Hair Up, Hair Down: Etiquette

Everyone posts about hair care, hair styling, and healthy hair - but I've never actually seen a post on hair etiquette. It's a little out-of-the-ordinary, but taming your hair and knowing when-to-wear-what is important, too! So, without further ado, here's a list of etiquettes you should always practice when it comes down to hair.

1. Unless you're attending a costume party or culture festival, you should never wear your hair up in an "afro". Afro-like hairstyles scream wild and unnecessary, especially for school or formal outings.

2. Wear it soft, 99% of the time. Soft hair is usually more delicate and looks not only healthier, but also prettier in the way that it's easier to style. It gives the impression that you spent time on your hair and you care.

3. Never leave your hair unattended. When your eating, clip it up. When you're parting, let it down. Everything changes with occasion, but just make sure to never leave your hair unattended.

4. Trim it. A lot. Super long hair (a couple inches above your waist) is hard to attend to and maintain. A good rule of thumb if to measure the inches down from your chest area - 0 to 12 inches longer is fine, while anything after that is a sign you need to go trim your hair
5. Wearing hair straight versus wearing hair curled. A good measure I like to use to determine if I should wear my hair straight or curled is how formal the event I'm attending is. If it's a large school gathering like homecoming or prom, then go for large, soft curls. If it's semi-formal like a big sporting event or concert, wear it wavy. And, if it's just a normal day at school, wear it straight.

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Credits

"Side Braid"
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Skywaver: A Hair Tutorial

I am so, so, so in love with Demi Lovato's song Skyscraper. It's emotional, raw, and most of all - beautiful. What more could a song ask for? But if there's one thing that I'm a teensy more in love with at this moment, it has to be Demi's hair. How pretty are her waves?!

Today's "Skywaver" hair tutorial is inspired by her hit song, Skyscraper. In the music video, Demi's sporting straight hair, but I thought that this hairstyle also exemplified the tone of the song amazingly. So without futher ado - Demi's hair tutorial!

You Will Need:

-5-10 Hair Elastics

-4 to 5 Large "Clamp Style" Clips

-2" Curling Wand

-Heat Protectant

-Wide Tooth Comb

-Detangling Spray

The Look:

1. On clean and slightly damp hair, divide your hair into 2 sections: top and bottom. The top layer should be slightly thicker than the bottom layer. Clamp the top section onto the top of your head using a large clip.

2. Divide the bottom section of your hair into 2 sections, left and right (half and half). Tightly, braid your hair into a classic braid and secure with an elastic on both sides.

3. Loosen the top section of your hair from the clip. Spray or apply heat protectant to your hair, then wrap approximately 1/4 of the top section of your hair around the curling wand (leaving about an inch of hair un-curled). Immediately let the hair drop, then after 2-3 seconds, scrunch it up and clamp it to your head. Continue on and repeat with the rest of the 3 sections.

4. Once you're finished, unbraid the bottom section of your hair and unclamp the top section. Turn your head upside-down, and spray all over with a detangling spray, making sure to get into the "inside" layers of your hair as well. Flip back up.

5. Use a wide comb brush to gently brush out tangles and to slightly reduce wave intensity.

6. To obtain a "breezy" look like Demi's, use a hair dryer or fan to blow your hair back!

You're done!

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Credits

"Skywavers"; Demi Lovato; Skyscraper

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Tossing It Out

I was cleaning out my medicine cabinet today when 21 bottles of lotion magically popped out from no where. Yes, I was surprised. The first thing that came to my mind: do these things expire?!

I am a complete expiration date worry wart. I'm always worried about germ-infections when I leave my eye shadows out on a dusty cabinet for too long, or when I (accidentally) leave my lipstick uncapped. Bad, bad times. So I did some research today and found out that yes, indeed there is an expiration date for beauty products.

Here's the lowdown: Usually, at the bottom of every product, there's a "PAO" symbol - that stands for "period after opening" - that looks a little like this:

Inside the "bottle", there's usually a number, followed by a letter. For example, on my Juicy Couture sampler perfume (which, if you follow me on Twitter, yes, it is the one that I spilled all over my hands) it says "32 m". This means that the perfume is good for 32 months after opening.

