Get Your Dream Hair

Step 1: Find a Style You Love

When you're shopping for a cut, celeb photos can be inspiring. Stylists find pictures useful — but what's most important is knowing your own hair. That's easy, you say? Don't be so sure, says Paula Malloy, creative director of JCPenney Salons. "Your hair type and texture changes over time, so play with yours when it's clean and dry and focus on whether it's curlier, straighter, flatter or frizzier than it used to be," she says.

Getting reacquainted with your hair will help you narrow your search for the perfect style. Now you're ready to find a photo that expresses your hair ideal - but choose carefully. "If your hair type or facial features are different from those of the person in the picture, it may not be a realistic cut for you," explains star stylist Serge Normant (Julia Roberts is a client). So keep in mind these guidelines for picture-perfect hair:

- Identify celebs whose hair type seems similar to yours. That may be easier to do with casual, paparazzi-type photos, where celebs' hair seems more natural than in formal, red-carpet shots. When you've collected enough "she's just my type" photos, look through them and choose the styles you like the best.

- Beware of celebrity tress deceptions. Many stars with magnificent manes sometimes wear extensions (think Faith Hill and Beyoncé Knowles). Others, like Nicole Kidman and Minnie Driver, have very curly hair but often blow-dry it stick-straight.

- Be honest about how much effort you're willing to make. You may love Katie Couric's bob, but if your hair is wiry, it will take a lot of time and motivation to straighten it every day. So unless your stylist makes house calls, think twice before committing to a demanding 'do.

- Find a salon you can trust. A good stylist will modify a cut so it suits your face shape and hair type. Explain what you like about your "ideal hair" photo, but be open to feedback from the stylist about elements of the cut that may not work on you.

- Don't be too literal about the picture you've brought. A snapshot is one moment in time. The star's hair may have looked that way for one second, so don't fret if yours doesn't look exactly the same.

- Make the most of your time in the chair. Rather than gossiping with your stylist, talk shop. Don't hesitate to ask for tips about managing your cut, treating hair problems, or using a certain product or tool.