Basics Beauty & Beyond

Dramatic Smokey Eye

2015-08-07T13:58:00.006-05:00

I did some makeup yesterday for a friend's mom and wanted to share! She was attending a traditional Indian wedding and wanted some very dramatic makeup. Here is the before photo:

I think she looks great before! She's also wearing her outfit for the wedding. Here is after!

I ended up being very happy with the results. She wanted dramatic, and she got it! For the eyes, I used Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette. The lashes are by Mac. The brows are Dipbrow by Anastasia and Gimme Brow by Benefit. Here are a few more angles and her complete outfit:

Kylie Jenner Challenge

2015-04-23T14:17:00.000-05:00

Hi Pretties! Today I'd like to demonstrate how to make your lips appear bigger a la Kylie Jenner. No, I'm not going to promote bruising your lips inside a bottle or shot glass. Because there's a better, less painful alternative! Here goes.

First, start off with bare lips. You're going to want to use some sort of lip scrub (I love the ones by Lush) to get all of the dead skin off your lips. This gives you a smooth canvas to work with so that everything you put on your lips afterwards will look nice and pretty. I also like to dab on some Burt's Bees chapstick, but this is optional.

Next, you'll want to use a concealer with a thicker consistency to essentially make your lips disappear. Use a cream or stick concealer to achieve this. Here's what it looks like and, fair warning, it's super creepy.

The reason behind this is so that you can overdraw the lines of your lips. The concealer makes the skin around your lips and your lips the same color which makes it less obvious that you've overdrawn your the line.

After making yourself look like an alien, use any lip liner to overdraw your lips. Only overdraw them by up to the width of the pencil. This may be a little too dramatic on some people, so you'll need to play around and see what works for you. Make sure you fill in your lips with the liner as well. This makes everything the same color so you avoid drawing attention to the fact that you've overdrawn your lips, and it also helps with staying power.

Finish up by applying the lipstick of your choice and dabbing a bit of clear gloss in the middle of your bottom lip. This helps utilize light to make your lips look plumper. Here's the finished product!

That's me doing my best to pull a Kylie Jenner face. Here's the before if you're curious.

Lorac's Liner

2015-03-31T20:41:00.002-05:00

Today's post is going to be quick. I just wanted to give a real life example of the Lorac liquid liner pen I talked about in my previous post so that you can all see how amazing it is. So here is my eyeball for proof! The liner for this look only took about a minute, give or take a few seconds.

Liquid Liner Pen

2015-03-27T15:35:00.000-05:00

Hello All! Today I'm here to talk to you about liquid eyeliner, everyone's favorite beauty tool. If you're a hardcore gel potter, then this post isn't for you (unless you can be persuaded to switch it up). I want to share with you my very favorite liner pen. Here it is!

It's by Lorac and comes in three colors - black, charcoal, and navy. The line pictured here doesn't even nearly do it justice. You can make it much thinner and the color is so much more concentrated than that. What's so special about this fabulous pen is that instead of a felt tip like a marker (think Stila's pen), it's got bristles like a paint brush. I also feel like it comes to a much sharper point than your average eye liner pen, and on top of that the bristles are somehow both more firm and more bendy than a marker tip pen. The only way you'll ever understand what I mean is to try it for yourself. I get the smoothest and most precise line with this pen, and I've never had it wear off throughout the day. It's absolutely phenomenal. It also lasts forever. I think I've been using this liner for around two years (maybe even a bit longer) and I'm still only on my second pen, though granted I don't use it every single day. The only drawback to this pen is that the liquid dries a little shinier than I'd like, but it's really not too noticeable. On the days I really want to take my time and put on some flawless makeup I dab a little bit of matte black eye shadow on the top of my liner to take away any shine. All in all, I really couldn't expect too much more out of an eye liner. It earns a big, fat A+ in my book.

Let's talk about Bareskin!

2014-05-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

Let's talk about Bareskin!

For those of you who don't know, it's the new liquid foundation put out by bareMinerals. The brush sitting next to the bottle is new as well. The little ditch is a reservoir for the foundation. You're supposed to put a few drops of the foundation into the reservoir then apply it by swirling it onto your face.

I work at Ulta so I'm lucky enough to get to play with all of the new products. I haven't had the chance to apply it to my or a customer's face yet, but I did put it on the back of my hand to check it out. I have to be honest, I am not a fan. It immediately settled into all of the little lines and creases into the back of my hand. For a comparison, I put my favorite foundation, Urban Decay's Naked Skin, on the back of my other hand and it didn't settle into anything.

