I've always wanted to use dry shampoo, but for some reason I never get around to buying it. That's why, this summer, I was thrilled when I finally took the plunge and picked up a bottle of Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo during my back to school shopping.
After a late night, or a long day, when I don't have time for a shower, dry shampoo is the perfect solution, especially since my hair gets greasy quickly. It can keep my hair looking, and feeing, fresh. When I got to school I tried out the Dove dry shampoo, and I loved it. Finally, my dreams are coming true!
But then, disaster struck. I went to use it again yesterday, and the bottle was completely empty! Baffled, I figured one of my roommates had used it and I was a little P.O.'ed. But there was no way they would have used it without asking, that's just not the relationship we have.
So I did some searching, and it turns out, other users have had the same problem. After just one use of the Dove dry shampoo, the bottle was completely empty! There were no leaks; it's as if the contents of the bottle had vanished in thin air.
This is totally not okay with me and I'm definitely not trying this dry shampoo again. When it comes down to it, I wouldn't recommend buying this dry shampoo, I wouldn't want you to spend your money on one use! Hopefully I won't have the same problem with the next dry shampoo I try.
When BB Creams became all the rage at the beginning of the summer I was definitely intrigued. I'm not a girl that likes to wear a lot of caked-on make up; I like to keep it natural. So of course I headed out to the nearest store and picked myself up a bottle of Garnier's BB Cream.
So what is BB Cream?
Basically, BB cream is a multi-benefit product that is supposed to renew radiance, brighten complexion, even skin tone, hydrate and protect with SPF 15.
What I think:
Pros: The price is cheap. I found my bottle of Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream in Light/Medium at Ulta for $12.99. A little also goes a long way, you don't need a lot of this product for full coverage; it's going to last a long time. It definitely evens out my skin tone. While it doesn't replace a concealer I love it for when I am headed outside for the day whether it be shopping or laying on the beach. It's a light even coverage and it also smells like roses, quite pleasant!
Cons: It leaves my face feeling a little greasy when I first put it on which I don't like since I have an oily complexion. So I tend to top it off with some of my Bare Minerals Tinted Mineral Veil powder for a matte finish. Like I said, it definitely can not replace a concealer, the coverage is very light.
Before (left) & After: It may be hard to tell (I tried to capture the difference!) but my skin is much more even after using the BB cream and it really reduced the red spots.
The pros outweigh the cons in this case, and I definitely am a fan of this product, although I would like to try other brands to compare. I am also interested to see what this does for my skin in the winter when it tends to get dry.
My mother has always told me that what you do to your body now will show years later.
This is one of the instances where I want to ignore what she says and roll my eyes. However, the more and more I read like Glamour and Harper's Bazaar, I am learning that taking care of your body now is more important than ever.
Mom is right.
In an effort to keep my face healthy and glowing this summer I have begun following three simple rules.
1. Cleanse, tone and moisturize every day
According to an article by Glamour, not regularly cleansing your skin can cause a build-up of skin cells making your complexion look dull. Also, using products containing salicylic acid help remove debris.
After cleansing, using a facial toner helps shrink the appearance of pores.
After cleansing and toning, you finally want to moisturize. Even if you have an oily complexion, you still want to use a moisturizer to restore the natural oils that have been stripped from your face. In fact, not moisturizing can cause a greater build-up of oils.
My current favorite products:
Acne Free Kit - $18
I love that this kit comes with a cleanser, toner and lotion. It's super affordable and it keeps my skin clean!
Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk Lotion - $8
I follow up with this buttermilk lotion a lot more in the winter. It keeps my skin nice and moisturized without leaving it feeling oily.
2. Use natural make up that doesn't clog pores and keeps a natural look
The worst thing you can do is cake on make up that clogs your pores and causes you to break out more. Even though natural concealers, foundations, bronzers and blushes may cost more, the investment is worth it in the long run for your skin.
My current favorite product:
Bare Minerals Tinted Mineral Veil - $20 & Bisque 1B Concealer - $18
I have been using Bare Minerals for about five years now and I have never looked back. The powder sits really well on my face and leaves me looking natural. Plus the bisque is SPF 20 so I'm already protecting my face from the sun before I even put on sun screen.
This is a great YouTube video with 10 tips on choosing natural beauty products:
3. Use sunscreen!
Believe me, I am the queen of "wanting to get a great tan" and I often think that putting on sunscreen will only prevent me from being a bronzed goddess. But the truth of the matter is, using sunscreen will keep skin youthful and prevent cancer.
According to an article in Harper's Bazaar, doctors agree that keeping a youthful appearance starts with sunscreen. UV rays can cause brown spots on your skin making you look much older than you are and not using sunscreen can also increase your risk of skin cancer.
Specifically made for your face. I love that it doesn't leave my face feeling greasy and that it's water resistant so I don't have to constantly re-apply in the summer.
Taking care of your skin now will help maintain its youthful appearance later!
I admit it, I have an obsession with fashion. When I think of my money I think of it going to clothes, not beauty products. But lately I have started to fall in love with make up and nail polish.
I never used to like to paint my nails (I got annoyed when they would chip), but now I can't seem stop buying Essie nail colors. My nails are my own little canvases and I can do whatever I want, whenever I want!
My new found love for cosmetics isn't exactly the best news, however, because that means more money out of my pocket, and a lot of great beauty products are expensive. And they seem even more expensive if you're a college student like I am.
