The no fuss, easy fix

Like it or not, the world of post-pubescent pre-grads is one fraught with problems of hyperbolic magnitude. Questions abound for any floundering teen in search of stable ground in the deeply misanthropic society of like-minded youngsters: to dress up or dress down? Heels or flats? Jeans or skirts? Styled hair or strictly wash and wear?

Upon entering a coed college, a tremendous change for a conservatively-raised, Catholic girl like myself, I found that there were suddenly more decisions that faced me as I struggled – half-blind from lack of sleep – to my closet each morning at the crack of dawn to decide on my wardrobe for the day. Some people took the organized route and methodically picked their outfit for the daily grind the night before, while others, like me, simply grabbed what seemed like the least offensive garments from the pile of clothing on the closet floor.

Come junior year – or for the very lazy, sophomore year – the quest to maintain a façade of cool, which involves arduous hours trekking hills to attend the next class in a pair of gorgeous but incredibly painful boots, simply fizzles away, leaving a group of bedraggled, badly-dressed, indifferent upper classmen.

There is a solution, of course. Simple and easy to follow, it goes like this: nix the high-maintenance footwear and overly-conscious getup and just aim for easy, classic pieces and a laidback grooming system that’ll leave anyone looking urbane and unaffected.

Two brave souls offered their hair to the grooming god of style, Bench Fix’s chief stylist Philippe Tordjman, to show the world what an easy, breezy grooming system looks like. Philippe lays the groundwork for cool do’s with simplified hair-styling tips that even the most retarded will grasp in a few minutes. In the mood for something more interesting? Simply adapt and experiment with Philippe’s basic framework and you’ll have the makings of a hairdo that’s sure to make yearbook history.

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To set an appointment with F Salon chief stylist Philippe Tordjman at Bench Fix’s outlet First Aid in Greenbelt 3, call 757-4976.

Michelle Lim

Job: Neophyte freelance makeup artist

Age: 23

Style: Fun and offbeat

Daily hair regimen: Wash and wear with a little wax. "Somedays, I don’t even brush my hair," Michelle says. "I just put some wax and I’m good to go."

A cut apart: Michelle began her career as an assistant to an events organizer. She realized her passion for maquillage when she found she enjoyed participating at photo shoots more than anything else. Fast forward to several months later and now she’s a rookie makeup artist with a few jobs like a makeup credit for a Metro magazine editorial under her belt.

With her striking eyes (courtesy of a great pair of contact lens), petite frame and piquant face, Michelle is unquestionably cute. Her hair, done in a style reminiscent of a more urban Audrey Hepburn, frames her heart-shaped face. The light caramel and blond streaks provide an interesting contrast against her brown hair. What she wants is more ooomph to her already dramatic style. She tells Philippe Tordjman of Bench Fix’s outlet First Aid that she’s not particularly fond of how her hair poofs out at the top, giving her head an exaggerated strawberry-like shape. "My head’s got a funky shape," she says. And she doesn’t mean funky in a cool hip-hop sort of way. "I just want my hair to frame my face and offset the shape of my head."

First aid: Philippe immediately begins trimming Michelle’s hair, the edges of which are beginning to touch the nape of her neck reaching her shirt collar. "I’m lightening the layers," he says, making small movements with the scissors around the bangs and the tendrils near her neck. "Then I reshape," he adds, trimming some flyaway layers.

Tool of the trade: Bench Styling Stick

Hair apparent: To give Michelle a more defined, modern look, he grabs sections of hair and applies the Styling Stick to the lower portion of her strands, making sure to avoid the roots for a non-greasy effect. "Work it till the ends," he says, gently massaging the product into Michelle’s straight locks. Another way to apply the Styling Stick is to apply some to the palm of your hands and warm it by rubbing your hands together. Then massage into sections to provide definition. Warming the product beforehand provides you with more control.

For volume and definition, he applies the Styling Stick to the back of her hair in vertical upward movements so the hair goes against the flow, providing fullness to the otherwise limp strands.

Tip top shape: To make hair less frizzy or wild, apply the Styling Stick in downward motions, once again on the lower half of the strands (avoiding roots so hair won’t look oily). To add volume, move the Styling Stick in the opposite direction, upward this time, so hair looks fuller.

Ian Yllana

Job: Export management major at CSB

Age: 24

Style: Straight-up yuppie

Daily hair regimen: Strictly wash and wear

A cut apart: A low-maintenance type of guy, Ian came to the shoot sporting a striped polo shirt, well-fitted jeans and a sheepish grin. He was more than half an hour late – hence, the grin. A student at CSB, he confirms that he’s seriously low-maintenance, saying his regular grooming system involves little more than shampoo and a brush. "Simple lang ako," he says shyly. His hair, though slightly long, is a workable cut, a style popular among guys his age. "My hairstyle is pretty basic," he adds. He’d like to style it but without being too fussy.

First aid: Philippe works with Ian’s current cut, acknowledging that a lot of guys don’t have the time – or perhaps the inclination – to come in regularly for a much-needed trim. "We’ll work with the basic shape of his cut," Philippe says. Since Ian’s hairstyle gone to a rather amorphous route and taken on a rather shapeless, shaggy style, Philippe recommends a few styling products to instantly redefine his lackluster locks.

Tools of the trade: Clay Doh, Bench Styling Stick and Shine On

Hair apparent: To add shape to Ian’s cut, Philippe opens a pot of Clay Doh, the molding clay from the Bench Fix line, which provides extreme hold. In fact, in the line of molding products, Philippe refers to Clay Doh as factor five – style speak for extra strong. He gets a thimbleful of the product (too much and it’ll make your hair look cemented and oily) and warms the clay in the palm of his hand. This provides flexibility, making it easier to apply the product. He applies it all over, avoiding the roots, to calm down the "poofiness" as Philippe calls it, of Ian’s hair. He takes sections of the hair near the nape and ear, applies some product to the lower portion of the strands and pushes it forward to frame the face. "This totally changes the look," Philippe explains. He adds some Styling Stick to the strands of hair near his forehead, emphasizing the chunky quality of the hair and adding texture.

The matte finish of the Clay Doh provides style without looking obvious. A great product for everyday use, it offers great hold without that excessive Elvis pompadour factor.

Tip top shape: For those who want some shine, Bench Fix’s Shine On spray, an anti-frizz hair mist, provides shine instantly. Simply spray about a foot away from hair at varying angles. An excellent technique for getting rid of those pesky baby hairs: spray on your hands and apply on hair in downward strokes.