Hair Ideas

Braid of the Day: Lauren Alaina's Blended Braids (+ A Must-Have Product for Big Hair!)

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(Photos by Getty)

The CMA Awards are pretty much synonymous with big, beautiful hair. "The higher the hair, the closer to heaven." Isn't that how the age-old Southern belle adage goes?

Well, despite her goddess-worthy gown, glowy complexion, and a stare that could kill, country music sweetheart Lauren Alaina looked decidedly down-to-earth at the 46th Annual CMA Awards. Thanks mostly in part to her gorgeous girl-next-door 'do.

The singer wore her bleached locks teased to perfection and pulled back with soft, blended braids along the side. Here's another look:

During our college years, where hair to the heavens was a daily ritual at our southern school, there was one super-star hair product that we (and all our sorority sisters) couldn't live without. One time a TSA agent confiscated this said volumizing magician from our carry-on bag—The can was a whopping 10.6-ounces. Woops—and, well, we cried. Just a little. Then rushed to the nearest drugstore the second our plane landed. (Yes, that really happened.)

Our absolute have-to-have hairspray for amped up hair, then? Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play Volumizing Hairspray ($17.50 at Ulta.com). It gives your strands lots of lift and keeps flyaways locked into place all-night long—college-party proven. We love it so much, we still use it to this day!

What are some of your life-long can't-live-without hair products? And what do you think about Lauren Alaina's beautiful updo? We're dying to know. Sound off in the comments, below!

Check out all of Lauren Alaina's gorgeous looks here: