How she did it: "I sprayed the top half of my hair with water and combed in some strong-hold gel like Got2b Rockin' It Encore Hold Gel, $5.99 as I secured my hair into a high ponytail. Then all I had to do was clip a faux ponytail piece like HairDo by Jessica Simpson Straight Mid-Length Bump Up Pony, $29 on to the top of it. The tail comes with an extra piece of faux hair to wrap around the base of your ponytail for a polished finish. This is the easiest way to wear a full pony, especially if you haven't washed your hair."
Photo 8/11
Long and tousled
How she did it: "I started by curling all of my natural hair with a small barrel iron. I brushed my curls to create flowy waves and sprayed with flexible-hold hairspray. Next, I clipped in sections of wavy extensions (try PutOnPieces POP - Vibralite Synthetic Extension - Ten Piece Wavy, $82) starting below my ears and working my way up to just below the crown of my head (using about five pieces total) and finger combed the synthetic waves into my natural waves."
Photo 9/11
Curly romantic bun
How she did it: "I simply pulled the previous 'long and tousled' look to the side and created a messy bun by wrapping it all up with an elastic. I finished by clipping in a flower hair accessory for a touch of romance."
Photo 10/11
Braided headband
How she did it: "I pulled my 'long and tousled' look (see Slide 8) up and secured it with a claw clip, leaving out the ends for a bit of a messy look. Next, I simply slipped on the fake braided hair headband and pulled out a couple of face-framing curly pieces to help frame my face."
Photo 11/11
Long side braid
How she did it: "Remember the Hairdo by Jessica Simpson 21" 100% Fine Human Hair Extensions, $186 I used previously to get a long straight look? Well it's super versatile as all I had to do to create this style was attach it to the under layers of my hair at the crown of my head then braid it (and my natural hair) to the side. I slipped on a headband to keep my bangs off my face."
Ever look at celebrity hairstyles on the red carpet and wonder: How on earth does she have such voluminous, flowing, lust-worthy hair? Or, how did her straight chin-length bob turn into a long, wavy look over the course of the weekend?
Well, just like most things in Hollywood are phony, the hairstyles you envy are no exception. They are, as you might assume, fake -- fake as in they couldn't be achieved without the help of hair extensions.
Faux hair is a celebrity hairstylist's secret weapon. While some are made out of real hair and others are synthetic, they all do wonders for changing up a look or hairstyle in a flash.
But in "real life" (nowhere near the smoke and mirrors of Hollywood), hair extensions have the potential to look either totally gorgeous or completely cheesy and ridiculous. We've found that it's all about the way you wear them that makes the difference.
Clip-in and wrap around pieces worn the right way, can be your ticket to getting fuller, thicker, or longer hair in seconds, and with the right styling, you'll no longer be resigned to tacky, obviously fake hair. You can wear believable fake hair -- you just have to know how. To prove it, we challenged one of our editors to create 10 easy DIY looks you can copy using faux hair purchased at your local beauty supply store and a few key styling tricks.
