Glam Mom Hair

I had the thrill of a lifetime last week when I was invited to Tracy Reese’s Spring 2014 Fashion Week Show to interview the hair team from Ouidad (the famous styling and product company known as “the curl experts”). Backstage, I met with Morgan Willhite (pictured, left, with me, right), Creative Director for Ouidad and a kick-ass beautiful woman and single mom of a four-year-old son. In the midst of the frenetic energy of runway preparations, I asked her about the inspiration behind the show’s hairstyles, how to translate the look for busy moms, and her tips for balancing a hectic career with raising a preschooler.  Here is what happened…

First, Willhite explained the look she and her team were creating for the show. Tracy Reese was feeling joyful when she designed this collection, filled with bold and bright prints, Afro-Cuban influences and rich details of leather and raffia embroideries with sporty-inspired touches.  To play off this look when it came to hair, Willhite explained she was going for soft texture in the form of effortless, sweptback updos with free-flowing waves.  The key products the team used to achieve these looks were from the Ouidad line and included: Wave Create Sea Spray, Wave Create Texture Taffy, PlayCurl Volumizing Styling Spray and Mongongo Oil Multi-Use Hair Treatment.

Sounds glam, right? But how can busy moms get the same Fashion Week look without using a styling team? Willhite emphasized taking time out of just one day of the week to create a look that will last. Just as you would  get a blowout for a special occasion, the same holds true for achieving a beautiful, textured hairstyle that will last a few days. Hydration is key, according to Willhite. After washing and conditioning your hair, apply your product thoroughly to damp hair and then dry it completely with the diffuser attachment of your hair dryer. Ouidad’s Climate Control Gel or their new Wave Create Sea Spray are both great for taming frizz, and the diffuser results in soft waves or curls that will look better longer so you can wake up the next day without having to restyle your hair all over again. There is a great video on Ouidad’s website called “Ouidad’s 4 minute curls,” featuring Ouidad’s beautiful daughter, Sondriel, if you need a visual explanation.

To keep hair looking great, Willhite recommends doing a special treatment, like the Ouidad Deep Treatment, once every two weeks or even once a month.The key is to apply heat, a most important step because it allows the product to penetrate rather than just sit on top of your hair.  Simply apply the treatment, cover with a shower cap or towel and go under a hair dryer  (if you have access to a sit-down dryer, that’s great–but a simple handheld dryer works, too). Or, you can even go to the gym and use the sauna.  Locking in the moisture like this will give you beautiful hair that requires less styling time because it’s in good health.

It’s obvious Willhite is passionate about what she does. Originally from Worchester, Massachusetts, she was inspired to become a hairdresser when she was just a kid; her father used to treat her to special haircuts on Newbury Street in Boston, where she fell in love with the sights, sounds and smells of salons. And it was her own curly hair frustration that drew her to Ouidad. She was working at a salon in Florida when the company came to train them on their techniques.  She fell in love with Ouidad’s products, philosophy, and integrity of the line, which emphasizes hair health above all else.  She’s been with Ouidad for 13 years now and loves showing women like herself–who never thought they could have beautiful hair–just how amazing curly hair can be!