If the product doesn't have a PAO symbol on the bottom, here's the amount of time I recommend keeping it before tossing it:

Acne Treatments - 4 months to 1 year, depending on the quality.

Body Lotion - 2 (if it's contained in a pump container) to 3 years.

Shampoo, Conditioner, & Shower Gels - Roughly 3 years.

Sunscreen - Varies by brand and SPF; A good rule of thumb is starting from about 2 years for 15 SPF, then reducing 3-5 months for every level increase in SPF.

Mascara & Liquid Eyeliners - 4 to 5 months.

Eye Liners - 4 to 5 years.

Lipstick & Lip Gloss - 2 to 3 years.

Foundations & Primers - 1 to 2 years.

Perfume - 1 to 2 years; Keep your unused perfume tucked away in the back of your under sink cabinetry where it's dark and cool to increase it's lifespan.

Nail Polish - 1/2 year to 1 year, depending on quality.

Hair Styling Products - 4 to 5 years.

Some products can be extremely heart-breaking to toss, I know; but it does teach you the lesson of not buying more than you need or products that you're never going to use and only look at. Sometimes it is better just leaving the item on the store shelf, and coming back to buy it when you really need it.

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Credits

"Mac Eye Shadows"; "PAO"; Juicy Couture; Twitter

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"No-Makeup" Makeup Look

I know a lot of women in my life right now that are trying to get more comfortable in their no-makeup face. I decided to share a "no-makeup" makeup tutorial today for those people out there that are trying to become more secure going into public without makeup on; this is definitely the bridge in the process - everything takes time to get used to! Of course, this tutorial isn't a complete "no-makeup" tutorial, but it'll show you how to make use of the bare minimum of your makeup to create a comfortable look. Enjoy!

You Will Need:

-Makeup Remover or Face Cleansing Wipes

-Tan and Rosy Blush with a Powdering Brush

-Cherry Chap Stick and Clear Gloss

-Black and Clear Mascara

-Foundation

-Primer
-Any Color Blush (light)

The Look:

1. Thoroughly cleanse your face with makeup removing wipes so that no trace of makeup is left and you start with a blank slate.

2. Apply a thin layer of foundation to cover any blemishes or scars. Rub it in with your fingers, then smooth it out with a powdering brush.
3. For lips, apply a heavy layer of cherry chap stick. Rub it in with your lips, then apply a clear coat of gloss for a simple lip gloss effect.
4. Prime your eyes with any primer of your choice. Using a powdering brush, close your eyes and sweep in a tiny amount of blush onto your eyelids. The blush creates a lighter eye shadow effect and shows off your eyes when applied correctly. Make sure to keep the color light and only do 1-2 sweeps.
5. Apply mascara to the very inner part of your eyelashes and the very tip of your eyelashes - make sure not to go in the middle! Allow a couple seconds to set, then apply a thick coat of clear mascara for length.
6. Instead of eyeliner, use black mascara to slightly brush a layer of black onto your lower lashes. Be careful not to let it actually touch skin - I recommend putting a paper towel under your lashes to prevent mascara from smearing all over your face.
 7. Using a powdering brush, lightly skim through your cheeks and contour them with a mix of rosy blush topped with a light tan.
8. Look back and fix any blemishes or slip-ups that occurred during the process! You're done!

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Credits

"Makeup Setup"
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Nail Polish Tag

I was tagged by Natasha from Clouds and Cuticle Oil to do the Nail Polish Tag! Feel free to post a comment with your personal answers and link your own blog URL below.

1) What's your favorite nail polish brand?
I really like Butter London and MAC polishes, but as far as generic brands go, I LOVE Essie, OPI, and (when my wallet is a little more hungry) Pure Ice.

2) Glitter or no glitter?
I don't really like the look of chunky hand-applied glitter, but glitter nail polish is fine.

3) OPI, China Glaze, or Essie?
I've only tried China Glaze once or twice, so I can't judge it; but between Essie and OPI, Essie all the way. (And not only because of it's name!)

4) When or how often do you change your nail polish?
I've got into the good habit of just removing the polish completely after it starts chipping and wearing my natural nails for a couple of days before re-painting them. You can view my Nail Care 101 post here.

5) What's your favorite nail color?
Oooh, toughie! It really depends on the season and my mood. Some of my favorites include "Pink Ribbon" and "Trout Pout" by Butter London; "A Crewed Interest", "Starter Wife" and "My Way" by Essie; and the "Pink and Silver Lace" manicure by OPI.

6) Darks or brights?
Usually brighter; I really like pastel colors!

7) What are wearing on your nails right now?
Deborah Lippman "Daytripper".

8) Matte nails: In or Out?
I feel like some shades (lighter, pastel ones) are prettier in matte than others (darks and blues). Personally, I think that some people can definitely rock the matte nails. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people!

9) French manicures?
Yes! LOVE French manicures.

10) Favorite summer colors?
I feel that every color (besides black, deep blues and turquoise, and dark purples and violets) are appropriate for summer! Especially love oranges and yellows during the summertime.

I tag YOU!

Rosy In Blue: A Nail Tutorial

A lot of people asked me about painting roses on my nails when I shared my previous nail care and design posts. I thought I'd address this topic today because it seems like a lot of people think it's extremely difficult to paint your own roses manicure, but in contrary, it's really not! I put together this beginners post for anyone who's been curious about my floral nails and is looking to create the manicure themselves. Enjoy!

You will need various nail polish colors, an object with a little 3-D rose, a toothpick, and a bobby pin.

1) Paint on a base coat, then your base color. As I always tell my readers, the Mac Lacquer Under Base is my all-time favorite lacquer base coat! Allow to dry.

2) Using the 3-D rose (you can find one on the knicks and knacks section of Anthropologie, or for a cheaper solution, go on a scavenger hunt at the dollar store; it's actually where I found mine in the picture above!) paint a thin layer of nail polish on half the rose in the color you desire the flowers to be. Carefully and gently press down the rose on a 45 degree angle onto your nails for 10 seconds, then remove. Paint on a layer of nail polish on the other half of the rose, and press down directly adjacent to the pattern you just imprinted.

3) Allow roses to dry, then using the circular tip of the bobby pin, paint dots on the under-layer of the rose to create buds.

4) Use a toothpick at a 30 degree angle to paint on leaves and stems.

5) Once all is completely dry, paint on a clear UV top coat. (I use the one by Sally Hansen!)

You're done! Keep in mind: practice, practice, practice! Practice always makes perfect, and this is no different. Upon first try, the roses looked extremely messy and I never got one half of the rose to match up with the other. It took me about 3-4 tries to get it perfect! So, keep practicing and never give up on something you look to. Hope this little tutorial helped!

Ponytail: Do's and Don'ts

It's not a surprise that the world's taking on this year's ponytail trend with extreme demand; after all, it's the easiest, simplest, and most chic hairstyle around. Simple do's come with risks, though, too; style mistakes, fashion misfits, and most of all, outfit mismatches. Here are a couple do's and don'ts for ponytail wearing...

-Do wear ponytails with short sleeved shirts, V-necks, crop tops, and middle cropped tees.
-Don't wear ponytails with long sleeved shirts, cuffed shirts, tank tops (unless you're sporting a "sporty" look), and formal blouses.
-Do create a messy look (like the one in the picture above) and pull out a few strands when styling.
-Don't go for a completely perfect ponytail. If it's for a formal event and the messy pony doesn't fit the occasion, then that's a hint that you shouldn't be wearing one.
-Do leave out a couple strands from your bangs.
-Don't leave out a whole section of your bangs.
-Do wear your ponytail with straight hair.
-Don't opt for a ponytail with curly or wavy hair.
-Do leave your hair in natural condition and only with a hair brush when styling.
-Don't use hairspray, moose, or use minimal styling products.
-Do tease your hair and brush it into a ponytail with a wide tooth comb or rats tail brush.
-Don't tease your hair and brush it into a ponytail with a curled brush. (This can cause damage to the individual ponytail!

