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Back when she first started on Home and Away and I was maybe 12 or so I thought she was a GODDESS, but now I don't find her attractive, just on the brighter side of plain maybe. I think I favour her as a blonde or something?
her style is nice though
At age seventeen, Australian native Isabel Lucas was shopping for groceries in Cairns, a tropical rainforest town by the Great Barrier Reef. "I was under a mango tree at an organic market," explains Isabel, now 24. "This woman came over and asked if I was interested in modeling. I said, 'No.'" But the two began chatting and the woman turned out to be an agent who represented actors, not models, and they began a working relationship.
Maintaining a balance between the glamorous life of an actress and the real world seems not to be a challenge for Isabel, but part of her nature. The day she finished her three-year stint on Australia's hit soap opera, Home and Away, Isabel went backpacking in Spain and Italy to recharge. She returned to film Daybreakers, a futuristic vampire thriller with Ethan Hawke, before flying off to Namibia to volunteer with an agricultural charity organization, explaining, "I just wanted to fill up my cup of life again and be re-inspired." As casually as if she were describing what she ate for breakfast, Isabel says that she and her fellow volunteers "implanted irrigation for vegetable gardens in the middle of the desert."
She then went on to land a lead role in this summer's blockbuster sequel, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, alongside Shia LaBeouf, whom she calls a good friend and "a bag of laughs." Reflecting on her journey from a village by the sea to Hollywood, Isabel says, "I never really took drama or acting that seriously because I didn't think it was a realistic path for me." With her rising star status, it seems like Isabel might need a reality check.
The Hot-Mess Updo
Forget about a master plan—let this mellow style take shape as you go. It’s perfect for Isabel Lucas, 24, a big-buzz actress from Australia. “I don’t get dolled up and do my hair that often,” she says. To get the look, twirl a piece of hair, lift it up to your head, coil into a loose loop and bobby-pin down the end. Keep going until all hair is up, then hit with a light spray; try John Frieda Sheer Blonde Crystal Clear Hairspray ($6, at drugstores). For her lip color, try L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Lipcolour in Volcanic ($9, at drugstores).
The Glam-ified Ponytail
High and all fluffed up, this would never be mistaken for a Pilates-class pony. Apply a volumizer like Tresemmé 24 Hour Body Root Boost Spray ($4.50, at drugstores) to damp or dry hair, and tease a bit with a comb. Pull hair up to below your crown and slightly off center, leaving out a chunk beneath. Tie with an elastic. Wind the loose section around the base several times, pinning the end underneath. Assistant managing editor Betty Kim tested (and loved) this style. “I did it at my desk before running out for after-work cocktails,” she reports.
The Quickie Front Braid
Pretty on everyone, and—bonus—the height in front helps fake fullness. “My hair is thin,” says Lucas, “so I like to add mousse.” Scrunch one into damp hair; try Garnier Fructis Volume Inject Mousse ($4, at drugstores). Gather a thick section on one side and French-braid over toward your other ear (weave together three sections of hair, picking up more as you go). Pin and air-dry. Assistant editor Lauren Bradshaw liked this so much, it became her go-to style for the rest of the week. “I’m growing out my bangs,” she says, “and this is an easy way to keep ‘em out of my face.”
The Wispy Twist
A classic with lots of flirty, floaty pieces—date-night material! Starting from the bottom of hair, tightly twist and roll it up toward your crown; pin in place. Tuck the ends under and secure those with more pins. Now, tug out strands. To get her hair all shiny, Lucas sprinkles ground flax seeds into her morning cereal (they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids). For her cheek color, try Clinique Quick Blush in Peach In-a-Pinch ($22, clinique.com).
The Sexy Dorothy
“I was dubious I could do fish tails in five minutes, but I got faster each time,” says fashion assistant Lauren Tardanico. “It’s easier with damp hair.” Apply a styler like Pantene Nature Fusion Smooth Vitality Smoothing Créme ($6, at drugstores) and make twoponytails. Working with the left pony, split it in half. Grab a piece of hair from the side of one of thosehalves and bring it over to the other. Now grab a piece of hair from that one, swing it over to the other half and pull tight. Continue all the way down and tie the end. Repeat on the right side.