DUBAI: It's three days to Christmas. Three days to having to look your best, three days to being picture ready for all those photos soon to be loaded onto Facebook.
Surely you've decided what you're going to wear this Christmas; your accessories are all laid out in eager anticipation of Christmas Eve too. You know exactly how to best apply your make-up and which shade of lipstick makes you look naughty or nice.
But all that work, the effort to glam up, would be in vain if your crowning glory goes haywire. And with salons always overbooked with over-priced sessions, what's a girl to do when hair-glamming duty calls on Christmas Eve?
For one, you could learn to do your own hair. It may sound like a lot of hard work, or a skill that you'd never perfect, but you would be mistaken. In fact, when it comes to the style stakes, there's nothing quite like DIY-ing your own ‘do'. Not only will you save on money, you'll also save on travel time. Plus, of course, the reindeer reins will be in your hands. You're in total control of those tresses.
The only hitch to this otherwise perfect plan - where would you learn these nearly impossible skills that would make you the envy of every woman at every festive party of the year?
Tucked into building 11 of Knowledge Village lies your answer: The Formul'A French Hairdressing Academy. The hair academy gets into the festive spirit with packages for hair and beauty courses which you could enrol in, in order to get the perfect grooming skills.
"With only three days left to Christmas, and 10 days to the massive New Year celebration, now would be the best time to indulge in a three half-day Chignon Course [Dh1,500]," says Valerie Reynaert, General Manager. "A chignon is an elegant updo that originates from the French word chignon du cou, or nape of the neck, in which hair is elegantly styled and pulled into a bun at the base of the neck."
To update the classic style to 21st century festivities, Reynaert suggests settling the chignon at an asymmetrical angle on either the right or left side of your face.
For those who don't have three days to invest, the French academy also offers a three-hour one-on-one personal styling course [Dh500] with a qualified teacher to teach you how to style your own hair in at least four different ways. "This year, it's all about the curls," says trainer Caroline Hind.
"Sleek, straight hair was so 2011. 2012 will see curls bouncing back big time. Holiday favourites for this Christmas will include messy buns, loose curls and out-of-bed French pleats, all of which will be taught in the half-day styling course," says Reynaert.
As a special festive treat, Formul'A also offers free haircuts and styling from their trainee hairdressers. Book an appointment for yourself or treat a friend to a fabulous new look with these free cuts and short DIY courses. Chances are, your inner diva will thank you for a long time to come.