As far as the brush goes, I thought it was just fine. I think the reservoir is strange and unnecessary, but I don't think it really takes anything away from the brush either. I would like to see how it wears and tears as most of the bareMinerals brushes don't last very long (i.e. the bristles fall out). But as far as a liquid foundation brush goes, I am obsessed with Urban Decay's Optical Blurring brush. Like I said, I haven't used bare's foundation on anyone's face yet so I can't truly speak for their brush, but UD's brush is fantastic. All of my coworkers and I own it and love it.

Now back to the foundation. I'm sure many of you lovely ladies are cult followers of bare, and it's great that you've found a brand that you love! But I'd just like to advise you to be careful. I have helped countless women in Ulta who were stuck on bareMinerals. I put a different foundation on them and they liked it so much more than what they were using by bare. Try to be open minded about other brands! There are other great things out there that you may never find because you're too stuck on one brand. And that's the great thing about Ulta - you can go in and try out just about anything you'd like. So go in and play around a little before you make any decisions (:

The Best Foundation for Oily Skin

2013-07-04T20:37:00.001-05:00

Hey all you beautiful, oily-skinned ladies! If you haven't already discovered it, I'm here to tell you about a miracle liquid foundation for you - Tarte's Amazonian Clay foundation. Here it is:

I have really oily skin, and I used to think I couldn't wear liquid foundation because of it. Powder just wasn't doing it for me; I wanted something with a little bit more coverage than that. When I started working at Ulta, one of my coworkers suggested this to me, and it is fantastic. It claims to be medium to full coverage, but I think you can get a sheer coverage out of it too if you put it on thinly enough or mix it with a bit of your face moisturizer. It's also buildable, so you really can get a full coverage out of it too.

I think it goes on great and doesn't make my skin any oilier than it already is. Personally I top it off with Matte Maker by Laura Geller to keep away the shine. It's a compact translucent powder to finish everything off (I also use powder foundation over my Tarte foundation for a little extra coverage).

If you want to know everything I wear to combat my oily skin, let me know! I've been trying to control it for years, so I have lots of tips and tricks that I've fine-tuned!

Coconut Oil

2013-06-23T16:17:00.000-05:00

Coconut oil. I'm sure you've heard a lot about it, because I know I have. I haven't used up until now though. I just picked up a jar for nine dollars the other day. This is what I got.

Now you can use coconut oil for cooking, but I bought it for my hair. The first time I used it, I slathered all over my hair (roots to tips) about a half hour to an hour before I took a shower. It took a little work to get it all out (I shampooed two or three times before it came out - I use the hydrating Moroccan Oil shampoo now), but it was absolutely worth it. My hair felt like butter after it dried. The stuff is amazing. You can use it as a lotion too. Also, it works great for lips as well (the kicker - it tastes great, and it's supposed to be pretty healthy for you too). I also use it as a leave-in treatment for my ends between washes. I wash my hair once every two, maybe three days, and if I notice that it feels a little dry between washes, I'll rub a bit of it onto the ends. Don't put too much on though; it's very oily. I also try and put it on a little thicker before every shower as well, though I don't think your hair always needs it from root to tip.

It's great stuff, and I definitely recommend it to anyone who feels like their hair needs a little extra work. It's cheap, and it's natural. I love it!

How to Take the Best Shower

2012-08-13T12:55:00.001-05:00

I was showering yesterday and realized that I have a very specific routine when I shower for very specific reasons, so I figured I would share.

First of all, it's best to shampoo and condition your before you use body wash. This helps reduce bacne because then greasy conditioner isn't the last thing to touch your body before you step out of the shower.

Every time I shower, instead of just washing my face, I exfoliate it with a scrub to get rid of dead skin and make it as smooth as possible. Personally, I use Clean & Clear scrubs. They seem to work the best for me.

Now, most women know this already, but I'm here to tell you again. When you shampoo, only shampoo your scalp. Your hair doesn't get greasy except for the roots, so you don't need to dehydrate the rest of it! If there's any sort of product in your hair, it will get washed out when you rinse out your shampoo. When you condition, only condition the tail of your would-be-ponytail. If you use conditioner on your scalp, it will only make it greasy. Also, if you don't have a deep conditioner and would like a little more moisture, just leave your regular conditioner in for a few minutes (about three works). The heat in the shower really helps set it in.

As far as shaving goes, don't do it first! Soaking a bit in the shower helps you get a better shave. Don't wait too long though, any more than about ten minutes will cause your skin to swell. This won't allow you to get a close shave. Also, light exfoliating on the areas you shave is beneficial. Areas like your underarms and bikini line are more prone to ingrown hairs. Using something like a washcloth or loofah help to get rid of the dead skin that causes this. Also, if you get razor burn on your bikini line, use cream (such as Bikini Zone) specifically for razor burn on your bikini line or Neosporin to calm it.

One last tip. Make sure when you're using body wash not to get it in your hair. This sucks all of the moisture out of it.

Lip Tricks

2012-08-05T22:11:00.003-05:00

Want lips as kissable as these?

Here are the best tips and tricks I know!

I think this is the most important thing you can do for your lips: drink water! No one wants to kiss dry, cracked lips. Women should generally drink about 60 ounces of water a day, but this is different for everyone.

Now, if you do have dead skin on your lips, the best thing to do is exfoliate. Yes, you can buy lip exfoliaters. You can also use things from home to exfoliate. I've heard people use their vibrating tooth brushes every time they brush their teeth. Some people just use a warm, damp wash cloth and rub it over their lips. I like to use a heavy dose of chap stick and a disposable mascara wand to wipe off the dead skin. Some women keep the wands from old mascaras to use for this sort of thing. Just make sure not to rub to the point of pain!

If you wear any sort of lip color, the best thing to do is dab a little bit of a shimmer on the center of your bottom lip. This has the same effect as highlighting on your face; it highlights your lips and makes them appear more full.

For those of you who use lip liner - draw only on your lips! I've seen women try to line outside the lines of their lips in order to make them appear larger. While this thought is appealing, it's not realistic. It is noticeable.

How to Fake a Thick Braid

2012-08-04T20:21:00.000-05:00

Wish you had a nice thick braid like this?

Well, me too. But there's good news! Here's how to fake it.

First, master the "inside out french braid". This is done the exact same way as a normal french braid, but instead of placing pieces over each other, place each piece under the next (i.e. of the three strands, right piece goes under the middle piece to become the new middle piece, then left piece goes under new middle piece to become the new new middle piece, etc.). This causes the braid to look like the one pictured above. Now, to make it look fuller. This is actually the easy part. All you have to do is pinch the outside of each little section of the braid. Now, just pull! That's all you have to do. It won't look perfect; don't afraid to be messy! This is sort of what it should look like.

See how the sections bubble out a bit? That's what you're going for. It creates the illusion of thicker hair. This technique can also be used on thick hair for a messy look. Hope this helps!

Natural Smokey Eye

2012-08-01T03:01:00.004-05:00

This is my favorite look to do because it's simple and looks great. It's sort of a natural smoky eye. Here's the finishing look!

1. First, start off using an eye shadow primer. I used to use a liquid primer by Urban Decay, but switched to a cream by MAC because Urban's was a bit stickier, so it made it harder to blend shadows. To apply the primer, I use a concealer brush. Make sure to apply the primer all over your lids, up to your brows, underneath your eyes, and on both corners of your eyes. Don't extend the primer past where you'll be putting eye shadow though, as it does have a nude coloring to it, and feels sticky without shadow on it.

2. Next, pick a champagne colored high lighter. I use Virgin by Urban Decay which is in the Naked palette. To apply it, I use the brush that comes in the palette (similar to a concealer brush with a more plastic feel to the bristles). Apply this to both your brow bone and the inner corner of your eyes. Extend the shade into the area your base eye shadow will go for better blending.

3. Next, add eye liner on both your top and bottom lids. I use Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner in Perversion. I like Urban's because it stays on well and is relatively easy to smudge. I like to apply my liner thickly, but that's up to you. Also, mine wings out a bit on the outer corners because I'm partial to the cat eye effect, but the shape of your liner is also up to you. This doesn't have to be perfect because you'll be layer shadow over it.

4. Now pick a shade to use as your base. I would go with a light, matte brown. I use Naked, which is also by Urban Decay and in the Naked palette. I use Smashbox's "Definer Brush" which is #15 and pat the shadow on rather than swipe it on. Yes, you should put the shadow on over your eyeliner. Make sure to pat the shadow on your entire lid all the way up to meet your highlighter. Also make sure to pat it on the inner two thirds of your bottom lid.

