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The front, powdered lightly with corn starch, using a large makeup brush. You can't see a distinct grey color, but the powder helps to blend your real hair with extension hair. |
I want to convey just how awesome and useful hair rats are. For some stupid reason I have avoided them up until now, but really, they make *all* the difference in forming 18th century rolls. They're easy to make too! Just purchase some of that super-cheap braid hair from the beauty supply shop, and then scriggle it up between your hands until you have a little ball ofhair. Make a bunch, then start your rolls with them. You can pin into them, and they're invisible. Yay!
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Some of this is real hair, some of it isn't. |
1. Curl your hair before you start. Having a little curl helps with body and forming into rolls.
2. Section your hair into 3 parts - front, crown (back/top of head), and back.
3. Tease the bejeezles out of the crown section, then roll forward over either bump-its, or a huge rat. Pin.
4. With your snazzy new small rats, roll the back section of your hair into two or three rolls, stacked atop one another, up the back of your head.
5. Tease the front section of your hair and smooth it up and back. Spray everything as you go along.
6. If your hair just isn't high enough, add a switch or half-wig to the top of your hair, and work it into several rolls, again with the rats.
7. If you want a tail out the back or side, either pull some of your own hair out, at the nape of your neck, with a rat-tail comb, and curl it, or clip in an extension piece.
8. Add flowers, birds, feathers, lace cappy things, pearls, whatever you like to finish the look.
Don't forget to pin at will and spray everything to keep it in place!
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The back. I added roses where there was a break between the front pouf and the back rolls. |
it looks fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteLove it! You look so elegant.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to tease less but achieve height you can use a teasing powder (I call it magic powder). There are a couple of brand options. And tape half the holes closed, because it comes out fast and you only need a little bit.
ReplyDeleteAnd you look lovely!
I'm going to have to try this. My hair tends to work itself out of teases, unless I'm really crazy with it.
DeleteWow! You did a great job! I get my rats from patrickcameron.com, they're really nice sized for very long and/or thick hair. The downside is they are in England.
ReplyDeleteYour hairstyle matches the gown perfectly.
I'll give them a try!
DeleteYou are looking so elegant and calm, lovely hair, dress and person, I also love the use of hair rats.
ReplyDeleteThank you <3
DeleteWonderful! The combination looks really seamless. A couple reenacting friends of mine suggested Bumpits. But I also like the idea of adding more hair, too, via the "rats". Thanks for the tips and the how-to (and the great photos)!
ReplyDeleteI've ended up with a combination of lots of things, and I keep making or acquiring more - bump its, hair rats of various kinds, various powders. The more tools you have at your disposal, the better.
DeleteCompletely beautiful. Well done. Wow! I agree with Miss Nicole. Seamless.
ReplyDeleteYay! Gorgeous ;-)
ReplyDeleteI want to try this hair-so again. I succeeded once...hopefully luck will strike again!
xoxo
If you did it once, you can do it again. Famous last words? hehehe.
DeleteYour hair looks great! Last time I powdered my hair I too used a makeup brush, but I sprayed my hair with a light hold hairspray, added powder and then repeated until it was powdered enough. The hairspray really helped the powder stick and show up. I think I used ellnet.
ReplyDeleteHave fun at costume college!
Great tip! I will try this. The powder wasn't as strong in color as I'd hoped, maybe because I wasn't using the spray at the same time
DeleteLovely!!!
ReplyDeletelooks good.
ReplyDeleteHot damn you have serious hair-fu skills!
ReplyDeleteYou look so beautiful in that 18th century style.
ReplyDeleteWow! It's perfect!
ReplyDeleteYour hair looks brilliant - it could be in an 18th c painting! And I really can't work out where your hair ends and the fake begins! Great work - your hair styling has now reached the status of 'mad skills'! ;)
ReplyDeleteThe powder helps with blending, also with taking the shine off the fake hair. That's one of the main problems, the shine.
DeleteLovely! Can't wait to see the whole dress by the way!
ReplyDeleteLooks amazing! I would love it if you did a step by step tutorial. I read all of your post, but I'm very visual, and I'm bad with hair styling (lack of practice I guess).
ReplyDeleteYes!
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ReplyDeleteCharming! Not just right for the costume, but very flattering for your face.
ReplyDeletePerfect, as always! The dress and hair are both lovely on you.
ReplyDeleteBravo ! parfaitement XVIII !
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