The ULTIMATE Guide to Pageant Hair Share on Social Media

Pageant hair is one of those things that can make or break your image. You placed First runner-up in your last pageant and feel that you couldn't have done any better. You finally get your judges' comments and see "pageant hair fell in her face." Aw, man! That one stray strand fell in your face and your pageant hair cost you the title. We don't want you to ever go through that again so we've created the ultimate guide to pageant hair. Use the guide to learn how to style your pageant hair to perfection and win the crown!

Get the answers to all your pageant hair questions by clicking on the pageant hair question for you. 

What is pageant hair?

How should I style long pageant hair?

How should I style short pageant hair?

How should I style medium pageant hair?

What is glitz pageant hair?

What pageant hairstyles are best for Princess and Jr. Pre-Teen contestants?

What pageant hairstyles are best for PreTeen and Jr. Teen contestants?

What pageant hairstyles are best for Teen contestants?

What pageant hairstyles are best for Miss contestants?

What pageant hairstyles are best for Ms. and Mrs. contestants?

What pageant hairstyles are best for natural hair?

What pageant hairstyles are best for damaged or dry hair?

How should I style men’s pageant hair?

How can I create pageant hair with a curling iron?

How can I create pageant hair with hot rollers?

How can I protect my hair while styling pageant hair?

Can I do my own pageant hair?

What to look for when hiring a pageant hair stylist

Where can I find a pageant hair stylist?

Do I have to use the pageant’s sponsored pageant hair stylist?

Miss Universe contestants. Photo: AP

What is pageant hair?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

To hair or not to hair? That is the question. You’ve finally decided to be a delegate in a pageant. It may be your first pageant or maybe you’re a pageant glam-monster with tons of crowns under your sash. Either way you’re thinking, “OMG, there’s so much to do! I’ve got to call my pageant coach. I’ve got to get bikini ready. Shoes, evening gowns, accessories, swimsuit and talent; I need makeup…but wait my hair!”

It should come as no surprise that hair completes the entire outfit and gives us an uncanny confidence on our best hair days. Perfectly coiffed hair inspires and dictates how we look and feel.

On your big day (or days, depending on your pageants event festivities) having the perfect hair chosen for your specific style and length can make or break the entire look. So why should “pageant hair” be any different? Throughout pageant history, traditional pageant hair tends to be grandiose and requires mounds of big colorful rollers, hair clips and bobby pins. Remember confidence is the only hair product you will ever need!

There are a few things to consider before deciding the hair you want. Start with your own natural hair to assess your personal goals, confidence level and style. Then, couple that with the division, age group and overall style of the particular pageant you are participating in. From Glitz to Miss, from Miss to Mrs. each pageant holds their hair expectations.

Hair and makeup artist Sherri Jessee styling Shannon Mcanally. Photo: Nathan Mays Photography

Regardless of whether your hair length is long or short, make sure to research what is current. This can be achieved by reviewing the hairstyles of current titleholders.

You’ve done your research. Now what? Can you do your own hair for the pageant? Stylist or pageant sponsored stylist? Should you wear your hair up or down?

It’s recommended to consult with a professional hair and makeup stylist to achieve pageant hair to make true pageantry magic. You can either hire a professional hairstylist for the pageant or you can choose a pageant hair tutorial if you feel confident enough to achieve the look on your own.

Miss America 2019 Nia Franklin. Photo: Instagram @MissAmerica2019

Have you decided yet? It truly doesn’t matter if you have long, medium or short hair as long as you are confident, you love it and you want to whip your hair, then its perfect for you!

What are the five most common hair problems and the products to fix them? Find out below!

How should I style long pageant hair?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

Long hair is the traditional standard for pageants. If your tresses are long and you are entering a pageant, you should consider a few things when styling long hair. You should always consider your attire for each category. Up, down, straight or curly? Remember it’s a pageant so volume is your friend!

If you don’t have naturally long hair and want to achieve long hair for your pageant… never fret! Thanks to modern fabulousness in hair technology with sew-ins, extensions and clip-ins you won’t have to worry as it can be a seamless transition. There are a plethora of ways you can be versatile when styling long hair.

Bouncing big bold curls, an elegant timeless updo or maybe even an elegantly braided bun can be what you need for your pageant.

Photo: Twitter @Pinterest

When adding any type of hair extensions seek a professional stylist in your local area to assist you in making your extensions look natural. At Pageant Planet, we recommend the beautiful Classic Line Virgin Brazilian Human Hair Extensions that won’t break the bank.

Classic Line Virgin Brazilian Human Hair Extensions. Photo: pageantplanet.com

Your hair should match the competition category. To achieve true pageant hair, we’ve given you a few steps to help you achieve your own voluminous pageant look.

Step One

Start with building the foundation by finding some effective products for your hair.

Before you start styling, make sure your hair is clean and healthy. Pageant hair cannot be dirty and be expected to hold a style. Clean and healthy pageant hair always wins the race no matter the texture.

You’ll need a really good comb to go from root to tip. The smoother the better for even application, then it’s time to mousse. Your hair should be damp when doing this step. When the pageant is evenly applied to your pageant hair, it is easier to work with so make sure this is done with care.

Super curly hair will need to add your favorite gel or styling cream that best suits your coils. Make sure to keep curly hair damp through this process. Prepare for a little more time at this step.

Step Two

You’ll need some heat to lock in the volume. Always, always use your favorite heat protectant for your pageant hair! We don’t want to damage the hair. Section your hair with hair clips to blow-dry your hair. You will need a large round brush and a concentration nozzle for your blow dryer.

Round Brush. Photo: ultabeauty.com

Concentrated Dryer. Photo: ultabeauty.com 

Your pageant hair should be dried straight to be able to achieve big pageant curls. Make sure to pull up with your rounded brush from the roots with tension to create volume. Your hair must be completely dry before you can move to the next step.

Step Three

It’s time to get your rollers and set!

Photo: Getty Images

Hot rollers are a faster way to curl your pageant hair and it gives your curls a lot of definition. After your hair is completely dry from step two, spray your pageant hair with hairspray and make sure the product is evenly distributed throughout your pageant hair.

Then, part your hair into three sections to make it easier to roll and maintain even fullness. Use larger rollers at the top for volume and smaller rollers on the sides and back of the hair.

The longer you leave the curlers in, the better your pageant hair will set. Your curls will hold longer. For traditional rollers you’ll want to sit under a hooded dryer to for at least 25 minutes. These can set for anywhere from 25 minutes up to two hours.

Step Four

Time for a little teaser? For volume… yes please! This is the stage where voluminous magic happens. Proper tools are essential at this stage. Depending on the strength of your pageant hair and technique, you must be careful not to brush out your curls or damage your own natural hair!

Remove the rollers and lightly spray with hairspray. This will help cool the hair. Then, with a fine-toothed comb or a small teasing brush, tease from the roots of your hair for the amount of volume you desire. Use your round brush to smooth your hair to complete the polished pageant hair.

Step Five

Style me to pageant hair perfection! This is the time where you can go crazy with so many options. Hair up or down in a whimsical updo, keep it down and full or create a cute ponytail. Once you pick a hairstyle, grab that hairspray and spray for your life! Don’t get too close. About an arms length away to spray! Now is the stage ready for you?

Seventeen Magazine has a great tutorial on how to achieve big, bouncy curls. Check it out below.

How should I style short pageant hair?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

Although there are a very few pageant systems that “require” long tresses to participate, maybe pageant contestants choose to go with long pageant hair. It is not a question of if you should wear your short hair; it’s a question of how confident you feel when your hair is shorter versus longer.

Some of us feel so much more confident with an easy breezy pixie cut like Miss Jamaica Universe 2015 Kaci Fennel shared with the world as she placed an impressively earned fifth runner-up spot. Pixie cuts show a carefree and bold woman as she walks across the stage. A long bob can wow the judges, too.

Miss Jamaica Universe 2015 Kaci Fennel. Photo: www.pinterest.com 

When styling short pageant hair, it needs to compliment your lovely face and make you feel as powerful as long pageant hair seems to. The best thing about short hair in a pageant is wardrobe changes won’t have to include the extra time in styling your hair!

In order to ensure pageant hair success, you may want to reach out to the participating pageants sponsored hair stylist for tips. Take your evening gown and all of your wardrobe considerations to them or to your personal professional hair stylist.

You can choose to rock straight pageant hair or go with a curled style.

Straight Hair

Step One

Start with building the foundation by finding some effective products for your hair.

Before you start styling, make sure your hair is clean and healthy. Pageant hair cannot be dirty and be expected to hold a style. Clean and healthy pageant hair always wins the race no matter the texture.

You’ll need a really good comb to go from root to tip. The smoother the better for even application, then it’s time to mousse. Your hair should be damp when doing this step. When the pageant is evenly applied to your pageant hair, it is easier to work with so make sure this is done with care.

Super curly hair will need to add your favorite gel or styling cream that best suits your coils. Make sure to keep curly hair damp through this process. Prepare for a little more time at this step.

Step Two

You’ll need some heat to lock in the volume. Always, always use your favorite heat protectant for your pageant hair! We don’t want to damage the hair. Section your hair with hair clips to blow-dry your hair. You will need a large round brush and a concentration nozzle for your blow dryer.

Round Brush. Photo: ultabeauty.com

Concentrated Dryer. Photo: ultabeauty.com 

Your pageant hair should be dried straight to be able to achieve big pageant curls. Make sure to pull up with your rounded brush from the roots with tension to create volume. Your hair must be completely dry before you can move to the next step.

Step Three

Time for a little teaser? For volume… yes please! This is the stage where voluminous magic happens. Proper tools are essential at this stage. Depending on the strength of your pageant hair and technique, you must be careful not to damage your own natural hair!

Step Four

Once you pick a hairstyle, grab that hairspray and spray for your life! Don’t get too close. About an arms length away to spray! Now is the stage ready for you?

