When you have been in the hair business as long as I have, you can't help but notice how people cut, color and style their hair. The moment I meet someone, my eyes go directly to the top of their head. It's a horrible habit that makes almost everyone uncomfortable, and I've tried to stop doing it for years to no avail. My eyes are especially drawn to any hair faux pas. There is nothing more frustrating than having to bite my lip instead of giving a hair tip. It often takes every inch of my self control to keep my lip zipped.

Here is a list of the most common hair faux pas I have tried not to notice over the years.

Picking the wrong haircut and style for your hair's texture. Wearing fine hair too long or layered will only make it seem wispier and see-through. Wearing curly hair straight often looks dry, fried and tortured in place.

TIP: Always work with the texture of your hair. You're not fooling anyone but yourself.


Picking the wrong hair color. There's a rumor out there that you have to make your hair color lighter as the years go by. Guess what? That's not always true! Often the best solution to avoid dull hair color is to make it brighter or richer.

TIP: Your hair color should always provide contrast to your skin color. If you find your self putting on more makeup than usual to look alive, you have picked the wrong hair color.


Making clean hair look dirty by misusing products. This is so five years ago. Hair today looks fresh, clean and natural. It should never look over-gelled, moussed or waxed into place. Hair should never look like it's made of shiny plastic.

TIP: Less is more. If you can't run your fingers through your hair, you have used too much product.


Highlighting hair to look solid or worst yet, frosted. There are two common highlighting mistakes.

The first is when too many highlights are placed too close together, creating a loss of contrast and often resembling an overall, single-process color. This will result in an unnatural looking color that requires frequent touch-ups instead of the graceful grow out that highlights should provide.

The second mistake is when highlights are left on too long to avoid gold shades. Highlights without gold often appear grey and frosted. This will make your hair look dull and you look older.

TIP: Never place your highlights too close together or make them too pale. Highlights should accent and brighten your base color, not change it or make it dull.


Using scrunches, butterfly clips and banana clips as hair accessories. They are tools to keep your hair off your face. They are appropriate to use while washing your face, applying makeup or giving yourself a facial. As easy and gentle as these are to use, they should never be worn outside your home.

TIP: There are many simple and chic accessories available at your local drugstore or beauty supply. Look for the simplest headbands or covered elastics. They are gentle to your hair and always look right.


That's it! You now have the list of my Top Five hair faux pas. The good news is that they are all easy to remedy. With very little effort you can look prettier, softer and younger!