5 Tips: Painting Nail Designs

Painting nail designs and embellishing little details has always been a toughie for me, especially on my left hand. Here are 5 tips I discovered that helped me a little...

1. Use the plastic, circular tip of a bobby pin to paint dots or little details. Toothpicks never worked for me, and cotton swabs were just a little too cotton-y. The tip of a bobby pin was kind  of the 2 in 1, best of both worlds deal.
2. Base coat does wonders. As stated in my previous Nail Care 101 post, my favorite base coat - ever - is the MAC Under Lacquer Base. When painting a pastel nail color, be sure to apply a base coat for the color to show through to it's max.
3. Add a layer of white nail polish, especially when painting neon colors. There's no need to apply two coats of the same color when you can easily pull the same shade off with a thin layer of white!
4. Don't go anywhere near a cotton ball. Cotton balls have always been the big, bad wolf whenever I painted my nails! Somehow, I would always touch one while my nails were still wet and they would COMPLETELY destroy my design - a total downer.
5. Tape works. If you're thinking of color blocking your nails, tape is the best way to go. Stick on when your first coat is dry, paint on your second color, and peel off when the second coat is completely dry. Also, make sure the tape is 100% secure! There's nothing worse than lifting off the tape and finding that your stripes are more zig-zagged than straight.

Nail Care 101

This isn't a topic I hear about often anymore, so I decided to address it in this blog post today: Nail Care! It's actually really, really important to keep your nails in tip top shape, even when you can't see them behind a manicure. Believe it or not, your nails can show signs of aging and an unhealthy diet way before your skin does. And anyways, who wants a ruined nail underneath a nice manicure?! Here are 5 tips to help your nails stay healthy and fresh...

1. Don't overdose on the polish. We've all been guilty on this - applying, removing, and reapplying nail polish x10 because it doesn't look right, painting nails without a base coat, or giving ourselves a manicure more than 3 times a month. The number one rule of healthy nails is always not to overdose on the polish. Too much nail polish can cause staining which leads to yellowing of the nails and also sensitive nails; neither is better than the other. To avoid this, limit your manicures to 2-3 times a month and apply a base coat to your nails every time you paint them. My personal favorite is the MAC Under Lacquer Base; it's more expensive than other drug store base coats, but definitely worth the investment.

2. Nail polish remover alert! Drugstore polish remover is absolutely fine, but next time you take a trip to CVS seeking a nail polish remover, ditch the dollar deals and opt for the more expensive - I use the Sally Hansen Polish Remover. Hey, it's only a dollar more.

3. Don't bite your nails. I know how hard it is to break this habit. Trust me, I was once a nail-biter myself. For me, it wasn't an effect of nervousness or unsettlement - I would find myself biting my nails at the oddest times, like when I'm updating Twitter. It took me an official 7 months to break (I still remember the day I realized I don't bite my nails anymore!) but it was well worth it. There are lots of ways out there, but the one that worked for me was the reward system. Everytime I didn't bite my nails for a week, I would go out to Pinkberry. For a month, I would go to the salon and get a fresh manicure. Just a little warning; make sure that the process doesn't accidentally empty out your wallet. (;

4. Take showers. Lots of them. And apply lotion directly after you get out of the shower, onto your nails (while they're still slightly damp). I have no idea why this works, and am too lazy to go research it, but it works. My nails always feel refreshed and renewed after an hour or two (these are times when my nails are bare and natural). I like to use Aveeno, although it doesn't really matter - just avoid strong-scented lotion. Oh, and one more thing: make sure you don't apply nail polish within 24 hours of your shower-lotion-healthy nails campaign. The feel-good refreshment disappears like poof, I warn you.

5. Grow them long, clip them short. Okay, so you obviously don't want uber long nails, but you also don't want super short, stubby nails, either. Grow out your nails (this will take a long time if you currently have stubby nails, but be patient - it's worth the wait!) and once they're pretty medium-long, clip them short again. Use your own preference for the length, but I recommend clipping them so you can still see a strip of grown nail. The picture at the very top of this post shows a super gorgeous floral manicure - pretty nails don't necessarily have to be long!