Curly Hair

Step One

Start with building the foundation by finding some effective products for your hair.

Before you start styling, make sure your hair is clean and healthy. Pageant hair cannot be dirty and be expected to hold a style. Clean and healthy pageant hair always wins the race no matter the texture.

You’ll need a really good comb to go from root to tip. The smoother the better for even application, then it’s time to mousse. Your hair should be damp when doing this step. When the pageant is evenly applied to your pageant hair, it is easier to work with so make sure this is done with care.

Super curly hair will need to add your favorite gel or styling cream that best suits your coils. Make sure to keep curly hair damp through this process. Prepare for a little more time at this step.

Step Two

You’ll need some heat to lock in the volume. Always, always use your favorite heat protectant for your pageant hair! We don’t want to damage the hair. Section your hair with hair clips to blow-dry your hair. You will need a large round brush and a concentration nozzle for your blow dryer.

Round Brush. Photo: ultabeauty.com

Concentrated Dryer. Photo: ultabeauty.com 

Your pageant hair should be dried straight to be able to achieve your desired pageant curls. Make sure to pull up with your rounded brush from the roots with tension to create volume. Your hair must be completely dry before you can move to the next step.

Step Three

It’s time to get your rollers and set!

Photo: Getty Images

Hot rollers are a faster way to curl your pageant hair and it gives your curls a lot of definition. After your hair is completely dry from step two, spray your pageant hair with hairspray and make sure the product is evenly distributed throughout your pageant hair.

Then, part your hair into three sections to make it easier to roll and maintain even fullness. Use larger rollers at the top for volume and smaller rollers on the sides and back of the hair.

The longer you leave the curlers in, the better your pageant hair will set. Your curls will hold longer. For traditional rollers you’ll want to sit under a hooded dryer to for at least 25 minutes. These can set for anywhere from 25 minutes up to two hours.

For shorter pageant hair, you will need to use smaller hot rollers or a smaller barrel curling iron. For short pageant hair, use a half-inch barrel curling iron.

Step Four

Time for a little teaser? For volume… yes please! This is the stage where voluminous magic happens. Proper tools are essential at this stage. Depending on the strength of your pageant hair and technique, you must be careful not to brush out your curls or damage your own natural hair!

Remove the rollers and lightly spray with hairspray. This will help cool the hair. Then, with a fine-toothed comb or a small teasing brush, tease from the roots of your hair for the amount of volume you desire. Use your round brush to smooth your hair to complete the polished pageant hair.

Step Five

Style me to pageant hair perfection! This is the time where you can go crazy with so many options. Hair up or down in a whimsical updo, keep it down and full or create a cute ponytail. Once you pick a hairstyle, grab that hairspray and spray for your life! Don’t get too close. About an arms length away to spray! Now is the stage ready for you?

How should I style medium pageant hair?

Contribution by Allie J Hoffman

No matter what length of hair you have, you can easily find styles that will look amazing. Hair that sits between the top of the shoulder and the shoulder blade is considered medium length. There are many styles that can be done with medium length hair! As always for natural pageant hairstyles, make sure to start with clean hair that has been blow dried straight. You will then want to use a thermal protecting spray to keep your hair from breaking.

Miss Montana USA 2018 Dani Walker. Photo: Miss Universe Organization

With this length of hair, you can still go with the timeless look of all your hair down with a full curl, side or middle part and some height for drama. Just like Dani Walker, Miss Montana USA 2018, you can easily rock this style by yourself or with the help of a professional.

After your hair is clean and blow dried straight, brush through your favorite thermal setting spray like Redkens Hot Sets 22. Make sure to spray this throughout your hair, especially at the ends where breakage is the most damaging.

Section your hair starting from the nape of the neck and use one to two-inch sections. Take your curling iron on medium-high heat and wrap your hair around the barrel, release hair carefully after about 15 seconds. The perfect curling iron for the job is a Hot Tools curling iron which can be purchased at Ulta Beauty. The bigger the barrel of curling iron you buy (one inch and higher) the bigger the waves, the smaller barrel (less than one inch) the tighter the curl.

After all of your pageant hair is curled and cooled, shake out your hair gently with your fingertips. Carefully take the crown section of your hair and backcomb underneath with a teasing comb to create drama and volume. The smaller section you use the more volume you will have!

Spray your teased section with a extra hold hairspray like Freeze It. Fold back the hair and smooth the top section over your teased part. Here is where you can re-curl any pieces of pageant hair that are falling. To finish your pageant hair, grab your Freeze It spray and mist generously! You have now created full body dramatic pageant hair!

Follow Miss Montana 2018 Dani Walker on Youtube and watch her amazing curling iron tutorial to create big full waves in your pageant hair!

What is glitz pageant hair?

Contribution by Allie J Hoffman

Glitz pageant hair! The poof, the length, the drama, the stiffness- these are all characteristics that many people connect with glitz pageant hair. It takes a lot of skill and experience to create those iconic hairdos while staying away from some hair don’ts!

Kimilee Shokes, owner of Kimi’s Classics a great place to purchase your pageant hair piece, describes glitz pageant hair as, “..more dramatic. It is “bigger and bolder” than regular hairstyles. It typically requires more hair then the girl may have naturally. So it is often supplemented with hairpieces.”

Kimilee is right on the money. Glitz pageant hair is bigger and bolder than other types of pageant hairstyles. If you want to find out what exactly glitz pageant hair is, then keep scrolling for the 411 on glitz pageant hair.

The glitz pageant world is just that, a world all its own - a closed knit community that loves the glitz, glamour and all things overly done. From your head to your toes, a glitz contestant is made-up to look like a fabulous little Barbie with extravagant dresses, hair dos and amazing modeling routines.

These contestants work hard practicing and their parents work just as hard to keep up with the latest pageant hair and makeup glitz trends. One thing that is a must for a glitz contestant is glitz pageant hair. Glitz pageant hair is often achieved by using a mixture of natural hair (also known as head hair, hair that grows from your scalp) and “fake” hair.

“Fake” hair is actually real human hair that is made into a smaller version of a wig. Much like a wig, pageant hair pieces for the glitz world are used to add volume, style options and length to your natural hair. Pageant hair pieces also limit heat exposure and styling damage from your head hair. Due to the methods of styling glitz pageant hair, it is important to protect your head hair whenever possible.

Glitz pageant hair vs. natural pageant hair

To achieve a better understanding of glitz pageant hair, let’s briefly discuss the differences and similarities between glitz and natural pageant hair. Pageants that are categorized as natural, including scholarship pageants, often want the contestant to have an overall look that is similar to their everyday appearance. Some natural pageants will allow certain ages to compete with light day makeup and a styled pageant coif.

Glitz pageants allow all ages to have a full face of makeup, including false lashes, false teeth and of course false pageant hair. Natural contestants may opt to use a professional pageant hair and makeup artist just like that of a glitz contestant. Dependent upon the system rules, natural pageants may also allow the use of pageant hair extensions, not hair pieces.

Pageant hair extensions are used to add length and volume to natural hair. Glitz contestants of all ages can often receive score deductions for not having a pageant hair piece. Natural contestants may also have their hair curled for hair prep, however the method of obtaining curls varies between the two categories of pageantry. For glitz, once a child has enough hair it is curled with hot rollers. Natural pageantry curls are created using pin curls (achieved with a larger barrel curling iron or flat iron). Glitz hair is also bigger and more dramatic than natural pageant hair.

Basic Styling Tips and Products

My favorite products are Redken Hot Sets 22 for hair rolling and Freeze It hair spray for styling. Redken hot sets is a thermal setting spray and it protects the hair from the heat and helps keep the style of the curl. Redken Hot Sets 22 is perfect because it does not create creases or hard spots on the hair when it’s used correctly. Redken Hot Sets 22 can be purchased at HEB or online on Amazon.

Redken Hot Sets 22. Photo: Ulta Beauty

Freeze It hairspray is a glitz pageant hair staple. It is affordable (under $6), can be found at your local Walmart and has optical brighteners that add a glimmer to hair. You can easily order your Freeze it spray on Walmart’s website as well. 

Freeze it. Photo: Walmart

When your pageant hair goals are high, you are going to want some volumizing powder or spray. The best volumizing powder out there is Powder Play by Big Sexy Hair. This amazing product is lightweight, affordable and comes in many sizes. I always carry one of the smaller bottles in my purse for quick touch ups. You will be surprised by how much volume and height you can achieve by placing a small amount of Powder Play onto the roots of the hair and then back-combing. You can purchase this product at your local Ulta store or online. 

Big Sexy Powder Play. Photo: Target

Hairspray or styling spray are great tools to have when styling your glitz pageant hair. Although many of us have been using hairspray for years, there a few things to keep in mind when applying.

Spray at least a hand’s length away from the spot you want to cover. To avoid incorrect hair spraying techniques, try misting the spray over the hair in a slow back and forth motion over the head and not directly at the hair or at one spot. Spraying too closely will leave only one spot of hair drenched with spray and it is often hard to brush this spot out. This can also cause the sprayed hair to form thicker bonds of hair instead of laying flat next to each strand.

If you have made this mistake, try taking your favorite dry shampoo like Batiste and misting it over the clumped spot of hair. After misting your dry shampoo, simply take a Boars head or soft bristle brush to brush the dry shampoo over the hair spray. You can buy your supply of Batiste dry shampoo online.

Batiste Dry Shampoo. Photo: Walmart

Now that you have the right products you will need the perfect tools.

I find it essential to have a teasing comb or brush and a regular brush. Goody’s Pro Volumizing hair brush is my go to teasing brush because of its many stacked bristles, small brush band and bond pointed end. The bristles are great for removing knots in the hair and stacking up your pageant hair! The compact design of the brush will fit nicely in your makeup kit and I love the pointed end for creating nearly perfect parts and sections.

