Inspired :: Festival Flower Crowns

Lollapalooza is in two weekends, and I can't wait.  I've been dying to try this season's new trend, the floral crown, and Lolla is the perfect place to rock the flower crown.  Stay tuned for the DIY version next week, in the meantime here's the inspiration for next weekend's festival head gear.

 

 

{Photos Via: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6}





My Beauty Must Haves

I've recently updated my beauty must haves, and I'm so in love with some of these products that I had to share.  They're a good mix between drugstore finds and more pricier (but so worth it) items.

Face Enhancers:

{1} I love L'Oreal's Infallible Super Slim eyeliner.  It creates the perfect line every time, and I love that the line created isn't fat and too distracting.  It' never skips or smudges, so in one quick move you're eyeliner is set and you're out the door.

{2} I recently discovered MAC's shaping powder (in soft focus).  It is the perfect highlighting powder for my tan skin.  I use it every time I wear my glasses, because it creates a soft glow and doesn't allow my glasses to overshadow my eyes.  Plus it helps give create the illusion that I got 9 hours of sleep the night before.

{3} It's no wonder that Nars Blush in Orgasm is a cult classic.  I love that it's buildable and gives my tan skin that perfect pinkish glow.

Haircare Trifecta:

{4} My stylist used Trilliant by Sebastian on my hair when I chopped it all of, and I love how soft and shinny it made my hair, even days later.  Added bonus, it's really a heat protectant and it smells amazing. 

{5} Klorane's dry shampoo was recommended to me by a friend who can go 5 days without having to wash her hair.  My locks would be greasy and limp after day 3.  This dry shampoo absorbs oil, and doesn't have an offensive odor.  Plus is free of sulfates and parabens, so it's safe for color treated hair. 
{6} My hair loves humidity, me not so much.  To keep the fro in check I use Garnier's anti-humidity hairspray.

Skin Savers:

{7} I am so in love with Cerave SA renewing cream.  My skin is so moisturized and supple without being greasy.  I love that it has ceramides, salicylic acid, and antioxidant vitamin D, all of which have given me such incredibly healthy skin.

{8} Neutrogena's body oil is a classic that keeps my skin so moisturized even in the harsh winters.  I love that it's fast absorbing, and gives my legs that perfect glow.

{9} My latest obsession: Purlisse pur-delicate gentle soy milk cleanser.  This milk cleanser is tough enough to completely remove my mascara, but so gentle.  It's sulfate free, so it wont strip my skin, and the nourishing ingredients leave my skin so soft.  

There you have it, my latest and favorite beauty items.  Are you a fan of any of these too?  Or is there something else you love that I need to try? 

Style :: The Cut



It's done, the big haircut.  Although I am missing my long hair, I'm glad I was able to do some good with it by donating it to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths.  A huge thank you to my amazing stylist Nino, who spent an insane amount of time making sure the cut and color were perfect, seriously I was in the chair for 4 hours.  Here's the before and after:

And here's the finished product post cut, style, and color: 

A look back at the style and color inspiration: making the cut

Style :: Making the cut

It's getting to be that time again, time to chop my hair and donate it.  Maybe it's because spring is finally here and I'm so ready for a change, but my long hair isn't doing anything for me anymore.  The last time I donated my hair was right after the Mister and I got married, and although I'm not looking to go that short, I am looking to shed several inches.  My sister was the one that actually started donating her hair in high school and it inspired me to do the same, this will be the 4th time I've donated my hair.  Up until now I've always donated my hair to Locks for Love, but this time I'm going the route of Pantene Beautiful Lengths, as I'm not looking to loose that many inches.  The cut I am looking for is something a little longer than shoulder length, with movement in the form of layers.  And as far as color goes, I absolutely want to add some depth with warm chocolate and honey balayage.  I am so looking forward to something fun for the summer.  Here are the styles (and color) hoping to make the cut...

Co-Washing

It's official I am a co-washing convert!