5. Now, picker a darker (still matte) brown. I use Buck (also by Urban and in the Naked palette) and the same brush. Put this shade on the outer corners of your eyes (on both lids) and in your crease from the outer corner of your eye to just before the inner. Make sure to blend fully. You don't want there to be a hard line between the darker and lighter browns. Tip: I've heard the placement of this shadow be described as a sideways V, so think of that when applying it.

6. This step is optional. Use a darker brown (I use Hustle which is by Urban and in the Naked Palette) and go over what you just did, but thinner. For this, I use an angled shadow brush. Make sure to blend this thoroughly. I like to wing my shadow out on the outer corners because again, I'm partial to the cat eye look. This is up to you. Also, how low you apply this shade on your lower lid is up to you. I like dramatic eye makeup, so I apply mine low.

7. Now it's time to reline your eyeliner. I use Shmashbox's "Double-Ended Smudger Brush" which is #20 and the shadow I use Creep (by Urban in the Naked Palette). Just go over your liner with this shadow. Make sure the line is soft. Also, it's important to go over where your upper and lower lids meet on the outer corner of your eye.

8. Now it's time to line your waterlines. Line both your waterlines (top and bottom) with a water proof liner (for staying power). Lining your top waterline (which isn't for everyone as it makes sensitive eyes water profusely) helps the liner on your bottom waterline stay on and also helps line the gap between your top lid and lashes.

9. Time for mascara! For the best ways to apply it, check my earlier post.

10. Lastly, do your eyebrows! For tips and tricks, check my earlier post!

And there's the finished look! Good luck everyone (:

Eyebrows

2012-07-24T01:58:00.003-05:00

It seems to me that most women don't tend to their eyebrows like they could. Of course most women have them waxed or pluck them themselves, but that's not what I'm referring to. There are a number of ways to change the look of your brows.

Number one on the list would be waxing and plucking. That one's pretty self-explanatory.

Next would probably be trimming. I don't think this is for everyone, but it's certainly for me. My eyebrow hairs are relatively long and therefore can become unruly. Because of this, I like to keep my brows trimmed. Here's how to do it. Use an eyebrow brush and brush your eyebrows straight up (if it looks really funny, you're doing it right). Now, trim the hair by following the line your natural eyebrow follows and cutting along that line. Personally I use professional hair cutting scissors. Obviously not everyone has those lying around the house. Instead, I'd suggest using a sharp pair that you can be fairly detailed with. Generally you are only supposed to brush the hair up and cut it, but I also brush it down and follow the same process. I'm not sure, but I assume this works for me because I have thick eyebrows. Also, I have an unfortunate cowlick on one of my eyebrows. The inner end of it grows straight up. In order to combat this, I just cut it down to the shape it should be by mirroring my other eyebrow.

You can also pencil in your eyebrows. Yes, this does sound counterproductive, but it creates a stronger (and for those with lightly colored brows), more visible brow. I like to save this look for when I have strong eye make up on, otherwise your eyebrows get sort of lost on your face. Also, you can use powder and a thick, stiff bristled brush to fill them in. A pencil provides a sharper look than powder. I also think powder looks more natural. To fill in your brows, just follow their natural lines. If you're using a pencil, use short strokes in the direction your hair grows. This creates a more natural look as the strokes mock individual hairs.

Last but not least is keeping your brows in place. To do this, you can use either wax or gel. Wax has a little less hold than gel does, but is easier to apply (too much gel gives your brows a wet look). These methods also seem to keep the pigment on from filling in your brows, especially if you used powder. There are even some eyebrow pencils that include wax in them, though this probably has the least staying power of the three methods.

Foundation

2012-07-22T00:29:00.002-05:00

I feel like foundation is often an overlooked step in make up. Of course most girls use it, but I don't think most use it to its full advantage. There are a lot of ways to play with foundation.

The most important aspect to foundation is choosing the proper type for you. There are cream, powder, liquid, and even moose foundations. Personally, I use powder because I have such an oily face. Unfortunately, powder offers the least amount of coverage. Liquid, I would say, provides the most, but does not agree with oily faces like mine (though it does moisturize a drier face). For maximum coverage, some girls apply liquid foundation with a layer of powder on top (beware: making either layer too thick will result in a cakey look). The cream and moose foundations generally provide medium coverage.