Surprisingly enough, the cosmetics and nail polish industry has not been hit by the recession like other businesses. In fact, it has remained above the recession which is good news for us beauty lovers because more and more new products are being made for us to try.
The recession may not have hit the cosmetics industry but it has hit me, so why has the nail polish industry thrived? Because of the low cost.
Despite our empty pockets we are still willing to shell out just a few dollars for a bottle of the latest color. According to a report released by PRWeb, the low price of nail polish has allowed us to treat ourselves while sticking to our budget and it has helped out other cosmetics, like lipstick, as well.
It's true, when I think of spending a few dollars on some nail polish instead of buying a $25 shirt I'm all for it because I know it's not going to break the bank.
So, with my new (inexpensive) nail polish in-hand, I decided to try two nail designs that are popular this spring.
A new hair trend that seems to be grabbing people's attention is the Dutch-style braided hair crown. After seeing the look on the always lovely Scarlett Johansson at 'The Avengers' London premiere , I though it would be good to try out the look.
However, I'm not crazy about the look of the braid going around the front of the head, to me it looks a little strange. So, thanks to the help of my lovely suite mate, we recreated the look keeping the front of the hair simple.
Check out how it turned out and how you can create it yourself:
After a long, cold winter (okay it wasn't that bad this year, but still) the ends of my hair are always left feeling dried out and damaged. I must admit that I don't take care of my hair like I should. I shove it into hats, let the wind blow it around and just brush it once a day.
So to make it up to my hair I decided to use my spring break to put some moisture (and love) back into my locks. Instead of searching for the right shampoo and conditioner or the right salon I decided to try an at home mask. Not a face mask, a hair mask.
A hair mask works much like a mask for your face in that it puts moisture into your hair and helps restore damage.
After much research and reading reviews, I decided to go for a banana avocado mask.
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- 1 medium banana
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp of honey
- 3 Tbsp of buttermilk
Quick Tip:If you don't have buttermilk you can make it by taking 3 Tbsp of regular milk and adding 1/2 Tbsp of white vinegar, then
let it sit for about 20 minutes - It's also much cheaper than buying buttermilk!
- 3 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
(I doubled the recipe since I have long hair but stuck to 1 tbsp of honey in fear of a sticky mess)
Tips: You should brush your hair first, I didn't think of that and my hair was pretty tangled after the shower. Also I ended up with quite a bit of the concoction left over, so for trying it the first time I would stick to the original recipe and then see if you need more.
The result: My hair felt soft and smooth in the morning. it's not a drastic difference but it feels really nice and my ends don't feel so dry and brittle. It also tasted like, and had the consistency of a smoothy, yummy! Who knew that an avocado banana hair mask could be so delicious? Not only did a get a kick-ass moisturizer for my hair, but I also found a new ingredient to add to my healthy smoothies in the summer.
Pros: Quick and simple recipe, worked like a conditioner
Cons: Didn't do as much to my hair as I expected. While it felt a little softer and shinier, it wasn't as much as I had hoped for.
I am not a girl that knows how to do a lot with my hair.
Sure, I can curl it and straighten it and put it in a
ponytail, but that’s the extent of my hair versatility.
I’ve tried French braiding but it always turns out so messy,
and it looks like a bird lives in my hair.
There is a happy ending to this story though.
Thanks to the technological age we live in I am starting to
find cute ways to do my hair that I can actually handle on YouTube and
Pinterest.
Here are a few quick, simple and beautiful ideas:
The Sock Bun:
I never knew putting my hair in a beautiful bun could be so
easy. You simply cut the end off of an old sock and roll it into a doughnut
shape. Then you take your hair (that is already in a ponytail) and roll it into
the bun.
If you dampen your hair beforehand and leave it in
overnight, it also comes out in beautiful curls, such a time saver!
This girl is extremely helpful:
Ponytail with a
Twist:
For this you just have to separate your hair into two
sections and knot them together like you’re tying your shoe. You do that twice
and tease your hair a little and you have a great look ponytail.
I found this thanks to The Beauty Department:
Braiding Made Simple:
I love the look of a dutch-braid, but like I said I can’t
French braid. I stumbled upon a great alternative. Simply braid a section of
hair behind your ear and then bring the braid over the top of your head. Then
pin the braid under your hair behind the opposite ear.
Voila, you have the same look as a Dutch braid but much more
simple.
Here is a great how to:
Chalk It:
The latest trend is using chalk to dye the tips of your hair. It may seem a little weird but it's an easy way to try something new without the commitment of dying it. If you have lighter hair you can just rub chalk on the ends. If you have darker hair, wet the hair first to make the chalk visible.
Once again, I love the Beauty Department, here are their tips:
These may not be the most elaborate hair creations but they
are a step towards you being able to do creative things with you hair!
With Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week well under way in NYC, a lot of fashion and beauty trends are emerging. One that caught my eye (literally) is vibrant colors on the lids of models. Backstage at Donna Karan, Phillip Lim and Narciso bright hues grazed the lids.
I love the look, but I'm not so sure I could go so bold. To re create the look, I would line my upper and lower inner lids with black liner then add a thick line of colored liner to the top lid. Or after lining the lids I would add a bright shade only to my lids, not all the way up to my brow line, for a more subtle look.
