The Trendiest Hat Styles for Summer 2014

You probably already know that having fabulous hair sometimes comes at the cost of covering it up completely,and it isn't only when you're having a bad hair day. With the summer heat well upon us, it is extremely important to protect your skin and hair from the sun. This includes your scalp. What is the trendiest way to do just that, you ask? With hats, of course but not just any hats. You need to have trendy, chic and totally stylish hats that are on point with the trends of 2014 to ensure that it makes your hair look fabulous instead of sending the appearance that you're hiding it.

Bowler Hats
Think of a winter toque and turn it into summer. Instead of knits, your summer hat will be made of summer materials such as straw and other lighter materials, and this style is often accentuated with a chic brim. It is somewhat similar to a big floppy hat, less the floppy brim or like a top hat sans the tallness.

Vintage Straw
Whether you are climbing on a boat to set sail into the sunset, or simply heading to a beachside cafe or spending the evening frolicking in the sand, the vintage straw hat is a total must! The boater appearance of the vintage straw hat will accentuate your nautical fashion fever.

World Traveler
We can thank Pharrell for this one. He has been showing off big World Traveler 'Yogi Bear' hats on every red carpet possible. Thus, his hat choice has taken off in popularity. While it is a completely different kind of style, the World Traveler hat is innovative and pushes the limits within the fashion industry which is always fun to enjoy.

Country Chic 
Yee haw, ladies. Country Chic hats can be anything from the classic cow girl hats every lady loves to rock on the beach in a cute little bikini, or it can be a a straw hat enthused with modern styles and elements. Play around with the different colors to find a hat that is ideal for your wardrobe and your personality.

Ball Cap
As long as your ball cap isn't rough and rugged, then it is a look you can certainly pull off in the summer. It is also a look that many of the boys love because it shows that you are a pretty girl who can always play in the dirt! Ball caps are super chic and laid back, and are practical!

Cloche Hat
It may make you think that you look like a private detective or a character from The Great Gatsby but the flapper Cloche hats are making a statement in today's modern world. Play up the stripes to pull off the appearance of this old school classic.

Wearing hats doesn't mean that you're relaxing your personal style and beauty regime. You're just protecting your scalp and hair to ensure that many fabulous hair days are in your near future.

Photo Credit: http://bitsfashion.blogspot.ca/2013/06/hats-for-summer-2014.html

Thank You Japonesque For My Dewy Skin

A healthy, dewy complexion will always trump matte perfection for me any day!

When it comes to great skin, I love to show it off! That's why I always invest in premium skin care. Premium skin care = high quality ingredients that only improves your skin! So the question is....why hide it?

I've been searching high and low for a really good foundation that only enhances my natural glow: enter Japonesque. Their slogan: Create Beauty. All right, I'm intrigued. I found Japonesque at my local Ulta and was curious what this brand was. As a lover of the Japanese culture, I was curious (I didn't even know if Japonesque was even Japanese but the similarity in words piqued my curiosity lol!!!)

Who they are For almost a quarter of a century, Japonesque products have been creating beauty inspired by the professional makeup tools used in Kabuki theater in Japan. Created by experts with over 25 years of industry excellence, Japonesque Color cosmetics is runway beauty for the world's most discerning make-up enthusiasts. Artistry inspired cosmetics reveal the insider secrets of world renowned make-up artists and celebrated beauty professionals. The collection combines high-impact fashion color with pro performance, flawlessly refined complexion formulations. The unprecedented color and long wear textures are housed in one-of-akind luxurious packaging. Discover flawless. Create Beauty.

What I bought Luminous Foundation. This foundation is a liquid foundation. The awesomeness of this product is the light and airy formulation combined with coverage! They've done it! The coverage without the heaviness! And it gives me a glowy look!!! ::sigh:: I also purchased the Velvet Touch Finishing Powder. This is a microfine setting powder that gives a luminous soft matte finish. Although I want to be glowy, I don't want to be too shiny. So I buff this on my T-zone to help offset my natural oily shine :) The finishing powder comes in a single shade that provides a universal translucent tone that is suitable for all skin colors. 

What I want to buy Power Curler My eyelashes stick straight out! I've yet to find a curler that helps keep them nice and curled but the goods things I hear about this eyelash curler is only good! The details: "Don't be fooled by its classic styling. Take a closer look and you'll see an innovative, articulated pivot that always moves in a straight line. This unique movement applies consistent pressure at exactly the right place for a knock-out, natural curl." Heaven....

I'll be going out on the town this weekend. I'll let you know how this stays during fun nights :)

2 Years of Dreadlocked Hair from Sun In

It's the summer months and you want your hair to be lighter. We've all been there. In fact, when I recently traveled to the sunny and sandy shores of the south, my desire for lighter blonde locks was going wild. While I have always enjoyed dabbling into the lemon juice for a natural way to lightening my hair, I went absolutely nuts with the fake stuff. Not only was this bad because a) I was using chemicals but also because b) I spreading Sun In into my locks like wild fire. It was a combination for disaster and while I have always heard about how bad Sun In was for your hair, I didn't worry about it.

Photo Credit: The Luxe Maven

Why a year later, I will never touch Sun In again, and why I am preaching to all of the ladies to avoid it like the plague.

At First, my hair was great. It was nice and blonde, and looked naturally that light. It didn't look like I had dyed it nor did it look like I bleached it, which is technically what I did since Sun In contains bleach products. My hair looked fabulous, felt great and I was still wondering why there was such a negative association with this product.

5 Weeks In, my hair still looked incredible, but I noticed that it was so dry, and I mean, unbearably dry - unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I thought that it may have been due to the chlorine water of the pool or the salt water of the ocean, so I opted to keep my hair out of the water as much as I could. However, my hair was drastically getting worse.

For More Than a Year After my hair was disgusting. It was like my locks naturally turned into dreadlocks at the bottom. I can only describe it as feeling like I forgot to wash the shampoo out of my hair. In fact, this is what I thought for the longest time but after paying specific attention to rinsing, the problem still persisted. I thought that maybe my brush was bad, so I went out and purchased a brand new brush. No dice - my hair was still bulking and clumping in knotted messes no matter what I did. So, I purchased some really expensive oils and to no avail.

Then I Spoke To My Hair Stylist, which I really should have done long before I had. After more than a year of my hair just being a disgusting mess which was growing up each strand, I knew it had to be done. I had to start chopping off my hair. Now, there was about 7 inches of hair at the bottom that was the worst. I knew that as long as I could get some inches gone right now, I could slowly do some trims until my hair was all better.

2 Years Later, since my Sun In experience (I only used half a bottle!!) and I am still trimming the dead, clumped mess out of my hair. Now I know why there is such a negative reputation on this product.

Introducing Nude Skincare

With the changing of the season to warmer, summer days, I found that my skin was oiling up like crazy and I was breaking out terribly! Not good since the wedding is less than a month away.

current skin care regiment:

• facial cleanser: Shiseido IBUKI gentle cleanser

• toner: Shiseido Eudermine revitalizing essence

• Retin-A: doctor prescribed

• moisturizer: Shiseido IBUKI refining moisturizer enriched

Note: Retin-A causes mild acne breakouts. While I was experiencing this, the acne I was beginning to have was far worse than my typical break outs from the Retin-A. Retin-A is a type of cream that uses Vitamin A to help skin renew itself and treat acne. Need some acne help? Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription.

Shiseido is a great company that produces quality products, however I felt that while Shiseido in general kept my skin clear, it didn't do anything to enhance it. We are of course always looking for that product that makes our skin glow and look healthy.

So I went to my local Sephora to see an alternative to my skin care regiment. Walk in sales associate and the introduction of 

NUDE Skincare

who they are: the brainchild of a natural food entrepreneur and a fashion-conscious global activist, NUDE Skincare believes that nutrition is as essential for the skin as it is for the body. The precisely balanced diet of omegas, minerals, probiotics, and antioxidants in NUDE Skincare nourishes your complexion with the active, healthy ingredients that your body naturally craves. The result? Fresh, luminous skin.

what I got: NUDE is definitely a premium product and can be pricey. Rather than diving head first into this investment, I purchased their Essential Skin Radiance Kit which includes a full size Perfect Cleansing Oil Face & Eyes and a good sample of their ProGenius Treatment Oil and Cellular Renewal Moisturizer. 

why it's "good": Packed with omega 3 and 6, the cleansing oil deeply cleans and eliminates impurities and even the toughest waterproof makeup, without stripping the skin. The ProGenius Treatment Oil contains 100% pure, active plant oils, and is rich in omega 3, 6, 7, and 9, delivering a deep and long-lasting skin cell nourishment for instant radiance. The Cellular Renewal Moisturizer helps repair cellular damage and supports natural cellular renewal while deeply nourishing the skin.

"research" results: In a self evaluation conducted by NUDE on 30 women, ages 20-69 using NUDE for 28 consecutive days, they saw 100% hydrated skin and 90% saw soft and comfortable skin. they also saw an increase in skin luminosity and nourishment, smoother skin with better elasticity, and skin that was better protected.

my results: I have been using the kit for a week. While a week is definitely not enough time to see dramatic results, I have seen some results I am very happy with. My skin manages oil a whole lot better! Who would have thought that applying the ProGenius Treatment Oil (oil on top of oil) would help remedy it? I'm less shiny and my skin is more balanced throughout the day. Additionally, my acne started receding (but again, this can be due to the Retin-A). The drying that the Retin-A was causing has been remedied and the acne scars I have are healing at a better rate than before. 

verdict: I'm pretty happy with this set. I will update you once its been a month. But for $52 for this kit, its definitely something worth trying.

How To Take Care of Your Hair in Chlorine Water

With the summer months quickly approaching (finally), you'll probably find yourself in a pool at some point in hopes of trying to cool off from the summer heat. However, you may not know that taking a dip in your backyard pool or at a pubic recreational center can not only cause damage to your skin but also to your hair as well. Have you ever heard of the theory that blonde hair can turn green from the chlorine in pools? Well, it's the truth - speaking from experience. Here are some ways to protect your hair in chlorine pools this summer, so that you never have to worry about a hair faux pas.

Wet it First
Think of your hair similar to a sponge - when you put a dry sponge in water, it soaks it all up, but when you put an already wet sponge in water, it only retains some of it. The same theory can be applied to your hair. Jumping in a pool with your hair completely dry will make your hair absorb more of that chemical-filled water. So, take the time to soak your hair prior to taking a dip to ensure that you are receiving the least amount of chlorine possible.

Braid It
I am not 100% sure why this works, but it is recommended by a lot of salons, hair stylists, bloggers and friends. Braiding your hair is said to to avoid absorption of the water more than if you were to throw your hair into a pony tail or to leave it down. This makes sense as a lot of boat ropes are braided. So, give yourself a quick french braid or pig tail braids prior to dunking in.

Don't Get Wet
While this can sometimes be hard to do, depending on who you are swimming with, avoid the damage that chlorine causes by simply not getting your hair wet. Throw your hair up into a high bun and keep your face above water. Although, it isn't sometimes as simple as this as there is splashing and waves and all sorts of other things that can make your hair wet, but it is definitely an idea.

Use Chlorine-Pool Hair Product
There are a variety of hair products that can be applied prior to jumping into a pool, as well as after - a prevention and treatment. Definitely take advantage of these, as they can be the surefire way to keeping the moisture in your hair without the chlorine.

These tips are extremely simple to follow and will save your hair from becoming dry and brittle. Swimming in a chlorine filled pool once in a while won't do much damage, but doing so often can absolutely make your hair pay the price.

Photo Credit: http://www.aquagear.com/blog/how-to-protect-hair-from-chlorine/

Introducing New Facial Cleansing...Powders???

We've all heard about dry shampoo: a dry powder that cleans hair without the use of water. But how does it work? Dry shampoo absorbs the oils for your scalp and hair, making it look and feel freshly washed without the need to shower. Sounds like a busy girl's go to hair product right? 

Well busy girl, time to meet your go to facial product: 

Facial Cleaning Powders

But what are facial cleansing powders? This new product offering works very similar to the way dry shampoo works; the main difference is that facial cleansing powders require a little bit of water. 

The product begins as baby-powder like consistency or chalky dusk and then transformed into a lightweight, slightly sudsy liquid cleanser when water is added. Not cool enough? Think of it as total Harry Potter magic: changing one thing to another. Hermione Granger would totally approve. :)

How to use: Wet face and hands. Shake a small amount of cleanser into hands and rub lightly to create a light, creamy lather. Gently massage directly over face in a light but circular motion. Rinse thoroughly and pat dry. 

The great thing about this form is that after wetting, the product becomes a fine-grain cleanser that gently exfoliates the skin while cleansing it. This is great for every skin type and even better for those with sensitive or rosacea-prone skin. When people choose to use an exfoliant, they often opt for the harsher ingredients that irritate the skin. The fine-grains and the use of healthy ingredients such as pulverized minerals, botanical enzymes and plant-based exfoliators within facial cleansing powders provides the right amount of gentle exfoliation for daily use.

Here are some brands that have created their version of this new innovation:

Amarte Daily ExfoliPowder ($35): Amarte manufactured their dry powder version to include licorice extract and sulfur to create a balanced and radiant complexion. These two ingredients work as natural brighteners, evening out skin tone and reducing pigmentation. 

E.L.F. Mineral Face Cleanser ($8): While wallet friendly,  this product packs a punch with its abundant use of natural ingredients: aloe, green tee, jojoba avocado, and sweet almond extract. 

Diptyque Poudre Pureté Radiance Boosting Powder ($58): While pricey, this product is worth very penny. Diptyque's Radiance Boosting Powder boasts the use of white clay (purifying), rose petals, jasmine, and neroli flowers. A user of this product says that "The effect was immediate! My skin looked bright, plumped, elastic and clean. What I did after that was to wipe my face with a cotton pad with some more of the Infused Facial Water on… and nothing else. I went to bed and when got up my face was still bright, plumped, elastic and clean… No excess oils, no redness, and more important – no allergic reactions. After two days my skin was still feeling fresh and healthy."

Try it out and tell us what you think!

The Different Kinds of Bangs

Bangs. They certainly aren't an easy thing to decide for many reasons. The first one being that you never know if bangs are going to look good on you unless you've worn them before. Then, if you decided to take the plunge, you have to figure out what kind of bangs are going to look best and that you want to wear on your head for weeks to come. Oh, bangs. They're so complex but absolutely amazing when done correctly. Here are the different kinds of bangs that are most popular within today's hair cuts.

Sleek Side Swept Bangs
This style of bangs has been trending for years now. I remember pulling off this look back in high school, and I still have them today. I would be a fool to tell you how long that is, but it has been a significant amount of time. Let's just put it that way. The bonus is that you can do so much with side swept bangs, and apparently, they'll never grow out of style. Fabulous, right? Ideally, this style works best with layered hair, but everything from a short pixie cut to long, luscious hair works.

Parted Bangs
It is important to not get confused because parted bangs isn't parted hair... It's parted bangs. So, you still have hair covering your forehead. The only difference is that it is 'parted' and wispy across it. I kind of explain parted bangs are full bangs, only choppier and, as mentioned, wispier.  You can also pin these back or to the side or wear them straight down your face if you really want.

Full Bangs
It wouldn't be fair for me to reference full bangs and then not mention them. Think back to your Hilary Duff on Disney days. Those are full bangs. They are thick and straight across at your eye brows and are, well, full! It takes a certain face and person to be able to pull this look off, but if you can, you're one hell of a hair diva and will steal the show every time you walk into a room.

Rounded Bangs
Rounded bangs take the full bangs and side swept bangs and combine them together. They are blunt and similar to the straight across the forehead look, only they have a very small curve that goes down the side of the face, offering a very symmetrical, layered look. This style is definitely for the bold and brave.

Wispy Bangs
Parted in any way that you want, wispy bangs essentially take the volume out of your bangs and makes them light and flexible. They can fall down over your forehead, or part to the side or even in the middle. They can also be clipped up, back, and to the side as well. Versatile at it's finest! Oh, and these bangs are easy to pull off for almost anyone.

So, if you are eager to 'switch things up', try a different bang style. These are only a few of the most popular styles.

Photo Credit: http://hairbyf.wordpress.com/2012/07/15/different-types-of-bangs/