Fustany talks to Lana El Sahely

Lebanese blogger and fashionista Lana El Sahely fills us in on her love for fashion & blogging, and gives us tips on hair and beauty in this special talk to Fustany.com.

On Fashion & Blogging:

You’ve started blogging from an early age, and L’armoire de Lana is not your first blog. Was it your love for fashion that drove you to blog about it? Or have you always been this outspoken? 

True I had a blog that was mostly related to sociology, economics, culture and where I also used to post random poems that I write. I have always loved fashion as I was greatly influenced by my mother’s very good taste for everything that is beautiful. Nevertheless, fashion stayed a hobby for a long time as I was very study-oriented. Up until today, I pursue my studies in different spheres than fashion. After completing a couple of internships at fashion magazines, I decided to start my own fashion blog. It was the quickest way for me to start my very own “magazine”.

Young women usually like to keep their fashion tricks to themselves, but your blog details how to pull together a complete look. Do you feel like blogging is revealing your sense of style and putting it out there?

Blogging might be revealing few tricks here and there but there’s always something about anyone’s personal style that stays unpredictable, inexplicable.  It doesn’t really annoy me to put it all out there as I make very specific choices when I select the outfits that eventually go on the blog. Furthermore, I try to give tips through other categories like “style your closet” or “tricks and trends” more than in the personal style one “mon armoire”.

On Hair & Beauty:

Our hair can influence our mood for the day. What would Lana do on a bad hair day?

I totally agree, it happens to me all the time! The worst is when itching calls out. It can be very embarrassing and interrupts your life. Personally, I recommend H&S Itchy Scalp Care shampoo and conditioner to keep a healthy scalp free of dandruff and itch. As for styling, on a bad hair day, I tend to go with a very cute and slightly messy hair bun, it’s natural, it is recently very trendy and it always looks amazing when paired with dark sunglasses.

What are hair care dont’s that you would warn us about?

If there’s one thing I can stress about is that you should always be careful about the color you chose if you’re changing your natural hair color. Nowadays, many women just decide to go blond without taking into consideration the natural color of their eyebrows, their skin tones, their eyes colors, etc. Also, try to go for a trimming every month, it will keep your hair healthy.

Why do you think hair is essential to pulling off the perfect look?

As Hillary Clinton once said, “If I want to knock a story off the front page, I just change my hairstyle.” And I totally agree! In fact, every single detail counts when it comes to pull off the perfect look, even if you’re in sweatpants and heading to the grocery store. The idea is to always be aware of what cut really suits the shape of your face, what hairstyles are the most flattering on you, etc. Once you get to know these and accept them, your looks cannot but be perfect.

Do you have a hair idol? Who is she, and what do you think is her secret for beautiful hair?

If I had to pick a hair idol from the old times, I would say Grace Kelly. She always had very sleek, clean, classic and yet sophisticated hair up-dos. Her hair looks so healthy, even on black and white pictures and this is just amazing! I think that there’s just ONE secret for beautiful hair, it’s just that I needs to be treated with care and love. Keeping the scalp intact with products like H&S, for example, is very important to keep the rejuvenation of the cells and hence the growth of the hair.

What is are the beauty or hair related tips that you swear by?  

Dry hair looks awful no matter what you do, you cannot apply proper lipstick and rock a look with dry lips. These things take only few moments of your day and they can even be integrated in your daily routine. This is why I recommend Head & Shoulders with Eucalyptus extract, because the eucalyptus leaf has been known historically for relieving pain or itch. This formula has the same effect on our hair and scalp! It will not only rid you of the itch, but also give you beautiful hair, from the scalp & out!

What is some of the beauty advice you would give to an Egyptian woman, specifically?

In Egypt, it’s extremely hot most of the time and I’d advise all Egyptian women to always protect both their skins and their hair from the sun. Never go out without sunscreen, even if slightly under your daily makeup, it won’t show and it will protect your skin and keep it moisturized all day long. As for the hair, maintain a healthy routine for taking care of your hair in the sun (when tanning for example) and these are a must in every lady’s beach bag! Moreover, never  hesitate about taking care of the details like doing the right makeup and hairstyle to perfect you look, never step out of your room not feeling confident! It’s the key to success.

We know that the women of the region prefer keeping their hair long and sleek. What advice would you offer them so as to keep their hair beautiful and their scalp healthy?

True. We all believe that hair is the crown to woman’s beauty. Long hair needs very particular attention and hair hygiene is the most important thing. Healthy hair starts at the scalp. So keep your scalp clean and moisturized, avoid hair coloring too often, protect it from the sun and follow a regimen!

On Tips & Trends:

Let’s talk about the latest trends. What are the most common hairstyles for this summer? 

What’s nice about this summer, whether in clothing or in hairstyles, we have spotted several trends to choose from! To sum it up: super-straight hair at Michael Kors, the wet look seen at Giambattista Valli, the natural blow-dry at Isabel Marant, the retro glamour at Marc Jacobs, the low-slung buns at Chanel and Givenchy, the low-ponytails at Alexander Wang, the very messy and low-maintenance hairstyles at Lanvin, all types of braids for Marchesa and last but not least, the sexy waves at Missoni. Here’s a lot of choices to pick from! To end my hairstyles trend report, I must add that ALL types of hair accessories are now in trend! From the 1970s bows to the indian-inspired headpieces. Indulge in all J

We’ve noticed that many red carpet hairdos show the hair roots through a side comb. What would you recommend so that women can copy this look?

It is important to take care for your scalp; the glam will then follow. Once you’re happy with your scalp, you will be eager to show off your healthy hair roots and eventually go for one of these red carpet hairstyles.

Summer is a tricky season to try and top off the perfect look. What tips would you recommend?

- Use after-sun

- Moisturize

- Care for your scalp

- Drink lots of water

With the upcoming weddings and events, many women feel that their hair is over styled and overstressed. What’s a remedy that you would recommend?

- Just like you would follow a strict regimen for your skin, hair is no different and should not be taken for granted. Use a shampoo & conditioner with every wash, especially in the hot weather, as the new H&S with Eucalyptus extract will leave your hair moisturized and give you a cool sensation to help calm down an irritated scalp, especially after excessive styling and heat.

-  Eat foods that stimulate hair growth and stop hair loss;

-  Take food supplements to strengthen your hair for the long run.