I Just Tried Out 'Hair Tinsel,' The Trendy New Accessory That Makes Your Head Sparkle
For two weeks, I haven't been able to buy a cup of coffee without a barista asking me, "Does your hair glitter?"
People passing by do a double-take as they glimpse the light catching my strands of gold.
No, it's not fairy dust -it's hair tinsel, a thin, lightweight ribbon that you knot into your hair part. The beauty trend has been sported by glitter queens Ke$ha and Beyoncé, and is popping up on New Yorkers' heads this holiday season.
Just before Christmas, I stopped by Corcoro Salon on Manhattan's Lower East Side, which offers hair tinsel service year-round. The sparkling strands are $3 each ($5 if you have long hair), and the "installation" takes just 10 minutes.
Mako Iijima, an acclaimed Japanese hairstylist and owner of Corcoro Salon, describes the process as "knitting," according to a 2012 Vogue article. After a client picks a shade from a book of tinsel colors, the hairstylist will search the client's hair part for a strong, single strand of healthy hair.
The stylist folds the piece of tinsel in half, and with a few quick painless tugs, ties the tinsel to the hair using a slip-knot method.
The material is heat-resistant, meaning you can continue using a blow dryer, curling iron, or other styling tool. And you can keep your shampoo routine, too.
Hair tinsel, which comes in metallic and rainbow shades, lasts two months before eventually falling out. If you need to de-shimmer in a hurry, they can be pulled out gently or hidden in an up-do.
The only downside to hair tinsel? Sometimes I pat my head and freak out when I feel the slip knots on my roots, thinking a bug has embedded itself in my head.
My editor noticed my sparkly 'd0 this morning and trolled me, saying "I saw you and thought you looked a little more like Beyoncé today."
And you know what? I feel a little like Beyoncé.
You can call 212-228-8388 to book an appointment at Corcoro Salon, or order a pack of hair tinsel on Amazon.com for as little as $9.99 for 100 pieces and do it yourself. This POPSUGAR Beauty tutorial should help you get the job done.