Aside from your teasing comb or brush, you will need a regular brush to prep the hair and brush it out after being rolled. Any brush you have in your daily routine will work just fine. Just make sure your brush is clean prior to use!

As mentioned before there are many differences between glitz and natural pageant hair. One of the key differences is the teasing. While natural pageant hairstyles may still require some teasing, glitz pageant hair literally would not exist without overly teased hair.

To achieve maximum height out of your hair, make sure to tease in small sections, use your Big Sexy Hair Powder Play, spray the teased part with Freeze It spray and spread apart. After you’ve done that, bring the top section over and smooth over to hide your bottom teased part. Then spray your lovely coif to finish. Always remember to mist your hair spray and not directly spray at your hair. Check out this starter teasing tutorial with Andrea Sands for Pageant Planet.

Last but not least, you will need hot rollers. Hot rollers are small tubes that have a heat element inside that is heated using an electric chamber. Hot rollers are fastened with clips to stay in place. These are not to be confused with velcro rollers, perm rollers, hot sticks or sponge rollers. Those types of rollers will not give you the amount of heat saturation that is needed for glitz hair. There are two types of hot rollers used in the glitz industry. The newer version of hot rollers that have a velvet exterior with a ceramic or metal interior or using older rollers that are hard plastic with spikes on the outside with a wax and metal interior.

Clairol 20, as pictured below, heat up very fast, have a high heat saturation and come in a small case. The pitfall of these rollers are that they do not have a heat barrier on the outside like that of the new style of rollers and can potentially cause more breakage to your hair. These are my preferred rollers as a pageant hair and makeup artist.

Conair Hot Sets. Photo: Conair.com

The newer hot rollers also heat up fast and are better at protecting your hair. I find that these work very well but, they do not coat the hair with as much heat as the traditional rollers, are more expensive and bulkier to transfer to your pageant. Whichever you decide to use, make sure to part your hair in small sections, use butterfly clips to secure and a shower cap over to keep the rollers in until they are cool and ready to remove. Always use your Redken Hot Sets 22 to suck in the heat and create full defined curls.

To learn more about how to roll your hair check out Miss Allie’s hair rolling tutorial.

Top three most popular glitz hair styles 2018 edition

Now that we have prepped with you a little more knowledge of glitz pageant hair and the correct products and tools to use, let’s talk glitz pageant hairstyles. There are hundreds of different styles you can create and every few years the trends, much like fashion, will change so it is important to have the current styles and to style them correctly! Here are my top three trending glitz hair styles for 2018.

Mini Fall. Photo: Allie Hoffman

The Cinderella bun

This style is very hot right now in the glitz world. To achieve this look you will need a fall or wiglet, which you will use will depend on how old your child is and how much volume and bulk you want to attain.

A hot bun and a lot of teasing is rolled underneath and pinned with bobby pins into a rounded shape to the nape of the neck or mid head. This style showcases the child’s face as all of the hair is away from the face. It also is a lot easier to keep throughout the day and will need less touch ups then other looks. You may want to consult with a professional to attain this style but, for a better understanding check out Miss Allie J’s video on a creative way to create this trendy style.

Long Fall styled with a crimper

This fun look is perfect for your glitz headshot, swimwear or talent events. To attain this coif, you will need a maxi or mini fall, a crimper and your Freeze It spray. This is an easy style to create and isn’t time consuming. Crimped hair doesn’t usually need to be touched up but, it isn’t yet acceptable for beauty and casual wear events.

Maxi Wiglet in a curly updo

A mini or maxi wiglet with teased up curls is a timeless look that has followed glitz pageantry from its very beginnings. With practice you can attain this style without a professional. Be sure to separate your curls as you tease and use a lot of hairspray! This style also showcases the child’s face and is a traditional style that will never go away.

“The updo is probably easier to achieve for the glitz hair look,” Kimilee Shokes, a hair piece professional says. “It takes practice and patience when styling hair. A lot of moms and hairstylist have the hairpieces pre-styled before the pageant. That way come pageant day, they don’t have to spend as much time styling the hairpieces.”

Jewel Price at Dazzling Beauties Christmas in July HMUA Mykel Bacca. Photo: PFD

Hair pieces

I’m sure by now you are all wondering, ‘what exactly is a hair piece, how do I purchase one and how do I know which one to buy!’ and many more questions! Follow my guide below for your beginners’ course in hair pieces.

As noted before hair pieces are smaller versions of wigs that are made from human hair and come in a variety of sizes, styles and brands. Let me note, there are hair pieces that are not real human hair and they are called synthetic hair pieces. Synthetic hair pieces are made out of synthetic man-made fibers. They tend to be less expensive, don’t last as long, cannot be styled with hot tools expect hot rollers, cannot be dyed but are easier to purchase as more stores carry these. I do not recommend synthetic pieces unless it is pony tails for a cute OOC or talent.

Human hair pieces may cost a bit more, but they are easier to style and can be dyed to match your child’s hair. They also last longer and usually have more bulk hair then a synthetic piece would. When purchasing a hair piece make sure to look for a tag or label that says ‘real human hair’ or ‘Remy hair.’ This will ensure that the hair is in fact human hair and that you are getting what you’ve paid for.

Most hair pieces cannot be purchased at a store like regular wigs and extensions. My favorite online places to purchase hair pieces are www.kimisclassics.com. You can also search Facebook for pageant resale groups that will have many hair pieces for sale. If you buy second hand, always make sure to get pictures of the hair’s current state, what color and style/size it is and to wash them prior to using!

Your third option is to have a custom hair piece made. This is a great option if you have a specific style in mind, want an extra long or curly hair piece or have shade matching issues with other vendors. One of the trickiest parts to purchasing a human hair piece is that you cannot readily go to a store in person and color match. Color matching is matching your child’s hair to the hair piece you will be purchasing. Typically, hair pieces are purchased online because beauty supply and hair supply stores do not carry the correct type of hair piece used for glitz pageantry.

To ensure that you color match your child correctly, take four photos of their hair to send online to your hair piece vendor. One picture of your child’s full length of hair in the light, another of your child’s full length of hair in regular indoor lighting, a third of just the top of the hair/roots and a fourth of the bottom ends. A knowledgeable vendor in this industry will be able to color match using pictures and a color match swatch. You can also purchase a color swatch ring from your vendor to be exactly certain you have the correct color.

“Over the years my experience has allowed me to look at a child’s picture (high quality and good lighting) to match,” Kimilee Shokes, a hair piece expert says. “Most hairstylists can also tell the color just from their training.”

You will also want to pick up a basic hair piece kit that has a mannequin clamp (to hold the hair piece up when using hot rollers and styling), T-pins (that secure the hair piece to the foam head) and a foam head.

There are many, many different types of human hair pieces you can purchase. Let’s learn about them from smallest to biggest.

Baby Cap

For the little ones with little to no hair, baby caps are bought in addition to a mini/baby wiglet. Baby caps come with a weft of hair sewn onto a headband that is placed at the front of your child’s head. This creates an illusion that they have hair when they very well may have none at all! Once the baby cap is slide over the child’s head, you can then make a small ponytail on top of the head and attach a styled mini wiglet. You can also clip your hair accessory to the headband of the baby cap to add that added flair to her outfit!

Wiglets

A wiglet is a circular hair piece that has load of hair sewn underneath into a lace cap. These are typically used for updo’s for ages zero to 12. A mini (also known as a baby wiglet) is typically used for the younger kiddos under age three and for an updo. The REAL Collection mini wiglet is $38 and is six and a half inches long.

Mini Wiglet. Photo: Baron Unlimited

A maxi wiglet is your mini wiglet, but three inches longer and sits at $45. A wire-based wiglet is 12 inches long and has wire petals on the inside which allows for more hair to be sewn in. The wire base wiglet can be pulled out to access more hair and is $70. Maxi and wire-based wiglets are used for ages three to 12.

Maxi Wiglet. Photo: Pageant Hub Fall

A fall can be used in many ways from all your hair down, hair half up and half down, large Cinderella buns and the list goes on! A short fall, perfect for ages two to four from the REAL collection is $85 and 12 inches long. A mini fall from the REAL collection is going to be 18 inches long and run around $175. These are best for ages three to five. A maxi fall for our older contestants ages five and up are going to be $235 dollars and 20 inches long.

Long Fall. Photo: eBay

Want more glitz pageant tips? Check out this podcast:

What pageant hairstyles are best for Princess and Jr. Pre-Teen contestants?

Contribution by Julia Stone

Pageant hair for younger contestants in the Princess and Jr. Pre-Teen divisions is a lot different than it is for the older girls. You have to take into consideration that these are very young children and they will not have the patience that the older girls have, so you want to plan hairstyles that are easy to achieve without a lot of fuss.

Practically speaking, it is also unreasonable to expect that young girls will be able to sit for a long time to have their hair done, so you want hairstyles that are fairly quick to do. You do also have to keep in mind what kind of pageant your child is competing in and what the expectations or usual look is for this pageant.

Pageants can be small or big, depending on whether they are local, state, national or international. The type and size of the pageant can influence many aspects of the competition, such as the overall look and styling of the contestants. Typically the higher you go in pageantry, the fancier the dresses, pageant hair and styling becomes.

However, generally speaking, in most natural pageants, young girls who are in the Princess or Jr. Pre-Teen division, always wear their hair in a very natural way, without a lot of hair products or a drastic change to the contestant’s normal look. She can wear her hair curled, braided, up or down, but she should not veer too far from her everyday look as a young girl.

For instance, in natural pageants, as opposed to glitz style pageants, the focus is more on the natural beauty of the contestants. Young children under 13 years of age are not allowed to wear makeup or the wigs, hair pieces or hair extensions typically found in glitz pageants.

The judges look for a number of specific qualities, such as stage presence, facial beauty, personality, outfits, and presentation. The judges also want the contestants in the younger divisions to truly look like the young children they are.

