FLORES de Mayo (Spanish for flowers of May) is celebrated the entire month of May as a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary for the beneficial rain she brings that makes floras bloom after the dry season.
Dubbed as the “Queen of Philippine Festivals”, Flores de Mayo culminates in Santacruzan which honors St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great – the first Christian emperor, who found the relics of the Holy Cross.
The procession features beautiful floral arches and young women or “sagalas” representing allegorical figures like charity, faith, hope, Marian titles, and biblical figures.
The young beauties participating in the parade glam up and wear gorgeous gowns, makeup and elegant hairstyles. Here are some coiffure ideas to inspire the next Reyna Elena.
Chignon
Known as a fancy French bun, the term chignon comes from the phrase “chignon du cou”, which means nape of the neck. This hairstyle looks great for casual and formal occasions alike.
Start by making sure that your hair is smooth and tangle-free. Using a fine-tooth comb, part your hair down the middle (or on either side – whatever you prefer). Then, spritz a bit of hairspray onto dry hair, before combing through to create a sleek look. Next, pull your hair back into a low ponytail and secure it with a hair elastic. The ponytail should sit low at the nape of your neck.
Next, grab all of your hair and make a loop with your ponytail, twisting it just enough so that the ends are pointing toward your crown (be sure to leave an inch or two of your ends hanging out).
Secure the loop at the base of the neck with a few bobby pins (the ends should still be sticking out here). Split the ends that are loose in half and wrap one half up and over the exposed elastic, then pin them in place. Use another bobby pin or two to secure the ends of your hair on the other side. Be sure to tuck in any stray strands to create a neat finish. The final result should be a vertical loop at the bottom, with a ribbon of hair (your ends) swiped across the top of the loop and secured on either side.
When you have the pieces of your chignon in place, spritz your updo with strong-hold hair spray to make sure every piece stays in place.
Lace braid
Create three vertical sections. Put the left and right sections in front of your shoulders to separate them from the middle section. This way, you can work on each of them smoothly. Take the middle section (the one by your nape) and divide it into two horizontal sections. Take the upper section and twist it to form a small pouf. Secure it with a bobby pin.
Tie the rest of the middle section in a low ponytail using an elastic. Then, create a three-strand braid and secure it with elastic as well. Pull the sides of the braid to widen it and make it look thicker. Then, wrap the braid around the base of your low ponytail to create a flower bun. Secure it with bobby pins.
Now, work on the left section of your hair. Create a lace braid from your hairline down to the tips of your hair by making a three-strand braid and adding more strands of hair as you go along. When you’ve reached the tips, secure your braid with an elastic band. Wrap your braid around the base of the flower bun that you created earlier. Secure it with a bobby pin. Do the same steps to the right section of your hair.
Spritz spray all over your hair to create a smooth and polished look. Again, use your thumb and index finger to gently pull the sides of your lace braids and create a fuller look. Make your updo look more relaxed by loosening a few strands of hair near your face using the tip of your tail comb.
French twist
Using a fine-toothed comb, separate a section of hair from your crown to your fringe and brush it forward. Tease at the crown and back section with the comb. Give it a bit of hairspray for extra shine.
Smooth all hair back using a comb or your fingers. Get rid of knots or tangles. Gather the smoothed hair to one side as if making a low ponytail then pin sections of hair securely in place. Spritz for maximum hold.
If your hair is very long, keep it in place with an elastic at the lower end. Roll hair sections up towards the bobby pins with your fingers. Make them extra twisty – wrap them around your fingers a few times then pull them out. You can pin the twist on the middle or top of your head. Secure the hair in place with more pins. Set the French twist in place using hairspray. Pin back any loose strands or pull a few out around to frame your face for a soft, romantic look.
Lazy bun
A tousled, messy bun is to dirty hair what glitter is to a night out – absolutely essential if you want to do it right. The lazy bun is playful and timelessly chic. When you wear it, you don’t feel like you’re trying to be something you’re not.
Flip your head upside down and pull your hair into a loose ponytail, as high or as low you’d like it. Don’t use a comb or worry about your hair being perfectly slicked back – some bumps are okay.
Twist hair and spin it around the base of the ponytail, continuing to wrap below the bun. Leave the tail out at the end. Secure the bun with a hair elastic and bobby pins. To make your messy bun look even more, well, messy, pull out the sections and pieces of hair that frame your face.
Halo braid
Also called a crown braid, it sits atop your head angelically, providing volume while pulling the hair back from the face. Depending upon how loose or tight the actual halo is and the placement on the head, this updo can fit a variety of occasions.
Brush hair into a center parting. On the lower side of the parting, take a section and split it into three. Take the strand of hair on the left-hand side and pass it underneath the center strand. Then take the strand of hair on the right hand side and pass it under the center. On the second pass, start to add a small amount of hair as you braid, take the time to ensure it’s neat, then pass under the center. Continue this action from right to left, continually adding hair and passing under each time.
As you start to come to the bottom of the ear, continue braiding around the head with the same action – keeping the braid about an inch from the hairline. As you come to the other side of the head, continue braiding up to the starting point. Once you run out of hair to add, continue braiding to the end and secure with a clear elastic. Go back along the braid and pull gently to widen the braid. Wrap the end of the braids around the head and tuck in from the top, hiding the end behind the main part of the braid. Secure with grips as needed.
Half-up crisscross
The beauty of this hairstyle lies in its clean simplicity. The entire ‘do is held in place with bobby pins, carefully concealed with just a loop and swoop of side hair sections. No really, it’s that easy.
Spritz hair with medium hold hairspray, brush through and curl to achieve loose waves. Gather hair at the crown, pinch to the center and secure with pins. Gather hair from one side, pull across the back of head, covering pins and secure. Gather hair from the other side, pull across the back of head and loop through. Secure with more pins where needed.
High ponytail
The ponytail is a jack of all trades. It can be simple – a utilitarian style meant for keeping your hair back and out of your face. But it can also be preppy, elegant and even opulent depending on the bows and glittery accessories you have on hand.
Brush out any tangles in your tresses then comb the hair up towards your crown. While brushing, tilt your head back. This will make sure all the hair is tightly secured and doesn’t loosen when you move your head. Secure the ponytail with two hairbands so it stays tight and doesn’t budge throughout the day. Take a one-inch section of hair from the ponytail and wrap it around the hairbands, then pin it into place. This will give the style a more polished, high-fashion finish. Using a small fine-tooth comb, gently backcomb the mid-lengths of the ponytail to give it extra volume. Secure with hairspray. To tame any frizz or flyaway, run your hand over hair after spraying to flatten it.
Half updo with bun
This keeps hair off your face while allowing you to show off soft waves cascading down your back. Position bun at your crown to give your hairstyle the right amount of elegance.
Instead of grabbing hair and immediately twisting it into a bun, first separate the top half of your hair into a tight ponytail and secure it with an elastic. If you’re after a little extra volume, gently tug the ponytail to add some height before you move on.
Then tease the tail of your pony with a comb (this will make the bun look extra full) and twist the loose hair around the base. Set the bun in place with bobby pins and a quick spritz of hairspray.