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 You're probably asking yourself what the heck co-washing is.  Co-washing, or conditioner washing, is exactly what you think it is, using conditioner instead of shampoo to wash your hair.  To be fair, you should know that I have long, thick, and curly/wavy hair, which gets dry and frizzy in the winter.  If I had my sister's fine and straight hair, that gets oily easily, I'm not so sure that co-washing would work as well on her hair type.  My interest in co-washing started when I heard about WEN by Chaz Dean.  After some researching, I've heard great things about this product for my hair type, I wanted to give it a try.  The only downside, their bottles cost $30 and you need somewhere around 16-24 pumps per wash.  At that rate I'd need a new bottle every month, and I'm sure the Mister wouldn't be thrilled with me spending $360 a year on a cleansing conditioner.  But the idea of using a conditioner to wash my hair, piqued my interest and after looking into co-washing further, I decided to give it a try.  Why co-washing is great for my hair-type: it wont strip hair of moisture, there are no harsh sulfates, it wont fade color, and it delivers the perfect amount of hydration.  So yesterday was my first day of co-washing, I decide to use Suave's Professional Conditioner in Rosemary Mint, it's budget friendly, smells fantastic, and I'm using it to wash my hair not condition it.  Another great drugstore alternative is L'Oreal's Evercream Cleansing Conditioner. So I hopped into the shower lathered up with the conditioner, rinsed everything out, used my regular conditioner at the ends and blow dried as usual.  The result: my hair was so soft, shiny/frizz free, and smelled great.  However, the real test for me was to see if my hair would get oily looking at the scalp.  It's day 2 and my hair is still soft, shiny, with no oil in sight.  I usually wash my hair every 3 days, trust me my hair is that dry in the winter, and I think that I'll be able to do the same with co-washing.  I also don't think I'll stop using shampoo all together, but rather use my sulfate-free shampoo once a week.  I'm officially hooked to co-washing.

Wedding Trends: Bridal Headpieces

Bridal forehead jewelry, sometimes called browbands, are a great way to accessorize your wedding dress.  With celebrity brides like Alicia Keys, Kim Kardashian, and Camila Alves perfecting the trendy forehead jewelry style.  We love it because it works with multiple wedding styles, from retro to boho.  And it's a way to add some extra bling and sparkle to your overall look.  Our top picks are simple, elegant pieces that bring a touch of romance to your look.  And although, these celebs wore their hair pulled back, we thing loose flowy locks are uber romantic with a forehead piece.

{Alicia, Kim, Camila}



{Photos via: Top Row: 1|2|3; Second Row: 4|5|6}

Wedding Trends: Top Knot

Loving the top knot on brides this season. It's so refreshing and yet timeless at the same time, and it really makes your face pop.  Why we love top knots:  they're simple, elegant, but so trendy right now.  They work great on any face shape and are perfect with bangs!  Dress it up with a headpiece, hair jewelry, or a gorgeous veil.

Here's our new favorite wedding hair trend on some famous faces:


 {Photos via: Top Row: Top Knot; Second Row: Hilliary, Nicole, & Molly; Third Row: Jamie, Katie for ROH, Bride no.1; Fourth Row: Kate B, Kate H, and Bride no.2}

Monday, Monday: May Birchbox

Hope you lovelies had a great weekend.  I finally finished 50 Shades of Grey, it was interesting to say the least and spent a weekend running errands and lounging.  Included in my errands, was finally getting around to opening up my May Birchbox, and I was pleasantly surprised with the Gossip Girl Sunday Brunch theme. 

The Goodies:
Arquiste - Flor y Canto : A fresh blend of sweet blossoms, this white floral scent takes inspiration from an Aztec festival circa 1400.
Caudaile - Hand and Nail Cream: Nothing sets off a glossy new mani like super-soft skin, and this French brand's antioxidant cream definitely delivers.
FusionBeauty- LipFusion Balm: This moisturizing balm has a gentle plumping formula and goes on super smooth.
Ojon - Damage Reverse Restorative Conditioner: Repair stressed strands with this aromatic hair treatment - exotic ojon and monoi oils work together to smooth and hydrate hair.

Monday, Monday: Ombre hair

Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend, we had an amazing time at a fabulous wedding this weekend.  Congrats to Nimi and Ravin on their beautiful wedding!  

I've been toying around with the idea of ombre hair for awhile now, and I'm finally taking the plunge tonight.  I donate my hair to Locks for Love every couple years, and they wont accept bleached hair.  As my hair is jet black, lightening it often involves bleach, but I think I lucked out and will be able to lift my hair color a couple shades to achieve the ombre look.  I'm not looking for a drastic ombre look, but a more subtle, soft look. 

My hair currently:

The inspiration:



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Wedding Trend: Braided Updo

The bridal hairstyle du jor this year has to be braids.  Whether it's a braided up do, a fishtail braid, or subtle braids in your hair, braids are becoming more popular for both brides and the bridal party.  We love the fact that braids are so versatile and can add glamour, elegance, softness, drama, or romance to your hairstyle.  With so many different ways to incorporate braids, there's one that is the perfect compliment to your perfect dress.

Don't forget to enter our blog-aversary giveaway!!

