There's a reason Rihanna was named "Esquire's" sexiest woman alive. While she's no longer a redhead, this is still one of her sexiest looks ever -- perfect for the dance floor.
To get her big, bouncy curls, apply a gel-shine lotion combo to conditioned hair and blow dry with a diffuser. Wrap dry hair in a spiral fashion around a small-barrel curling iron, leaving out the ends. Mist lightly with hairspray.
Speaking of dancing, Julianne Hough knows how to keep men on their feet. Just look at those tousled waves and "come hither" lashes. Definitely sexy.
To get the look, apply mousse throughout wet hair and spray volumizer at the crown of your head. (Try Pantene Fine Hair Solutions Root Lifter Spray Gel, $3.99.) Blow dry 2-inch sections from front to back with a medium round brush. Pin each section up into a curl after drying and let it set for about five minutes. Unpin, comb through with fingers -- not a brush -- and mist with hairspray.
Keep your makeup light and natural looking but feel free to load up on mascara like Julianne did. (Try COVERGIRL LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara, $7.99.)
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Pull back
Dianna's elegant look is appropriate for semi-formal nights out, yet it packs in sex appeal by showing off her beautiful face, long neck, and pouty lips.
To get the look, blow dry hair with a round brush, sweeping it to the sides. Finish with a shine enhancing product. (Try FEKKAI Brilliant Glossing Cream, $34.) Pin up the rest of your hair in a loose French twist and set with hairspray.
Keep your makeup soft and sweet by using shades of brown and taupe around your eyes, applying rosy blush and sporting a dewy pink lip gloss. (Try COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Tulip, $5.99.)
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Go with the flow
As Sofia Vergara demonstrates, a ponytail can work at any type of affair -- even a formal one.
To get the look, apply leave-in conditioner and blow dry your hair straight with a large round brush. Backcomb hair at the crown and spray with hairspray. (Try Pantene Medium-Thick Hair Solutions Anti-Humidity Hairspray, $3.99.) Gather hair into a ponytail at the nape of your neck, leaving out 2-inch sections of hair around your face. Secure the pony with an elastic. With a large-barrel curling iron, curl the ends of your ponytail for a glamorous finish.
Jessica Chastain is a vision in red. Try her glamorous waves and bold red lips when you want to leave a lasting impression.
To get the look, apply mousse to wet hair and blow dry. (Try Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Solutions Triple Action Volume Mousse, $3.99.) Part hair to the side, spritz it with heat-protective styling spray, and wrap 1- to 2-inch sections around a medium-sized curling iron. Pin each section up into a curl and let it cool for five minutes. Unpin, then brush through with a bristle brush. Mist with shine spray.
This Valentine's Day, let's skip the clich�s. The red frilly lingerie, the bubblegum pink lipstick, the generic heart-shaped chocolate sampler. Because you know what it says: "I'm trying way too hard." And really, the key to looking sexy is to not look like you're trying too hard.
What does that mean? For starters, your hair shouldn't be too stiff or "done." Really, all you should go for is "touch appeal," says sexy hair guru Italo Gregorio. (He's styled Olivia Wilde, Nicole Kidman, and the Victoria's Secret Angels, so I figure he knows a thing or two on this subject.) For makeup, celebrity makeup artist Linda Hay says anything goes as long as your skin is glowing.
To get you geared up for V-Day -- minus the Hallmark cheesiness -- I found plenty of sexy celebrity looks to try. Now if only I could find a non-schmaltzy card �
