How to Get America Ferrera's Classic Red Carpet Look

America Ferrera is best known for her role, as Betty Suarez, on ABC's Ugly Betty. Betty is the sensitive and earnest, if fashion challenged, assistant to Mode magazine's editor, Daniel Meade. In reality, America is a young, beautiful, fashion savvy trendsetter who consistently gives good face and hair on the red carpet. Her long luxurious locks give her a variety of style options. While America is fashion forward, there is something about her that hearkens back to a bygone era of Hollywood Glamour. One of our favorites styles on America is the 1920 flapper era throwback. Dramatic waves lay gently on one shoulder while on the other side the hair is secured with an antique barrette.

America Ferrera has long luxurious locks and access to some of the best stylists in the business, so of course her hair looks great. However, for a fraction of the cost you can copy America Ferrera's look.

Prepare the Palette

America's hair is quite thick already. Sometimes thick hair can problematic, either becoming unruly or simply laying like a heavy rug. A volumizing shampoo can help tame the mane. Also if you have hair that tends toward fine or thin then a great volumizing shampoo is also the first step to give your hair the body and volume needed for this style. There are several on the market but a great one that is very inexpensive is Sunsilk's Anti-Flat with Collagen C. It leaves the hair manageable and tangle free.

**Green Alert: Shampoo's contain sulfates which have been deemed unfriendly to the environment by contributing to acidity in the atmosphere and facilitating the creation of acid rain. If you're fighting the green fight then try this great sulfate free alternative, Pravana Sulfate Free Volumizing Shampoo.

Smooth it Out

This style requires a high gloss and super sleek hair to look its best. If you're going to carry off America Ferrara's red carpet glam then you've got to tame the frizz. John Frieda's Frizz Ease Hair Serum is just the thing. Frizz Ease battles the elements, delivers a sleek glossy shine so that you'll look red carpet stunning no matter where you are.

After washing and towel drying. Place a dime sized amount of Frizz Ease in your hand. Work through the hair from roots to tips. It is especially important to get those ends.The ends are usually the most damaged part of the hair. Continue styling.

Maximize the Volume

There are two ways to do this.

1. Using a round natural bristle brush and an Ionic blow dryer. Ionic dryers are gentler to the hair and speed up drying time. The ions seal the hair cuticle resulting in a shinier and better conditioned look and feel. The round brush will allow you to add curl at the root which will amp up the volume. Divide the hair sections 2 to 4 inches in width. This requires coordination because for the best blow out, the air flow needs to be directed down the hair shaft. Place the hair over the brush at the root and holding the hair dyer aloft over the section of hair start drying. This part will take coordination and time. Be patient if it doesn't go great the first run through.
2. If you are worried about strain on the hair from the brush then you can dry the hair upside down. Blow dry the hair as you normally would until it is almost completely dry. Roots should still be slightly damp. Now either bend over or if you are sitting down, hang your head over. And dry the hair at the roots. Because you're drying the hair upside down, gravity is helping to build in volume.

Getting Glam

To get America Ferrera's luxurious wavy look. You'll need a large bore curling iron. Depending of the length of your hair, 1 inch to 1½ inches will give you the soft wave that you need for this style. Any smaller and the curl will be too tight. In addition to the right sized curling iron, a light styling spray like Kenra Light Hold Styling Spray will finish off the style with great hold that looks soft and natural.

Again section the hair, spray the section lightly with the styling spray. Wrap the hair around the barrel. Hold for a second and release. Use a clip to pin the curl gently. Do not make a tight pin curl. Curl and pin untill you have completed your entire head. Now remove the pins and let the hair fall naturally. At this point you are ready for a night out. However if you want the complete old Hollywood look the proceed. Once you have released the curls. Take your round natural bristle brush and gently smooth it through the hair so that it lays in smooth waves. Secure whichever side you have chosen by pulling the hair back and up. Insert barrette or hairclip and close. Allow the waves to fall naturally after the hair clipped in place.

Finishing

Spray with another light spritzing of Kenra Light Hold Styling Spray .You are ready for wherever the day or night takes you.

Sources:
http://www.myhairstylingtools.com/blog/round-brush-blow-dry-for-volume-and-straight-hairstyle/?
http://www.sprig.com/America_Ferreras_Glam_Waves?