Deconstructing Hair: Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis is gorgeous. And so is her hair. Several of my girlfriends have taken this haircut to their stylists and several of them have come back shocked, saddened or with a lot less hair than they had intended. Sometimes it's easy to say, "I know my hair isn't as long/wavy/pretty/healthy/layered as that, but I bet, with the right cut, it could look just like this."

Then you march into the stylist and hand her a photo of someone fabulous along with your very high expectations. Too many walk out of the salon saddened with their new, beautiful cut, because they walked in with unrealistic expectations. To save you the tears and make you love your hair, let's deconstruct Mila Kunis' super sexy hair.

(Photo courtesy of IGN.com.)

But before we begin, let's make sure we all understand what we are looking at.
I'm not the one who styled her, but I'm willing to bet that she is wearing some extra hair. See the telltale ridge, and change in the part, a little bit back from her ears? I doubt all that hair grew from her head.

Her hair is styled for a photo, not for daily life. Further down is a picture of her straight hair, which will help show you what the layers actually look like, without all of that bombshell hair blocking what's actually doing.

Finally, this was styled by a pro. You can do this look at home, but it's going to take some practice. This look required a blow dry, curling iron and probably took more time to finish than you have on a regular morning (ok, more time than I have on a regular morning).

An inconvenient truth.
If you don't have thick hair to start with, this cut will not necessarily look the same on you.  This is all about body and if you have fine or thin hair, this cut may not look as vivacious on you. It may look just peachy if it's adapted for your hair type, but it won't look just like Mila's. Keep in mind, she's wearing extensions.

Part of what makes this style look so sexy is the extreme length. While everyone who walks a red carpet these days is sporting the same type of super long hair (those who haven't caved to the pixie revolution, that is), you should know that nipple-grazing hair is not for everyone. It takes a lot of upkeep to make sure it looks healthy. More importantly, it takes a lot of time to make sure that you are wearing the hair, and not the other way around.

Pick the right person for the job.
This cut has a lot of layering around the entire head, not just the face. In fact, the layers are so complicated, an inexperienced stylist could send you home looking like you have a bi-level haircut circa 1982, not the well blended bombshell you intended to become. Make sure you are comfortable with your stylist. If you've known them forever and know they can do it, cool beans. If you don't like their hair and you're never impressed with the people who are leaving when you come in, then you might want to look around for a new one. Many stylists have photos of their work online. If the work looks cheesy, roughly cut or poorly styled to you; your expectations are not likely to be met. If a stylist tells you that the cut isn't going to work for you at all, with no explanation, you may want to look for a new hairdresser. The cut may just be too difficult for that specific stylist. (Good stylists constantly seek education to become better stylists.)

Back to Mila. Did I mention this cut has a lot of layering? This cut is potentially changing your ability to style your hair in certain ways, so be sure to discuss how adding these kind of layers will affect your ability to wear your hair in your favorite ways.

(The same cut straight, but with extensions again.)

Here is how the cut looks when straight. Again, I believe she may be wearing extensions again in this photo. If you love the flat ironed look, pay close attention to how the layers in the front appear when worn straight. Notice that her hair is pushed in front of her shoulders in this photo also, so it looks more full than your natural, walking around hair might be. And again, she's wearing extensions.

Want this haircut, but afraid you don't speak stylist?
My hands-down favorite stylist, Bethany Magliacane, owner of Laboratorie, breaks down the cut like this:

This cut has mid-length-to-long layers throughout, cut at an angle that builds weight between the cheekbone and shoulder and reduce bulk through the ends, keeping the bottom half of the shape lean.  It is then finished with a slightly shorter frame around the face. Before your stylist gets to styling, be sure to discuss the following:

Evaluate how this shape will translate given the length, texture and density of your hair.
The length of the shortest point of the layer should be pointed out and agreed upon.
Discuss how your stylist intends to distribute the weight of the cut to make the shape work best for your hair.

(This picture is probably a better representation of what the cut looks like on a normal day, sans hair pieces.)

At the end of the day (or just this really long post), what have we discovered?
If you are looking for a sexy, long haircut with lots of versatility, dramatic layers and bombshell oomph, this cut may be for you. Especially if you have thick, wavy hair.

If you are looking for face framing layers or will be upset when some layers of your hair are much shorter than the longest layer, this cut isn't for you. If you have thin or fine hair, you might want to ask your hairdresser for tips on achieving this kind of look with your hair type.

It's important to really look at a photo and see the parts that go into it, as well as how the stellar styling and photography is tricking the eye. It's all about adjusting your expectations and telling your stylist exactly what you like about the cut. If the whole shebang doesn't work for your lifestyle, look or hair type, a good stylist can pick the cut apart, determine what aspects you like best and create a cut that is tailored for you.