As far as an applicator goes, this depends on both the person and type of foundation. Personally, I use a brush for my powder. It is relatively small for a foundation brush (not much bigger than a quarter in diameter) and has compact bristles for a more controlled application. Some people prefer a very big, very fluffy brush for their foundation. For cream, liquid, and moose foundations a make up sponge can be used, but a flat foundation brush (like an over sized concealer brush) generally seems to be a better method. Fingers can also be used, but again, the brush is the way to go (just make sure you clean it often to rid it of the leftover bacteria from your face and to create a more smooth look to your foundation).

Another equally important aspect to foundation is finding your perfect shade. This is a complicated process. The best thing to do is go to a professional make up store (Ulta, Sephore, MAC, Clinique, etc.) and have a store representative do it for you. You have to know what type of undertones your skin has as well as what foundations would match those undertones, and a store representative will be trained in this. Even if you don't buy your foundation from that store, it's a good thing to do. I realize a lot of really high end make up is way out of most people's price range! Just go to your favorite drug store and try to match that shade. If you go home and realize it doesn't match, a lot of stores let you return it. If not, well, just learn from your mistake.

Let's talk about concealer. Just like foundation itself, you have a lot of options. I have actually come across powder concealers (which I haven't tried as I don't understand exactly how it doesn't get swirled around your face with your foundation). The three most popular types of concealer I have seen are liquid, cream, and stick. I have tried all three, though none have worked for me. Usually (from my experience at least) concealer and powder foundation don't mix. After a little of the day's wear and tear, the foundation comes off everywhere except the concealer spots, leaving a very obvious circle. For those of you who can actually wear concealer, let's talk about the different types. All should be used with a concealer brush (this one has relatively soft, very compact bristles and is flat), though both the stick and liquid concealer can be used with just fingers. I think all three types work relatively the same. Here, personal preference seems to be the only deciding factor when choosing a concealer. One tip I have for applying concealer is to cover an area slightly greater than the area you actually want covered. This is so that when you apply your foundation, it does not wipe the edge of your concealer away to reveal whatever you'd like concealed.

Now, on to the fun stuff. Foundation is really only a blank canvas for your face. Contouring and highlighting is the paint. Here are the best places to put your bronzer: temples, under cheekbones, sides of nose, and sides of chin on jawbone. Pinpointing your bronzer adds self-created shadow to your face. Shadow on your temples creates a more stream line look to your face (thinner). Shadow under your cheekbones creates more defined cheekbones. Shadow on the sides of your nose creates a thinner nose. Shadow on the sides of your chin on your jawbone create a more pronounced chin (think Reese Witherspoon, but a little less pronounced than that).

As far as highlighting goes, hit the middle of your forehead, nose, and chin. These are the spots where the most natural light would hit your face. This gives your face a natural glow. Personally I think highlighter should be a shimmery champagne color, but it's really up to the wearer. It can also replace blush and go on your cheekbones or the apple of your cheeks (the protruding part of your cheeks when you smile). You have to find which spot works best for your face.

One last tip for foundation. Put it on after your eye make up! While most women do this the other way around, saving your foundation for last allows you to correct some of the mistakes you made when applying your eye make up. Things like fall out on your cheekbones or a bit of mascara under your eye.

Aaaaand here's the end look! Well, sometimes...

Mascara - How to Use It

2012-07-21T01:12:00.001-05:00

How to get lashes just like this! Well, not really. There are about a million ways to apply mascara. Here are a few of my tips and tricks. (Disclaimer: I've found that in most mascara ads, the models have a heavy amount of black eye shadow or eye liner on. This creates the illusion of fuller lashes. So beware! Unless you do the same, it's virtually impossible to have lashes that thick.. without falsies.)

First of all, finding a mascara that works for you is key. More expensive doesn't always mean better. If a tube of mascara you bought at the dollar store works for you, role with it. Although, some people (including myself occasionally) like to use more than one mascara. When I do so, I'll generally use a separating mascara as my base coat and a thickening mascara as the main layer, or I'll use a drier mascara (aka older) for the base and a wetter (aka newer) mascara for the main layer. For the base coat, it's very important that you don't apply too much mascara and that there are absolutely no clumps - any clumps you do have will just get worse when applying the main coat. Also, make sure your base coat is dry when you put on the main layer. When layering mascara, I've found that three coats is usually the max, though everyone's lashes and mascaras are different. Find what works best for you!

The best tip I can give you for applying mascara is to shake your brush horizontally as you apply. This separates your lashes and leaves less clumps. Also, make sure there isn't too much excess mascara on your brush. This will lead to clumps. Just rub the extra off on the opening of the tube like you do with nail polish.

