the sides right above the ears and pin them securely by the three pin curls. When you are bringing the hair back, you want it to be sleek but elegant. Use control paste to smooth down the hair and then drape the hair back into the updo.

Step 6: Proceed to the middle and roll each curl with your finger into a pin curl and secure with one bobby pin. This creates that sleek look. Make some horizontal and some vertical as this will create dimension.

Step 7: Take the hair teased in the crown and round brush gently to smooth out the top and piece apart three sections. These three sections you need to drape into the updo to create movement.

Step 8: Once all the hair is up, check the balance of the style and make sure it is centered.

Step 9: Finishing the style: Spray with hairspray for hold and spritz with spray on shine. Make sure all flyaways are tamed.