{Photo Credits: Top Row: Fishtail Braid, Low Bun Updo, Braid Ring Updo; Second Row: Messy Crown Braid; Side Braid with Hair Accessory; Side Braid} 

Crushing: Headbands

Let's admit it, Charlieze Theron looked fabulous on the red carpet at this year's Golden Globes.  Everything from her amazing body, to that stunning pink Dior gown was perfection.  However, the one thing I was completely in love with was that sparkle headband.  Some lovely sparkle headbands to help you achieve the same look.  Pair it with a LBD, or jeans it's the perfect pop of sparkle to add to any outfit. On a side note, I can't wait to watch her movie Young Adult.



{Top Row: Charlize at the Golden Globes; Second Row:  BLHDN Leaflet Headband, Etsy Rhinestone Headband; Third Row:  Tasha Crystal Tiara Head Wrap, Etsy Rhinestone Bridal Headband} 



Tousled Hair How To

Everyone loves post coital hair, it's sexy, voluminous, and very Victoria Secret bombshell-ish.  Here are some fun DIY tousled hair styles for that perfect I just rolled out of bed look, from natural body to undone updo. 

{photo via This is Glamorous}

Easy Updo

Loving this easy and fun summer updo.  Perfect for an outdoor movie or a causal party.

1. Gather your hair into a high ponytail and secure it with an elastic. You want the band to be pretty tight (otherwise the sides of the ponytail will droop after you do step three).

2. Next, slide your rubber band down a little so it's no longer tight against your scalp.

3. Create a little "hole" in the loosened part of your hair (between your scalp and the rubber band).

4. Pull your ponytail through the hole you just created.  Note: Be sure to pull the ponytail UP through the hole (instead of DOWN through the hole, like the topsy-tail we used to do in the 90s.

5. Pull the ponytail all the way through so it hangs over the top of the rubber band. You may have to fan out the ponytail a little to create an even shape.

6. Next, loop the end of the ponytail under, towards the rubber band. If your hair is super long, you may have to wrap the ends of the ponytail around your hand a few times before you tuck it under.

7. Pin the ends that you just tucked using a few bobby pins. Make sure it's pinned very securely. Then keep pinning the sides and bottom of the bun until it feels secure. Finish with hairspray.

{photos via Cup of Jo}

Hair Exhaustion?

.. not sure what to do with your hair today, want it out of your face, meet Hair Romance.   Hair Romance explores a love of hair from tutorials, to off the runway looks, to new hair obsessions.  I'm currently obsessed with her 30 Days of Twist & Pin - a month of fabulous hairstyles.

{photos via Hair Romance}

Monday, Monday

Hair rescue for those bad hair days, brought to you by The Beauty Department.

1. Apply a light holding styling mousse all over from roots to ends for texture and separation. Hair can be damp or dry. (If it’s dry, be sure it’s a light holding mousse or you could end up with a strong holding mess.)

2. Separate the hair over your shoulder into two pieces. The piece from the back should come forward and down (see photo).

3,4. Using your girl scout skills, tie hair into a simple knot.

5. Secure the two ends together using a clear elastic. Once it’s in there, slide it up underneath the knot to conceal it.

6. I like to throw a bobby pin in there for extra security.

7. Back comb the ponytail a little for texture and then comb through it with your fingers to settle it.

Messy Hair to the Rescue

Getting sick of the ponny tail?  I love this messy side swept ponny from Cup of Jo.

The Step-By-Step: 

1. Start with day-old hair…meaning it’s been a day since you’ve washed it. (If you must wash your hair, then use a volumizing spray to add oomf; and if your hair is oily, use a French dry shampoo to build body and texture.) Now make a deep side part on one side of your hair. You can use a rat-tail comb to get an extra straight part.

2. Backcomb the top quarter of your hair. Basically, brush the hair downwards toward your scalp so it’s sort of frizzy and can stand on its own.

3. Gently brush the very top layer of your hair to make it smooth on the top. That way, all the backcombing will be hidden under the layer that you brushed. Still, don’t brush too much, you want it a little messy.

4. Take the entire backcombed section and pin it behind your head. To make it secure, place the bobby pins in an “X.”

5. Now take all your hair and put it in a low ponytail at the nape of your neck. Tighten the rubber band as tight as you can. This will help “push” your hair up, creating more volume at the top.

5. You can either leave the rubber band exposed, or hide it by taking a small half-inch section of hair from the ponytail and wrapping it around the rubber band. Take a small bobby pin and pin the hair to the rubber band.

6. Rough up the ponytail with your fingers to match the texture at the top of your hair. Use the same motion as you did to back comb, but use your fingers instead, since this will create a messy texture but will be softer and gentler than using a comb. Remember, this look isn’t about perfection; it looks best slightly messy.



{photos via From Me To You}



Currently Coveting

Big, bold hair, plus a headband.



{photo via The Style Files}