DO THE TWIST

Leave it to a Knowles sister to come up with an even hotter take on an already super-hot trend: Last weekend at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee, Solange was seen rocking oversize, two-strand spirals instead of your conventional, three-strand braids, reports Glamour.com. Right now, braids are one of the biggest hair stories for summer and a creative way to stay (and look) cool when the temperature and humidity go up. This style is especially no-sweat to re-create using extensions, which you can easily attach (and remove) from your hair. You can do the twists!

Locks We’re Loving: Solange Knowles

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MONDAY TO-DOS 

Brighten your day—and your complexion.

See ABT’s opening night of “Swan Lake” (through June 22).

Have a summery feast at ZZ’s Clam Bar.

Watch “The Parade” go by at the IFC Center.

Walk a mile with Iggy Azalea at Bowery Ballroom.

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT WAVES

Monday started with a rainstorm, but the beach was still on everyone’s mind it seems: Vogue kicked off its Monday makeover session with a luxurious tutorial on beach hair from Peter Gray—not using surf spray to muss it all up. Likewise, Refinery29.com also offered up a lesson on doing the wave no sea salt required. While Gray ops for freshly washed hair, R29’s hair pro Bethany Brill starts with second-day tresses for her insta-makeover. Watch and learn the tricks for getting sexy tousled hair—and perfectly imperfect beach waves—without a trip to Montauk.

How to Get Perfect Beach Waves

BREEZY BRAIDING

Blowout bars are great, but when it’s 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity, the minute you walk out the air-conditioned door, you’re pretty much right back where you started. Enter the John Barrett Salon’s ingenious braid bar, a summer-proof solution for keeping your cool on super-steamy days or rocking an ultra-cute look to a wedding. Leave the weaving to the pros or tap into your old-school, friendship-bracelet-making skills with a DIY tutorial from stylist Isabel Guillen on BellaSugar.com. Twist your hair into a whimsical half-up style that’s breezy and beautiful.

Braided Half-Up Tutorial

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MONDAY TO-DOS 

Review some new summer hair ideas.

See an ancient masterpiece at the Met.

Take a local wine tour on a Frenchified double-decker bus.

Check out Sofia Coppola talking about “The Bling Ring.” 

Get your heart pounding with The Drums.

VITAMIN C-PACKED SKIN CARE

Think loading up on vitamin C is only good during cold season? It turns out this powerful little nutrient can also help ward off the signs of aging, explains BellaSugar.com. Take a stroll down the skin care aisle and you’ll find an extra dose of vitamin C in antiaging products, from sun lotions to wrinkle creams. That glass of fresh-squeezed OJ can do more than you expect: It can brighten your skin and boost collagen. It’s also a key ingredient in some dark spot brighteners and in sunscreen it can protect against environmental damage. It’s just what the dermatologist ordered.

Vitamin C Skin Benefits

SELF-TANNING TRICKS

There hasn’t been much sun-kissing going on this summer, especially after an epic winter, but with signs that warmer temps and sunnier days are ahead, you might want to get a jump-start on your tan with the aid of some self-tanner. However, as Fashionista.com recently discovered, “not all formulas are created equal–in fact, some are created downright streaky.” So what should you do if you end up with zebra-like stripes or the shade of an Oompa Loompa? Make lemonade. No really, get some lemons and baking soda to remove the color from your skin. Check out this and other handy bronzing tips.

How to Fix a Bad Fake Tan

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CHOICES CHOICES

It’s time to bring your sandals, wedges, and open-toe heels out of winter hibernation, which means people will actually see your pedicure. Since choosing a color has newfound importance this season, Allure.com has rounded up the hottest shades for stepping out this summer. Try a sun-kissed orange to complement a tan or punchy pink for a sundress. Upgrade a basic navy to a vibrant azure or even a baby blue. Go girly with pastels and tropical coral, or add some metallic accent with silver. If you’re heading to the beach, there’s always keeping it simple with a beige that won’t show chips after a walk in the sand.

The 8 Hottest Pedicure Shades for Summer 2013

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MEMORIAL DAY TO-DOS

Chill out with a pretty pastel mani-pedi.

Soak up sun on “The Riviera of New York.”

Spruce up your walls with the Washington Sq. Park Outdoor Art Exhibit.

Check out “Expo 1: New York” at PS1.

Grab a pier-side burger at Watermark Bar.

BRAID IT UP

Muggy summer weather is on the way which means it’s time to find creative new ways to combat frizzed-out hair days—and stay cool. Refinery29.com offers up a look book of “braided hairstyle for every mood, from rebellious (Cara at the Met) to sweet (Freida Pinto’s glam crown) to blasé (K. Stew, fishtail braiding like she just don’t care).” Get some twisted inspiration and add a modern spin to a basic chignon with a duo of face-framing French braids like actress Alexis Knapp—or go bold with an entire pompadour made of braids like Emmy Rossum. From simple to complex, plaits are in.

Summer Ready Braids to Rock Right Now

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