Detra Smith is a perfectionist. Her extensive portfolio of artistically strong, smooth and polished looks are testament to this. But after reviewing her body of work, the Hot Tools Education Director was inspired to exercise her versatility. She challenged herself to create styles with movement and loose control. ”The hardest part of this collection was taking my hands out of the hair and letting the looks be free and natural,” she says. Find out how to get the looks from her Feeling Free collection with this step-by-step guide.
Southern Surfer
For this wavy, peek-a-boo braid look, clip in four HairUWear extensions—pre-colored with Matrix Colorsync Watercolor in Coral Peach—evenly across the parietal ridge, and two on the occipital bone. Distribute Matrix Style Link Volume Builder throughout and create lift at the roots using Hot Tools Silver Lining Dryer with the concentrator attachment. Then apply Matrix Style Link Mineral Airy Builder and wind random ribbons of hair at the mid-shaft around a Hot Tools 1¼” Curling Iron, leaving ends free. Work in a barely-there braid from the under layer, directing it over the left shoulder.
Night Sky
Start with hair prepped like the Southern Surfer look, but use Matrix Colorsync Watercolor in Berry Violet on only two HairUWear extensions added to the top of the head. Spray Matrix Style Link Volume Fixer throughout, and gather hair into a high, but loose ponytail, leaving out some face-framing strands. Backcomb the ponytail using fingers and randomly pin up pieces until the desired shape is achieved. It’s about getting a fixed look without perfectly defined curls.
Blue Moon
Prep hair in the same way as the look for Southern Surfer, but use Matrix Colorsync Watercolor in Sapphire Blue to color the six HairUWear extensions clipped in along the parietal ridge and occipital bone. Take random sections from the sides, twisting and pinning each section on the back of head. Criss-cross the sections left to right, repeating until no more hair from the sides are left. Then secure the ponytail just below the nape of the neck, backcombing loose ends with fingers.