Dan's Papers -June 25, 2010 -The Big Tease

Whether you want to add volume, body, height, or give yourself a fun summer updo, teasing your hair is a skill you'll need to acquire. To find out just how the professionals do it, I spoke to Laura Castorino, hairdresser on "The Today Show." Castorino has been in charge of the hair department on the show for the past 10 years and is responsible for the daily hairstyling of Ann Curry, Natalie Morales, Kathy Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, and the many contributors and guests that appear on the four-hour long show.

But Castorino's experience is not limited to television. Before being hired for the show she cut and styled hair at the Louis Licari Salon in NYC and still sees private clients at the Robert Gerber salon in Keyport, New Jersey.

According to Castorino, most people who want height in the crown of the hair make the mistake of teasing their hair in the wrong place. "They are teasing at the crown, but that is not where the height will be most visible or flattering." You really want to tease the hair in front of the crown. "Think of it this way," explains Castorino, "imagine you have just put a headband on, which rests just at the center of each ear. Tease just behind that imaginary headband, this way you will be able to see the height from the front, not just in profile."

Another common mistake made while attempting to tease hair is teasing the hair in the front and not in the back, which is why teasing is also referred to as backcombing. In order to tease a section of hair, first you must hold the section straight up from the head with one hand and tease behind the section of hair you are holding - not in front. If you do so in front it will be almost impossible to get that section looking smooth. "Make sure you tease just at the roots - you do not want to tease the entire section," warns Castorino.

For inexperienced teasers Castorino suggests teasing with a brush, which she says is much gentler than a comb. She likes using a Mason Pearson brush or a narrow teasing brush. "Combs can often cause knotting, so unless you are an experienced teaser, begin with a brush then experiment with a comb. However, if you have very fine or extremely highlighted hair you might want to avoid teasing all together. If you do tease delicate hair, do so very gently, only occasionally, and only with a brush."

If your hair is moderately fine but not damaged or over-processed, a good trick is to first spray the hair with an aerosol hairspray to add some texture so you'll have a better grip before teasing. Do not use a pump hairspray, this will leave the hair wet and make teasing difficult. The best hairspray for teasing, Castorino explains is L'Oreal's Elnett, at one time only available in Europe or from professional beauty suppliers. But now you can get this hairspray in your favorite chain drugstore. What makes this hairspray so great is that it is pliable, can be combed through and never leaves your hair sticky.

If your hair is not delicate you won't need to spray it before hand. After teasing, make sure you brush the very top layer smooth. Do so gently so as not to disturb the teased base. After the top layer is smooth, spray with an aerosol hairspray. You should always have a hand mirror available if you are going to tease your hair to make sure that the top layer is smoothed properly and there is no teasing showing in profile or in the back of your hair. Before you know it you'll be on the way to flattering heights.