Ready or not, here come the holidays! It’s a magical time for New York City, with window displays ablaze, the Rockefeller Plaza tree all festooned in its finest: all capped off with an appropriate wintry nip in the air. It’s also party season in the Big Apple. If you want to really shine at all those family, friend, and office parties, here is a brief look at some hot holiday hair looks for New York City this year.

1. The Natural Look

If you like to wear your hair down, give it as unfinished a look as possible. Natural waves falling to shoulder-length give the look of a cascading stream. If you need help getting that boost of body and curl, loosely set your hair in vertical curls. Separate them with your fingers and fluff for a tousled, completely natural look and feel. For a dash of pizzazz, spray with a little glossing mist.

2. Go Sleek

No matter how you style your hair in the back, it’s hard to go wrong when the look from the front is completely sleek. There is nowhere else on earth where women are more chic than in New York, and the sleeker the look, the more chic you’ll be. The trick to this look is to use the right hair products that will give your hair both gloss and hold: then pull your hair back into a ponytail and style however you’d like.

3. The Loose Chignon

If sleek isn’t really your style, but you like the look of a simple updo, the loose chignon might be the choice for you. The bun can rest at your nape, mid-head, or up high: the choice is yours. Keep it loose and feminine, with absolutely no severity. The look is romantic and sweet: tumbling tendrils are a nice touch.

The best holiday styles start with a healthy head of hair and a terrific hair cut. If you are looking for a great hair salon in Brooklyn that will give you a brand new look for the New York party scene, visit the professional artists at Le Chandelier.

Several years ago, in 1997 and 1998, two nurses may have contributed to the deaths of 16 sickly newborn babies in an Oklahoma City hospital. The contributing factor was both nurses had long, acrylic fingernails. It was discovered that bacteria found under the nails was the same bacteria that caused fatal infections in the newborns. The CDC was called and reported that out of 439 newborns admitted during that period, 46 acquired the bacterial infection and 16 died. The study found evidence of an association between the bacteria and exposure to two nurses with long or artificial fingernails.

A study at the University of Michigan found that 73% of nurses in the study who wore fake nails had harmful bacteria on them. After hand washing, the number went down to 68%, which is not a huge reduction. The CDC recommended that healthcare professions keep nails short and trimmed which led to hospitals banning nurses from having long or fake nails.

The ridge between the real nail and the fake nail is a perfect place for bacteria to live and grow. This also creates a good place to invade the fake nail’s host if there is a small cut or abrasion in the area even if it is scrubbed clean. The crevice is so miniscule that washing will not rid the area of bacteria.

Keep your nails trimmed and clean for a healthier nail and better personal hygiene. Keep your nails moisturized and use a good nail hardener to fortify nail strength. Forego the fake nails if anything, for your health.