Another trick I use is to also coat the top of your lashes (but be careful not to bump your brush against your lid). For this trick, I'll put my mascara on the bottom of my lashes (I'm talking about the top row of lashes. This is how you usually apply mascara). Then, while this is still wet, I'll use the same technique on the top of my lashes (remember to wiggle your brush). Usually I'll finish up with another swipe or two of the bottom of my lashes to make sure they're still pointing in the right direction - up.

Don't be afraid to hit that bottom lash line! I know if you're not used to it it can look a little odd - even goth - at first. But don't worry! It looks more normal with wear and practice. A word of caution: make sure the mascara is heavier on your top lashes than on your bottom so that they don't look too symmetrical.

One trick I've tried (but don't necessarily love) is holding your brush parallel to your lashes and moving it along your lashes (it's like putting on mascara sideways). Only do this to about the end third or quarter of your lashes. The purpose of this technique is to thoroughly coat the tips of your lashes to give them more length. Generally for me, this just creates a clumpy look, so I'm not really a fan. I figured it might work for a few of you though.

If you really have a lot of time to devote to doing your mascara, trying brushing your lashes before applying. I've found this reduces lash clumping and creates a more fan like look for your lashes (use the tool that looks like a miniscule comb for this). I use this trick for very important events and when I want my eyes to look a bit more dramatic. For this look, you need the patience to both brush your lashes and (for the full effect) layer mascara on them. If you take the time to do both those things, you won't be disappointed.

Be sure to hit both the outer and inner corner of your eyes. If you don't hit them, you could shorten the look of your eyes, and no one wants that! Personally, I'm a fan of outer corner heavy lashes, so I make sure to hit that area hard. I find it very easy to miss some of those lashes, especially because the lower and upper lashes tend to mesh on the outer corners.

Last but not least, beware of fall out! For those of you that don't know, fall out is that extra eye shadow powder that falls onto your upper cheek bones and on the top of your lashes. Too much (or any at all really) fall out on your lashes leads to an almost creepy washed out look. It causes your eye lashes to blend too much with your lids. Fall out is very hard to get rid of on your lashes. Generally, I'll brush my eye lashes to help get rid of it. If that doesn't do the trick, I'll use the reverse side of a lash brush (the part that looks like a broom and is generally used for your eye brows) on the top of my lashes. I place it on the top of my lashes very near to the base (my eye lid) and just shake the brush back and forth (horizontally). If even this does not do the trick, put mascara on the top of your lashes (which I generally do with or without fall out).

Hopefully after all of this, you can all achieve eye lashes from the gods. Good luck!

The Best Manicure

2012-07-19T18:57:00.000-05:00

Giving yourself a salon-perfect manicure is probably easier than you think. Here's how I do it. First, make sure your hands are well moisturized. The best way to do this is by putting on about two or three times more lotion than you usually use. This allows you to easily remove your cuticles. Next (because you've just moisturized your hands), use nail polish remove on your nails (whether you have nail polish on them or not). If you can, use a remover without acetone in it. This is better for your nails. At this point, you should buff your nails. Don't go overboard though - you don't want your nails too thin! Now, shape and file your nails. Personally, I prefer the square, but there are many shapes to choose from (the square, the oval, the squoval, and rounded). Now it's time to paint! I suggest using a base coat first (because I have thin nails, I use a strengthener). After your base coat, do two coats of polish (be sure to let each layer dry completely). Finish the look off with a top coat (or strengthener) of your choice.

I think this is the best way to paint your nails. A few more tips: don't allow the polish to touch your cuticle. If you get polish on your skin, don't worry! Just scrap it off in your next hot shower - it's easy to remove. If you're not willing to wait until your next shower to get it off, or you let some of the polish touch your cuticle, use a small brush to remove it. Just it dip it in remover! For this, I use a remover with acetone in it because it's generally more effective.

Growing Your Hair Out

2012-07-19T01:21:00.001-05:00

I may possibly have the slowest growing hair of anyone I have ever met. It used to be very long in elementary school until I cut it to shoulder length in sixth grade. I've been trying to grow it back ever since. Up until about a year ago, I didn't have very much success. My hair is very fine and therefore susceptible to breakage. Here is what I did to grow it out (mind you, I'm not done yet):

1. DO NOT USE HEAT. Of course, I don't expect everyone to adhere to that. I'm lucky enough to have hair thin enough to dry quickly and pretty manageable. Just cut back as much as possible - it's the most contributing factor to breakage and thinning of the hair. And yes, blow drying counts too.

