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Your mask should be one of your newest go-to accessories, but it doesn’t have to be your only accessory! Celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan is one of the best in the game, styling looks for Kim Kardashian, Olivia Culpo, Addison Rae and many more A-List stars. Using pins her latest capsule collection with Kitsch, Justine took HollywoodLife readers through an EXCLUSIVE step-by-step hairstyle that is a must-do when wearing a mask.
So much focus is put on the eyes in this new way of life because your mask covers your nose and smile. This takes away a major part of your expression and, therefore, personality, so Justine developed a look to make sure your personality still shined through, despite your bright smile being covered up! “Basically, this is a really sleek, low-braid look, which is something I love. It’s a classic and it’s also something that can be done on clean hair, or second or third day hair,” she explained in the tutorial video on Instagram Live. “I like this look with a mask because your hair is off the face. It doesn’t get caught in the mask, which can feel very claustrophobic. It’s nice to be able to like have your hair out of the way with something really clean and chic.”
For those with shorter hair, Justine recommended getting Hidden Crown Hair Extensions to add some length for this sleek look! “Using two of the pieces — the thick back piece and one of the side pieces — put the thick strip where your head starts to round — I like that spot because it really camouflages, so you don’t see any bumps or ridges from the clips,” she advised. Sandwich the second piece on another layer right on top of the thicker piece. “The next step is just to create a clean center part. I like to use the end of a tail comb to create my part and then the bridge of the nose as a guide,” Justine said. “Then, use your tail comb to get your part really straight. That’s another tip for sleek looks like this. Having your hair look really professional and polished is just having those really clean parts.”
Using the Wet Brush Pro Shine Enhancer, which “has a mixture of synthetic boar and nylon bristles that offer a sleek finish,” the next step is to brush the hair down the sides and around the ear to gather it into the nape of the neck. “Because we are gathering our hair back, we naturally want to brush the hair back, but that’s not going to look as sleek and polished as if we brush the hair down,” the stylist explained. “So, from the top hairline, all the way to the ear, and then kind of tuck it behind the ear you get a very clean line here, and then gather it in the back of my head.”
Once the hair is gathered and before it’s secured, it’s time for hairspray. Justine, using the TRESemme Extra Hold Hairspray, advised us to spray directly into the roots and don’t hold back. “While it’s still wet in my hair, I’ll use the brush and go right back at it again and just work it into the hair so you get more of a hold,” she said. As a tip, she advised users to hold the head of the brush in their hand for a better grip to really have control of it for the ultimate sleek look.
Carefully secure the hair with an elastic by putting it in between your thumb and index finger, put that over your hair and brush it down. Try to move around your hair as little as possible! Then, it’s time to braid. Pulling your long hair over your shoulder, split the hair into three and start to braid. If you have layered hair, you can use the TRESemme Extra Hold Hair Gel to keep the wispies to a minimum. “If you’re good at braiding, you can even do a fishtail braid, you can do a four-strand braid, a six-strand braid, you can get creative with it and do a couple braids!” Justine offered. “I really think that’s what’s fun about looks like this as you can get creative and really make it your own.”
“If you have a toothbrush, it’s really handy for getting all of these little baby hairs and making the hairline really clean,” she added. “Put a little bit of gel on there and just go right in directly over those pieces shape the hairline how you want to see it.”
Finally, it’s time to accessorize! Justine released a super fun and bold capsule collection with Kitsch, that has a variety of hair accessories, like rhinestone headbands, patent leather scrunchies and angelic bobby pins. Coming in all different shapes and sizes, Justine’s bobby pins are top sellers from the collection and can dress up any look by adding in a piece of your own personality. “A decorative hair accessory is really fun because we kind of lose the expression that we get from our mouths and facial features when we wear a mask,” Justine explained. “I think it’s fun to wear hair accessories, because we get to show a little bit more of our personality, through our personal style if you can’t see it through our facial expression.”
Using two small cherub bobby pins from her collection, Justine decorated her hairline with the accessories, with the arch of her eyebrow as a guide. “The fun thing about hair accessories, especially when you buy them in a set, is that you can really mix and match and personalize it. You get more bang for your buck, because you can wear one of the clips, you can wear two you can wear five — you can really mix and match,” the celeb stylist added. She recommended viewers hold the hair down in place while sliding in the bobby pin, as not to mess up the sleekness you already created.
It’s time to rock a mask (we love the Kitch Cotton Masks that are cute and comfy!) and tag @HollywoodLife and @JustineMarjan on Instagram when you try this look!