It is so tempting to dive into the whole Cinderella feel of it all and do a total makeover, including over the top hair, but you always have to remember that the judges aren’t looking for a chic fashion model. They are looking for a little girl who can represent that age group and be an inspiring role model to other little girls.

All hair styles should look fairly simple and not overdone. The hair should look touchable, shiny and healthy. Hair products like mousse, gel and hairspray is definitely ok to use, but you want to be conservative in your application.

Use hair products to achieve the style you want, but don’t use so much that it is noticeable or the texture of your daughter’s hair is clearly stiff, sticky or crunchy.

You might want to change your daughter’s hair for each round of competition and that is totally fine, but you cannot use hair pieces to do that. With that in mind, you want to think through the different areas of the pageant such as theme wear, swimwear, and formal wear and so on, and determine what pageant hair would look best with each outfit.

It is also crucial to keep in mind what kind of hairstyles you can easily and quickly create without adding additional stress to you or your child’s experience during competition.

Princess Division Hairstyles

One of the cutest hairstyles for girls in the princess division is the “genie” hairstyle. This easy, quick pageant hairstyle is achieved by bringing all of the hair on the crown and even the sides, if you wish, up on top of the head.

Then you leave the remaining hair to flow free. If you select this style, make sure to take a piece of the hair and wrap it around the hairband to cover it and keep the look polished.

Princess genie hairstyle. Photo: Lyndzie Hack

Another easy hairstyle that always looks pretty and sweet is to brush all of the hair at the crown and sides back and secure it with pins or a lovely barrette or clip of some kind. If you tease the hair at the crown, do it lightly and spray with a very light hold hairspray.

You don’t’ want this style to look too “done.” You can also curl the ends with a curling iron if you like, or just allow your daughter’s natural hair to show. Curly hair or straight hair looks so pretty in this style and it’s a good choice for every little girl.

Princess lightly curled and crown back hairstyle. Photo: Lyndzie Hack

Sometimes just keeping pageant hair simple and taking advantage of cute hair accessories is the way to go. There are so many neat pageant hair products available that you can purchase that will make the most of your little girls’ pageant hair and that can even enhance the outfit that she is wearing.

From hair bands, to clips, barrettes and bows, you can have a blast trying out new hairstyles using accessories. Even a pretty flower in the hair can be enchanting as well as being memorable for the judges.

Just keep the hair simple and neat if you’re going to use accessories so that your daughter’s overall look isn’t too much. Using pageant hair accessories is also a fantastic way to emphasize a contestant’s natural hair texture, and make the whole hairstyling process easy and painless.

IJM Jr. Princess contestants during Interview. Photo: International Junior Miss

Princess natural hair with accessory. Photo: Lyndzie Hack

Junior Pre-Teen Division Hairstyles

A classic and easy pageant hairstyle that looks great on all young girls is with the hair parted on the side, and then pulling the hair on the opposite side of the head back with a pin or other hair accessories. This style even works when the girl has bangs, so it is very versatile and works with all different hair textures.

A lot of times when we style children’s hair we either pull it all back off the face, or we part it in the middle. A side part is a slightly more sophisticated look that still keeps the hair nice and tidy, and it has the added advantage of bringing a lot of attention to the eyes.

This pageant hairstyle is so fun and can be done with so many different variations. You can even pop a colorful bow or flower in the hair and it looks so adorable!

Junior Pre-Teen side part with one side back. Photo: Lyndzie Hack

Junior Pre-Teen side part with one side back with bow. Photo: Lyndzie Hack

You don’t have to wear your pageant hair in a super conservative style in every area of competition. There is nothing wrong with styling hair in a very trendy way at a pageant as long as it’s done at the right time.

Junior Pre-Teen with trendy hair knots. Photo: Cook Studio

One of the best places to use a trendy hairstyle is in theme wear or fun fashion, where the goal is to express your unique flair for fashion and how you see yourself. Wearing a trendy pageant hairstyle here can really set you apart from the crowd and make the judges sit up and take notice.

Another place to try out a trendy style is in swimsuit or active wear if your pageant has that as a part of its competition. The swimsuit portion is supposed to be fun, lighthearted and flirty and what better place to rock a cool new pageant hairstyle and show the judges just how cool you are!

Junior Pre-Teen with a trendy side ponytail. Photo: Cook Studio

A very powerful thing that is happening in pageantry these days is that girls want to be exactly who they are, and that also means that they want to wear their pageant hair the way that it is without excessive styling tools and products.

Natural pageant hair has become a tremendously popular choice on pageant stages for all ages and in all divisions. This is such a wonderful thing because it emphasizes how every girl who enters a pageant is a unique individual who does not have to look like everyone else or follow some cookie cutter look to be successful.

Miss Jamaica Universe 2017 Davina Bennett. Photo: The Miss Universe Organization

Junior Pre-Teen with spiral curls. Photo: Cook Studio

If your little girl has spiral or corkscrew curls, you do not have to straighten it. If her hair is stick straight, you do not have to curl it. In fact, you can even go with the natural texture and make the most of it. This is such a liberating thing for young girls to experience. Celebrate who she is and allow her to be confident in her natural beauty!

Junior Pre-Teen straight red hair. Photo: Pinterest

Junior Pre-Teen with natural hair updo. Photo: Pinterest

What pageant hairstyles are best for Pre-Teen and Jr. Teen contestants?

Contributed by Mimi Bascom

In a pageant, there is not one specific pageant hairstyle that will win you the crown. The only thing that Pre-Teen and Jr. Teen contestants should keep in mind that they need to look their age.

With the Miss America and Miss USA pageants being so well-known and publicized, it can be easy to want to look just like them. Younger contestants need to make sure that they don’t look too grown up. Pre-Teen contestants still need to look like Pre-Teens and Jr. Teen contestants still need to look like Jr. Teens. This is why in some systems, younger contestants are advised to only wear natural makeup.

Contestants have won with various pageant hairstyles- curly, straight, updo and down. Half-up, half-down hairstyles are popular for these age divisions because it gives a fun twist on a normal pageant hairstyle.

No matter what pageant hairstyle you end up wearing, make sure that your hair is out of your face. Nothing is worse than when a contestant walks out on stage and her bangs are covering her eyes, or her face-framing pieces of hair get stuck in her lip gloss. If you have bangs or hair that could be distracting, make sure to secure it with hair pins and hairspray before walking out on stage.

Look your age

The bottom line is that these girls are all young ladies who need to look their age in pageants. They are children and that is what is so delightful about them, so you want their pageant hair to be pretty simple and as close to their natural hair as possible.

An easy and adorable hairstyle for this age of contestant is a younger version of the half-up, half-down style. This hairdo works so well for Pre-Teens and Jr. Teens alike because it does not require the addition of hot rollers or curling irons, unless you want to enhance the hair. If the child’s hair is curly, then let the curls go and carefully collect a bunch of hair into a coated rubber band and bring it up to the top of her head. If the child’s hair is wavy or straight, you can brush it out first and then gather up the hair. You can then touch up the ends with a curling iron but it’s really not necessary.

Preteen East Coast United States, Macie Bazella. Photo: Pageant Planet

Another pageant hair trend that is really popular right now and so fun for girls to wear are braids. I’m talking about pretty, intricate braids that can be worn with your hair down, or with your hair entirely braided up. You can research some amazing braided styles online, but make sure you practice producing this pageant hair before pageant weekend.

Sometimes just keeping hair simple and taking advantage of cute pageant hair accessories is the way to go. There are so many neat pageant hair products available that you can purchase that will make the most of your pageant hair and that can even enhance the outfit you wear. From hair bands, to clips, barrettes and bows, you can have a blast trying out new hairstyles using accessories.

Photo: Pinterest

Photo: Pinterest

What pageant hairstyles are best for Teen contestants?

Contributed by Mimi Bascom

The most important point for Teens to remember when choosing their pageant hairstyle is that they must absolutely still look like Teens and not Miss contestants when they compete in a pageant. It can be so difficult to be a teen today and not want to look older than you already are. So, when you are trying to find the ideal pageant hairstyles for your next pageant, always keep that idea in mind.

When judges are looking at Teen contestants who are vying for a title, they want a young lady who is still a teenager because she is most definitely going to be a role model for other girls. The judges want a titleholder who is comfortable with her age and enjoys being a teen. Go ahead and use all the same pageant hair products and styling tools that the Miss contestants use, but just tone it down a bit with your look. Keep your pageant hairstyle fun, natural and as close to who you are as possible!

Photo: Ypsilon Dresses

With that thought in mind, why fight your hair’s natural texture? If your hair is curly, kinky, frizzy or any of a million different types of textures, why don’t you just be yourself and not fight it for a change? How about just accepting the hair that you have and make peace with it instead of trying to change it all of the time.

So often, we have serious hair envy because we just cannot stand our natural hair texture. This is especially common for girls who have naturally curly hair. Natural curl has a life of its own, it’s true. But, if you can fall in love with your curls, and learn to work with them, they might just become your favorite thing about you.

More and more often, we are seeing girls in pageants embracing their natural hair texture and it is so refreshing to see someone with that level of confidence and who is not afraid to be an original. An additional benefit of wearing curls is that you will stand out from the pack and it will be so much easier for the judges to spot you. Who knows? If you treat your curls right, they might just become your signature look and you will be the girl who everyone else envies!

Photo: Ypsilon Dresses

One of the easiest and cutest looks around is the half up-half down hairstyle. It’s so great because it works with every hair type on the planet. You can have stick straight hair or wild, corkscrew curls and all you have to do is pull back the sides or all of the hair at your crown and it looks amazing! This look is so fun because it looks like you worked really hard on your hair but it’s so easy. And, what a romantic and timeless look it is, especially if you pull a few tendrils of hair down from the crown or sides of your face.

