Time For A Change - by Editor

Change your appearance and add spice to your life without breaking the bank.

You don't need to overhaul your wardrobe if you're looking for change a few snips in the right places will do the trick. Changing your look every now and again does wonders for your self-esteem, and it also gives you a break from an otherwise monotonous existence. Some people like Madonna are constantly re-inventing themselves, and every season they seem to have a completely new look, while others seem to have never had a haircut or changed anything about themselves for decades! Start off the New Year by reinventing yourself. You will be surprised at how much it will pep you up. A different hairstyle can do wonders for changing your entire image and this goes for men too (think Aamir Khan in Dil Chahta Hai). Start off by getting a haircut and we mean a proper cut, not just a trim. Changing your look doesn't necessarily mean that long hair should be cut short. You can keep the length if you so desire and get it cut in steps, or, shorten it from the front so that it frames your face. Avoid getting a fringe unless your hair is very straight, silky and thick so that the fringe bounces back on your forehead every time you run your hands through it or when the wind blows. If you don't want to cut your hair, think about colouring it. You could go in for an all-over colour or for highlights. If you go in for an all-over colour, opt for a colour just a few shades different to your natural hair shade. Don't go in for something very drastic because you are certain to get a shock when you look at yourself in the mirror. In addition, the new colour may or may not look good on you. Also, when your original hair grows back, the colour difference will be very apparent and stark and you will need to constantly keep retouching your roots. If you do want to go in for a colour very different from yours opt for highlighting instead of all-over colour. Add a few more highlights to the front of your face so they are more visible, and fewer highlights scattered through your hair at the back. In this manner your hair texture will not suffer. If you feel colouring your hair is not for you, go in for a perm. Straightening your hair is harsher than perming. Also, when you straighten your hair it makes blow-drying your hair straight after every wash a little easier, but you still will need to blow-dry your hair after every wash. You could go in for Japanese Hair Bonding, but unless it is done very well, it looks artificial. On the other hand, once your hair is permed, you don't need to subject it to any heat treatments or spend any time styling it. Even if you have curly, wavy or frizzy hair, consider getting it permed for better-formed, tidier curls. If you want to go straight, you don't need to get it chemically straightened unless your hair is very, very curly. All you need to do is blow-dry it straight in sections, pulling your hair tight, after every wash. Whatever you decide, avoid going in for two chemical processes at the same time. So if you colour your hair, don't perm it immediately, or vice versa.