2. I switched all of my hair care products to nice, expensive brands. Yes, I know it sounds pretentious, but I think it made a real difference. Currently my regimen includes Aveda's Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair (a serum) and Damage Remedy Reconstructing Shampoo, Rusk's Conditioner (it's so old I can't read the rest of the label), and Moroccan Oil. After switching to these products, I definitely noticed a change in my hair. It felt softer, stronger, and thicker. Plus it appeared to have more bounce, but I think that can be attributed to its new found health. Here's a picture of the Moroccan Oil in case you haven't seen it.

All of it is expensive stuff, but I deem it well worth it if you're serious about growing and maintaining health hair.

3. Take biotin. It's a supplement that helps with the growth and health of hair, skin, and nails. Currently, I take 5000 mcg a day, but there are higher and lower doses to be taken. Warning: You should be either 17 or 18 years or older to take biotin (I can't remember which). This scared me at first. If this supplement is safe, why do I have to be a certain age to take it? Well, in all honesty I could never find the answer to that, but I did do a significant amount of research on it and found hardly any negatives to be said. Of course, you should do your own research before adding this to your daily diet.

4. Only brush your hair with a wide toothed comb. This helps cut down on breakage. Also, I only brush my hair from the tip to the root in order to avoid ripping out my hair. For some, I know this can be a large chore. For me, it's not so bad because I have such soft, fine hair. I've also heard that it's best not to brush your hair when it's soaking wet, but since mine generally isn't all that tangled, I don't adhere to that, but it may work for you!

5. Use dry shampoo! It has been a life saver for me. Because of my Italian heritage and fine hair, it tends to start producing a significant amount of grease about 18 hours after my last wash. This would cause me to wash my hair daily, which strips it of natural oils it needs to grow. The rule seems to be you should only wash your hair every two to three days to keep that from happening. I now use dry shampoo every other day in order to allow some of those oils to stick around with out that "I'm homeless" looking effect of grease. Use which ever dry shampoo you like. I think they all work relatively the same, but you can do some research to find which one works best for you. Warning: Dry shampoo cans tend to empty themselves. I'm not sure how or why it happens, but out of the four cans I have bought, it happened to two of them. You use it once, and the next day the can is completely empty. I checked online and it's a common problem. Don't say I didn't warn you. (One last thing about dry shampoos. When I told my friend about this, she said that it's bad for your hair because it takes away natural oils. I'm not entirely sure about the truth of this statement. From my understanding, dry shampoo uses baby powder like substances to soak up the grease, which I believe would still sit on your scalp. Plus, if it's dry shampoo or a wash, I'd say dry shampoo takes the cake in both time and scalp health.)

6. Don't sleep with your hair up. In fact, put your hair up as little as possible. It causes breakage (namely those tails you get at the nape of your neck when you put your hair in a pony tail).

7. Dye and bleach your hair as little as possible. I feel this one is pretty self explanatory.

8. Get regular hair cuts! What you're probably thinking is right - regular hair cuts don't aide in hair growth. What they do is make your hair healthier, therefore appear longer. Think about it. When your hair has a large amount of split ends, not only does it break, but it also has a tapered look at the ends (opposed to the blunt look of freshly cut hair). This causes your hair to look shorter than it actually is. Regular hair cuts will give your hair a longer look, as well as a healthier one. The general rule is one cut every 6-8 weeks, but I think it should be specific to you. The more split ends, the sooner the cut.

9. Just a few other tips I've heard but haven't tried. Supposedly, exercise aides in hair growth. I haven't researched this too much, but from what I've read this is what I've gathered. It has to do with the blood flow and something like hormones to your scalp. Don't quote me on that though. I've also read that daily scalp massages help hair growth. I think this works on a similar principle as the exercise, but again, don't quote me on that. Also, your diet influences your hair growth, though I'm not sure what exactly your diet should and shouldn't include. I do believe protein is beneficial.

Good luck on your hair endeavors!

Getting Started...

2012-07-18T20:45:00.000-05:00

Hello all. I'm just getting started with Google+ and Blogger.com and such, so things will probably start out a little rocky. Basically, I hope to post things pertaining to fashion - be it hair, make up, or whatever else. Bare with me!