Photo: Ypsilon Dresses

One of the best things about being a teenager is that you can try new things and get away with styles that older girls can’t. Why not enjoy that fact and experiment with some new looks? Some of the most cutting edge pageant hairstyles today are those that are not entirely “perfect” looking. There is something so cool about hair that looks like you kind of just twisted it up into a bun and stuck a few pins in it to keep it from falling out. Add to that a stunning pageant gown and some spectacular rhinestone earrings and it’s jaw dropping. You may actually have to practice this kind of a hairstyle a few times first before you can get it to look effortless, but it will be well worth the effort, we promise you!

Photo: Ypsilon Dresses

The Teen division can always be tricky because you’re not yet a Miss, so you can’t look too old, but you definitely need to look more mature than a Pre-Teen or Jr. Teen. It’s an odd in-between, but so many contestants pull it off so well.

In the Teen division, there is not a specific “winning” pageant hairstyle, just like there isn’t a “winning” dress. However, just like an amazing gown will help you sparkle on-stage, some pageant hairstyles can absolutely help you out more than others.

Make sure that your hair stays out of your face and that it has a lot of volume! No judges like to see limp hair on a contestant. Through our research, we found that many teen contestants who win the crown wear their hair down with a soft curl. This doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t win with other hairstyles, too!

What pageant hairstyles are best for Miss contestants?

Contributed by Julia Stone

Hairstyles choices for Miss contestants can include just about anything you like, as long as it works for your particular pageant system, and for the area of competition that you are preparing for. There aren’t necessarily any rules that you absolutely must follow. What’s really great is that in today’s pageant world, a fun, flirty ponytail looks just as appropriate for evening gown, as it does for swimsuit or active wear.

Miss contestants can enjoy the freedom to express themselves with their pageant hair in any way that they want, and can create a look that is as unique as they are. Gone are the days when, “pageant hair” just means overly-teased sky high hair that has so much hairspray in it that a tornado wouldn’t move one strand out of place. While that style certainly still exists, pageant hair is much more broad than that.

Girls have the liberty to wear their hair long if they like, or they can sport a short sassy bob. Women of color no longer need to feel the pressure of hiding their natural hair texture and are encouraged to forego weaves and wigs and wear their natural hair with pride. Being a modern woman and expressing your own individual beauty is what today’s pageants are all about. Being relevant and relatable is more important than looking like everyone else or following some “cookie-cutter” idea of what pageant hair should be, and that is a very welcome direction for the pageant industry to move in.

With that being said, the sky's the limit as far as what pageant hairstyles are best for you as a Miss contestant. You still have to work with the texture of hair that you have, and you still have to deal with your hair’s limitations and unique characteristics. Almost any hairstyle can be adapted and modified to any type of hair with a little creativity and planning.

Pageant hair pieces and pageant hair extensions

Pageant hair pieces, like falls, buns, ponytails and those kinds of things are a wonderful addition for any pageant girl’s hair arsenal and can help you to achieve the hairstyle that you want. They offer so much variety and freedom and will save you a lot of time during competition if you want to change your hair quickly and easily. When you are competing in a pageant, you have to think through how you want to have your pageant hair look for each area of competition, and if you do want to change your look, you need to plan that out carefully ahead of time.

For instance, if you want to keep your pageant hair down for opening number and swimsuit, but you want to have a ponytail for talent or an updo for evening gown, then you have to plan all of that ahead of time. Just keep in mind that you do not have a lot of time between wardrobe changes and you likely will not be able to have your pageant hairstylist backstage with you, so you have to know how to add your hairpieces in yourself.

If you do not have much experience with pageant hair pieces, they are super easy to work with as long as you practice on your own and you know exactly what you want to do during your pageant. You can create the most elegant updo to go with that fabulous neckline on your evening gown and it won’t take you much time at all. Pageant hair pieces can truly open up a whole new world of hairstyles for you at your next pageant.

The high ponytail is a very versatile pageant hairstyle and all you have to do is decide what length you want to go with. Once you have decided on the direction that you want to go with your hair and the actual pageant hairstyle, you need to do some research and figure out if that pageant hairstyle is going to require some kind of hair enhancement, whether that be extensions or some kind of pageant hair piece.

Beauty trends writer, Sian Meades, explains the easy appeal of using clip in hair pieces to achieve the “snatched ponytail.”

“Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande are definitely onto something with their go-to hairstyles,” Meades said. “The sleek, sky-high "snatched ponytail" isn't just good for flicking over the shoulder, but it can also make you look younger. That superslick pony and tight hairline "snatch" your face, giving you a lifted look and cheekbones for days. It's also an easy way to wear extensions: a clip-in ponytail adds length without you needing to be a master at blending. The look was popular in the '90s, and now it's come back with a bang, and we love this hyped-up version so much more than a classic ponytail.”

Photo: Getty Images

Pageant hair extensions are the norm for just about every pageant contestant whether they want additional length or just want to add body and fullness to their original hair. The world of pageant hair extensions or “enhanced hair” offers so many different types of extensions and pageant hair additions.

If you’re interested in trying some gorgeous hair extensions, check out Pageant Planet’s shop and you can purchase some top of the line tresses to get you looking like Rapunzel in no time! We offer 100% Remy European Clip-In Human Hair Extensions if you want to try some pageant hair that can be put in easily and then removed at the end of the day.

Photo: Pageant Planet

If you want to try some pageant hair that can be either clipped in or sewn in on a weft that can be worn for a longer amount of time, take a look at our spectacular, “Socialite Line Indian Relaxed Texture Human Hair Extensions.”

Photo: Pageant Planet

The most popular style of pageant hair in recent years is to wear long, loose curls with lots of movement and volume. This look is classic and works very well for most women because it is dramatic and glamorous and just seems to fit perfectly on the pageant stage. You can easily achieve this style whether you already have long hair, or whether you need some help with extensions.

The key is to either set your pageant hair in large rollers or to use a large barrel curling iron to create large curls all over your head with approximately two inch sections of hair. You want to then pin the curls up on your head with some duckbill clips until they cool completely. Pinning the hair up and allowing it to cool will help to set the curl and make the style last throughout your competition.

You also must absolutely use some quality styling products that will give your hair volume, especially at the root. You don’t want to weight your hair down but you do want defined curls. Depending on your hair type, you can either brush your hair out or you can comb through the hair with your fingers.

You have the options of parting your hair either on the side, in the middle or not parting it at all and just brushing it all back from your face. A deep side part creates a very sultry look, and can be sensational during evening gown. If you decide to not put a part in your pageant hair, and your pageant hair is long enough, you can coax the hair over to one side, so that it cascades over one shoulder. This can look fantastic if you are wearing a one-shoulder gown or if you want to show off a gown that has an exceptional back.

To complete this style, you will probably need to tease the hair at the crown and finish with a flexible strong hold hairspray and some spray-on shine serum. You cannot really use the shine serum that comes in a pump because it will weigh down the strands, so just lightly mist on a shine spray instead.

Once your pageant hair is finished, do not brush it again. You can tease it or comb it here and there but try to just use your fingers if you have to put pieces back in place. If the ends of your hair start to lose their curl, then just touch them up with a smaller barrel curling iron and then separate the curls with your fingers and spray again with hair spray.

If you create this style properly, it should stay pretty much the same, even under hot stage lights and throughout wardrobe changes.

Melissa Perincheril Miss Greater Seattle USA 2018. Photo: Fadil Berisha Photography

What pageant hairstyles are best for Ms. and Mrs. Contestants?

Contribution by Julia Stone

All women who compete in pageants regardless of their age, marital status or stage in life, want to have healthy, shiny, gloriously beautiful pageant hair onstage. So many contestants who are in the Ms. and Mrs. divisions look so much like the ladies in the Miss categories, that there really isn’t that much difference as far as what an ideal pageant hairstyle is for this group.

You can wear your pageant hair in just about any style you wish for a pageant, including an elegant updo, a stylish high ponytail, long loose curls or smooth and sleek. The choice is really up to you and what look you want to express and what kind of hair that you have.

Liana Brackett, Mrs. Georgia America 2018. Photo Matt Boyd Photography

You have to have serious hair

The pageant hairstyle guidelines that do pertain to Ms. and Mrs. contestants are a bit different and really have more to do with lifestyle issues, age or hormonal changes.

For example, many women find that they have to change their hair color as they get older because darker or more vivid colors just do not flatter them as well as they did previously. In fact, extreme colors at either end of the spectrum frankly do not look as good on us as we age.

Bleach blonde hair that is extremely light or platinum-colored can be very aging if you’re not careful. Dark ash brown or black can also look very harsh against older skin.

Many women get in the habit of doing an all-over permanent hair color for years and years because it is easy to maintain. When you’re a busy wife, mother and career woman, you tend to go with a quick, easy, do-it-yourself color. A one-shade, all over color can also be aging, not to mention boring!

Wendy Gould, a beauty contributor from “PopSugar” magazine explores hair color ideas for older women in her article, “Your Hairstyle Could Actually Be Aging You.”

“One of the quickest ways to create a more youthful look is to get warm-toned highlights,” says Gould. “If you're a brunette or darker, opt for caramel, and if you're on the lighter side, try a honey. Not only does this soften the face, but it also creates dimension and avoids a one-toned look, which can age you. For a low-maintenance approach to this, try dip-dyed tips or subtle balayage highlights.”

Jourdan Dunn. Photo: Today Show

You just really need to be objective about your look. If you’re not sure about what you’re doing with your pageant hair, visit a hair stylist or image professional that you trust. The worst thing that any woman can do is to get stuck in a rut and look dated.

When you are involved in pageants, you want to look fresh, modern and fashionable. You don’t want to look tsilly and be coloring your hair with Kool-Aid, but you do want to create a style that is not just appropriate for your age, but that is also appropriate for your lifestyle and for the kind of woman that you are.

