In his career as a hair stylist, Ted Gibson wears many hats. He's well known for his hair styling makeovers on TLC's What Not to Wear and for styling celebrities, such as Anne Hathaway, Debra Messing, Angelina Jolie, Ashley Greene, Zoe Saldana, Emma Watson, and others. He manages his own salons in New York and Florida, and he also does editorial styling for major magazines and fashion runway styling. This expert hair stylist doesn't stop there either. He also spends time developing new hair products.
Whew! This busy man loves every minute of his career because he believes in what he is doing. When I asked him in a recent interview which role he enjoyed most, he couldn't chose just one because they all are an integral part of what he does, which is helping to make women feel beautiful and express their own unique beauty.Ted says that "I really feel that my specialty is helping women develop their individual beauty...I bring that same sensibility from the red carpet to the makeovers on What Not to Wear." According to Ted, "I get all types of women who sit in my chair" and each should "express her individuality." No matter what her size, whether it's size 2 or size 22 or something in between, "every woman should feel beautiful."
Ted Gibson's Hair Styling Tips
During my interview with Ted, he offered some hairstyling tips for women. Here's Ted's advice:
- For short women:
- A short woman should wear her hair somewhere around shoulder length, a bit above or below or just at the shoulder; hair that is too long makes a petite woman look even shorter.
- A short woman can wear straight, curly, or wavy hair as long as the length stays around the shoulder and the style flatters the woman. For women over 50:
- A woman over 50 should color her hair. Ted says that not coloring the hair makes a woman look "fifteen to twenty years" older than she really is.
- A woman over 50 should break the rules if she wishes. The old rule that all older women should have short hair is out. Ted says that "longer hair is OK."
- A woman over 50 should do "bangs instead of Botox." For all women:
- A woman who has a face with a round shape should bring in angles, such as narrow, side-swept bangs.
- A woman who has an oval face should avoid wearing her hair too short.
- A woman with a heart-shaped face (celebrities Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington are examples) can usually wear any hair style as can a woman with a rectangle-shaped face.
- A woman should "be open to change." It's a good idea to change hair style "a couple of times a year."
- A woman should consider trying trends in styling, such as pastel hair color, but she should be true to herself and what looks good on her. According to Ted, "These trends work for some, not for others.
Ted Gibson on What Not to Wear
On each episode of TLC's What Not to Wear one woman receives $5000 to purchase a stylish new wardrobe (and she must throw away her current wardrobe) with the help of fashion stylists Stacy London and Clinton Kelly. The makeover is completed after Ted Gibson creates a new hair style, and Carmindy applies makeup for a whole new look.
Ted's philosophy is that "hair can change a woman's life," so what he does in his role as a makeover hair stylist on What Not to Wear is a perfect fit for him. Acknowledging that "change is scary," Ted believes that he can "help women see something in themselves that they hadn't seen before."
I asked Ted which makeovers stood out to him, and he mentioned two. One was a makeover for a hairdresser. Ted cut her hair and they "both had crying moments." Another makeover that was memorable was for Beryl, an illustrator who already had light pink hair and who ended up with vibrant pink hair after Ted's makeover. That episode got a "really tremendous" response with lots of comments from viewers. After the makeover, Ted told Beryl, "This is who you are--super cool and high fashion."
As Ted continues with the show, he's looking forward to "more incredible makeovers" as he helps women look beautiful by bringing out their individuality with a fresh, new hair style. Many of the changes in hair style are quite dramatic because some of the women who have makeovers have not changed their hair styles in years.
Ted Gibson's Hair Products
There are several hair care products that Ted Gibson has developed. He especially recommends Hair Sheet™, a refresher which has a UV absorber, lavender oil, vitamins, and antioxidants, and he also says that hair spray is making a comeback although it's not your mother's (or grandmother's) hairspray that made hair so stiff that it didn't budge, even in a high wind. Today's hairspray is one with light control. You can see all of the Ted Gibson hair care products on his Web site (Visit the Site). These products are available in his salons or online (Compare Prices).
