Q & A With Christina Butcher, Author of Braids, Buns, and Twists!

Through the magical connecting powers of the internet, Chronicle Books, who published Braids, Buns, and Twists! caught wind of my little hair challenge and were gracious enough to offer to arrange a little Q&A between Christina Butcher, the author of the book, and I. So cool, right? So without further ado, here’s my mini-interview with Christina Butcher, the beauty and brains behind Hair Romance, and Braids, Buns, and Twists!

Danne: Do you have a natural knack for doing hair or did you teach yourself to become a hair goddess (i.e., is there hope for the rest of us)?

Christina: I’m completely self-taught and I really only learned to do hair in last few years. I don’t consider myself particularly coordinated so it is definitely possible for anyone to style their own hair! It does take practice and starting with the easier styles will help build your confidence.

Danne: Do you come up with most of the styles for your blog or do you gather inspiration and ideas from outside resources?

Christina: I find inspiration in so many places. Sometimes I’ll just be playing around with my hair and work out a new style. I also get inspired by fashion weeks and celebrity looks, then try to adapt the styles to work in my hair.

Danne: What’s your go-to hairstyle for when you’re short on time but need something that looks really put together? Conversely, when you do have the time, what’s your favorite “showstopper” style that wows people every time? 

Christina: My go-to hairstyle is the donut bun. It’s so quick and easy to style. It doesn’t matter if your hair is messy to begin with and you instantly look more polished (and taller!). My favorite hairstyle is the waterfall braid because it’s such a pretty and romantic style. It never fails to get compliments when I wear it. The waterfall braid is a lovely half up style that I can wear in curly or straight hair.

Danne: What do you do when you’re not helping people make their hair pretty—or has Hair Romance become a full-time gig for you?

Christina: I work with my husband and together we run Mr & Mrs Romance and I manage Nail Romance and Hair Romance. I get to write about beauty, travel and style across all the sites which I love. I also work as a speaker and consultant about blogging and social media.

Danne: If your 16 year-old self could see you now, do you think she’d believe that this was what was in store for her, or does it somehow all make sense?

Christina: No way! I had a lot of bad hair days when I was 16 but I was really into photography and I think that’s one of the reasons Hair Romance has been so successful. I was always quite entrepreneurial so running my own business was definitely a goal. Luckily I had a life changing haircut when I was 20 and learned to love my hair so Hair Romance was born!

Love, love, love this book

Christina Butcher, author of Braids, Buns, and Twists!

The Waterfall Braid, one of Christina’s favorite hairstyles