It is especially important for women in the Ms. and Mrs. division to understand that your look is part of your entire brand as a contestant. Your brand is all about how you are perceived by the judges. You don’t want to go onstage looking like an amateur. You want the judges to respect you and take you seriously as a pageant competitor.

In the classic 1980’s movie, “Working Girl,” the title character, played by Melanie Griffith, is striving to change her outer look to reflect her Wall Street bound, “girl boss” career aspirations. As her horrified girlfriend watches, she chops off her humble I’m-just-a-secretary looking locks, she delivers the famous line, “If you want to be taken seriously, you have to have serious hair!”

Melanie Griffith from the movie, "Working Girl." Photo: Pop Sugar

Going from the pageant hair you had to the pageant hair you want

Unfortunately as we get older, we may experience some changes in our hair due to hormonal issues resulting from childbirth or simply aging. When shifting hormones occur, they can drastically alter the thickness, color or even texture of our hair. We may be dismayed to discover that our previously thick, straight shoulder length hair is now fine, wavy and wispy at the ends.

These kinds of things can be really heartbreaking and make us feel insecure about our appearance, or even unattractive. When we are competing in a pageant, we cannot afford to lose confidence about ourselves and allow these issues to overwhelm us. Major changes in our hair, skin and bodies are normal and happen to all women, especially after having children or as we enter our mid-thirties, forties and on.

Thankfully, there are so many products on the market that can help us to attain the pageant hair goals that we so deeply desire and even though we may not have the same exact hair that we had before, we can certainly appear to look the same and even better! Pageantry is for every woman, in every stage of life, and because of that, Pageant Planet carries some incredible offerings in our shop that can make you look and feel your best.

If your pageant hair is less than what you want, either because it is fine or not as long as you would like it, then why not explore the world of pageant hair extensions? We offer a variety of pageant hair extensions as well as pageant hair products that can give you a glorious mane in minutes!

The Glamour Line of Luxurious 100% Remy European Clip-In Human Hair Extensions is for the woman who wants to add more excitement and glamour to her life. These thicker, fuller pageant hair clip-ins will enhance your look even more, taking you to the next level. The Glamour Line is one and one half times more thick than our Beauty Line.

Our European clip-in pageant hair extensions are made with a multi-tone coloring system which allows them to blend seamlessly with your hair, giving it the healthier, fuller look that you desire. They come in four different colors and both straight and body wave textures, so you’re sure to find the exact look that will give you back all the confidence you need! You ARE worth the investment!

European Clip-In Extensions. Photo: Pageant Planet

What pageant hairstyles are best for natural hair?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

We all know “pageant hair” has a traditional standard. Big, curly and pretty with massive pageant hair extensions is what it's all about, right? You’re a natural girl and want your natural beauty to shine through your hair. You start questioning yourself; “I shouldn't wear my natural hair in this pageant. I won’t even place. I should straighten my hair and do extensions.” Get out of your head! Confidence is the main ingredient when participating in a pageant, remember?

Natural hair has become an increasing popular pageant hairstyle. These natural hair beauties were in the Miss America 2019. Miss Iowa 2018, Mikhayla Hughes-Snow and Miss Louisiana 2018 Holli’ Conway rocked their natural tresses on the stage this past year.

Miss Louisiana 2018 Holli' Conway. Photo: Miss America Organization

Miss Iowa 2018 Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw. Photo: Miss America Organization

The best ways to wear natural hair for your pageant … is natural! Kara McCullough won Miss USA in May of 2017 wearing her natural hair. According to the Huff Post, McCullough opted to wear her hair naturally for the competition after she began to notice the lack of curly pageant hairstyles among her peers - all other 49 contestants wore their pageant hair straight.

“When I didn’t see anyone in competitions with my hairstyle, I decided I wanted to break the mold,” she told Refinery29. If you wear your tresses blown out, wavy, curly or straight that crown will gleam bright on those natural coils.

Miss USA 2017 Kára McCullough. Photo: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

What pageant hairstyles are best for damaged and dry hair?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

Pageants embody glowing skin; promote beauty and wellness, fabulous hair and health. We all want healthy hair. There are times in our lives when our beauty regimen gets away from us and we may not manage pageant hair properly. Don’t beat yourself up. Don’t panic because your pageant is right around the corner. There are quick fixes and hacks you can do to hide hair damage and still have crown ready tresses!

Give your stylist something to work with. A professional stylist should always wash your hair before styling. A good rule of thumb is to apply a series of hot oil and deep conditioning treatments at home prior to your salon visit.

You can create a chic simple elegance that can protect the hair through your pageant. Here are some great suggestions from Matrix for damaged or dry hair:

Explore a sweeping ponytail

To create a simple style that protects damaged pageant hair, sweep the hair into a ponytail and then gently push the top forward to add a little panache. Secure it with a coated elastic band and add bling for hair accessories to dress it up.

Opt for a sleek chignon

For another no-heat-needed pageant hairstyle, use a nourishing shampoo and conditioner followed by a moisturizing leave-in treatment. Gently pull the hair into a low ponytail and secure with an elastic band. Wrap the entire ponytail around the band to form a bun. Then, secure the bun with bobby pins, and finish with a shine spray or gloss.

Try an updo

To create an edgy and sexy look for damaged pageant hair, start by building up the hair’s defenses with a clarifying shampoo and conditioner to remove buildup, then apply a nourishing leave-in treatment. When hair is dry, section out front pieces and clip them aside. Twist the remaining hair into a bun and secure it with bobby pins. Next, gently sweep the front pieces back toward the bun, giving them a little nudge forward before pinning them. Continue this until you achieve the desired look. Finish with a light hairspray or shining spray to control frizz and add sheen. To vary the style slightly, pull a few pieces out from the hairline, and spritz with hairspray to create chunky wisps.

Photo: www.matrix.com

How should I style men’s pageant hair?

Contribution by Julia Stone

The pageant hair styling goals for men’s pageants are a bit different, than the pageant hair styling goals for women’s pageants. Each and every pageant has its own look and its own brand, and in women’s pageantry, the brand is very specific and unique to each pageant.

But, in men’s pageantry, even though each pageant system has its own brand, the overall desire is that the titleholders are very fashionable. Men’s pageantry is about being a gentleman, being fit and serving in your community, but it is especially heavy on the being on the cutting edge of fashion.

So, if you are a man who is going to be competing in pageantry, you must absolutely be knowledgeable, embrace everything related to fashion and have your own personal style, above everything else.

This does not mean that you should look like every other fashionable gentleman on the planet, however. It means that you must understand your specific physical characteristics and know how to make the most of them. Without a doubt, you need to become your own best personal stylist, and you need to master the art of doing your own pageant hair.

Every man has different facial characteristics and an overall face shape that is comprised of the shape of his eyes, nose and mouth, in addition to his jaw and cheekbone structure. You are going to have to do some research and get to know not only your face, but find what hairstyles and facial hair looks the best on you.

A lot of guys just pick a hairstyle that they think looks good on them, works with their natural hair texture and is also easy for them to achieve on their own. If you are going to be successful in men’s pageantry, you have to go a step further and discover the hairstyles that make you look your best.

One way you can do this is to consult with a professional hair stylist who understands this process and who can help you find the right hair looks for you. You can also just dive in yourself and begin doing research on your own.

You can find a tremendous amount of information on the internet and through YouTube videos. There are some very talented and knowledgeable people who have created videos and tutorials that can get you educated about facial structure and men’s hairstyling tips.

Tutorials to help you learn how to create pageant hairstyles

In this video by Jeremy Fragrance, who is very skilled in men’s grooming, Jeremy does a simple, straightforward tutorial on working with your hair. Be sure to watch for Jeremy’s patented hair styling techniques that he dubs, “The Bam Claw” and “Pinch, Twist, Boom.” Not just educational, but very entertaining!

How I style my hair

Here is a video that has a large variety of different styles for men, and you can see how they are created by the barber.

Top 10 cool guy's haircuts compilations 2018

This is a tutorial about healthy hair tips by Alex Costa, who is a fantastic hair guru and has lots of different tutorials available on hair care and hair styling. We highly recommend checking out his videos to get yourself educated about the entire gamut of men’s grooming.

Healthy hair tips for men

Here is another outstanding video by Alex Costa, where he shows you not only how to do some cool hair styles, but he also demonstrates using some hair products and hair tools.

Three quick and easy hairstyles for men

Products to help you learn how to create pageant hairstyles

Hopefully you are already comfortable using men’s hair products to do your hair, but if you’re not, then you need to get educated. There are literally thousands of products on the market for your hair, and more being produced every day. You just need to find what works best for your hair type and texture.

Gatsby Moving Rubber

Gatsby Moving Rubber is a men’s hair care line that is offers some outstanding products that are very versatile and can help you to create all kinds of different styles. They are super easy to use, even for a beginner and there are numerous tutorials online to improve your hairstyling skills.

Gatsby Moving Rubber Grunge Mat. Photo: Amazon

Here is a tutorial by James Welsh, where he uses several different Gatsby Moving Rubber products:

Old Spice Unruly Hair Paste

Old Spice for men has come a long way since the days of just producing after shave. This company has not only created some of the funniest, award-winning commercials, but they have also unleashed an avalanche of top of the line men’s hair care products. This is just one of the products in their line, but it is extremely popular for a variety of hair types.

Old Spice Unruly Hair Paste. Photo Bed, Bath and Beyond

Imperial Barber Grade Products Fiber Pomade

Imperial Barber Grade Products set out to evolve the craft of American men’s grooming by bringing time-honored grooming traditions into the home via all-natural, utilitarian, premium products.

Their water-based Fiber Pomade is a highly pliable texturizing product full of extra-long fibers that are more exaggerated than the average fiber grease. The result is a versatile medium hold product with custom texture fibers and a slight sheen that washes out clean and easily.

Imperial Barber Grade Products Fiber Pomade. Photo: Amazon

How can I create pageant hair with a curling iron?

Contribution by Julia Stone

There are so many ways to curl your hair using a curling iron, and we could talk about a million different techniques to create different pageant hairstyles with this amazing tool. But, if you are like most pageant girls, you probably already know more than most people how to use your curling iron, so we won’t overwhelm you with those details.

However, there are some terrific tutorials online that can give you specific techniques to achieve the exact type of curl that you want for the classic pageant hairstyle that has long, loose curls that are so popular today.

Madison H. Dennis is the owner and lead hair and makeup artist of MHD Beauty LLC, MHD Cosmetics, and is a Nashville Wedding Stylist. On her incredible blog, MHD Beauty, she offers some terrific tutorials on all things related to hair, makeup and beauty. She just happens to have a fantastic pageant hair styling tutorial using a curling iron that was so good, we decided to share it with you.

Dennis goes into great detail about how she achieves what she calls, “The Miss USA/Victoria’s Secret wave style” in her tutorial.

The two most important things to do before you begin this tutorial is to make sure that you have a really good thermal spray and the right kind of curling iron. The thermal spray protects your hair but it also provides hold for when you put thermal products on it, such as a straightener, flat iron or curling iron.

One tool that Dennis uses to curl her hair is a curling iron with a long barrel which allows her to curl the entire length of her hair, all at once. You want to curl your hair is pretty small sections, away from my face, all the way around.

Dennis shares all kinds of tips on how to create long lasting volume, so be sure to follow along carefully. In the end, she has created a hairstyle that would look incredible on any pageant girl, and it’s really quite doable. Why not try it out for yourself?

Miss USA 2014 Nia Sanchez. Photo: Miss Universe Organization

How to create the perfect blowout prior to using your curling iron

If you are trying to create large, loose pageant curls but your hair is naturally curly or has some wave to it, you will likely have to blow dry your hair relatively straight before you begin styling it with a curling iron.

It seems strange to have to straighten your hair before curling it, but naturally curly hair tends to have a mind of its own and it can be difficult to redirect that natural curl pattern if you don’t first straighten your hair to remove it.

The same goes for hair that has natural wave in it. Starting with straight hair gives you a way to control the curl better and it also adds additional volume to the entire style, which will affect the end result.

Madison Dennis, who made the pageant hair styling tutorial using a curling iron also created a video tutorial on doing your own blowouts at home.

How can I create pageant hair with hot rollers?

Contribution by Julia Stone

Hot rollers versus classic rollers and curling irons

A lot of girls cannot imagine using hot rollers to create their pageant hairstyles either because they think that hot rollers are too old fashioned and cannot possibly work well, or they think that hot rollers will leave them with big, crazy 80’s hair..

If you have never tried hot rollers, you have been missing out! Hot rollers are the perfect combination of classic old school rollers and modern curling irons, all in one convenient, time saving gadget. Yes, they may take a bit of getting used to, but we promise you that once you’ve mastered the techniques, you will fall in love with the ease and efficiency of hot rollers.

There is no other hair tool that comes close to classic hair rollers for creating long-lasting curls and unbeatable volume. Why do you think that “back in the day,” girls would go to the beauty parlor to get a “wash and set” on Saturday and then not do a thing to their hair for the rest of the week?

When you wrap wet hair on rollers and then completely dry it with heat, the curl gets locked in. When you tease it and brush or comb it out, that hair stays put until you get it wet again.

Of course, the downside of rollers and a bonnet style hair dryer is the immense amount of time that it takes to roll all of your hair up and get it dry. It truly is a commitment of a couple of hours.

Retro Post image of women under dryers reading magazines. Photo: Pinterest

How to create pageant hair with hot rollers

Creating a gorgeous pageant hairstyle with hot rollers is really very easy, and if you’ve never used them before, you will be happy to hear that they are much easier to use than curling irons.

It’s always wise to read the package insert that comes with the hot rollers that you purchased because there may be specific things about that model that you need to know and the manufacturer will also give you tips that will be helpful to you during the process.

Blogger Hollie Hobin. Photo: Hollie Hobin Instagram

In this wonderful, straight forward tutorial, Fashion Blogger, Model & Stylist, Hollie Hobin teaches you how to create fabulous, big bouncy Hollywood curls using a set of hot rollers.

The first thing to do is plug in your set of hot rollers and most often, you will heat them up with the lid off the unit closed. There should be a red light that will come on once the rollers are hot enough to use. Every set comes with special metal clips or plastic butterfly clips, sometimes both.

You will need to brush out your hair completely before you put the rollers in your hair, and if you have extremely curly hair, you may also need to blow dry your hair straight beforehand. Make sure your hair is totally dry before you roll it, or it may get frizzy.

If you have a lot of hair or if it is very thick, you can separate your hair into sections. If your hair is pretty manageable, just begin putting the rollers in.

It is often best to start rolling at the crown, starting at your forehead and rolling to the back.Take about a two-inch section of hair, brush or comb it through and then spray the entire length of the hair section with either a heat protection spray or hair spray. A good tip to create volume is to use a heat protectant on the ends and a volumizing hair spray or a root boost product at the roots.

Select the size of roller that you want to use and begin rolling your hair around it, either starting at the ends of your hair, or the middle of the hair section then twisting the ends around the roller, and then rolling the roller down. The main difference depends on whether or not your hair has layers.

Once all the hair on your crown is rolled up, then begin on the sides of your head. Always roll the hair down, with the roller being perpendicular to your head, not sideways. After, you have rolled each side, then roll the back.

You may want to divide the back of your hair into two sections, left and right. It can be tricky to roll your hair without being able to see it but the beauty of using hot rollers, is that it really won’t matter one bit. Just roll it all up, making sure you haven’t left out any small bits of hair.

After you have finished rolling up all of your hair, then spray each section with some flexible hair spray. You don’t want to use a strong finishing spray yet because you’re going to need your hair to still be workable. Allow your hair to cool down completely, as long as you can. This is the time to go ahead and do your make-up, get dressed, having something to eat or just relax. Your pageant hair is pretty much going to do itself and you are free to do other things.

Once the hair is cool, starting from the front, carefully take out the pins and unroll the curls gently. If you wish, you can even pin the curls with duckbill clips or bobby pins if you are going to sleep, or if you are not ready to finish your hair.

If your hair is NOT naturally curly, you can begin brushing your hair out with a boar bristle brush, and you will end up with a classic, deep wave look that is reminiscent of retro Hollywood starlets. If you like the high volume-deep wave look, then just finish with hairspray and some shine serum.

If your hair is naturally curly, or if you want to have curls that are more defined, then you want to comb your hair out section by section and strand by strand. You can either comb the hair or use a vent brush. You may also want to tease the hair that is closest to the scalp if you want additional volume.

As you are combing or brushing the hair, you will see how defined each curl is and you can decide if you want to keep them tighter or looser. The more you brush, the looser the curls will get.

You can either part your hair before you begin brushing out the curls or afterwards, it’s totally up to you. Using a side part with long, loose curls is very glamorous and feminine, and would be a beautiful look for the evening gown competition.

Catriona Gray, Miss Universe Philippines 2018. Photo: Missology

Finish your pageant hair with a strong hold hairspray and a bit of shine serum spray once you have styled your hair the way you like. From then on, try not to touch it, except by finger combing it back into place or by light combing at the ends and spraying again with hair spray.

Examples of hot rollers and hair products to try

Regardless of your hair length, if you want a set of hot rollers with a large variety of differently sized curlers in it so that you can have as much flexibility as possible, you might want to try the Remington Ionic Conditioning Hair Setter.

The Remington Ionic Conditioning Hair Setter uses exclusive thermal wax core rollers to create long lasting curls. The wax core allows the roller to retain high heat longer and create long lasting curls and volume.

The 20 velvety rollers feature Ionic Conditioning so your curls have less frizz and more shine. The rollers come in three sizes that allow you to customize your look and cover your whole head!

Remington has invented the exclusive J-clips to securely hold the roller in your hair with less creasing or lines as the hair cools. The rollers also have cool touch ends so that you don’t run the risk of burning your fingers when you put them in your hair.

The Remington Ionic Conditioning Hair Setter. Photo: Amazon

If you have shoulder length or longer hair and you want to create large curls, deep waves or tons of body and volume, a really good set is the Conair BaByliss Pro Hairsetter, which comes with eight Jumbo Rollers. The rollers in this set come in two sizes; one and three-quarters inches and two inches, which are the perfect size rollers for large loose curls, a classic pageant look!

This hair setter features velvety flocked rollers with Nano Titanium™ Ceramic technology that generates far-infrared heat to eliminate damaging hotspots, style faster and keep hair healthy looking.

One of the really cool things about this particular model is that in addition to the 8 jumbo rollers, you get both metal clips and plastic butterfly clips. Most of the time it’s one or the other.

Conair BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium Professional 8 Jumbo Plus Roller Hairsetter. Photo: House of Beauty World

How can I protect my hair while styling pageant hair?

Contribution by Allie J Hoffman

A woman’s hair is our personal crowning glory and one of the first things anyone sees. Our beautiful tresses can get a bit beat up during pageant styling. We always want to make sure we are doing our best to protect our pageant hair from heat and styling damage. When it comes to styling pageant hair there is a mantra to remember “prevent, protect, correct.” These three words will define how to best take care of your hair. The tips below are not only for pageant day prep, but are great to keep in mind whenever using styling products or heat on your hair.

Prevent

Prevention starts before you even heat up your curling iron. The first step to prevention is having a healthy hair base. My go-to for a healthy hair base starts from within; taking vitamins. Vitamins are extremely beneficial to not only your hair but to your body, skin and nails as well. For me, vitamins have helped my hair become thicker, shinier and they help my pageant hair bounce back quicker post pageant. Make sure you are taking a daily multivitamin with Vitamins A, C, E and Iron. I also take Keratin and Biotin for that added dose of hair goodness.

Biotin. Photo: www.walmart.com

Why all those vitamins you may ask? Here is why; Hair loss is often one of the main problems stemming from Vitamin A deficiency. Vitamin A accelerates tissue growth and creates a healthy scalp full of our oily friend, Sebum. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, creates collagen and absorbs iron which is vital for hair growth. Vitamin E is also an antioxidant that breaks down stress on your pageant hair from oxidation. Iron helps oxygen get to your red blood cells which enhances hair growth.

Keratin is all the rage right now. Keratin is the protein found in hair strands. If you are lacking in keratin naturally, taking a keratin supplement can help with hair’s texture, growth and structure. Biotin is my all-time favorite hair saver. This amazing vitamin has turned my own hair from a frizz ball to a glowing halo. Biotin aides in the infrastructure of your hair proteins. An added bonus to taking Biotin is the benefits to your nails and skin, and it is shown to improve cognitive clarity!

If you’re going to begin taking vitamins, speak with a doctor about which vitamins you should take. Also, make sure you begin taking the vitamins at least one month prior to your pageant to avoid any breakouts or reactions right before pageant day.

Hate taking vitamins? I don’t blame you! Eating a healthy diet with foods rich in these essential hair growth vitamins will be just as beneficial. Fruits, nuts, fish and other foods that are high in protein can serve as a supplement for these vitamins. Always be sure to check with your primary care doctor before starting any new diet or supplement regimen.

Protect

Now that you are eating a minerally rich diet and taking supplements, let’s talk about how to protect your pageant hair from heat and styling damage. There is a lot that goes into styling during pageant day.

From the heat of your blow dryer, teasing, to the heat from curling and flat irons, damage to your pageant hair is inevitable. My first tip to protect your hair starts during cleansing. While washing your hair, use a shampoo and conditioner high in amino acids and vitamins to repair and protect from damage. Stay away from hair stripping sulfates. L’Occitane has a line of cleansers and conditioners that have essential oils full of amino oils.

L’Occitane. Photo: use.loccitane.com

After your hair is clean, it’s time to blow dry. We all know how essential this step is to creating a blank canvas for any style. We also know how damaging blow dryers are. There are two products you can use to protect your pageant hair while blow drying.

While hair is still wet, spritz It’s a 10 leave in conditioner. Not only does this product help protect from damage, it helps control frizz and detangle. Using a brush like The Wet Brush Pro to comb through your hair prior to blow drying will detangle hair and brush your It’s a 10 product in. Check out all of the versions of The Wet Brush at your local Bed, Bath & Beyond.

It’s a 10 leave in conditioner. Photo: www.ulta.com

Wet Brush Pro. Photo: www.bedbathandbeyond.com

After your blow out is finished, you will want to follow up your product regimen with a thermal protecting spray prior to styling. A product like Biolage Thermal Active Spray will keep your styling tools from breaking and frying your hair. While sectioning your pageant hair to curl or flatten, spritz the Biolage spray lightly from root to end.

Biolage Thermal Active Spray. Photo: www.walmart.com

Correct

Your pageant is over and on top of your shiny healthy pageant hair is a beautiful crown. But how is your hair feeling now? My guess is, it is pretty tired. Correcting any damage done during pageant day and resetting your hair to its original brilliance is our next step.

A hair mask or leave in product is vital to correcting damage. My favorite is Mielle Organics Deep Conditioner. This product made Allure magazine's top hair mask list in a recent subscription. The babassu oil leaves hair feeling soft without feeling coarse. Find your new favorite hair mask along with Meielle’s at www.sephora.com.

Mielle Organics. Photo: www.jcpenny.com

Can I do my own pageant hair?

Contribution by Allie J Hoffman

Styling your own pageant hair for competition can be a no brain for some competitors, but for many others, it is a huge stressor. With the hundreds of pageant hairstyles and products to use, who can filter through them all to find the one perfect look for your pageant? If you are going to forego hiring a professional for your pageant hair, I believe a fair amount of research is due.

I would consider jumping onto our favorite DIY website, YouTube. With thousands of channels, the pageant hair tips and tricks that can be provided are endless. Just be careful because anyone can be on YouTube and some may not know all the important facts of hair care.

When looking for a credible channel, look at their overall appearance, subscriber stats and affiliates (if possible). One of my favorite pageant YouTuber’s is none other than former Miss Montana USA Dani Walker. Her channel has not just pageant hair styling tips but many important chats on pageant news and pageant hacks. You can check her out here.

Flipping the pages of style magazines such as Allure, In Style and Vogue can also help with your pageant hair styling woes. Although these magazines do not specialize in pageantry, they can set the baseline for what products to use and how to use them.

Even if you do not intend to book a professional for your event, you can always set up a pre-style appointment at a salon. An open minded professional will be able to play around with your hair while listening to your concerns. They can make suggestions for pageant hairstyles and products.

The last step and possibly the most important is to research the pageant system you are competing in. Find out what pageant hairstyles work the best and how to achieve them. Asking reigning queens, directors and fellow contestants may be the key to your solo pageant hair styling success. If you change your mind and decide to hire a professional, check out Pageant Planets own directory of hair and makeup stylists here

Photo: www.rosaleebeauty.com

If you do decide to do your own pageant hair, there are some hairstyles you must learn. Find out what you need to know below!

What to look for when hiring a pageant hair stylist

Contribution by Devon Knightner

You’ve devoured your favorite pageant magazines and movies. You know exactly how your pageant hair should be on the big night. But who’s going to style it and how do you find your future hair slayer? When looking to hire a pageant hair stylist, you must first look at the budget and timeline for your pageant.

The worst thing you can do to your “pageant mojo” is to locate that perfect stylist only to find their prices crush your entire budget. Think about what you currently spend on your hair. Once you‘ve managed your time and money, finding a pageant hair stylist will be filled with ease and can be really fun.

A pageant can be really exciting and overwhelming if you aren’t focused. Make sure you know what you want and more importantly what you don’t. That will save you mounds of time. Do not hesitate setting up your consultations. Time can get away from you so be diligent in all pageant hair affairs!

Typically, pageant hair stylists will need you to pay for their travel expenses (Airfare, hotel and meals). The price for this could range from $350 to $5000. Of course, that depends on how far the stylist would have to travel with that particular pageant, how long the pageant is; if they will have other clients during your pageant or exclusive to you. You may be able to cut some of these costs. Try networking with a fellow delegate of the pageant to split the costs for hair and makeup.

Miss America 2016, Betty Cantrell. Photo: Matt Boyd Photography

You’ll want to make sure any potential pageant hair stylist is qualified; has honest reviews and plenty of reputable experience before you to shell out those dollars, right? Keep those pretty pageant peepers peeled (try saying that five times in a row…quickly) for these hiring notes.

Recommendations by word of mouth

Fabulous tresses always come with high recommendations. The best way to find really good pageant hair stylist is to see the girl whose pageant hair you adore and ask for her stylists’ info! Pageant beauties are bold enough to make it work. Ask and fabulous pageant hair you shall receive!

Lookbook, social media and reviews

See who you like, but do their patrons like them? Make sure to read the reviews. Go to the salon site and all social media pages that are related. Look at the photos of the beauticians on the off chance that they have any and peruse the remarks.

Pick a stylist or two that looks great to you and book a consultation. Consultations are usually free. At the consultation, you'll figure out what he or she can do for you. Request to see a portfolio or a lookbook of styles they’ve done. Make sure you give them as much information as possible. They need to know as much about you as you do about them.

Consultation

Consultations are usually free, 15-20 minute Q & A meetings between the stylist and prospective client. It is not uncommon for in-demand stylists to require a deposit. If a deposit is required, those funds should apply to the service you are looking to book. Some stylists have an expiration time for booking for specials to apply. Remember to ask.

Take this time to email or show pictures of what you want, ask questions and see if they are truly an honest and good listener. Pay attention to their experience. Interview the stylists you may be investing your tresses with. Be prepared for your consultation.

Licensing and Experience, please.

No license means no appointment. Proper licensing, up-to-date certifications and experience are crucial. Especially when services that require perming, color treatment and any products that could damage the hair. The last thing you need before a pageant is an allergic reaction to products improperly used by an unlicensed stylist.

Do they look like a pro?

A stylist is a walking billboard to their business. A good rule of thumb is to hire someone who is styled close to what you want to look like.

Where can I find a pageant hair stylist?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

Where can you what? Umm, Pageant Planet…duh? No, seriously we are a great source. Check out our directory. Discover hair and makeup artists near you who have worked with local, state and national titleholders. Use our filtering options to narrow down the experts and then click their profile to see their work and reveal their contact information. If you do not see the specific hairstylist or makeup artist you are looking for, create an account and add them!

Also, try search engines like Google and social media outlets. Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest are great ways to see different styles and reviews. The pageant-sponsored hairstylist is a great option. You run the risk of sharing your time with several other contestants. You can pull former pageant sponsored hair stylists or seek recommendations from bridal, prom and pageant shops.

Do I have to use the pageant’s sponsored pageant hair stylist?

Contribution by Devon Knightner

Backstage at Miss USA 2015. Photo: Lee Celano/Getty Images for Miss USA

Although your pageant’s sponsored hairstylist is a good place to start your pageant hair journey, you don’t have to use that particular stylist. It doesn’t count against you. However, if the only stylist allowed backstage is the stylist that the pageant offers, c’est la vie! If you wind up with your own chosen stylist, make sure he or she is up to par with the pageant-sponsored stylists. Or better!

Since you’ve decided to go for your own pageant stylist, take the time to create your own lookbook or Pinterest board. You’ll be able to invite your potential stylist to view your brainstorming boards with ease. Look at the pageant-sponsored stylist’s social media pages and business website. Make sure your stylist stays as close to the look of the pageant look as possible and you will be good to go make pageant hair magic!